I hear a lot of chatter from successful REALTORS® about “raising the bar” for being a REALTOR®. In other words, do a better job of distinguishing between REALTORS® and licensees. This came up during a strategic planning break-out group today and we all thought it sounded like a good plan, but had no idea how to get it done. So where do you go to figure out how to make the term REALTOR® actually mean something more than a common licensee? A bar, of course. Surely a few beers would generate enough creative thinking to solve this conundrum.
“Sam Adams, please.”
The first order of business is to figure out how we got here – by “here” I am speaking figuratively and not how we arrived at the Dog House Bar and Grille. Why is there no difference between a REALTOR® and a licensee? I blame license law. That’s right, license law. It seems to me that over the years, state license law has “improved” to a point that there is very little difference in the REALTOR® Code of Ethics and state license law. The ironic thing is that the REALTOR® organization has worked hard to strengthen license law over the years. That’s a classic example of a raising tide lifting all boats.
Take disclosure, for instance. I can only think of one thing that the REALTOR® Code requires to be disclosed that the license law doesn’t – REALTORS® are required to tell their seller clients about verbal offers where license law only requires disclosure of written offers. Well there’s a strong marketing point! Other than that, I can think of nothing significant that REALTORS® are required to do that a licensee is not also required to do.
“Another Sam Adams, please.”
So, what is the solution? Do we think up a whole bunch of things that REALTORS® have to do or disclose that a common licensee does not? Maybe we could require REALTORS® to disclose that the neighbor will throw potatoes at you if you purchase this home? Or maybe we require REALTORS® to disclose all the future development plans within a mile of Read more
I am trying to help Barry. I mean no insult. None. And should Barry get even a little bit defensive that would be wrong. He shouldn’t get defensive, I am just talking about Barry MOST of the time since he arrived on BloodhoundBlog. Naturally, I think Barry is wrong about everything he believes and that he charges people way too much money for the mindless, stupid and completely unnecessary things he does for them. He isn’t really a professional, the way he acts. All of his customers could all do a much better job than he does and don’t need him at all and they most certainly don’t need to pay him the outrageous fees he charges. No insult intended. Barry’s business won’t even exist in a few short years, he will fail and go broke. I say this to help Barry. We should be able to discuss this idea like adults. Openly looking at and discussing the idea: is Barry Cunningham completely passive-aggressive towards real estate agents or does Barry Cunningham sincerely believe the half-baked gibberish he writes. Again, no insult intended. None, really. I just feel it is vital to bring this up so we can all join in the discussion.
