Realtors are a specific group of real estate agents. But real estate agents and real estate attorneys are entirely different things: the latter are lawyers while the former are not. Real estate agents are salespeople who search sales listings and give home tours and negotiate deals and whatnot. They have a duty to act in your interest, but they are not qualified or licensed to practice law.
You say that as if evaluating quality to decide which realtor to hire is any easier than evaluating quality to decide which home inspector to hire.
These two are the job of a real-estate attorney, not a realtor.
I thought they were the same thing except realtors were a specific group you had to pay to be in and have a good record.
Realtors are a specific group of real estate agents. But real estate agents and real estate attorneys are entirely different things: the latter are lawyers while the former are not. Real estate agents are salespeople who search sales listings and give home tours and negotiate deals and whatnot. They have a duty to act in your interest, but they are not qualified or licensed to practice law.