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

Written agreement in which the lessee pays rent to the lessor for the use of real property for a stated time period. An example is the tenant's rental of an apartment or office space. ...

Measure of the value of all goods and services produced by the economy within its boundaries and is the nation's broadest gauge of economic health. GDA is often a measure of the state of ...

Board used when connected as a floor. It may also be used as a strip in a wall or door. ...

Restraining a person or business from denying an appropriate conveyance of property evidenced by a deed has given. ...

(1) Reconciling the records to show agreement. (2) Agreement of the records to physical amounts. ...

The term after-tax rate of return calculates an investor’s net return after income taxes. The calculation is used by many businesses and investors to determine their real earnings. ...

Monitoring and administrating a mortgage lien after it has been made. This may include monthly payments, record keeping, handing tax and insurance record, and foreclosure of property. A ...

Schedule which is part of Form 1040 showing income or loss from real estate transactions including net rental income (rental revenue less rental expenses). ...

The definition of acquisition cost in real estate is the total cost recorded by a company or individual pertinent to the purchasing of a property. This is the entire amount written down in ...

Popular Real Estate Questions