The past few months have seen a few high-profile figures brought down by way of scandals that tarnished their image. Some have been arrested, some investigated and others have seen their world turned upside-down. The latest public figure was an up-and-coming congressman with high hopes placed on him and his political future. But what does that have to do with real estate?
All members of Congress must take an oath before starting their term to lead and serve their constituents. As Realtors, we are not governing officials, but we have our own Code of Ethics that we need to adhere to. This code was created not only to uphold all Realtors to the same values and priorities, but also to protect the interests of those we serve, who would be our clients.
According to the National Association of Realtors, the principles of the Code of Ethics can be loosely defined as:
Loyalty to clientsFiduciary (legal) duty to clientsCooperation with competitorsTruthfulness in statements and advertisingWhat we can all learn from these men who are in these predicaments is we need to be held accountable for our actions. We should be careful about what we say, whether it be through our words or social media, or what we do, because we have agreed to be held to a higher standard by becoming a Realtor. Our Code of Ethics is not something to be taken lightly. We deal with most people's single largest investment and that comes with major responsibilities on our part.
Are we speaking the truth in our listings, or are we exaggerating reality to try to get the sale? Are our real estate photos an accurate representation of the property, or have they been photoshopped or distorted beyond recognition? Have you tried to steer clients in a way that would generate a higher commission for yourself? Do you ever speak poorly about another real estate agent?
While it is uncertain if some of these people have done anything illegal, most people would consider it inappropriate and unethical. As real estate agents, we should be held to similar standards because we are representing people just as these officials represent the public. We may not have influence or responsibility over as large a group, but we have certain obligations to each other and to our clients. We need to be sure we are serving them in an honest, responsible and trustworthy manner to promote and protect their interests.
Erin Koshi (RA) is a Kauai real estate agent at Taba Realty & Development, LLC in Koloa. Taba Realty specializes in Kauai real estate, whether residential and commercial sales, residential and commercial property management, development services or consulting. Visit our website at http://www.tabarealty.com/ for more information about the services we provide for our clients. For all the latest news, listings and insider tips, visit our Facebook business page at http://www.facebook.com/tabarealty. Please feel free to contact erin at (808) 742-7110 if you are thinking of buying or selling real estate, or need a property manager for your investment.
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