11-06-2009, 02:34 PM
[quote]Originally posted by John S. Rabi
Joining many of the other real estate companies here, my company (and I and all my agents) have not been members of any real estate organization for four(?) years. In fact, all of our material clearly indicate that we are "proudly not associated and affiliated" and if you check my postings here for the past few years you will see my signature does not include the "R" (realtor) designation.I have been a licensed real estate broker in Hawaii for 15 years. Realtor doesn't mean licensed, it means the person is a broker and is a member of NAR. It has nothing to do with licensing, knowledge or ethics.
John,....I don't check out this site much...but I do know quite a bit about real estate. Being a Realtor DOES mean you are licensed. You can't be a Realtor and NOT be licensed. That's one of the requirements for NAR membership. With regards to Ethics, yes, it does mean a Realtor DOES have to adhere to a Code of Ethics...it is a requirement. You do so by choice as a non-Realtor. Your website is very misleading when it comes to your designations. Even your signature you use on Punaweb states you are an ABR and CRB. I have checked. You have to be a Realtor to use these designations. These are NAR trademarks. To be able to use these designations, you also have to pay annual NAR, ABR and CRB dues, and you have to be a Realtor. So, although you profess not to belong to a "country club" you surely are benefiting by making it appear that you do. Why is that? Your disclaimers on your website say you are no longer affiliated, and yet....it seems like a contradiction to me. And it is also a deceptive practice. By the way, what does the REST of your alphabet soup represent? Former affiliations to other organizations? What is the point?
Joining many of the other real estate companies here, my company (and I and all my agents) have not been members of any real estate organization for four(?) years. In fact, all of our material clearly indicate that we are "proudly not associated and affiliated" and if you check my postings here for the past few years you will see my signature does not include the "R" (realtor) designation.I have been a licensed real estate broker in Hawaii for 15 years. Realtor doesn't mean licensed, it means the person is a broker and is a member of NAR. It has nothing to do with licensing, knowledge or ethics.
John,....I don't check out this site much...but I do know quite a bit about real estate. Being a Realtor DOES mean you are licensed. You can't be a Realtor and NOT be licensed. That's one of the requirements for NAR membership. With regards to Ethics, yes, it does mean a Realtor DOES have to adhere to a Code of Ethics...it is a requirement. You do so by choice as a non-Realtor. Your website is very misleading when it comes to your designations. Even your signature you use on Punaweb states you are an ABR and CRB. I have checked. You have to be a Realtor to use these designations. These are NAR trademarks. To be able to use these designations, you also have to pay annual NAR, ABR and CRB dues, and you have to be a Realtor. So, although you profess not to belong to a "country club" you surely are benefiting by making it appear that you do. Why is that? Your disclaimers on your website say you are no longer affiliated, and yet....it seems like a contradiction to me. And it is also a deceptive practice. By the way, what does the REST of your alphabet soup represent? Former affiliations to other organizations? What is the point?