Frequently Asked Questions

Why are your commissions lower than most other brokerages?

Real estate companies are like every other type of company with the exception of how most charge for their services. This was done largely by design over decades. Most other industries charge for services based on overhead and profit expectations. We set our commissions based on these established business principles, not “what everyone else charges”.

What is the difference between a real estate agent, a Realtor, and a Broker?

Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent is someone who has a professional license to help people buy, sell, or rent all sorts of housing and real estate.

Realtor

In order to become a Realtor (a licensed agent with the ability to use that widely respected title) an agent needs to be a member of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). As a member, a person subscribes to the standards of the association and its code of ethics.

Broker

A Broker is someone who has taken education beyond the agent level as required by state laws and passed a broker’s license exam. Brokers are well acquainted with real estate legal issues and how the law applies to operating a brokerage, real estate investments, construction, and property management. To obtain a broker’s license, real estate agents must already have a certain level of experience under their belt typically, three years as a licensed real estate agent.

There are different types of Brokers:

Principal/designated broker: Each real estate office has a principal/designated broker. This person oversees all licensed real estate agents at the firm and ensures that agents are operating in compliance with state and national real estate law.

Managing broker: This person oversees the day-to-day operation and transactions of the office and typically takes a hands-on approach to hiring agents, training new agents, and managing administrative staff. (Some principal/designated brokers also serve as managing brokers.)

Associate broker: This real estate professional (sometimes called a broker associate, broker-salesperson, or affiliate broker) has a broker’s license but is working under a managing broker. This person typically is not responsible for supervising other agents.