October 18th - 2015

Miss Real Estate Manners

Courtesy and common sense are vital ingredients for a successful real estate career. Read the fourth installment of tips and advice from the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR).

Frustrated professional

Courtesy and common sense are vital ingredients for a successful real estate career. Read the fourth installment of tips and advice from the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR).

Frustrated professionalThis is the fourth installment of tips on courtesy in real estate, taken from guidelines produced by the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR). The following article in the REALTOR® EDGE newsletter is excerpted from the “Common sense” section of the guidelines with permission from LSTAR.

Real estate is a reputation business. What you do today may affect your reputation and business for years to come. Bear this in mind: in professional life, where career and business depend on the way you deal with your peers and clients, courtesy is of paramount importance. Here are 10 tips that focus on common sense in real estate.  

  • Identify yourself as a Realtor in all contacts with the public and other Realtors.

  • Urge your buyer to get pre-qualified. Showing homes that buyers cannot afford, or that do not meet their needs, is an exercise in futility for all parties, including yourself.

  • Learn the facts about a property before showing it. If you do not know something, say so. You may be legally responsible for misrepresentation of a property or facts. (Disclose, disclose, disclose!)

  • Share important information about a property, including the presence of pets, security systems and whether the sellers will be present during the showing.

  • Notify the listing brokerage if there appears to be inaccurate information on the listing or complete an Association DIS form.

  • Avoid the inappropriate use of endearments or other condescending language (e.g., no calling your colleague “Dearie” or the buyer “Luv”!)

  • Do not prospect at other Realtors’ open houses or similar events.

  • Exhibit honest, ethical behaviour when showing another brokerage’s listing.

  • Allow only registered persons to conduct showings on your behalf. Having an unregistered friend or spouse “cover” for you is in violation of the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act. If a complaint is made, you may be subject to discipline and very steep fines. It’s unprofessional and, frankly, it’s hardly worth it.

The above tips are excerpted with permission from the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®. Read LSTAR’s full Miss Manners document here.

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