Arizona real estate is a crowded place. Almost everyone is a realtor 🙂
According to NAR, the top 10 states with the most Realtors per capita are:
- Arizona, where 1 in every 168 residents is a Realtor
- Hawaii, where 1 in every 173 residents is a Realtor
- Florida, where 1 in every 175 residents is a Realtor
- D.C., where 1 in every 193 residents is a Realtor
- Nevada, where 1 in every 200 residents is a Realtor
Full story at AGbeat.
So if 168 Arizona residents are a Realtor what does that mean?
What’s The Difference Between a Realtor and a real estate agent?
A realtor is a member of the National Association of REALTORS. Then locally they will be a member of a local REALTOR association. I am a member of SAAR, Scottsdale Area Association of REALTORS. Below is the NAR’s own definition.
A real estate agent is a REALTOR® when he or she is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, The Voice for Real Estate® — the world’s largest professional association.
The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
A real estate agent is anyone with an active real estate licence. So all REALTORS are real estate agents but not all agents are REALTORS.
The main operational difference locally is access to ARMLS. You must be a member of a participating local association to access Arizona Regional Multiple Listings Service. I have no clue how anyone could transact a serious amount of real estate deals without that access.
Real Estate Agent Numbers
So when you take into consideration non realtor agents the 1 to 168 number is probably even lower.
The average household size according to the latest census was 2.63. So that’s 63 households per realtor. That’s not very many. Because we have so many vacation homes the number is larger though.
How To Pick a Real Estate Agent
Ask for examples of marketing materials, previous MLS listings, photographs of prior listings.
Ask for references directly from past clients.
Interview more than one. A NAR statistic shows people overwhelming go with the first REALTOR they meet. Much better to see how you mesh with 2 or more.
Lastly don’t assume cheaper is better. If your agent can’t negotiate their own commission how on earth will they be able to negotiate you the best price for your home.