Ethics & The Realtor: The Sleep Test!

 

Can you sleep at night? We all have occasional sleepless nights. Nights you toss & turn and worry about what you did today (and didn't get time to do)... and what you'd better not forget to do tomorrow.

I tend to replay scenes in my head and go over things I must do tomorrow until I am wide-eyed and in no condition to sleep. Then I'll get up and do some work, on the computer until I get it out of my system.

A while ago, an agent outside my company asked me how to define my ETHICS. He was having trouble sleeping because a deal was "haunting" him (his words). He felt he may not have done the right thing in a particular situation.

It was not illegal. It was not "wrong" from a real estate commission standard. But it was definitely not "right". And it was causing him to lay awake thinking about it over and over again.

It was in what I consider a gray area. I told him I'm a Rotarian, and we have a 4-way test that I believe firmly in:

1. Is it the truth?

2. Is it fair to all concerned?

3. Will it build good will & better friendships?

4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Now you could argue that being a Rotarian and being a realtor don't always mesh with the Rotary test. For example, Is it fair to all concerned? If you represent one side, are you always fair to all concerned? Probably not. It's your JOB to represent the one side, not be fair to the other one. 

Yes we have the realtor code of ethics we are to live by. But I think it's a sad state of our industry that this code takes up pages and pages of small print! Do we really have to define every possible violation and what is right / wrong? Identify every situation where an agent could be ethical/unethical? It shouldn't be that tough.

I dug a little deeper and here is what I consider rules to live by, to test if my actions are right or wrong. 

1. First, do no harm. To other agents, to buyers, to sellers, to anyone involved in a transaction

2. Make the world a little better than it was before. Does my action make things better or worse for the parties involved?

3. Treat everyone involved with respect. No matter how rude they are to you!

4. Tell the truth. No white lies, no puffing or bluffing or exaggerations. 

5. Treat everyone fair--the way you'd like to be treated if you were in the other guy's shoes.

6. Show compassion.

7. Represent your client to the utmost, best of your abilities. Never put your own benefit above theirs.

8. All decisions are theirs, not yours. Remember that. 

9. Words said in confidence should remain secret, unless they give you permission to divulge. 

10. If you cannot sleep because you wonder if something is right or wrong, there is your answer. It's wrong.

 

None of us are perfect, and we can all learn from the mistakes we make. We just have to admit it and move on. I hope this agent sleeps better now! 

 

 

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA. If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006. Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or anySchuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in theSchuylkill MLS on our website -- free search! No registration is required!

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