If you’ve spent any time in real estate, you’ve probably heard someone say it: “I’m not yelling, I’m a REALTOR®.” It’s part joke, part brand, and part misunderstanding — which makes it the perfect place to talk about what that word really means (and doesn’t).
Let’s start here: REALTOR® is a trademark. Not just a title, not a generic synonym for real estate agent, and definitely not something to be typed out in lowercase or tossed around casually. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), “REALTOR®” should always appear in all caps and with the ® registration mark, and only members of NAR can use it. They’ve outlined these rules here.
You are not a REALTOR® just because you passed a state exam and got licensed. That makes you a real estate licensee. Being a REALTOR® means you’ve joined NAR — and agreed to abide by their Code of Ethics — which is the difference between getting a driver’s license and joining a car club with rules, dues, and a sticker on the back window.
Unfortunately, the bar for joining that club is... extremely low. Some real talk: All it takes is a couple of weeks, a thousand bucks (give or take), and a pulse to get a real estate license. Add a check to NAR, and now you’re a “REALTOR®” — and the public thinks you're on par with a seasoned professional.
But here’s where the joke ends. The truth is most agents fail. NAR’s own data over the years shows that the majority of new licensees are out of the business within five years. It's not because they weren’t “REALTORS®” — it’s because they couldn’t make a living.
That’s the real barrier in this industry: not the test, not the dues, not the Code of Ethics. The boundary is the ability to support yourself (and maybe a family) on straight commission in a business that has no salary, no safety net, and no guaranteed success.
I’ve been a member of NAR since around 2000, with a break in the middle, rejoining in 2015 first as an appraiser and then again as a broker. I've seen the cycle repeat — license mills crank out thousands of hopefuls who discover very quickly that this isn’t HGTV. It’s cold calling, contract clauses, market swings, emotional sellers, and seven-day work weeks.
So yes — I’m a REALTOR®. I use the mark properly. But more importantly, I’ve survived long enough in this business to earn the title in a way the trademark office can’t measure: through years of closings, clients, mistakes, and persistence.
If you’re new and serious, welcome — but know this: membership doesn’t make you a pro. Time, sweat, and success do.
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