Seattle

[ReallyEstate]

Are there any easy ways to become an MLS member?  Is there an association I can join?

[KathiKB]

In Washington State you have to be a licensed agent and have your license hanging in a brokerage, ReallyEstate. Getting your license is fairly straightforward, you can either take classes in a brick and mortar business offering the classes or take the classes online. Once you have your certificate you will take the test at the WA ST Licensing Dept. If you pass you are then licensed.

Once you have that, you can shop around for a brokerage. This is also fairly straighforward, there are lots of smaller brokerages looking for agents. There is often a monthly desk fee involved and they will make you sign a contract. I have seen some small brokerages offering 'no desk fees", you might be able to get your license hung there without much $ output. Once hired, you can then access the MLS.

ORRRRR you can become a Redfin Associate Agent! Get your license, make some extra dough on the weekends or evenings showing houses to our customers. We have many AAs that work full time jobs and do this for fun on evenings and weekends. Our AAs are fully licensed and have full access to the MLS.

Here's WHY working at Redfin is so dang awesome...

http://www.redfin.com/about/jobs

Here is a list of jobs in the company...

http://www.redfin.com/about/open-jobs

Here is a bit more about the AA position in Seattle...

http://www.redfin.com/about/open-jobs?jvi=oflRWfw7,Job

ReallyEstate, I have been reading your posts for a while now and you seem like you are very passionate about real estate -- this just might be something you have a blast with. As always, I am available to chat...

Kathi

[ReallyEstate]

Kathi,

    I have no interest in becoming an agent.  Mostly I just want to be able to flag listings and make complaints about agents to the MLS.  The only way to do this now is if you're an agent.  The MLS doesn't care much for the real estate buyers, those people who actually pay their bills.  Most agents are too nice to complain and it's just not realistic to ask your buyers agent to flag 20 properties because of the scumbags who give your industry a bad name.  

    Agents not updating listing statuses, listing garages/basements as part of the square footage, etc, is all part of this.  Those people give the good agents in the area a bad name.

    I guess that idea died quick.  I read that in some states being part of the MLS is easy.  

[Mtndude]

Get over it.  Move on.  Buy a house or three.

[hibiscus]

Bear in mind that if you do get your license, you can buy and sell houses for yourself. That alone would save you a tremendous amount of money. 

[TrustExperience]

That sounds so simple. It would not necessarily save any money and may end up costing you more. Buying and selling a home gets more complicated and rife with pitfalls each year. If you choose to pursue to be licensed to buy and sell your own properties then any money lost by the mistakes of inexperience should be considered “tuition at the University of Hard Knocks”.

That said if you choose to go that direction I sincerely wish you the very best luck.

[ReallyEstate]

I have 0 interest in doing hat professionally.  I'm just stunned that there's no regulating body for realtors.  I'd medicine were done this was, people would still routinely be getting bleeding a when they were sick.

[TrustExperience]

There is a governing body for Realtors.There is the Board of Realtors, the state department of licenses and the court system. So if one has a complaint then pursue it. Btw, (means by the way) you might want to use the spell check.

[hotdog]

Hello,

I would like to learn more about this. I am seriously considering getting a license as I have 2 investment properties. This post seems to suggest that I can be a realtor and conduct transactions with a license, but I need to be an associate agent at a brokerage to access MLS. Is that correct? 

(1) Are principal and managing broker the same?

(2) If not, what are  the costs and qualifications for becoming a principal broker?

(3) If I pass the test and get a rreal estate agent license, I cannot become a member of the MLS?? 

(4) Lets assume for a moment that I got the license and became a part of brokerage, Are there any restrictions on a realtor buying his/her own house? Obviously, I will disclose that I am a realtor. Can I flat our ask for a 3% price reduction? If not, Can I give my self credit towards closing costs? Is there any limit on the percentage of credit I can give towards closing costs either to myself or to another buyer?  getting 3% or either 1% (assuming 2% credit to buyer) of the home as income makes that taxable. I am not looking to break rules, I am looking to learn. 

Thanks

[ardell]

First change "a realtor" to a real estate broker. All licensees in WA are called brokers now, and only those who add the cost of joining "The National Association of Realtors" are "Realtors" . It's a trademark. Assuming you are talking about Seattle Area, our NWMLS is one of the few in the Country that is not connected to The Board of Realtors.

There are three types of Real Estate Licensees. A broker, a Managing Broker and a Designated Broker. The Brokerage run by the Designated Broker (only one per Company) is "The Member" of the mls. If your Brokerage is a Member of the Board of Realtors then every agent-broker must be a member as well. So you can't join a company that belongs to The Board of Realtors and choose not to belong to that trade association. But there are many companies in our area that are not members, because it is not mandatory to be a Member Realtor in order to have access to the mls here.

Managing Broker is just the name they gave people like me who were already Brokers when everyone else was called "A Salesperson". When they did away with the term "Salesperson" and replaced it with Broker, Associate Brokers became Managing Brokers. It doesn't mean our duties are any different. We just have an extra 30 hours (used to be 60 yours) of instruction. Not a big deal.

There clearly is some mandatory experirience required for you to be your own brokerage and for the first two years they want you to be more closely supervised by a Designated Broker. Then you can spin off, I think. You can check with The Department of Licensing and Real Estate Schools like Rockwell Institute in Bellevue for a better explanation.

Remember...being a member of an mls gives you access to people's homes, not just "data". It gives you "The Keys to the Kingdom" i.e. everyone's house that is for sale. So there should be a lot of rules for entry...if not to sell real estate...then to be able to waltz in and out of 100s of homes and having access to the keys to these homes.

Hope that was helpful.