Definition of "Real estate broker"

Ginny Solis-Wright real estate agent

Written by

Ginny Solis-Wrightelite badge icon

Realty One Group

One of the most recurring real estate doubts is regarding what is a broker in comparison to what is a real estate agent.

Well, it depends from state to state to tell exactly what a Broker can and cannot do, but it’s safe to say that, in every state, a Real Estate Broker is someone with more real estate education and experience than a real estate agent. To become one, you have to attend a certain number of Real Estate classes and pass the state exam. The duration of those classes is longer than the ones an agent goes through and the exam they take is more difficult to pass too. Summing up: although all Brokers can act also as Agents, not every Agent can act as a Broker.

In general, you could say that a Broker is the person with the certification necessary to list the property and sign the papers and overview the transaction between the home seller and the home buyer. But there is a large variety of other services he/she provides for home sellers and home buyers, like Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), preparing contracts and acting as the guardian of the escrow. Sometimes, the home seller or buyer doesn’t even meet the Broker, but a real estate agent that works under him/her.

The Broker is the one who collects the commission once the sale is made and he/she divides the value to all participating parts like the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent – most of the times an employee of his, but, depending on the type of listing agreement (like an Open Listing) it can be someone independent from him/her.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Six-by-six mile square area of land designated by the intersection of range lines and township lines in the rectangular survey system. ...

Portion of a deed that states the act and date of the transfer of the property. ...

Type of ownership by husband and wife, recognized in 27 states, in which the rights of the deceased spouse pass to the survivor. It is the same as joint tenancy, except that one spouse ...

Charge assessed a mortgagor by the mortgagee when assuming a pre-existing mortgage. The assumption fee is often included in the closing costs when purchasing property. ...

Agreement in which the contract price to build something is equal to the total costs incurred plus a predetermined profit. The profit may be based on a percentage of cost (e.g., 20% of ...

Looking for an amortization definition? Amortization is an accounting term that basically means something like “reducing the gap between what is owed”. Here’s the play by ...

Considering future occurrences that may possibly arise. ...

A rental contact in which the tenant's rental is tied to a change in the price level, such as the Gross National Price Deflator. ...

Keeps something under control, such as water and sand. It blocks natural flow and settling of earth. It performs the same function as a dam would for water. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions