The National Association of Realtors’ new .REALTOR top-level domain will be available Oct. 23, 2014 to NAR members.
“The Internet is undergoing vast changes with the creation of over 1,900 new top-level domains, and with nine out of 10 recent buyers beginning their home search online, it has become even more critical for Realtors to create a branded space online.
“The .REALTOR domain will help Realtors stand apart from other real estate professionals. Having a .REALTOR domain will inform consumers that they are working with a Realtor, a real estate professional who subscribes to NAR’s strict Code of Ethics,” the NAR said in a press release Wednedsay.
Vicki Trapp, president of the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors, says the new domain will offer Realtors an additional means of effectively branding themselves. “I think it presents a wonderful opportunity for Realtors to assert their brand identity. I expect many of our members will take full advantage of this great new marketing effort,” she said.
“This is truly an exciting time for NAR members to be on the cutting edge of Internet technology,” said NAR President Steve Brown.
“NAR is one of the first associations to be approved to offer a top-level domain for its membership, demonstrating our organization’s commitment to its members and showcasing the value of the Realtor brand. When consumers visit a .REALTOR website, they’ll know they’ve reached a source of comprehensive and accurate real estate information as well as someone with unparalleled insight into the local market.”
The top-level domain will be made available only to real estate professionals who are Realtors. The domain will also be made available to state and local Realtor associations, association multiple listing services, affiliated institutes, societies, and councils, and NAR strategic business partners.
NAR began the application process for the top-level domain seven years ago through the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the organization that coordinates domains and Internet Protocol addresses around the world. Throughout the application, review and development process, NAR has worked closely with Second Generation subsidiary Real Estate Domains, an investment firm and registry operator for the top-level domain .JOBS.
“We are so pleased to help our partner, NAR, build a new future on the Internet,” said Tom Embrescia, chairman of Second Generation. “Applying for a top-level-domain is extremely complex and intricate, but all that work has resulted in an amazing benefit for Realtors.”
NAR will provide the first 500,000 members who register for a .REALTOR domain with a free one-year license. For more information, visit www.about.REALTOR.
Source: National Association of Realtors