REALTOR® FAQs
What is a REALTOR®
What is a REALTOR®? A REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and is required to abide by a strict Code of Ethics. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark of the National Association of REALTORS® and misuse of the term is a trademark violation. To become a REALTOR® a person who holds a real estate license may join their local REALTOR® Association which makes them automatically a member of the State and National Associations.
Click here for more information: National Association of REALTORS® Homepage
I just got licensed—what next?
Once your broker submits your new member application, we will enter you into the NRDS system, assign you a NRDS number (which is an identification number that you will use in several different places), and send you an initial invoice. Being part of a local board of REALTORS® is a requirement to be classified as a REALTOR®, and you will not legally be allowed to identify yourself as a REALTOR® member until your initial invoice is paid in full. After the initial invoice is paid, you will be able to request access to the MLS.
Additional Next Steps:
- New Member Orientation is held quarterly, and is a requirement for newly licensed and\or new members of the Association. You may view additional information regarding CMR Membership here.
- Review the Code of Ethics and take the NAR “New Member Ethics Orientation” course online
- Discuss onboarding procedures with your Broker
- Complete post-licensing courses within the first year after receiving your license
What information do I need to share with CMR?
- You move or your address changes
- Your phone number changes
- You change offices
- Your e-mail address changes
- Your license status changes for any reason (put in escrow, obtain Broker’s license, retire, etc.)
- You complete an Ethics course
How do I renew my salesperson or broker license?
You will need to submit a renewal fee, copies of your completed 30 hours of CE, and a renewal application to the Department of Commerce, Real Estate Division. All paperwork must be submitted or postmarked on/before your CE due date.
Does a listing agent have to advertise “agent/owner” if the agent is a principle in the company that owns the property?
Yes. The agent would need to disclose that information in any advertisement.
What is my nrds number? What does nrds stand for?
NRDS is an acronym for National Realtors Database System. NRDS was designed and implemented by a group of Association Executives from state and local associations serving on the NRDS Standards Board as a single database residing on the Internet to store the member and office records for the Realtor organization. The data is maintained by Points of Entry (POEs) — most often the local association and in some cases, the state association acting for the local association.
When you became a member of the Association, you should have received a wallet card with your NRDS number printed on it. You can also contact your local board or the Central Mississippi Association of REALTORS® staff to find your NRDS number.
For more information about NRDS, please visit NAR’s NRDS User Guide
How do I update my NRDS Contact Information?
How you update certain information in your NRDS record depends on the information you need to change. Some things must be done by your local board, some by your Broker, and some can be changed by you the member.
Here is a document that explains how to update your NRDS information. (PDF)
How do I update my zipform® information
To update your company information in zipForm®, simply go to https://ziplogix.com/knowledge-base/how-to-change-your-company-information-in-zipformplus/
Where can i find more zipform® technical support?
Visit https://ziplogix.com/support/general-help-zipform-plus/
How do I file a complaint against a REALTOR®?
Contact the local association of REALTORS® in which the REALTOR® holds membership. You will be provided with a copy of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics and a complaint form. For a REALTOR® to be sanctioned he or she must be found guilty of violating one or more specific Articles of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.
When Does Owner/Agent Have To Be Noted?
It depends.
From an MLS perspective, owner/agent must be noted in REALTOR® remarks and cannot be noted in public remarks. The prohibition in public remarks is due to IDX agreements. If a consumer is finding your listing on another broker's website and sees "owner agent" in public remarks, the consumer is likely to leave the source website and go to the listing agent thinking they will get a "better deal."
From License Law - Rule 3.3 D. When a licensee is advertising their own property for sale, purchase or exchange which is not listed with a broker, the licensee must indicate that he or she is licensed. The disclosure of licensee’s status must be made in all forms of advertising enumerated in Rule 3.3 (A), including the “for sale” sign.
In addition to disclosing their licensed status in all advertisements, licensees are required to disclose their licensed status on all real estate contracts in which they have an ownership interest.
From the REALTOR® Code of Ethics - Article12-6. REALTORS®, when advertising unlisted real property for sale/lease in which they have an ownership interest, shall disclose their status as both owners/landlords and as REALTORS® or real estate licensees.
What is Mississippi Realtors®?
The Mississippi REALTORS® is a trade association that provides business benefits to its members that include education (through the Mississippi REALTORS® Institute), communication and lobbying for home ownership and business-friendly legislation. The association is located at 4274 Lakeland Drive in Flowood, MS just east of the Airport Road intersection and can be reached at 601-932-9325.
Click here for more information: MS REALTORS®
What is the mississippi REALTORS® Institute?
