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Who Is Your Real Estate Agent? – Are You Currently Working With A Realtor®

By Petra Norris

Managing Real Estate Broker with Lakeland Real Estate Group, Inc. BK646565

October 30, 2008 11:21 AM

Who Is Your Real Estate Agent? - Are You Currently Working With A Realtor®

The most important responsibility as Realtors® to our clients and customers is to protect them from harm.

Your Lakeland Florida Realtor

When showing properties for potential buyers or doing a Comparable Market Analysis for potential sellers, we sometimes get sidetracked and fail to ask the all important question - Are you currently working with a Realtor® or Who is your Real Estate Agent? - This is harmful especially when this potential customer already has an established relationship with another Realtor®

Last month I have written a post about the "Most Violated Article" of our Code of Ethics after attending my Quadrennial Member Education Course before it would expire on December 31, 2008. I always believed in to ask that very crucial question as a courtesy and out of respect to my colleagues until I attended and read that it is our duty as Realtors® to ask. It is our duty and responsibility and not theirs. With the internet being one of the great resources a buyer or seller has, it still does not replace the Realtor®. In reality, the consumers don't know how Realtors® work, we sometimes assume they do - consumers sometimes think so, too.

How can we make a difference?

Explain to a potential seller the listing agreement
Explain a potential buyer the buyer brokerage agreement
What it takes to sell a house from "cradle to grave"
What all entails to buy a house from the first showing to closing

There are only 62 days left in this year, have you taken your Code of Ethics Training course yet? The article below from the National Association of Realtors® is just a small reminder on the importance of this training.

Article 16
REALTORS^® shall not engage in any practice or take any action inconsistent with exclusive representation or exclusive brokerage relationship agreements that other REALTORS^® have with clients. (Amended 1/04)

Standard of Practice 16-13

All dealings concerning property exclusively listed, or with buyer/tenants who are subject to an exclusive agreement shall be carried on with the client's representative or broker, and not with the client, except with the consent of the client's representative or broker or except where such dealings are initiated by the client.

Before providing substantive services (such as writing a purchase offer or presenting a CMA) to prospects, REALTORS® shall ask prospects whether they are a party to any exclusive representation agreement. REALTORS® shall not knowingly provide substantive services concerning a prospective transaction to prospects who are parties to exclusive representation agreements, except with the consent of the prospects' exclusive representatives or at the direction of prospects. (Adopted 1/93, Amended 1/04)

Who is your Realtor®?

Who Is Your Real Estate Agent? - Are You Currently Working With A Realtor®

Petra Norris - Realtor®

Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

CDV TransAtlantic, Inc.

P.O. Box 92050 - Lakeland, FL 33804-2050

Telephone (863) 618-6919

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Midori Miller

Talk 2 Midori, LLC - Daytona Beach, FL

Online Marketing For Real Estate Professionals

Petra-yes I think people buyers/sellers sometimes assume they know everything about a transaction.as REALTORS sometimes we forget or assume they know more....regardless I feel we should all explain our methods and what to expect.. There was a discussion in my ethics class as well..this was a big topic..a very interesting topic..

Oct 30, 2008 11:35 AM

Vicki Lloyd

The Lloyd Realty Group - San Diego, CA

(619)452-9798, Real Estate San Diego California

Petra - thank you for the reminder! I just went to the Realtor.org site and started the training. It is running really s-l-o-w right now, so I came back here to leave you this note.

Oct 30, 2008 12:25 PM

David Ethridge

Sea Lion Real Estate - Long Beach, CA

I learned the hard way how important asking the question up front can be: after three hours of driving potential new clients around looking at properties they thanked me for my time and told me their sister was their Realtor and she'd be in touch if they decided to pursue anything. Now, it's one of the first questions I ask when I meet a new lead or prospective client.

Oct 30, 2008 12:30 PM

Petra Norris

Lakeland Real Estate Group, Inc. - Lakeland, FL

Realtor, Lakeland FL Homes for Sale

Midori - I love when there is a great discussion.

Vicki - I'm so glad you signed up. In our association alone there are still over 200 Realtors who have not completed this training.

David - Sometimes the hard lesson learned, is a mistake we don't make twice.

Oct 30, 2008 02:44 PM

Geraldine Yugar

Century 21 E-N Achievers - Diamond Bar, CA

First and most important question, I agree! Avoid using your time with clients that will not give you the business, yet do not give up too soon. There are many effective scripts that can help you get clients on your side even= if they have a friend or a relative in the business.

I found that when clients see you wearing your Realtor(R) button, their expectations are not only higher, but there is additional respect for you as a professional who responds to a higher standard of ethics.

Oct 30, 2008 02:49 PM

Kathy McGraw

CELLing Realty - White Water, CA

Riverside County CA Real Estate

Hi Petra- This may sound terrible but it's the truth .......I don't use the term REALTOR® very much because you have to capitalize it and that little R symbol is hard to get into everything :) I know terrible reason, but it's just easier to say Real Estate Agent since many people in my area don't pay attention to the difference anyway. I have taken the Code Of Ethics and continually have my Agents review it. There are so many things in this Code that are important over and above do unto others .....

Nov 03, 2008 05:29 AM

Geraldine - I saw from your profile you've just joined, I welcome you to our community and wish you the best success with blogging. Check out the AR guidelines and AR newbie group, there are tons of info that is useful to you.

I wear my Realtor(R) pin a lot and people ask me what that is, not only do they not know but it is our obligation to educate them on the difference. I take the COE very seriously, however even so called Realtors(r) have issues not following or ignoring the COE.

Kathy - You are so right about the many things we as Realtors(R) must follow and basically most of the COE is common sense. But it is the little things we do forget, me included, that we need to pay attention and this course helps us stay on track. As far as the Realtor(R), I'm sure you know that there is an abbreviation on the PC keyboard (alt-key, ctrl-key and the letter "r')

Nov 03, 2008 07:25 AM

Charlie Harden

Columbia, SC

Petra, before going into real estate I wonderd who the realtors were working for. This was when all represented the sellers. Now at least in our state we are able to tell them, buyer or seller, or both, and really work for them.

Nov 03, 2008 07:57 AM

Jeff and Lisa Sellers

The Sellers Realty Lubbock,TX - Lubbock, TX

Good reminders for all of us...thanks for encouraging the good,ethical way of practicing real estate.

Nov 13, 2008 01:54 PM

Who Is Your Real Estate Agent? – Are You Currently Working With A Realtor®

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