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What happened to Realtor's basic honesty?

How does one explain to a client where the supposed 3rd bedroom is in a home? Sure the listing agent conveniently hides the non conforming bedroom in the agent notes. I can explain this to my client when a closet is not there and most will understand. But I have show a few homes lately where the 4th wall is missing along with no door. As a matter of fact it is part of the family room.

About a year ago on 60 minutes or 20/20, there was an agent who claimed he sold his listings in an average of 21 days. The reporter went on to discover that he simply relisted the homes every 90 days. The agent actually bragged about this deceitful practice on the air and admitted this is how his time on market numbers were so low.

Our code of ethics states we must treat everyone with honesty, whether or not they are our clients. Advertising a home with 3 bedrooms when it only has 2 wastes everyones time. Looking back at the home the dining room and living room were also nonconforming bedrooms too. I guess they should have called it a 5 bedroom. And yes I can see the market history on the MLS but, home owners can't. We need to live up to the code of ethics we signed when we became Realtors.

Make sure your home is

"SOLD by Friday!"

Joel Friday

http://JoelFridayHomes.com

Make sure your home is

"SOLD by Friday!"

Joel Friday

612-868-6287

Andover MN homes for sale

Posted by Joel Friday, e-PRO on 04/17/2009 09:35 AM

Comments (11)

Ethics\Professionalism in the Sales Strategies / Tactics Channel

code of ethics, honesty, integrity

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11 Comments on What happened to Realtor's basic honesty?

APR

Joel, I have strugged with some of the same descriptions that you are talking about. The bath thing is another one. I've read 4 bath in a description and when you get there, there is a full bath, a 3/4 bath and 2 that are 1/2 baths.

Yes....and my favorite is the "ocean view" which is only visible from the master bathroom standing on the toilet looking out the skylight.

Ethics? Hionesty? Here in New York City? There is some of us who still follow a code of ethics but they are not many. It makes it hard to do and honest days work for a honest days pay.

Unfortunately, This practice has been going-on for decades and I'm sure it will continue for decades in the future.

This stuff is happening everywhere. With the type of market we are in it is only going to grow. It is refreshing that there is still some honesty out there.

Joel - can you adopt me or maybe allow me to use your name? I LOVE your tag line!!!!

I know this stuff has happened and will continue to happen but, it still needs to be called out once in a while. Maybe this will change a few Realtor's practices anyway.

Susan,

And for my buyers it is

This could be your

"HOME by Friday!"

http://HomeByFriday.com

The key here is, when you know someone is dishonest, you know it forever. What I mean by this is, I have done offers with agents who are liars, conartists and basicly theives. They are wasting everyones time, effort and gas! However, when you can isolate that group of realtors and they have a listing your clients want to see, you preview. Take the time out of your day to give your clients the service they are paying you for. Obviously there are exceptions, but the majority of the time you can stop the liar a mile away and react accordingly.

I understand where you are coming from! Also, I love your "Sold by Friday." That is AWESOME!!!

Oh this is a pet peeve. In the basement, no closet, no windows and you call it a bedroom?

Joel - Funny that I should be reading your post today. I just took a buyer out to show some homes, and one of the listings that said it was a 4 bedroom with a loft ended up being a 3 bedroom with a loft. I am not even sure how they came up with a 4th bedroom.

Also, as far as re-listing an agents listing, that can't be done so easily on our MLS. You see, the CDOM will continue to increase even if a home is re-listed. The only way the DOM stops is if the home is taken off the market for at least 90 days. Prior to this change, we had agents doing the same thing.

Here's another one; how about the agent who uses their stats from 1985 to show how productive they are 15 years later. How about their stats from the previous year?

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