Many agents believe that in order to have access to the MLS, they have to be a member of their local Realtor association.  This was true for much of history.  In 1991, a case called Thompson vs. DeKalb County Board of Realtors was heard in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.  Mr. Thompson was an agent who wanted access to the market power of the MLS, but did not want to join the Atlanta-area Board of Realtors.

Prior to the Fair Housing Act of 1968, Realtor associations in the South were quite racist.  Black real estate licensees were not allowed to become members.  Further, it was a violation of the Code of Ethics to show a black person a home in a predominantly white neighborhood.   In the late 1980s, Mr. Thompson, a black agent in Atlanta, wanted access to the MLS without joining an organization with a racist history.  Thompson won the case on appeal in the 11th District, which includes Florida, Alabama, and Georgia.  So today, there are agents in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia referred to as Thompson brokers.  They pay for and have access to the MLS without paying for or joining the National Association of Realtors.

Is there a downside to working as a Thompson broker?  You will not have access to the electronic lockbox system that many Realtors use because NAR owns that system.  So if you had a buyer that wanted to see the house at 123 Residential Street, and the listing agent had used an electronic lockbox, you would have to call the listing agent and arrange for them to be there to show the house.  If the listing agent is unwilling to show the house, you could report them to the local Realtor association for violating the NAR Code of Ethics.

This leads to another disadvantage.  Realtor members subscribe to the NAR Code of Ethics.  Thompson brokers are not Realtors so they have no code of ethics.  Realtors might say that you are unethical, but the solution to this problem is to let your actions speak for themselves.  I don’t know if customers care about the Code of Ethics.  Most consumers don’t know what it is.  Consumers care if you have the same moral code that they have.

So is being a Thompson broker for you?  I don’t know.  If you want to join a large firm like Keller Williams and want the benefits they offer, you will likely have to join Realtors.  If your broker is a member of NAR, you must become a member.  If your broker is not a member of NAR, you cannot become a member.  If you do not want to join that type of firm and you do not want the other benefits that NAR offers, then being a Thompson broker might work out for you.

Please note that Karen Climer has no affiliation with Climer School of Real Estate.  Her father, Ron Climer, sold Climer School of Real Estate in 2014.  It has since been involved in several mergers and acquisitions and is owned by a large investment company.  Karen owns Demetree School of Real Estate in Orlando, Florida.