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Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041, Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ  (ReMax Realtec Group)

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2,684,009
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

        A simpler term for Thompson Broker is, "MLS Only".

    I have done it twice, most recently in 2015.  I will probably be a Thompson Broker again in 2019.   There is no reason for me to complain about NAR, if I am going to keep funding them with annual dues every January.

 

      Advantages:  You are a full member of the MLS.   You can input your listings, search the MLS, use MLS advantage, do anything and everything else involving the MLS.  You have a Supra eKey and can buy and use the Supra lockboxes.

  Disadvantages:     

      Many Boards will charge Thompson Brokers higher application fees and higher MLS dues.  Maybe that's retaliation, or an effort to discourage you from not joining the Board.  

       Without belonging to NAR, you cannot be a member of your local Board.  That means no members-only classes, speakers, seminars.   Nor can you belong to the Florida Association of Realtors, so you won't be able to use Form Simplicity, or any of the services that FAR provides.

        What about "standard forms", if you cannot get them from Florida Realtors or your local Board?  There are legal workarounds.  You may find a "back door" in the MLS.  Title attorneys and Title insurers will give them to you.  

    Another slight disadvantage:  you may encounter Realtors who say, "I don't see your name on the Board roster, how can you can be in the MLS?" , or, "Oh, Fred, I didn't see your name when I searched Board Membership, I thought maybe you retired."   Then you have to explain the whole Thompson Broker thing to them.

     

Mar 19, 2018 07:15 AM
Ambassador
2,160,948
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

The term "Thompson Broker" goes back to a ruling in 1990/1991  "Thompson v. Dekalb County Board of REALTORS®"   by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that stated that the exclusive right of members of the Dekalb County Board of REALTORS® to use their Multiple Listing Service is harmful to non-member real estate brokers. Since then nonmembers (licensed agents without affiliation to any real estate association/board) can participate in the multiple listing services that exist within the 11th Circuit including Alabama, Florida and Georgia. 

 

Mar 19, 2018 06:47 AM
Ambassador
3,344,906
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

We can add California to the list of Thompson brokers.  It makes a statement more than anything else.  It says I will not prostituted by the system that forces membership in NAR and other associations. 

It actually costs more to get access to MLS, Forms, etc. to be a Thompson Broker versus paying the dues.

Mar 19, 2018 07:49 AM
Rainmaker
1,844,171
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I am going to investigate here in IL. 

No forms are available for use but there could be a title company go-around on that.

I'm sure your board has a list of them hidden somewhere out of view. 

Mar 19, 2018 06:07 AM
Rainer
427,147
J.R. Schloemer
Kentucky Select Properties - Louisville, KY

I think Fred Griffin has the answer for you about Thompson Brokerage 

Mar 19, 2018 05:39 AM
Ambassador
5,229,227
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES & Fred Griffin have you covered!

Mar 19, 2018 09:11 PM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Here in NH any broker can just subscribe to the MSL for a fee that is more than just joining Realtor. It is cheaper to just belong. 

Mar 19, 2018 05:37 AM
Rainmaker
1,310,972
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

In California, MLS membership and NAR membership are two different memberships. You are not required to be a NAR member to join our MLS.

Mar 19, 2018 08:04 PM
Rainmaker
1,502,848
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

We have some online brokerages in Cali that are non-NAR.  I'd love to pull mine out of the NAR, but I'm too involved with the local association at the moment.

 

My local association does not have an "MLS Only" option (although they legally are required to allow it).  As it stands, I'd have to go to Orange County for that and count on the data share to put the listing into the local board (which it does).

 

Sadly, there appears to be no way to be a member of the state association without being part of the national one since it all revolves around the term "realtor".  This means I'd lose access to the state's forms and their free legal line and free digital signature program.  Although there is no law stating I MUST use the state's forms, I've yet to see an agent not use them and I doubt they would know what to do with a custom form.  That might be a barrier to buying homes as agents may refuse to accept non state forms and the battle of educating them that any form can be used is an uphill one that is probably not worth it.  Although the state sells blanks, there have been people who have gotten in trouble for using them while not being realtors.

