Not all gay real estate agents are gay Realtors, a fact that can be somewhat confusing to someone who is shopping around for a gay real estate agent. So here is an explanation of what it means to be a gay Realtor – as opposed to a gay real estate agent.
- First of all, it is required by USA law that you first acquire a real estate license before acting in the capacity of a real estate agent. So if you are LGBT and want to be a gay real estate agent you have to be licensed by the state in which you plan to work, and each state has its own particular requirements.
- Once a gay real estate agent has satisfied all of the legal requirements, he or she has the option of joining the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The NAR holds its members to its own high standards and requirements, and is the largest and most respected and influential professional real estate member organization in the nation.
- The NAR owns the trademarked name “Realtor” which is a term it uses to designate that a person practicing real estate is a member of the NAR. So if a person first becomes licensed as a gay real estate agent and then they are accepted in the NAR, they also become a gay Realtor. The designation Realtor is, in other words, like a brand name for a prestigious and well known brand.
- While most gay real estate agents do join the NAR and become Realtors, it is not necessary for them to do so. You can practice real estate as long as you are licensed as a gay real estate agent, without taking the additional step of becoming an NAR member authorized to call yourself a gay Realtor. Membership in the NAR is entirely optional for any gay real estate agent.
- But gay real estate agents who are not members in good standing of the NAR are prohibited from using the copyrighted and trademarked designation “Realtor.” In order for a gay real estate agent to use that terminology in any of their advertising, for example, they must be awarded the title Realtor by the NAR.
- Once authorized by the NAR as members, gay real estate agents can freely use the logos, trademarks, and other resources of the organization – and they are officially recognized as gay Realtors.
- Because many people in the general public do not know these distinctions between “gay real estate agent” and “gay Realtor” they use the terms interchangeably. Just like when people want a tissue they ask for Kleenex – although Kleenex is a brand name and not all tissues are actually made by the Kleenex enterprise.
But if you want a gay real estate agent who has met the criteria for also being a member in good standing of the NAR, look for gay real estate agents who use the title “gay Realtor.” The easiest, most effective way to find a gay Realtor is through GayRealEstate.com. The site maintains the largest database of LGBT Realtors and gay-friendly real estate agents in the world, including gay Realtors all over the USA and abroad.
Click here for list of gay realtors, lesbian realtors and gay friendly realtors Nationwide.
If you have a real estate story that you’d like to share with us with the LGBT community, please contact us at manager@gayrealestate.com
