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The Real Estate Oath

I freely pledge to pursue my calling as a real estate professional.

Protecting and promoting my clients will be my first consideration.

I will continually learn and strive to better myself in knowledge and expertise.

I will in all ways do my utmost to elevate the standards of my profession.

I pledge to be honest at all times, and to treat appropriately the confidential information confided in me by my clients.

I will never give preference in my professional services based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, sexual orientation, or disability.

I will be forthright in disclosing to my clients all ways I earn income in connection with their transaction.

I will not provide a service that is outside of my field of expertise.

I recognize that this profession is equally about relationships and people as it is about real estate and law.

Passion for my vocation, love for the people I meet, and dedication to this oath will define my life's work.

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Seattle real estate search

Posted by Jon Washburn on 06/04/2010 03:32 PM

Comments (93)

Originally posted at: jonwashburn: The Real Estate Oath

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93 Comments on The Real Estate Oath

JUN

2010

Hi Jonathon, Terrific retstatement of the oath ! And the clincher "...equally about relationships and people as it is about real estate and law." Have a great weekend !

Did you raise your right hand while typing this?

Great reminder for everyone...

There should be a "swearing in" ceremony with the above pledge for new agents and each time we renew our license.

Bill,

Thank you. However, this isn't meant to be a restatement of the Realtor Oath. My hope is that the above oath will be used across all of the various professions within the real estate industry, and non-dependent of membership in any specific trade association.

The text above is a first draft of an open and living pledge that should change over time to suit the needs of professionals and consumers.

Donna, I did in fact type this with my left hand while typing with my right. ;)

Norma, I think that this oath should be greater and separate from the legal system or licensing law. It should be an optional thing that professionals freely choose to take. Perhaps, someone will create a seal, similar to the Hippocratic Oath, that can be used to identify professionals who have taken the oath.

A great oath. But I'm worried about what you may get for a seal...maybe some might suggest a house encircled by a couple of snakes...in the grass.

Hi Jonathan,

Real estate is the biggest purchase that one can make in his or her life. I think that is an excelent oath, and every real estate agent should use it like yourself. Have an excellent day!

I like it. Good, concise creed. We'll see if it can stand up to "do no harm."

That's great! I like your oath! I believe all real estate agents everywhere should remember the golden rule when working with clients and always put their client's needs and wants first. Agents with dollar signs in their eyes should get out of the business. Agents who follow your suggestions and give good hard honest service will find that the dollars will happily follow!

Well said Jonathan.

Wishing you continued success.

Very nicely put. Now if only everyone would live by it!

I love it! That one is worth framing and hanging over your desk!

"My hope is that the above oath will be used across all of the various professions within the real estate industry, and non-dependent of membership in any specific trade association."

Ambitious. I'm still fighting to get flip-flop Friday instituted across the board.

Paul, No reason to shoot for anything but ambitious. Wide scale adoption of this oath is a worthy goal and something that will raise the bar of professionalism in the real estate industry.

Jon,

We discussed this, and you asked me to make the comment here, so I am.......

"Passion for my vocation, love for the people I meet, and dedication to this oath will define my life's work."

I think this line is a little thick for my taste :-)
I would change it to 'respect the people I meet'. Love is such a strong emotion and you'd be hard pressed to find someone that can take this oath and truly live up to it if they have to have 'love for the people (they) meet'.

Other than that, I 'LOVE' it! :-)

Jonathan, I really like this oath but I'm always reminded that if we simply follow the heart of the REALTOR code, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." that will cover it all.

Right you are, Jon. Hence my "Take a Petroleum Drenched Manatee to Work Day" campaign. I will not rest until every member of this industry spends an eight hour stint in a cubicle with a displaced sea cow.

It is a great oath Jon and worthy of our effort to live up to it. Well done!

I can't find anywhere in license law or the code of ethics that raises what we do to a vocation, which traditionally refers to a religious calling. As the child and grandchild of those who have actually taken the Hippocratic oath, extending it to real estate transactions is far-fetched, and in fact dilutes the importance of the oath. Realtors do important work with people's homes and lives, but I think you diminish true "callings" and "vocations" by aligning them with the professional responsibilities of doing a real estate transaction. In fact, the semi-religious nature of your claim bleeds into the "helping" series of posts recently. I hope the Lord chooses to save us from Realtors who claim to "help" rather than focus on running a transaction based on license law. Your pledge sounds a little like one of those AMWAY chants.

