Real Estate 101: The Professionals Involved In Your Transaction
REALTOR® – A licensed real estate agent and a member of the National Association of Realtors, a real estate trade association. Realtors also belong to their state and local associations of Realtors.
LISTING AGENT – The listing agent or broker forms a relationship with the homeowner to sell the property and place the property in the Multiple Listing Service.
BUYER’S AGENT – A key role of the Buyer’s agent or broker is to work with the buyer to locate a suitable property and negotiate the home purchase.
TITLE OFFICER – A title officer carries out the title search and examination, takes any necessary corrective action and provides the policy protection to secure a clean title.
ESCROW OFFICER – An escrow officer leads the facilitation of your escrow, including escrow instructions preparation, document preparation and funds disbursement.
APPRAISER – Before you can get a loan, the bank will have an appraiser look at the home and decide if it’s really worth the money you’re planning to spend. Many homeowners hire their own appraisers to make sure they’re getting the best value.
MORTGAGE BROKER or LENDER – A mortgage broker will find you the best loan and lender to fit your needs. The financing aspect of your home purchase may begin before you find an agent with a loan pre-approval.
MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE (MLS) – The MLS is a database of properties listed for sale by Realtors who are members of the local Association of Realtors.