 

Out here you'd save money on state, national and local association memberships but the form issue would be a drawback and added cost.  Continuing education in California is (letter of the law here) to take exams covering 40 hours of material.  There is no requirement to sit through classes, so the 40 hours of screen time that CAR gives for free to agents for CE is not a loss if you left the association.

 

As much as I dislike NAR, the costs aren't THAT high where it is worth going the non-NAR route.  Yes, you could escape that "code of ethics" that few pay attention to or bends to their will (I saw someone say on Lab Coat that taking an overpriced listing was a COE violation).

Mar 19, 2018 09:30 AM
Ambassador
6,392,889
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Not something I would want to be, there is a reason for NAR's existence, despite the amount of ingrates who berate them on a daily basis.

Mar 19, 2018 09:13 AM
Rainmaker
711,752
Lynnea Miller
Bend Premier Real Estate - Bend, OR
Premier Real Estate Service in Central Oregon

We have one MLS in the state that does not require NAR membership - rather it is voluntary.  I don't know the stats  on how many members of the MLS have opted to be members of NAR as well.

Mar 19, 2018 07:57 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,013
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

This issue will gain momentum and eventually succeed

Mar 19, 2018 06:40 AM
Rainmaker
5,215,388
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Not a fan of access without membership. Too many issues here!

Mar 19, 2018 06:07 AM
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

Fred Griffin nailed this one!

Mar 20, 2018 05:27 AM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

As much as I dislike the NAR I wonder if it still keeps some professionalism in our profession?

Mar 19, 2018 07:57 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I am not aware of that happening in Tennessee but will ask about it at our next MLS meeting.

Mar 19, 2018 07:49 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 - advantage to sellers and some brokers who do not care if the home sells or not - my two cents.

Mar 19, 2018 07:49 PM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Annette,

I think our California agents answered.  A

Mar 19, 2018 01:47 PM
Rainmaker
7,834,945
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

You have some good answers.

Mar 19, 2018 08:28 AM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 I believe Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES has this one.

Mar 19, 2018 07:18 AM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

No idea.

Mar 19, 2018 07:09 AM
Rainmaker
5,104,806
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

I have no idea how to find a list of non-NAR member brokerages. I've never heard of this company before and find it hard to believe that our association would allow this when 10,000 members are obligated to pay a ton of fees each year as member of NAR, NCAR and our association.

Mar 19, 2018 06:28 AM
Rainer
813
Yu Fay Khan
Tacoma, WA

Looking for a Florida office who is a 'Thompson' broker to hang my FL license with.  I am looking to get on Stellar MLS as a 'Thompson' member.  Anybody know?

Jun 06, 2022 12:06 PM
Rainmaker
2,390,010
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

Interesting.

Oct 29, 2019 06:00 PM
Rainmaker
1,598,452
Valeria Mola
SIB Realty - Miami, Sunny Isles Beach - Sunny Isles Beach, FL
305-607-0709 SIB Realty Condos for Sale and Rent

Interesting, something new I've learned. 

Oct 29, 2019 05:49 PM
Rainmaker
1,239,801
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

Oh my.

Oct 29, 2019 03:03 PM
Rainmaker
1,045,440
Dave Martin (703) 585-4687
Fairfax Realty - Fairfax, VA
Making Realty Dreams a Reality #WeWillGetYouHome

I guess that depends on who you are asking about having or not having advantages...looks like that would be one more thing making a Realtor less meaningful in the business Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 

Mar 23, 2018 06:05 PM
Rainmaker
4,935,551
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

In our MLS, non Members pay more but they can put them in.

 

Mar 23, 2018 02:36 PM
Rainmaker
1,622,432
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

Reading answers....

Mar 20, 2018 09:08 PM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

This is new to me.

Mar 20, 2018 05:52 AM