Jonathan, Let's hope that the recent economic melt down purged the industry of unscrupolous and dishonest practitioners. Let's also hope that those that chose this profession adhear to the "oath"

Jon...

Np matter what comes our way ... we will do the right thing ...even when it hirts!

Jonathan, This is something that we all need to embrace and truly live it .... BE it. It's more than taking an oath ... it is a real commitment to honor it ... always. Thank you!

EXCELLENT!!!!! Now if everyone would actually take this to heart we just may redeem our tarnished image with the consumer.

Having said that I try and love everyone because the creator said I should but I must admit I have helped some folks get the home of their dreams but Love was never in the equation.

Great statement and it is inspiring to read it. It definitely inspired me to greatness. Thanks.

Cal

Jonathan, my favorite part is, "I recognize that this profession is equally about relationships and people as it is about real estate and law."

Love the credo, thank you for sharing. Tique

WOO HOO! LOVE it, Jonathan! I solemnly swear....

Way to #RTB Jonathan! Thank you!

Leslie,

The word vocation can refer to a religious calling, or simply an occupation. My use of the word in the oath was in fact meant to imply something greater than simply a job. This oath is for real estate professionals, who do consider this work their life calling; much like a doctor does.

I believe that each person is born with unique talents, interests, and abilities that call them to specific vocations. Once we decide upon our calling, whether religious or not, we should pursue it with great dedication.

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well." ~Martin Luther King

Johnathan..You really scored with that one...We all need to be reminded of our fiduciary relationships

GREAT POST! BY A GREAT GUY !

HELPFULHANNAH

What a great promise.... any client you appraoch this way should be very impressed! May we use this?

Bob,

Love is both an emotion and an action. The love I am referencing in the oath does not refer to the emotion of loving (or even liking) the people you meet. What I am speaking about is loving them as an action.

Other commenters mentioned The Golden Rule: "Do to others what you would like done to you." The concept of the Golden Rule originates from the Torah (Bible) in Leviticus 19:18 "... Love your neighbor as yourself..."

For brevity sake St. Thomas Aquinas summarized the action of love as "to will the good of another".

I believe that it is not at all "too thick" to will good for the people I meet in my real estate vocation. However, like I said above, this is a living document and that means that if the culture of the users of this document believes that love is too strong a word, then I'd hope that they adjust it to be more appropriate.

Pat,

Please use this! Over time I'd hope that people create ways to help this oath to spread.

Either you have it or you don't. Oath/guidline. Most comes from within. And LOVING or Liking what you do.

Too late to be so deep.

Jonathan, I almost fell in the floor laughing when I read your third point! REALTORS continue to learn? I wish we could require it! Unfortunately continuing education is a joke and many REALTORS never attempt to learn anything until it is too late.

Jonathan - I LOVE it - it's exactly what I would expect from you. I would like to re-blog. Please and thank you!

Jonathan,

Great Post and will be stapled above my desk to remind myself everyday. Thank you!

Great post, thanks for the reminder.

Now - could we make this a requirement- preferably one that is enforceable....

I think we do need to raise the bar. This oath is a good starting point... Our profession is still not very well respected.

Passion for the vocation is a clincher.

Jon, I agree with Bob and disagree with Leslie,though I'm not sure to what degree because I'm not sure I accurately understand the reference to "helping". Overall, this is a good oath that if taken and lived would markedly improve our industry. Unfortunately, I think there are far more people who would take it than live it.

JUN

2010

These are great, inspiring words. They'll stick with me until tomorrow, when I have to talk to other agents. =)

Run hard.think big. be happy. ...................love it. The real estate oath...love it more!!

Jonathon,

I love my profession also and I always strive to do my best- but I don't have as much faith in other people as you do. Whether you have an oath or not, people are who they are and probably won't change because of an oath...

Jon- I don't love all my clients so I am not going to go that far:)

I do so agree with your comment in #29- about passion. We should all do what we are called to do. Our calling is usually discovered through what we are passionate about. I could write a book on this subject. When you do what you are passionate about, you are full of energy to do what it takes, and you can fail over and over again knowing that you can have a short pity party but then it is back up to work again!

Also, if you are not passionate about whatever you are doing, it is OK to move on. It is OK to follow your dreams. There is nothing worse than mediocrity in my mind. Dare to be who you are meant to be. Dare to dream. Dare to magnify your talents. Katerina

Jonathon,

I shall email this to a few that truely need a reminder.

Amen. It's great to work with other agents who live by this oath instinctively. They do a great job for their clients. On the other hand...there are some who need to read this and take it to heart. A great idea and well written.

