Realtors are real estate agents who are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The NAR is an organization that serves the dual purpose of providing professional support to its members as well as making sure they adhere to a code of ethics and uphold a certain level of professionalism. To become a NAR member, an agent has to join their local Realtor association.
A real estate agent must still be licensed to practice and doesn’t have to join the NAR, but becoming a member of the NAR can boost their reputation. The NAR requires agents to take additional ethics courses, they get networking opportunities, and they receive legal and tax support from their local NAR chapter.