NAR’s Pathways to Professionalism are professional courtesies which REALTORS® should show to the public, property and their peers. While these should be honored, they are also voluntary and cannot form a basis for a Professional Standards/Ethics complaint. So, why do we care? Up to 80 percent of calls we receive focus on professionalism, or lack thereof, which is damaging to our industry and the REALTOR® brand. In this new series, focused on “True Tales of Professionalism,” we’ll examine some cringe-worthy, real life examples of REALTORS® who didn’t violate the Code of Ethics, but certainly missed the mark on professionalism.
Today, let’s look at #8 under “Respect for Peers”:
Today, let’s look at #8 under “Respect for Peers”:
“Do not prospect at other REALTORS®’ open houses or similar events.”As the story goes, one of our REALTORS® had an open house. A man walks in, the REALTOR® introduces himself and asks the visitor to sign in. The REALTOR® then asks the visitor if he has a broker; the visitor says no. Great, the REALTOR® thinks. The REALTOR® tells the visitor to take a look around, and walks away to answer a question from another potential homebuyer. When the REALTOR® returns to the sign-in table, he immediately realizes the visitor isn’t a potential homebuyer – he was handing out his own REALTOR® business card to all of the potential buyers at the open house. This isn’t cool, no matter how you look at it. We understand REALTORS® are always on the hunt for new business, but prospect on your own time – not on another REALTORS® time (and dime!). Mistakes such as these are a sure way to ruin your reputation among your fellow REALTORS®; trust us, this business is smaller than you think. Check back regularly for more from our “True Tales of Professionalism” series. Questions? Feel free to reach out to Professional Standards with any questions, comments or concerns.