I love this. It completely aligns with my philosophy toward both my career and my life. The Golden Rule never goes out of style.

Jon, I do not personally love all of my clients. But I do love what I am doing for them. And I love the relationship that I have with them, even the relationships with the grumpies. And by the end of the transaction, if not at the beginning, I love that they trust me completely and appreciate what I have done for them. And that is personal. I love that.

What a great oath! Thanks for sharing. Now lets all live up to it!

thanks again

Tom

Jonathan...

We need to be refreshed, rejuvenated and reminded about this.

Thank You for your timeliness and Have a great weekend!

Thank you Jon! I feel privileged to be a part of such a passionate group!! Your words are inspiring and I am fortunate to be a part of not only a great industry, but of the greatness of Active Rain!

Excellent post! If more agents felt like you do, the world of real estate would be a much better place!! :-)

This was a great post. Let's all raise our right hand and recite together!

Jon,

How did you know I'm juggling 2 ultra-challenging deals right now and needed this today?

Bill,

I like it. Would be a great creed for us all to follow.

Jon:

These are inspirational words to live by and, yes, a high bar indeed.

I also believe in love, but that is open to interpretation.

Cool idea, I like the concept of Rotary Club, though I am not a member, I found out about this from fellow Activerain member Karen Kruschka.

Is it the truth?

Is it fair to all concerned?

Will it build good will and better friendships?

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

My humble addenda:

I will keep my voicemail greeting to under 30 seconds, or at least tell people which button to press to skip it.
I will update my photo every 10 years, 30 pounds, or cosmetic surgery, whichever comes first.

Hmm...I feel a blog coming on...

Hi Jonathon, What a Great Post. I did a re-blog because I thought it was Right On!

A designation is born. What the annual fee?

Jonathan - this is really great and should perhaps be added to our ethics training!

If we keep the bar high, hopefully many will "jump" higher to attempt to rach it. Otherwise, any profession or vocation will just be a source for bottom feeders.

> I will be forthright in disclosing to my clients all ways I earn income in connection with their transaction.

Good grief. The only people who wonder why Realtors disgust normal people are the Realtors themselves.

Reiteration: Consumers are entitled to a fully-disclosed betrayal of their interests.

No need to reply. "Raising the bar" is as transparently self-serving as everything else the NAR and its vendorslut mafia do.

Johathan, well said! I think we already have a seal the REALTOR® logo. Send it to the NAR, it's a keeper.

I was reading a blog yesterday and many comments were aimed at justifying their strategies. My comment was about the perception and good of the industry.

I believe many don't focus on the perception of the industry. If they did our perception would be where it's at.

I agree we need to continually raise the bar on ourselves and the industry as a whole.

Jonathan, this is just elegantly perfect.

Hi Jonathan: I commend you for putting this out there in the hopes of bettering our profession and community. IMO, since it takes (at least in the state of Illinois) more effort and education to become a hairdresser than a Realtor, encouraging people to elevate their standards can't be mentioned enough.

We do need to raise the bar - all real estate agents should take follow your guidelines

I agree with comment #40. Life is what we make of it.

A positive affirmation to use in your daily professional life. I hope that all agents....and people for that matter....have a core value system they intend to live by. This is a good example of how to apply it to real estate.

Wise. Love it. Also like it and respect it if those end up being the amended terms.

Russell's & Karen's above #59. That is a good decision making exercise that just might be on my 2nd graders wall at school.

J Philip. NO. I am half way there and not getting a new head shot. Your addenda is rejected. Due to the economy, of course.

I wholeheartedly agree!!!!! Protecting and promoting one's clients should ALWAYS be our top priority. Thanks for the post!! I'm definitely reblogging it.

Jonathan....

I heard it, I like it, I agree with it and I pray God to help me do it correctly............

Thank you

Jon, last time I raised the bar I was working the limbo game at Grossingers. Pay stunk but we were allowed to keep all the unclaimed dentures and whatever spare change shook out on the carpet.

I've attributed my approach to my fellow humans with the only two oaths I ever uttered:

"I do" and

"I'm not going to pay a lot for this muffler."

Okay, yuks aside. Yours is a noble, high-minded effort. If I were more mature, I'd find room for your oath on the back of my business card.

Jonathan Oaths are great, but they are meaningless if the person taking them doesn't have the moral bearing to begin with. Unfortunately, we live in a society where customer service is a slogan, not a business practice. As a Rotarian I believe in a simple, but straightforward policy, "Service Above Self"

I am very impessed by this post. It is not typical to read about love, good relationships and manners every day.

