Keeping integrity in Real Estate

Nice article, Kimberlee.  You are right about bringing integrity to the table, regardless of who you are working with, or representing.  Being consistant in your approach does help you maintain the level of integrity you try to achieve, as well.  Sometimes, we need to review the duties and practices as presented to us by the Realtor® code of ethics.  Bounce that off your state laws and practice with a serious attitude.

Quite often Realtors promise things that they can't deliver as a means of getting the business. We do have a less than stellar reputation with the public, and deservedly so, there are a lot of "bad apples" ruining it for the majority of us who are just decent hard working professionals.

Good morning Kimberly. Love it! A post that not only recognizes an issue but has a call to action for all of us to do an Integrity self check. I keep saying if we lead by example it will eventually work out but there sure are a lot agents working against our ideals. Nice post.

Great post Kim!  Lately I have had agents encourage their clients to take the first offer when the agent is representing both sides.  They list and then move it straight to pending-- and don't even want to see your offer.  This is not in the best interest of the seller!  K

Hi Kim,

I sure like this post!! As Randy says..this one is a good self check..we may all strive for living up to intergrity but it never hurts to revisit your points and make sure we are leading by example!

That is why we must report those when we find they are not holding up to the code of ethics we promise to uphold when we are a Realtor. So many people let others slide.

Kim, So well stated and unfortunately all too true. Especially back in the "boom" years when everybody and their neighbor were jumping into real estate.  Too many unethical Realtors do not get "marked" for their behavior and they should.  They make the jobs of ethical Realtors twice as difficult.

Hello Kimberlee,

Great post, integrity is all important in every aspect of one's life!

Kimberlee, this is a good reminnder that all of us need every so often. 

Hi, Kimberlee!  I included this post in Last Week's Favorites.  Have a great week.

Put the people first and the money will always follow!

Kimberlee: If we have no integrity we cannot represent our client according to our code of ethics. We will eventually be known to our colleagues and clients as a person who cannot be trusted. How can you be an effective agent with a poor reputation.

Pat's Favs brought me here.  I think the ethics of a real estate veteran are higher than the public's at large.  Much higher, actually.  And often the ethics of the agent are better than their client's.  It seems to me that agent's unethical conduct is more motivated by the agent's desire to "do good" for their client (even if they have to lie or puff), than by money.

I think Lloyd's comment above is very precise. Integrity for me is what is best for my customers/clients, not the end sale  and my paycheck. I also think integrity is keeping our customers/clients to do the right thing, i.e., not participate in a deal that is questionnable, such as buy and bail, gaming the mortgage lender, etc.

Just thinking about this today all day today.  I noticed some suspicious stuff off the MLS and it made me think about blogging about it.