Can I use the term "REALTOR®" as part of my firm’s name?
No. The term REALTOR® can only be used in connection with—not part of—a firm’s name. Filing a firm name such as Chiltepin REALTORS®, Inc., is unacceptable. However, advertising as Chiltepin, Inc., REALTORS® is acceptable because in the advertisement, a comma separates the firm’s name from the term REALTOR®. Advertising as Hey Y’all, REALTORS® is also correct because it has a comma between Y’all and REALTORS®, but you also cannot file Hey Y’all, REALTORS® as a firm name.
Excuse this sounding sarcastic, but if this is the rule about NOT being allowed to use the word REALTOR in a company’s name; why does TAR have so many companies on the membership rolls in violation of this rule? A quick search of the TAR database using the keyword REALTOR would tell you the name of every firm in Texas that needs to register a new name? Don’t tell us not to do something you allow others to do. Of course if you choose to enforce this NAR Marks violation, I would applaud you and even say “it’s about time”.… Read more »
Looks like the biggest violator is a “large firm” out of Austin.
Can you use the word “REALTY” in the company name?
Yes
Does it matter if it’s a dba versus an LLC or Inc? This rule is confusing although if you read carefully, in the example above, ADVERTISING as Hey Y’ll, Realtors is OK but you cannot FILE or Use, Hey Y’all, Realtors as a firm name. That’s a fine line you have to watch out for. I think IF you are a member of an association you should be able to use the term Realtor; I believe that was the intent for the distinction between Agent and Realtors.
Does not matter. Realtor is a copyrighted trademark owned by NAR. Only state and local boards have been authorized to register a company name with the word Realtor. Nobody else has or will have permission. Further, it is also a TREC Rules violation to use ANY copyrighted words in a real estate company name.
TREC does not even pay attention and allows companies to officially file their LLC or Corp names with REALTOR. It’s a shame that so many are violating the rules and even when someone speaks out about it nothing changes. It would be nice to see TAR take some actual initiative and enforce the rule through the local boards. I have personally contacted local boards, 2 of the largest in Texas just in the last 60 days, and spoke to their presidents and VP’s, and surprisingly, they didn’t even know the rule. They admitted to me they did not know the… Read more »
The interesting part about this is some of the largest and fastest growing brokerages violate this rule and no one does anything. Even after letting their local member association know, they still violate the rule and change nothing. Where is NAR and TAR about enforcing this rule?
Can we use Realty in the company name in Texas for examlpe…Frontyard Realty as a name.
Just got my broker’s license. Can I use the term “Realty Services” in my new company’s name?
Can we use Realty in the company name in Texas?