The Letters of Real Estate
The ABCs on Those Business Cards
Q: Marsha, I’m purchasing my first home. A good friend referred me to a real estate agent. She’s quite competent and knowledgeable. She calls herself a Realtor and has several designations on her business card, such as GRI, ABR and CRS. I have no idea what any of this means. Can you explain?
A: Congratulations on making you first home purchase. It will be a life-changing move for you. You have a great question. What is the difference between working with a real estate agent and a capital-“R” Realtor? And what are all those letters so many agents have on their business cards?
The terms real estate agent and Realtor are often used interchangeably. They shouldn’t be. These are two different types of real estate professionals. To become a licensed real estate agent in California, you need to be at least 18 years old, complete 135 hours of required education, apply for the salesperson exam and application, get fingerprinted, have a background check, and pass the California real estate license exam.
