the REALTOR trademark

As a REALTOR, I am very protective of the REALTOR trademark. All REALTORS have the duty to work under the Code of Ethics. We also have guidelines under the Pathways to Professionalism.
There are specific rules for using the trademark. We can only use the trademark adjacent to our name in all advertising, URLs, or e-mails. For instance, RicGiumentaRealtor.com is acceptable.
We can’t use BestREALTOR.com, because a member’s name isn’t there. It is great branding to use your communities name in advertising. So, we might be tempted to use Your Hometown REALTOR as a brand name, but that is a violation of the trademark.

So, who are the REALTOR Police? All REALTORS. If you see a violation, contact the REALTOR and explain that it might be a violation and suggest a change. Review the Membership Marks Manual at NAR.REALTOR. If they’re reluctant or disagree with your assessment, then contact Trademark@REALTORS.com and request a clarification from the legal department.

If you would like more information contact me. I’m Ric Giumenta. You can have a good day or a bad day. It’s your choice. Make good choices.

See you next time!