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Ambassador
6,393,404
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

The first, a Professional, is always striving to be the best at what they do, continually learning and growing.

The other, an agent, does what is needed to keep their license and is always too busy to sharpen the saw or do anything that is not required by state statute.

There is a remarkable difference between those who seek to be Professionals and those who seek to just be agents.

Jun 15, 2016 07:21 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Professionals look at it as a career and invest in their futures. 

Jun 15, 2016 08:57 AM
Ambassador
2,684,009
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

A professional doesn't need to call herself or himself a "professional"...  it shows.

Jun 15, 2016 08:45 AM
Ambassador
1,026,993
Mimi Foster
Falcon Property Company - Colorado Springs, CO
Voted Colorado Springs Best Realtor

Have you decided to go back to real estate school in Utah?

Jun 15, 2016 11:43 AM
Rainmaker
5,005,642
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

OMG..I love Debbie Reynolds and Fred Griffin's answers!! Agreed!!

Jun 15, 2016 10:55 AM
Rainmaker
634,482
Kathleen Luiten
Resort and Second-Home Specialist - Princeville, HI
Kauai Luxury Ocean Home Sales

Bob Crane and Debbie Reynolds covered the answer I was going to write. But I'll add that there are RE professionals who are not agents.

Jun 15, 2016 09:20 AM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

I believe Bob Crane hit the nail on the head!

Jun 15, 2016 11:07 PM
Ambassador
3,164,294
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

our state dictates what we can call ourselves and professional isn't a choice. Of course that can be our behavior.

Jun 15, 2016 01:52 PM
Rainmaker
900,128
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

Is this a pholosophical question Lou?

Jun 15, 2016 12:36 PM
Rainmaker
2,224,473
Debbie Laity
Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

I would consider myself a professional because I take my business very seriously and it's not just a job. 

So I guess the difference to me is how someone looks at their career. 

Jun 15, 2016 10:41 AM
Rainmaker
1,502,998
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

That's a tough one Lou!  One one hand I want to say "Nothing, they mean one and the same to the consumer" but on the other hand I want to say "the same as any business; the professional is in the job full-time and seeks to improve themselves, while the hobbyist (agent) is in the job part time and does just enough to not get fired."

Jun 15, 2016 09:00 AM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Lou,

I agree wiith Bob Crane .

Jun 15, 2016 08:02 AM
Rainmaker
1,622,432
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

A RE professional does not waste your time and get things done. A RE agent is simply someone who has a license. 

Jun 15, 2016 07:58 AM
Rainmaker
989,652
Jennifer Mackay
Counts Real Estate Group, Inc. - Panama City, FL
Your Bay County Florida Realtor 850.774.6582

IMO as a professional it's my career and business - I don't have another job as real estate agents do

Jun 15, 2016 10:43 PM
Rainmaker
5,216,398
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

The professional is always looking to improve their service and knowledge knowing the benefit will be more sales. The agent is pursuing the next commission check!

Jun 15, 2016 10:31 PM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

licensee equates to minimum competency according to a recent CE class

professional - something more than the above!

Jun 15, 2016 10:11 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I do not know.

Jun 15, 2016 09:56 PM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

I suppose one can say that not every agent is professional. They can be mutually exclusive.

Jun 15, 2016 09:51 PM
Rainmaker
911,338
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

In some cases, there is no difference.

Jun 15, 2016 09:20 PM
Rainmaker
7,836,134
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

An agent is someone who has a license. A professional is one that has the knowledge and the skills to properly represent clients.

Jun 15, 2016 08:44 PM
Rainmaker
1,153,794
Kevin J. May
Florida Supreme Realty - Hobe Sound, FL
Serving the Treasure & Paradise Coasts of Florida

The former earns a livelihood while the latter an income.

Jun 15, 2016 08:39 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Lou Ludwig - in one word - Service. 

Or as your question asks -- Professionalism!

Jun 15, 2016 03:11 PM
Rainmaker
2,362,948
Lise Howe
Keller Williams Capital Properties - Washington, DC
Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC

a lot of commissions!

Jun 15, 2016 02:41 PM
Rainer
321,564
Melissa Jackson REALTOR
Trinity Premier Properties - Azle, TX
Helping You Make The Right Move

Code of Ethics. Personally I don't think the general public knows the difference.  A professional does their best and works hard as they grow their business.

An agent, they may work full time but don't put in the same care and responsibility.  The attitude of each is different & it shows in their work. You have some good answers. 

Jun 15, 2016 12:59 PM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I feel Professional takes pride in his profession

Jun 15, 2016 12:53 PM
Rainmaker
1,683,912
Larry Johnston
Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN
Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

Personality!

Jun 15, 2016 12:48 PM
Ambassador
3,727,873
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

A real estate professional could be an agent or a lender, home inspector, stager or anyone who facilitates the listing and selling of houses.

Jun 15, 2016 12:28 PM
Ambassador
4,693,319
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I would say probably similar to being a Realtor, as opposed to a real estate agent, which is the code of ethics and such.  I would hope that if you consider yourself a professional, you act accordingly.

Jun 15, 2016 08:09 AM
Rainer
66,409
Kartik Subramaniam
Adhi Schools, LLC - Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Market Analysis--Educational Content, Adhi Schools

I often use real estate professional in my writing because I do not want any confusion and it is a failry inclusive term. Because the agent is technically the broker and not the salesperson (something we all understand but a regular consumer may not), I do not want to use the word agent in certain situations and confuse someone. 

Maybe I'm overly cautious or confusing a different sect of my readers now, but that's my rationale. 

Jun 15, 2016 07:40 AM
Rainmaker
2,817,671
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

To me, an agent has a real estate license.  A real estate professional is more vague and inclusive.  I guess that would include assts, etc and may even others in real estate industry such as mortgage brokers, real estate attorneys.  But, if someone was using the title of "real estate professional" most outside of the industry would assume real estate agent.  Most inside the industry might assume a non-agent and someone trying to inflate the title.

Just my opinion. 

Jun 15, 2016 07:19 AM