If you spend enough time in the Jamaican property world—whether as a buyer, seller, landlord, or tenant—one myth will greet you everywhere: “The broker is the boss of the realtor.”
It’s a belief held not just by clients, but amusingly, even by some realtors themselves. But in Jamaica’s real-estate framework, that assumption is simply not true. The relationship is more nuanced, more professional, and far more business-oriented than many Jamaicans realise.
This article breaks it down plainly, respectfully, and truthfully—so clients understand what’s really happening when they pick up the phone to call a realtor, and why understanding this relationship is essential to a smooth, fair, and professional working experience.
As Dean Jones, Founder of Jamaica Homes, puts it:
“The biggest confusion in Jamaican real estate is the idea that a realtor is an employee. A realtor is a business owner, and the broker is their regulator. Once you understand that, everything else starts to make sense.”
