I think the next time I’m asked what I do for a living, I’ll reply, “I’m a Practitioner of Real Estate”. And why would I consider doing this? Because I am practicing as a professional, within a profession, just like a doctor.
I don’t know anyone who would make an appointment with a doctor, go to the appointment, listen to the doctor’s advice, and then tell the doctor he was not only wrong, but expound upon why their own advice was better than the doctor’s, complain about the doctor’s credentials and fees and feel obligated to only pay the doctor a fee based solely on negotiation. Think health care is an issue now!!??
Do most REALTORS have a code of ethics? Are they accountable to a governing body? Are there laws in place to limit abuse of the code? Are there laws which police the profession?
Yes to all of the above. Not only that, most professional realtors honestly want to earn a living while remaining honest and ethical. I say most, because where humans are involved, there is always a minority who can’t be trusted. How is this any different from any other profession?
Here’s the bottom line – your realtor most likely CAN be trusted to place your interests FIRST, and if not, you could easily find one from the vast majority who would be honored to do so. After all – the customer really is the employer.
And if your realtor gives you advice, remember to LISTEN carefully. He really IS a professional.
If someone comes to me and really wants to buy a certain house, I can say, as can most professional realtors – if they decide to trust me and listen to my advice like they would to their doctor’s advice, and without suspicion - most of the time the house will sell to that customer. And most of the time everyone will walk away happy.
Yes, I, like most other REALTORS, am a professional.
What I am not: entertainer, vacation tour guide or shady swindler looking for a cheap horse. I am a professional. I am not perfect - but I have promised always to do my best, all of the time.
I wouldn’t take my Mercedes to the do-it-yourself-oil-lube and expect good mechanical advice. I might get lucky, but is the risk worth it?
My advice is to trust your most important investments to true professionals, and no one else.
