Real Estate Broker
Definition of "Real estate broker"
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.
Popular Real Estate Terms
The down payment on the price of a real estate. For example, it is customary to make a down payment of 10% of the value of a real estate parcel upon signing the purchase agreement. ...
Selling price for a property less assumed mortgages by the buyer. For tax purposes, the computation of the contract price is critical. ...
Bond whose interest is free of federal, state, or local tax in the state of the issuer. It is typically a municipal bond of estate or county agency. For example, a New York City resident ...
The right to demand that title be conveyed upon payment of the purchase price. ...
Charge levied against property owners to finance an improvement made by the local government which benefits the homeowners and commercial businesses. Examples are sidewalks and sewers. ...
Factor employed by real estate agents or appraisers to determine the change needed in operating income to obtain a desired rate of return. It is used to evaluate income-producing property. ...
Basis for the valuation of property acquired from a decedent for tax purposes. The unified transfer tax in 1976 provides for the valuation of property to be the adjusted basis immediately ...
Also called a will. Describes the disposition of property. ...
Stature regulating the use of credit information. Allows consumers such as prospective homeowners access to their credit files. It requires a lender to explain how loan interest is ...
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