Greed never pays off. Be fair and ethical in all your dealings. Why? It is the right thing to do.

Integrity is key.  Some have it and some don't!  There doesn't seem to be anything in between. 

Sharon - Every night when I go to sleep, I like to know that I have done the right things all day.  It helps me sleep.  Some bad apples do spoil our business basket.  I am hoping that the slowing of this business may have run the bad bunch out of the profession.   We have to respect the clients, the customers and our colleagues.

Integrity is the name of the game.  What comes around goes around.

Sharon, it seems that some peoples integrity is only as deep as whether they can make their next car or house payment.  If they can't----well, anything can happen:)

I appreciate and respect loyalty.  I am a firm believer in doing the right thing.  Integrity will bring more business for the long haul. 

I believe our code of ethics (so assuming all agents involved are "Realtors") says we must ask a buyer if they are working with someone, and if they have signed a buyer agency agreement.  If so hands off!

Some of the examples you give sound like snakes, not agents.

There are some agents that will do anything to sell a home and take the commission right now

Hi Sharon, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."  I know there are agents who don't go by this code.  There are even some people who "steal" other people's spouses... but that's a different subject.  There are just some unethical people out there, but not the majority probably.

Sharon-I always ask if they're working with another realtor and if they are I back right down. My integrity is much more important than doing ANYTHING for a sale! Best to you~

I think we should all honor anothers client. It drives me nuts when a client of mine happens to visit an open house and the agent holding it tries to claim them. I always honor another agents client.

Hi Sharon,

I always respect the relationship that a consumer has with his or her agent (isn't that what we are supposed to do if we are Realtors and not just real estate licensees?). If I hear the name of the Realtor and know that he or she is a good one, I'll say something affirming.

There is an agent in my marketplace who does pounce on people even if they say that they are working with someone. This gal double ends a lot of her own deals because she tells buyers that they can get the home cheaper with her and then they cut out their agent.

It's not right....

Mary

The real estate world is too small to be out of integrity.  Eventually it will catch up and when you need help selling a listing or getting a deal put together, it will come back to haunt you. It never ceases to amaze me how soon the "sleaze" in our biz disappears. (unfortunately, they are often quickly replaced)

I always respect that relationship if someone mentions that they have an agent, I know there are agents out there who don't..and I may have my rose colored glasses on.....and I do believe in Karma.

I work around so many agents who believe they would be within their rights to take over someone else's transaction, whether in a short sale situation or otherwise; because they feel they can do a better job.   I feel it is wrong to steal someone else client regardless of the situation.

I believe you reap what you sow!

Word in the real estate industry gets around quickly and people never ever forget.  I know what agents have done unethical behavior during my 28 years and I am ready for them.  I know that the are ready to do the wrong thing and I am totally prepared.  Reputation tends to move to the public.

Sharon, Sounds like Algebra. lol Unfortunately integrity doesn't come from a brochure. If a buyer tells me they have an agent I respect that relationship with or with out a signed exclusive.

Integrity is the key to success, integrity will boost your business and create raving fans like me... for example the company that i used to move from my old house to my new place, www.Division1Movers.com, provided me with excellent care and service and I have gone on to tell many people about them. If you operate with 100% integrity, you can be sure to get similar endorsements from clients.

Sharon, good to see you back, I enjoyed your Costa Rica posts.

Yesterday was a great open house day for me. Almost too busy with 43 individuals, and groups visiting. I agree with you that we must maintain our integrity at all time. On my sign in sheet, I have a spot that asks if the people are working with a Realtor. Sometimes they say well, sort of..and I tell them to be loyal. It's foolish to demean oneself chasing after other folks clients!

Sharon - great questrions, and a rather contentius issue in these times. I have seen adn heard many agents do these sorts of things, and even had an agent ask MY buyers when we were touring her listing if they wanted to see another one of hers. Needless to say the buyers were very put off.

If folks are not going to act ethically or even legally, they certainly won't worry about their integrity - they don't have any. And who needs that sort of reputation? Word gets around.

Jeff

My first meeting with buyers the buyer agency is explained in detail and they sign it or I don't work with them.  If I meet someone and they clearly have a relationship with anothe realtor, I politly disengage.

