First of all, it’s pronounced “Real – tor,” not “Real – i –tor.” Only two syllables, please! Secondly, it’s a registered trademark and should always be capitalized. Over time the term has come to be commonly used to refer to anyone engaged in the real estate business. This is a misnomer. Not all real estate folks are REALTORS®. A REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Only NAR members can rightfully and legally call themselves or be referred to as REALTORS®.

Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, what’s the big deal about being a REALTOR®? Commitment, for one. By joining NAR and state and local associations, REALTORS® take on annual membership dues and other obligations, including a pledge to a strict, universal Code of Ethics and periodic ethics training over and above any government-imposed continuing education requirements. By my way of thinking, this is an indication of their commitment to the profession.

Founded in 1908 in my hometown of Chicago, where it continues to be headquartered, the National Association of REALTORS® has grown from 120 members to be the largest trade association in the world with over 1.25 million members as of July 31, 2008. In addition to the Code of Ethics (which you can view on my website, www.BobDohn.com), NAR and its state and local associations have come to be the voice of the real estate profession and the watchdogs of individual property rights for all citizens through advocacy at every level of government.

REALTORS® and the public have access to forums for airing ethics complaints through arbitration and mediation of disputes involving members, without litigation. Further, REALTORS® have access to immense training resources and data from NAR’s many ongoing research endeavors to enhance their knowledge and ability to serve clients, as well as numerous tools to help them stay informed about market conditions and industry trends.

In addition to state and local REALTOR® associations, NAR has numerous affiliated institutes, societies and councils serving the needs of professionals in a wide variety of real estate specialties, including different aspects of commercial real estate, property management, land and others. Many of these groups also foster individual charities. One example is the charity sponsored by my own local association, the REALTOR® Association of NorthWest Chicagoland (RANWC), of which I’m proud to be a member and part of the leadership team. Our charity is called Helping Our Heroes. It is dedicated to raising money to provide housing assistance for active duty Illinois military personnel, veterans, fire and police men/women suffering financial distress. In addition to helping 29 families who were close to foreclosure or eviction, Helping Our Heroes has provided other housing-related help to families in need and has sent hundreds of packages of needed supplies to our armed forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In summary, to me being a REALTOR® is all about commitment and professionalism in one of the major industries of America and the world. I’m proud to call myself a REALTOR® and to be associated with so many fine men and women who lead our field of endeavor. To learn more about what it means to be a REALTOR®, please visit NAR’s website www.REALTOR.org, the Illinois Association of REALTORS® websites http://www.illinoisrealtors.org/ and http://www.illinoisrealtor.org/ or RANWC’s website, www.RANWC.com.

Bob Dohn
www.BobDohn.com
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
140-A South Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL 60193
Direct Phone: 847-301-3126