Leasing agent/consultant vs real estate agent (negotiating, sales, property)

[3divina]

Okay, I assume leasing agent and leasing consultant are the same thing? Please correct me if I'm wrong. What's the difference between that and a real estate agent? Is an agent the same thing as a broker?

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by 3divina

Okay, I assume leasing agent and leasing consultant are the same thing?

Those both sound like the "feel good" titles given to the middle aged ladies
that work in the office at apartment complexes.

Please correct me...

The distinction is about ownership and the persons relationship to ownership.

If she is the owner or an employee... you can call her the Queen of Sheeba.
If they are not... then they better be LICENSED whatever they are called.

hth

[metamorphosis]

Originally Posted by 3divina

Okay, I assume leasing agent and leasing consultant are the same thing? Please correct me if I'm wrong. What's the difference between that and a real estate agent? Is an agent the same thing as a broker?

I think a leasing agent works for the management company of the apartment community. They get paid to get you to sign the lease. I've had some pretty pushy leasing agents. They are sales people.

A real estate agent works for a real estate company. I've had a real estate agent find an apartment for me, but I didn't have to pay her anything. Maybe the complex gave her something. I don't know. She told me that she was willing to help in the hopes that if I knew someone who was buying or selling a property, I'd give her consideration.

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by metamorphosis

I think a leasing agent works for the management company of the apartment community. They get paid to get you to sign the lease. I've had some pretty pushy leasing agents. They are sales people.

A real estate agent works for a real estate company. I've had a real estate agent find an apartment for me, but I didn't have to pay her anything. Maybe the complex gave her something. I don't know. She told me that she was willing to help in the hopes that if I knew someone who was buying or selling a property, I'd give her consideration.

That pretty much describes it.

Apartment leasing agent/consultants employed by the apartment ownership do not need real estate licenses. They are there solely to sell the product they represent, and nothing else.

A real estate agent can represent you and your interests in a wide variety of real estate transactions. Oddly enough, in NC, agents have no standard format to represent you in negotiating a rental property lease.
But, having that real estate license increases the responsibility of the agent to be fair and honest.

[3divina]

I was asking because I was recently apartment hunting and the person in the leasing center of the apartment complex who showed the available apartments was a leasing consultant.

[davecj]

LC stays inside, RA goes outside, literally and figuratively.

[3divina]

What about the National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP) title? Is that like a license for leasing consultants?

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by 3divina

What about the National Apartment Leasing Professional....

A bunch of those middle aged ladies that work in the office at apartment complexes
all got together and made up a 3rd party entity for an even fancier "feel good" title.

[3divina]

Originally Posted by MrRational

A bunch of those middle aged ladies that work in the office at apartment complexes
all got together and made up a 3rd party entity for an even fancier "feel good" title.

There is a National Apartment Association though.

[spankys bbq]

The Apartment Association offers classes in specific areas of property management, from leasing to maintenance and much in between. NALP is just a designation for someone who has taken the classes. They will possibly have a better knowledge of laws pertaining to leasing and other fun stuff, like balloons.