About the Board

    Association Highlights

The REALTOR® Family

The Berkshire County Board of Realtors® is a voluntary membership trade association formed to service professional real estate licensees in the region. Only those who pledge themselves to a higher level of ethical business practice can elect to join the Board and can use the term ‘Realtor®’ and the “Realtor® R Logo”. (According to NAR's Trademark Policies)

A REALTORS® is a member of a local Board or association, a state association and of the National Association of REALTORS®. By joining any local association in the United States, REALTORS® participate in a Three-Level Agreement.

The REALTOR® Family explained:

The REALTOR® organization is a three-tiered structure (local, state and national) bringing you benefits from each level.

1. National Association of Realtors®. (NAR)
2. Massachusetts State Association of Realtors® (MAR)
3. Berkshire County Board of Realtors® (BCBR)

This agreement grants to state and local associations the right to use the term REALTOR® in their names and grants the right to use the term REALTOR® within their territorial jurisdictions. It allows the Berkshire Board to grant the right to use the term REALTOR® to such individuals as deemed qualified for membership. In turn, we agree to accept the charge of properly granting and regulating the use of the terms REALTOR®; to subscribe to the Code of Ethics of the National Association; and to uphold and enforce the Code within the association's jurisdiction. The Berkshire Board also agrees to maintain membership in good standing in the state association of the state in which they are located.

The National Association of REALTORS®

Founded in 1908, NAR has grown from its original nucleus of 120 to a million members in the U.S. We are comprised of REALTORS®—from almost 60 countries—who are involved in every aspect of the real estate industry, including: residential and commercial real estate brokers, agents, property managers, appraisers, counselors and more.

The National Association has several purposes:

• Ensures that REALTORS® are represented in the legislature in Washington and that private property rights are upheld.
• Fosters professionalism through education and a strong Code of Ethics
• Remains an integral part of every real estate transaction
• Moves fast with technological advantages
• Promotes your reputation and interests within your community
• Helps you keep more of what you earn Working for America’s property owners, and acts to preserve the free enterprise system and the right to own real property.

The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®

The state association closely integrates the work of local, state, and national components. States encourage and maintain open lines of communication among the three tiers of the REALTOR® pyramid. Some of the other important duties and responsibilities typically performed by the state association are as follows:

• Coordinates statewide programs and activities among local associations.
• Serves as a liaison, on behalf of the local associations with the state's executive, legislative, and regulatory agencies.
• Publishes an informational membership publication for local associations and individual members.
• Liaison with the state licensing agency to promote effective real estate licensing and regulatory activity.
• Sponsors annual leadership conference to train new leadership (newly elected officers and directors, committee chairmen and committee members).
• Provides education for REALTORS® through the REALTORS® Institute (leads to the GRI designation for those who complete the program).
• Sponsors an annual state convention for social, business, educational, and inspirational purposes.
• Sponsors "REALTOR® of the Year" program to select the state's outstanding REALTOR®.
• Sponsors regional district or area meetings to provide a grass-roots liaison with local associations.
• Reviews the legal implications of state law and city or county ordinances within the state as they relate to real estate.
• Implements policy set forth by the National Association for the state association and its local associations, members of such associations, and individual members of state associations.
• A state association can provide specialized expertise to local associations, especially the association without paid staff, and to the National Association when local or regional matters affect common purpose.

The Berkshire County Board of REALTORS®

The local association is the most visible and best-known component of the REALTOR® organization. It is at this level that members can actively participate on a regular basis and contribute to achieve common goals to better the industry.

The following list of activities provides a partial picture of a local association's function:

• Provides the organization, administration, and execution of REALTOR® policy.
• Provides a headquarters or "place" for REALTORS® to discuss plans and to implement policy in which they are in agreement.
• Elects its leadership and selects its staff to execute final decisions.
• Grants use of the terms REALTOR® to eligible members and ensures proper use of both terms.
• Provides educational meetings and seminars on real estate topics.
• Enforces the NAR Code of Ethics and provides an arbitration process for contractual disputes between REALTORS® and between REALTORS® and their clients.
• Is the collective voice of all its members, by virtue of electing--through democratic processes -- its officers and directors, by appointing REALTORS® to its committees, by having membership meetings, and by entertaining suggestions and complaints.
• Provides training in public service and organized real estate through service on committees and in elective positions.
• Provides, through tested and proven service on the local association level, an opportunity for service on the state and national level.
• Organizes and maintains the important function of cooperative business practices, such as an MLS.
• Often provides a real estate library, training films and cassettes, standard business forms, advertising, publicity, public relations, and the opportunity for civic participation on behalf of the association and its members.
• A local REALTOR® association can be a great force for the public welfare of any community, and it can be a tremendous service to and on behalf of its REALTOR® members.

This relationship defines the privileges and responsibilities of all parties. When you are accepted to membership following the orientation program and payment of dues, you then hold membership in all three levels of this association and have complete access to the benefits of this affiliation.

Plus, as a benefit for its members and other Realtor® Principals in contiguous states, the Berkshire County Board of Realtors® runs a wholly-owned subsidiary company, the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service, Inc. Check out the MLS Consumer Website