The Mississippi REALTORS® Institute is the school of the Mississippi REALTORS® that has been providing premier real estate education for decades. The school offers convenient online courses for pre-license and continuing education as well as classroom courses in several locations across the state. The Mississippi REALTORS® Institute is the only real estate school in Mississippi that offers the coursework required to obtain the National Association of REALTORS’ GRI designation. The Mississippi REALTORS® Institute is located at 4274 Lakeland Drive in Flowood just east of the Airport Road intersection and can be reached at 601-932-9325.
Click on Course Calendar to see a list of scheduled courses and to register for a class.
What is the Mississippi Real Estate Commission?
The Mississippi Real Estate Commission is the state agency that administers licensing exams, issues licenses and regulates the activities of licensees who must comply with Mississippi license law. The Real Estate Commission is located in Jackson on I-55 North and can be reached at 601-321-6970 or www.mrec.state.ms.us.
What are the requirements for obtaining a Salesperson’s license?
The Mississippi REALTORS® Institute offers the Salesperson’s Pre-license program both online and in several locations in Mississippi by classroom.
- Must be 18 years old
- Must be a resident of Mississippi prior to completing the application
- Must complete a minimum of 60 hours of courses in real estate approved education by the Mississippi Real Estate Commission
- Must pass the state licensing exam
- Must work under the supervision of a Mississippi real estate broker
- Must complete an approved 30-hour post-license course within one year after being issued the temporary salesperson’s license.
What are the requirements for obtaining a Broker’s license?
- Be at least 21 years of age
- Have legal domicile in the state of Mississippi at the time of application
- Be subject to the jurisdiction of this state and its laws
- Have held a active salesperson’s license for the 12 months immediately prior to making application for the broker’s exam
- Have completed a minimum of 120 hours of real estate courses approved by the Mississippi Real Estate Commission; OR in lieu of the 12 months with an active salesperson’s license shall have completed 150 hours of real estate courses acceptable for credit toward a degree at a college or university approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
- Must pass the Broker’s exam
- Completion of an approved 30-hour Broker Post-License course within 12 months of the issuance of the temporary broker’s license.
The Mississippi REALTORS® Institute offers the Broker Pre-Licensing by classroom and online through Broker A and Broker B courses.
What is the GRI designation?
What is the GRI designation? GRI (Graduate, REALTOR® Institute) is a 90-hour program of study offered only through state REALTOR® Associations whose programs are accredited by the National Association of REALTORS®. Upon completing the course of study the REALTOR® may use the GRI designation. The GRI program requires successful completion of the Salesperson Post-License and Broker A and B classroom courses.
Can I earn my GRI designation if I did not take my GRI I – Sales Post -license coursework through Mississippi REALTORS® Institute? Yes, a REALTOR® can take the GRI Challenge exam to satisfy the first 30 hours of the GRI program with a processing fee of $100. Then, the REALTOR® will complete the remaining 60 hours through GRI II – Broker A and GRI III – Broker B.
How do I become a licensed appraiser?
Visit the Mississippi Appraisal Board’s website at www.mrec.state.ms.us, click on MAB in the banner at the top, then click on Forms to access the Real Estate Appraiser License Application.
How do I become a licensed home inspector?
Home inspectors must be licensed and are required to complete an approved course of study that is a minimum of 60 hours in length and pass the state home inspector licensing exam. The Mississippi REALTORS® Institute offers an approved pre-licensing course online entitled Principles of Home Inspection: Systems and Standards. For more information on home inspector licensing, visit the Home Inspector Board at www.mrec.state.ms.us and click on Home Inspector Board or contact them at 601-321-6970.
How do I file a complaint against a REALTOR®?
Contact the local Association of REALTORS® in which the REALTOR® holds membership. You will be provided with a copy of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics and a complaint form. For a REALTOR® to be sanctioned they must be found guilty of violating one or more specific articles of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.
What Code of Ethics courses do REALTORS® have to take?
REALTORS® are required to complete Code of Ethics training every three years. This course can be taken through Mississippi REALTORS® Institute online or instructor-led. Non-compliance with the education requirement can result in loss of REALTOR® membership.
Click here to view our Code of Ethics Courses
Click here to learn more in our blog: Mastering the Code of Ethics
What CE do I need and by when do I need it?
Real estate licensees must complete 16 hours of approved continuing education courses within each renewal cycle. (A new licensees’ first CE cycle begins at the issuance of the permanent license and is a three-year cycle. Every subsequent renewal cycle is two years). At the end of each renewal cycle the licensee must have completed:
- Two hours of License Law
- Two hours of Contract Law
- Four hours of Agency Law
- Eight hours of any approved elective topic
The REALTORS® Institute provides all 16 hours of CE both online and by classroom. Visit our Course Calendar for our CE Schedule.
How do I find out how many CE hours I already have or need?
Check your CE records on the website at www.mrec.state.ms.us or contact the Mississippi Real Estate Commission (or Appraisal Board) at 601-321-6970.