Great article Sharon - I always like to know that I have done the right thing; it has payed off for me voer and over again.  A few years ago I had a buyer call and say he wanted to "write up" a listing of mine.  It was clear he had already seen it.  He insisted he wanted to buy it straight from me and not with the agent who showed it to him.

She was a wonderful lady that I had worked with before and rather than muck up the waters, I wrote it up, sealed the deal and paid her the entire other side after all was said and done.   Later on, a client of mine walked into her open house and wanted to buy it on the spot.  She called me and said he was interested and turned the same favor for me.

It always comes around to do the right thing.

Integrity seems to have flown out the window these days.  There seem to be more and more agents who operate under the ethical umbrella of "everything's fair in real estate sales" than anything else. It really is unfortunate because they just don't realize the damage they are doing to their reputations.

Kathy

Gary - yes, it is the right thing to do. And it last so long.

Joan - exactly. It's like being a little bit pregnant. Either you are or you aren't.

Christine - it's the hard times that show someone's true colors.

Justin - and you never know when it's going to boomerang.

Charles - yes, it's the tough times that separate us.

Diane - so true. We all have LONG memories.

Pat - it's pretty evident when they've signed a buyer's exclusive agreement It's when they haven't that integrity comes into play.

Russ - guess it's all about whether you're short term or long term.

Shirley - definitely not in the majority. And you're right - it applies to other areas of life, too.

Mary - so smart. Buyers  may mean one transaction - agents may mean a lifetime of transactions.

Bill - that's why you're so respected!

Mary - it isn't right - and it will come back to bite.

Rick - too many people forget how small a world we live in.

Konnie - you're the perfect example of having integrity.

Emmaniece - you do indeed reap what you sow.

Tim - those of us who have been around for decades certainly have our mental books. Even the newbies start their own books.

Mitchell - integrity is what comes beyond the written word.

James - it's the same integrity that RE/MAX Metro had when I left to start my own company. They took the high road and I love them for it.

Russell - it so important that we reward clients' loyalty to agents rather than destroy it!

Jeff - I've had some clients who are extremely put off by another agent's lack of ethics. Other clients just don't understand how it all works. Some clients are just intimidated.

Brien - many agents, like you, work only with exclusive agency agreements.

Linda - kudos to you! I'd be inclined to do the same thing. It's just like the times when a referred client buys another property months or years later - it's nice to surprise the referring agent with an unexpected referral fee!

Kathy - too many agents don't realize that the market will change and the boomerang will return.

Sharon, I have enough buyers on the street any given Sunday that I wouldn't dream of hitting on another agent's buyers!  And unless the person they're working with is a total jerk, I'll say lots of nice things about him or her.

Pat - that's why you're over the top - you not only recognize the relationship, you compliment the agent!

Sharon - Good that you said this.  Too many desperate agents, and desperate behavior.  We had this happen to one of my agents, where a buyer told another agent he was working with my team member, but he wrote the offer anyway, saying she'd be paid!  Well, it was my listing, and I did not UP the short sale split when the bank paid me more.  Any other agent I would have given it to. Rude and crude.

Hi Sharon, Those of us that are NOT even tempted in situations way less clear than the scenarios you painted are truly fortunate that as we are in the majority of our industry that makes a genuine difference in the lives we touch. Thankfully those that would do as you point out are in the minority. I still hold this belief even in the face of increasing evidence to opposite of what I said. And I pray I remain correct in my belief.

Wendy - agents work together in any market for a long time, and reputation means so much!

William - I agree. And because I still believe the majority is ethical, I'll continue to suggest clients look at Open Houses whenever they'd like, just letting the agent know as soon as they walk into the house that they are working with me. That's only fair to the sitting agent, so that they can best allocate their time if there are multiple groups in the house.

Wow!  Talk about timing.

Have been asked to be a member of our local board's Professional Standards Committee.  Yesterday attended the course required to be a member.

First of all, I am going to assume that posters here are, for the most part, members of the National Association of Realtors® and that they know they have obligations under the Code of Ethics.  Very simply put, Article 16 of the Code states "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."

And in case you have forgotten "In the interpretation of this obligation (adherence to a lofty ideal of moral conduct in business relations), Realtors® can take no safer guide than that which has been handed down through the centuries, . . . "Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you, do ye even so to them."