Realtor to Real Estate Agent: Why Some Realtors are Defecting

You may not know there is a difference between a real estate agent and a Realtor.  Most folks use the terms interchangeably, however, a Realtor is an agent that is a member of the National Association of Realtors.  The big difference?  Realtors have access to the MLS.

This year the National Association of Realtors made a huge decision against the wishes of 80% of it's membership.  It is requiring a mandatory $40 political fee for the years 2012 and 2013.

As Eric Blackwell reports:

At the National Association of REALTORS midyear meetings, NAR’s board voted to approve and put into effect a mandatory $40 increase in fees, known as RPPSI, that would provide that money for NAR to use for donations to political candidates of their choosing. While NAR officials indicated that there was not much discussion about it at the midyear meetings, on the street in the industry, the story brought apparently a number of different reactions.

“I want to quit NAR” was one reaction.

“I REALLY don’t like the fact that I have to donate to political candidates that may or may not be of my choosing.” was another.

“Am I now a union employee? Forced to donate to candidates that I don’t like in order to have my listings on the MLS?”

One thing that is almost universally true. In the people we have talked to, almost no one who is an agent or broker and has to pay the dues agrees that it is a good idea. The issue does not appear to be the amount of money, but the principle of donating to candidates that they disagree with.  EB

Being forced to give money to candidates that I am actively working against is my issue and why I am going independent for the next two years, perhaps forever.  In the new economy of social media and buying local, the MLS is not the end all that it was at one time.  If it were, agents would not be on Trulia, Zillow, private company virtual tours, CraigsList, etc.

The ability to assist sellers to prepare their property for market and getting that property in front of the right eyes is what your real estate agent needs to do whether she/he are members of the MLS or not.

Buyers need an experienced real estate agent that knows the area and the market and negotiate the best deal.

Realtors are independent contractors.  They get no salary.  They get no benefits.  Now they get no voice.