Board of Choice

Just What is "Board of Choice"?

In 1994, the National Association of REALTORS amended their Bylaws to allow REALTORS to go outside of their jurisdictional boundaries in joining a local board. This concept allows REALTORS to choose the board to which they want to belong on the basis of the factors they decide are most important - rather than being limited by office location. What this means is that each REALTOR® member has some choices to make when signing up for board services. Ask questions about the services provided… When is new member orientation? How often are education courses provided? What kind of courses? Is there a good, useable website that will help you obtain information and products you desire? Are the service providers helpful?

The first decision a new licensee must make is the brokerage where they will choose to work. Each office has a “Designated REALTOR®” assigned to that office for each Board to which the office belongs. Most “DRs” only belong to one board. However, many offices belong to two or more local boards. If so, new agents have the choice of being primary members at any of the boards to which the DR belongs. If not, the agent must be a primary agent where the DR belongs but can be a secondary agent anywhere. So what’s the difference?

Primary membership exists for each REALTOR® in only one board – that board through which the National and State dues were paid. However, once a primary board has been selected, a member can also join as many other boards desired as secondary membership. Primary membership and secondary membership differ in one way: Local boards can only count primary members in determining how many directors sit on the state association. Otherwise, the rights and obligations of Primary and Secondary members are identical.

So, what’s your choice?

• Apply for Membership

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