Beginning on October 23rd, a new .REALTOR top-level-domain (TLD) will be made available to members of The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) in Canada, and members of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) in the U.S.
The majority of homebuyers begin their searches online, and a .REALTOR TLD will allow members of CREA to stand out from other real estate professionals. It will also ensure consumers know they are dealing with licenced real estate professionals who adhere to CREA’s Code of Ethics.
“We are excited to offer this new and unique branding opportunity to our members,” said Beth Crosbie, president of CREA. “A .REALTOR domain communicates the positive attributes of trust, professionalism and community that consumers associate with the REALTOR® name.”
The new .REALTOR TLD will be made available to Canadian REALTORS®, their local boards and their provincial associations through an agreement that CREA has entered into with NAR.
National Association of Realtors® began the TLD application process eight years ago through the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization that coordinates domains and Internet Protocol addresses globally. CREA is NAR’s exclusive marketing partner and responsible for the .REALTOR domain in Canada.
“NAR is one of the first associations that has been approved to offer a TLD exclusively for its membership, demonstrating our organization’s commitment to its members and showcasing the value of the REALTOR® brand,” stated Steve Brown, president of NAR. “When consumers visit a .REALTOR website, they will know that they have reached a source of comprehensive and accurate real estate information, as well as someone with unparalleled insight into the local market.”
CREA will provide the first 10,000 members who register for a .REALTOR TLD with a free one-year licence on a first-come first-served basis.
The Canadian Real Estate Association is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations, representing more than 111,000 REALTORS® working through some 90 real estate boards and associations.
The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate” is America’s largest trade association representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.