Providing Comprehensive Real Estate Services to Home Buyers and Sellers in the Greater Washington DC area, VA & MD & DMV area.

I am dedicated to providing excellent customer service. My philosophy is simple: clients come first. I pledge to be in constant communication with my clients, keeping them fully informed throughout the entire buying or selling process. I also like to keep in contact with past clients to help them understand how changes in the market could impact their buying or selling decisions.

I believe that if you're not left with an amazing experience, I haven't done my job. I don't measure success through achievements or awards, but through the satisfaction of my clients. I take great pride in the relationships I build and always work relentlessly on my client's behalf to help them achieve their real estate goals.

Today's Home buyers and house sellers need a trusted resource who can guide them through the complex world of real estate. With my extensive knowledge and commitment to providing only the best and most timely information to my clients, I am your go-to source for real estate industry insight and advice. Buying or selling a home is more than just a transaction: it's a life-changing experience. I would be honored to help you with your real estate needs.

*Let Me Help you understand Difference Between, Real Estate Agents vs. Realtors vs. Brokers before you start the buying or selling process.

*Differences Between Real Estate Agents, Realtors, and Brokers.

One of the questions I often get is if there is a difference between a Realtor, Real Estate agent, and broker.

Hiring someone to help you with a real estate transaction can be confusing at times since there are so many different professionals out there vying for your services. To make things more confusing, there are various real estate terms for what seems like the same thing.

You have real estate agents, Realtors, and brokers. Are there differences between the three? And if so, how do those differences impact you as a buyer or a seller?

It is not uncommon at all to see the words agent, Realtor, and broker; all used interchangeably. You could compare this situation to certain words becoming standardized in our vocabulary.

Below you will see a comprehensive review of the differences between Realtors, Real Estate agents, and brokers.

Without a doubt, lots of people wonder what the difference is between a real estate agent and a Realtor.

*Real Estate Agents

* What is a real estate agent?

A real estate agent is a professional in the real estate industry that serves as the facilitator of real estate transactions. Their job is to help buyers and sellers come together and make transactions. They get paid through commission, usually an agreed-upon percentage of the sale price of the property.

There is no standard real estate commission – it is negotiated between a real estate agency and clients.

Real estate agents work for real estate brokerages. In essence, the brokerage is who you are hiring, and the agent is the brokerage’s representative for your transaction.

* What are the responsibilities of a real estate agent?

Real estate agents are responsible for representing the best interests of their clients, whether they are buyers or sellers. They will help buyers find the home they are looking for and negotiate the best price. They also help sellers find buyers and negotiate the best price for the market.

There is a long list of tasks that real estate agents handle on behalf of their clients, tasks that ensure that the clients get the best possible results from their transactions. Some of the most vital roles of a real estate agent include:

• Setting the correct price of a home.
• Marketing properties, both online and offline through various proven methods.
• Negotiating offers when they are received either from a client or a buyer’s agent.
• Keeping an open line of communication with clients before and during the time of a transaction.
• Helping buyers find and close on a home.
• Numerous other tasks to help the successful completion of a purchase and sale.

It should be understood that buyer’s agents and seller’s agents can have very different tasks in their normal business operations. Many consumers do not realize there are different skill sets for real estate agents. Here are nine things a buyer’s agent does for their clients. On the flip side, you can see what a seller’s agent does for their clients. Both have significant roles in the transaction by doing different tasks.

Without a doubt, there are differences between what a buyer’s and seller’s agents do for their clients.

* Responsibilities of a buyer’s agent:

• Help a buyer get pre-approved for a mortgage, including suggesting a lender or lenders to interview.
• Helping you find a house including advising on neighborhoods, schools, and communities.
• Provide assistance on what to offer for a home and then negotiating the said offer.
• Recommend a professional home inspector and attend the inspection to have an in-depth understanding of the findings.
• Help negotiate any inspection repair requests from the buyer.
• Communicate with the seller’s agent and buyer’s attorney throughout the transaction.
• Monitor the buyer’s loan commitment to ensure the financing is on track.
• Finalize all loose ends before the closing and attend a final walk-through of the property.

* Responsibilities of a seller’s agent:

• Do market research to price a home accurately based on current market conditions.
• Provide a real estate marketing plan designed to get a home sold quickly for the most money possible.
• Communicate properly before and during the sale.
• Ensure that the buyer is qualified before accepting an offer.
• Negotiate the best terms possible for the seller.
• Attend the home inspection to represent the best interests of the seller.
• Attend the home appraisal to provide the appraiser with essential information about the property.
• Help the seller finish up any necessary tasks to be able to close as planned.

In some states, it’s possible to become both the buyer’s and seller’s agent. This situation is what’s referred to as dual agency.

As you can see, real estate agents play a large role in the successful completion of a sale. One of the most significant complaints among consumers towards real estate agents is a lack of communication. Obviously, this kind of behavior is extremely unprofessional. Real Estate Agents and Realtors need to understand they are typically dealing with someone’s most significant financial asset.

* What is a Realtor®?

A Realtor is a professional in the real estate industry who is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). It is a federally registered membership mark. Real estate agents and brokers are just some of the professionals who can join the organization. Property managers and real estate appraisers can also join, among other professions. All members of the NAR pledge to abide by the standards and code of ethics of NAR.

