WASHINGTON – August 19, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — The National Association of Realtors®’ new .REALTOR top-level domain will be available October 23, 2014 to members of NAR and the Canadian Real Estate Association.
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, creating a more positive online experience for consumers who are searching for information on buying or selling property. Having a .REALTOR domain will inform consumers that they are working with a Realtor®, a trusted real estate professional who subscribes to NAR’s strict Code of Ethics.
“This is truly an exciting time for NAR members to be on the cutting edge of Internet technology,” said NAR President Steve Brown, co-owner of Irongate, Inc. Realtors® in Dayton, Ohio. “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 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, the owner of the Realtor® mark in Canada, is NAR’s exclusive marketing partner for the new .REALTOR domain in Canada. “We are excited to offer this new and unique branding opportunity to our members,” said CREA President Beth Crosbie, sales associate at Coldwell Banker Pro Co. in St. John’s, Newfoundland. “A .REALTOR domain communicates the positive attributes of trust, professionalism and community that consumers associate with the Realtor® name.”
The top-level domain will be made available only to real estate professionals who are Realtors®, members of NAR or CREA. 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, LLC, 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 ofSecond Generation, Ltd. “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, and CREA will provide 10,000 free domains to members on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, visit www.about.REALTOR.
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.
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) 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.
Second Generation Ltd (“Second Gen”), headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is an Embrescia family investment firm that actively works with talented management teams to develop businesses that have potential for significant growth and long-term value. For over three decades, Second Gen and its affiliates have owned and operated FCC licensed radio and television properties super serving markets throughout the United States as well as investing in manufacturing, real estate and medical innovations. Among its diverse investments, Second Gen is the owner of the .JOBS top-level domain on the Internet sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management.
Media Contact: Jane Dollinger / 202-383-1042
