StraightTalk Home Buying Guide
Chapter 2. Shopping for a Home
Working With an Agent or Real Estate Broker
A real estate agent is a person who is trained to sell real estate. Agents can be either a broker or a sales associate. Brokers and sales associates are licensed by the state and must meet specific education and experience requirements to receive a license. A broker’s license permits them to conduct a real estate business and negotiate transactions for a fee. Sales associates work under the direction of a broker. REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and must subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Less than half of all licensed real estate agents are REALTORS®, and there are many good, experienced, ethical agents who are not REALTORS®. Your aim should be to find an experienced, reputable agent that has the knowledge of the areas in which you’re shopping and who is a good match for you. That means you may need to interview and check out more than one agent.
Prepared for Corning Credit Union by Remar Sutton & Associates, July 2004. Reviewed and updated May 2007. All rights reserved.
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