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

Income for investors arising from net long-term profits of a real estate mutual fund realized when the portfolio is sold at a gain. Fund managers pass on profits from sales of real estate ...

Map showing the kinds of soil in a designated locality. ...

Early American architecture modeled after the English Georgian architecture having two or three stories with a rectangular design and ample ornamentation often including a widow's walk. ...

percentage relationship of a specific part of property to the whole property. An example is the square footage of one office to the square footage of all offices in an office building. ...

A financial obligation comes in several ways. In general terms, the meaning of liability refers to the amount of money an individual or company owes to a lender. We define the party holding ...

Thin wood that is shaped in a wedge and laid together in rows. An example is a roof on a house. ...

Established federal, state or local structural building requirements that have to be adhered to so as to receive certification by the government authority. Housing code enforcement is ...

One that is legally binding because it is in conformity with legal requirements and conditions. ...

Compensation representing the fair market value of a property taken in an eminent domain action. Foe example, Brian received $150,000 for his home which was condemned in an eminent domain ...

Popular Real Estate Questions