Thank you,Johnatan you just made may day!

This post has a different title every time I come back. For the sake of finality, I was thinking an acronym of either of the last two incarnations would be suitable: "REPO" or "REO"

only if half of the industry follows half of those oath, we will be in a better place!

Nice oath.

Too bad there are entire states where the legal attitude is -

I don't care what the buyer pays or what the seller gets, my level of service will rise to the level of reasonable care and of the parties to the transaction I will owe my allegiance to will be none but myself.

Transaction Brokers

JUN

2010

Thanks for the thoughtful post. Our professional needs a dose of raised character, professionalism, and skill set. I wish it were harder to become a real estate agent because the weak agents cast a pall over the rest of us who stand up and work hard with character, integrity, and straight common sense.

I became a lightening rod in a networking group friday morning. The outcry wasn't really aimed at me but at realtors in general. "I can't stand realtors," it began. "You guys just want people to drop their price so you can get your commission! That's all you guys care about!" "You guys are responsible for bringing down the market!" "Yeah," added another, "if you guys just tried a little salesmanship to sell houses at more what they are worth, our property values wouldn't be in the shape they are in!"

Now, these people don't know much about me. They don't know about my professionalism, character, my ethics, my knowledge of the real estate market. These folks were railing against realtors in general, and I became a recipient of antagonism because I was there.

The point is, as realtors, we may not be seen with the professionalism we may deserve as individuals. The poor, weak, unprofessional agents who permeate the market have made it harder for the rest of us to be viwwed with the respect we may deserve.

Elegantly written, however (to me) there is a glaring omission. Something along the lines of "I will defend and protect the precepts and integrity of my profession by reporting transgressors"... or some such idea.

Dismal agents continue to operate on a dismal level and tar ALL of you with the same brush --- because they CAN!!!! Few, few, very few...nearly none get reported and/or are sanctioned for squirrely activities. How many posts have you read here on A/R where a horrific story of behavior is meticulously unfolded and then followed by "Should I report them?" Uh, DUH... IMHO unless and until there is a reasonable mechanism for responsibly reporting malfeasance that the majority of Realtors embrace and practice .... nothing much will change ... and the aforementioned elegantly written posting will have little positive resonance.

Jonathan,

This is an awesome description of how someone feels about their profession. When you stated love for the people you meet hits home. I love people and that is why I chose to be an agent. Not just an agent but the one in the oath.

I am going to share this with our office.

I do not think that even 50% of the agents I encounter follow even 1/2 of your points. It is really a sad state of affairs for our industry. I applaud you for your oath.

JUN

2010

Beautifully stated and worth a re-blog. Even the clients I am not comfortable with we are still called to "love". As you stated it is an action. Joy

You wrote such a serious post and then we get these comments about snakes in the grass (#6 - loved that one!) and other craziness (#17). If we could get everyone to take such a pledge, it would work just as well as it does for doctors and all our ethical problems would be solved!

I need to print this oath out and put next to my computer and pass it out at the office as well.

Perhaps we need to remember sonething else: When I first started as a salesman in CA, one had to be recommended by a Broker who would testify to the newbie's honesty and integrity - after the required time and a new test to the level of Broker, one could apply for membership on the REALTOR community. The REALTOR pin in the lapel of your SUIT signified a high level of accomplishment.

I think the oath is well stated. The oath / core values that I adopt for my brokerage may use some different language that my team is more comfortable with, but I really like where you are going with this.

I think the more important aspect of this dialog concerns raising the bar in our industry. I understand that real estate has been a great opportunity for people with less education and means, and that it really and truly is a meritocracy. However, until there are higher professional standards (more hours required to become an agent, a higher bar for continuing education and greater accountability for ethical breaches) I fear that many consumers will continue to perceive the majority of our profession as undertrained and overpaid...

JUL

2010

Can I print this out and use it in my office as a reminder for the newbies? Perhaps I should get them to swear it every morning as well (I just might as well)

JAN

2011

Nice and easier to remember than the entire code of ethics. or at least a good summary.

DEC

I am happy that most real estate agents in Vermont already practice the tenets of your oath.

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Jon Washburn

Seattle, WA

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Originally created to interact with the ActiveRain community this blog has taken on a new life as my time leading ActiveRain has waned. My writing has now taken a turn to chronically the joys and challenges of creating a new community: DailyTicket.

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