NAR attempts to hold its members accountable for their professional behavior. Because of the higher standards of NAR, Realtors believe they can offer a better experience for their clients than the everyday real estate agent.

* What are the responsibilities of a Realtor®?

Realtors have the standard responsibilities of their professions, like serving buyers and sellers as a real estate agent or broker. Realtors, however, are held to a higher level of business standards and ethics. They must adhere to and follow the NAR Code of Ethics. Following the code of ethics is the most significant difference between being a Realtor and a real estate agent.

Below is an excellent summary of the 17 Articles of The Code of Ethics Realtors must adhere to. Keep in mind this is just a shorted summary with the basics behind the code. Each article in the code has additional sub-codes detailing what rules Realtors are required to follow.

The code is considered a living document that can be amended as necessary. It has been changed many times throughout its history so that it remains in lockstep with today’s best real estate practices.

NAR has also changed the code when necessary to reflect changes in fair housing laws and standards. NAR has some interesting statistics on Realtors.

* The 17 Articles of The Realtor Code of Ethics

1. Protect and promote the best interests of buyers and sellers ahead of their own, as well as treating all parties honestly.
2. A Realtor shall not exaggerate, misrepresent, or conceal any material facts about a property. They shall investigate and disclose when situations reasonably warrant it. REALTORS® shall only be required to find and disclose adverse factors reasonably apparent to a person with expertise in those areas required by their real estate licensing authority.
3. Realtors shall cooperate with other real estate agents and brokers when it’s in the best interests of their clients to do so.
4. Realtors are required to disclose if they represent family members who own or are about to purchase real estate, as well as if they are a principal party in a real estate transaction.
5. Realtors cannot provide professional services in a transaction where the agent has a contemplate or present interest without disclosing that interest to all parties involved.
6. Realtors shall not collect a commission, rebate or profit from the transaction without the seller’s knowledge, nor recommend third parties from which they will profit from without the seller’s express consent.
7. A Realtor shall refuse fees from more than one party even if permitted by law without all parties’ informed consent.
8. Realtors shall have a dedicated financial account holding clients funds always from the agents’ own funds.
9. Realtors will attempt to ensure that all written documents, including listing and purchase contracts, are easy to understand, and a copy of all materials are signed and delivered to the appropriate parties.
10. Realtors will not discriminate in providing services for any reason based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
11. Realtors will be competent to conform to standards of practice and not provide services outside the scope of their expertise.
12. A Realtor must be truthful in advertising and marketing. Realtors also shall never quote pricing other than the agreed-upon listing price unless expressly permitted by the seller.
13. Realtors cannot practice law and therefore give legal advice unless the Realtor is also an attorney.
14. If charged with unethical practices, a Realtor shall cooperate and present all evidence as requested by law.
15. Realtors shall not make false accusations about another Realtor, discredit them in any way, and also file unfounded ethics complaints.
16. A Realtor cannot solicit another Realtor’s client, nor can they interfere in their contractual relationship. Realtors are prohibited from intentionally marketing to another Realtor’s client.
17. Realtors are required to submit disputes to the real estate board for mediation if the board requires it. If the argument isn’t resolved through mediation, or if intervention is not required, a Realtor will submit the dispute to arbitration by the policies of their board rather than litigate the matter.

As you can see, a Realtor is held to a higher standard than a non-member real estate agent. It should be becoming clear there is a difference between a Realtor and Real Estate agent.

* What is Real Estate Brokers?

A real estate broker is a real estate professional that has continued his or her education beyond the level of a real estate agent – successfully obtaining a state real estate broker license.

Brokers may work as independent agents or start brokerages and hire other real estate agents and Realtors to work for them. Some of the most recognized real estate agencies in the world include:

• RE/MAX International
• Long & Foster Real Estate
• Coldwell Banker
• Century 21.
• Keller Williams
• Fairfax Realty
• ERA
• Redfin

Many of these real estate franchises are not only located in the United States but around the world.

* What are the responsibilities of a broker?

As more experienced and qualified real estate professionals, brokers tend to handle the higher-level requirements of a real estate transaction. If they employ real estate agents, the broker may focus more on the detailed paperwork and legal requirements of a deal while the agents focus on the basics of the purchase or sale – like helping buyers find homes and helping sellers find buyers.

Most significant real estate brokers almost always oversee on a daily basis all of the real estate agents they employ. Outside of managing other agents, one of the significant functions of a real estate broker is to hold a buyer’s earnest money deposit in an escrow account that is duly accounted for after a transaction.

The typical difference between a broker and a real estate agent is it usually includes an active ownership role.

* My Advice:

Whether you choose to hire a real estate agent, Realtor, or real estate broker, it makes sense to do a careful interview process. Hiring someone to represent your interests is one of the most critical aspects of buying a house or selling a home. Not doing cautious research is just asking for trouble.

Hopefully, you now understand the differences between real estate agents, Realtors & Brokers.

* Additional Valuable Real Estate Resources

• Don’t do these things when selling a home – learn what not to do when selling a house. If you make some of these mistakes, especially with financing, you might lose out on purchasing your dream home.
• What to know about selling high-end homes – get some excellent tips on how to sell a luxury home. There are some additional marketing avenues that should be taken when selling an estate.

Use these additional helpful resources to make smart decisions when you are going to be selling a home.

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