realtor

realtor — noun

1. a licensed professional in the United States holding NAR membership (a national

1.nounB2
Definition

a licensed professional in the United States holding NAR membership (a national trade organization) who assists clients with buying, selling, or renting homes and other buildings

Example

The young couple hired a realtor to help them find their first home in Portland.

collocation: hire a realtor

Constanza works as a realtor in Miami and specializes in beachfront properties.

collocation: work as a realtor

Common collocations
  • hire a realtor
  • work as a realtor
  • contact a realtor
  • meet with a realtor
  • list with a realtor
Synonyms
  • real estate agent

    general term for any licensed agent; less specific than Realtor since it does not imply NAR membership

  • estate agent

    British equivalent; refers to the same profession but under UK licensing rules

  • property agent

    broader term covering commercial and residential property; used in some Commonwealth countries

Usage Note

Realtor (often capitalized) is a trademarked term in the US for a real estate agent who belongs to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). In everyday conversation it is often used interchangeably with 'real estate agent,' but strictly speaking, not all licensed agents are Realtors.

Common Mistakes

Let us call a Realtor to sell our London flat.
Let us call an estate agent to sell our London flat.
'Realtor' is a US term; in the UK the standard term is 'estate agent.'
Every real estate agent I know is a Realtor.
Every real estate agent I know is a Realtor, because they all joined the NAR.
While many agents are Realtors, the term is reserved for NAR members, not all licensed agents.

Word family

  • real estate
    nounB1
  • real estate agent
    nounB2
  • estate agent
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Realtor, real estate agent, and estate agent all describe professionals who help people buy, sell, or rent property, but they differ in geography and certification. Realtor is a trademarked US title held by real estate agents who join the NAR (National Association of Realtors) and follow its code of ethics. Real estate agent is the broader, everyday US term for any licensed person in the property business — all Realtors are real estate agents, but not all agents are Realtors. Estate agent is the standard term in the UK and many Commonwealth countries, with no equivalent membership organization. If you are house-hunting in New York, say 'realtor'; in London, say 'estate agent'; in casual US conversation, 'real estate agent' is fine for either.

realtor ↗real estate agentestate agent

Common collocations

Nouns

  • realtor
  • realtor's office
  • realtor's fee
  • realtor's commission

Phrases

  • ask your realtor
  • contact a realtor
  • get a referral from a realtor

Etymology

EnglishAmerican English

The word 'Realtor' was invented in 1916 by the National Association of Real Estate Boards (later renamed the NAR) as a proprietary title. It combines the word 'real' from 'real estate' with the suffix '-tor' (modeled on agent nouns such as 'actor' or 'vendor'), creating a distinctive term that would set NAR members apart from other real estate agents. The term was trademarked and remains legally protected in the US.