When you use the term REALTOR® to describe yourself or your business, you are telling others that you are more than a real estate license holder—you also are a member of an association that sets higher standards and works on behalf of communities and property owners everywhere. The National Association of REALTORS® has many usage rules to protect this valuable mark. Your proper use helps maintain the value you receive from this member benefit. After taking this quiz, you can get more information about the proper ways to use REALTOR® at nar.realtor.
1. True or false? REALTOR® is a synonym for real estate agent.
2. Which of the following are improper uses of the term REALTOR®?
- Commercial REALTOR®
- Your Lakefront REALTOR®
- bestrealtor.com
- hometownrealtor@email.com
3. True or false? The terms REALTOR® and REALTORS® may be used in connection with, but not as part of, a business name.
4. Which of the following is an acceptable use of REALTOR® in connection with a business name?
- Showbiz REALTORS®, Inc.
- Showbiz Inc., REALTORS®
5. True or false? When asked what you do, the response “I am a REALTOR®” is an acceptable use of the term.
6. True or false? The term REALTOR® should not be used in a list of business services or occupations.
7. True or false? The term REALTOR® does not need to be separated from a member’s name or real estate business name with punctuation in email addresses, website names, or social-media usernames.
8. Which of these is the correct pronunciation of REALTOR®?
- rill-tuhr
- real-tore
- real-i-tore
- real-i-tuhr
1. False. REALTOR® is a term that denotes a member of the National Association of REALTORS®.
2. All four are improper uses. Descriptive terms in combination with the term REALTOR® are not allowed, as they imply that REALTOR® means real estate professional rather than denoting membership in NAR.
3. True. When used in connection with a business name, the terms REALTOR® and REALTORS® must be set off from the business name by a symbol or punctuation, such as a comma or dash.
4. b. Certificates of incorporation and DBAs should not include the term REALTOR®.
5. False. The term REALTOR® does not describe a vocation or profession. It indicates that you are a member of NAR. A correct usage would be, “I am a real estate agent and a REALTOR®.”
6. True. For example, a description such as Builder/REALTOR®/Architect is not an acceptable use, as it may mislead the public into thinking that REALTOR® is an occupation rather than membership in NAR.
7. True.
8. b.
This is a great objective, but in my observation, the general public does not know, nor really has a desire to learn the difference. We can say it and believe it ourselves all day; does anything change because of this? Even within ourselves, I do not believe many of us hold ourselves to a higher standard, which completely derails any attempt at getting the public to do so. “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
I ran across this while refreshing my understanding and I totally agree with you. There has not been enough public advertising to people outside real estate to understand this and I realize that advertising costs money (and don’t care for my dues to go up) so the rules don’t matter and only restrict the ones who are trying to use it properly because so many people don’t. It would take a massive crackdown to stop the improper use and I don’t know if it’s worth it. If there is value in the membership, it lies mostly in the general public… Read more »