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
Mortgage banker is the person or business that originates mortgages and receives payments. The mortgage banker typically sells these mortgages to investors and obtains service fees for the ...
Insurance coverage provided for an individual having a lease at a favorable rate, one which is less than the market value of the property. The insurance indemnifies the tenant for business ...
The definition of the price-to-rent ratio is very important for real estate investors. This ratio is a measurement for the affordability of a particular rental property and tells investors ...
Agequake is not the era of earthquakes! It’s a term that was coined by author Paul Wallace in his 1999 book “Agequake: Ridding the demographic rollercoaster shaking business, ...
Bank modifies the borrower's mortgage obligation, such as when the bank approves the homeowner's request for an extension of time to pay because of illness or loss of a job. One's ...
Personal income minus personal income tax payments and other government deductions. It is the personal income available for people to spend or save; also called take-home pay. It may be a ...
Combination of IRC 1034 and 121 dealing with the sale of a personal residence with the once-in-a-lifetime $125,000 exclusion that may be available for the "over-55" seller. Should the ...
Map presented to a municipality's planning agency by a real estate developer for consideration and approval. ...
A method of purchasing real estate whereby a maximum amount of leverage is used. Normally the seller will finance the down payment necessary to acquire a mortgage. Thus, the purchaser is ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.