It’s always been Darwinian in real estate just not as much as other industries thanks to NAR…See DOJ lawsuit.. now that’s changing…

Like Zillow I received a cease and decist order but from Washington state last year…talked to DOJ- fought it and WON..the state backed down before going to trial…looks like the same is happening to Zillow…it all started from a complaint from a protectionist competitor.

Innovators like MLS4owners, CaptainFSBO.com, Zillow, and Redfin are having an impact and inproving the experience for the consumer..here’s to less MUMBO JUMBO!

Wow, I left for an appointment last night, and yet the conversation continues on…great!!

Deborah, (or would you prefer Miss (or was it “Ms”) Moneypenny?), I can use all the help & support I can get…it’s comforting to know we have a good person like yourself back at MI5 (or was it MI6?). Yikes, I’d better get that correct, huh?

Keith, Glad you didn’t hit the “launch button” on me…I wasn’t trying to trigger “Defcon IV” & anger anyone…especially on my 1st post!!

Rhonda, I think you came closer in your post #20 to what I was trying to get at. When I’m hired as an attorney I owe a fiduciary duty to my client to act in their best interest (real estate agents have RCW 18.86, which is a codified version of their earlier fiduciary duty…in essence they’re the same thing…we’re acting in a position of high trust & confidence). I’ve found applying the Golden Rule has helped me in representing my clients. If my client & I are so mis-matched that I can’t keep their best interests in mind for some reason or another, we’re both better off not entering into an attorney-client relationship, and this would also work for a real estate agent-client relationship.

Jillayne, I agree with your statements in your comment #23…we should think beyond the Golden Rule as much as possible. I think the inherent “adverse nature” of a commission-based payment structure that a real estate agent has with their client puts at risk the degree of representation the client may otherwise receive. Maybe you’d want to write a whole seperate post on this??? In theory at least, a move away from commission-based pay (such as a flat-fee or hourly-based fee) may help the ethical delima we’ve been discussing. BTW, I’m glad you’re more an optimist…in spite of the fact I said I can get pessimistic, I prefer to live my life the same. We lawyers are “trained skeptics”…we hear are everyone else’s problems…maybe that’s why they call us “counselors”?

I hear alot of folks on raincityguide talk about being a “professional.”

Being a professional means having to think further about ethics beyond the golden rule.

In the class we teach, we help students understand why it doesn’t work, and especially why it doesn’t work in business.

Take Lynlee’s story from the most recent RCG blog post. The retail mortgage salesperson in that example held a belief that taking the extra $3500 for himself or herself was completely fine. Some people believe that in dealing with a retail sales person (of any kind), you ought to expect that the salesperson is going to try and make as much money as possible. Therefore, the retail mortgage salesperson believes he or she is completely justified in making as much money as possible off the consumer.

Treating others as if….works just fine for some people….as long as you understand that some people are completely at ease with expecting you to try to maximize your profits….and they will, in turn, attempt to do the same to you.

Stuck my foot in my mouth this weekend though as I was using Mother when I should have used Sister…Mother fit my feelings better…but not her age LOL

We have clients that are really like our children, many in fact. We get cards from them and I turn to Kim and say “Oh Kim, look what “the kids” sent us”. It’s really funny how we embrace them and they us. We actually become like family to them. Reminds me, haven’t heard from one of them for awhile…have to email them.

I think the “golden rule” is a great basis to rely on when we have to make difficult decisions. “Would I sell this loan/house to my sister?” I think I do tend to treat my clients like family… at least those I have the opportunity to get to know.

Jillayne, you might get a chuckle out of this…”the golden rule” was referenced in our WAMB ethics class.

That we do all things, does not make us equally competent at all things we do. I usually know pretty quickly if I am not a good match for a given cosumer, and vice versa.

Just because I choose not to work with a given consumer on occassion does not make them “bad”, just not suited to my talents.

I once had a call from a repeat client saying he heard that a property could be had for 50% of value and wanted me to run up and help him get it. I asked why any seller would sell that low. He said the seller wasn’t aware of the real value so we had to hurry. I declined and told him I would not participate in that type of activity.

Some people would say that makes me a “bad” agent. I say I was just not the correct agent for that situation, and told him so immediately, so that he could find somone else quickly.

I figured out Santa Claus at a very young age. The Golden Rule doesn’t work because not everyone wants to be treated the way you want to be treated.

Why not turn it around: treat others as THEY want to be treated (instead of how you wish to be treated.)

Joe,

it sounds like you had a great family upbringing. Not every person does. Not every person was able to internalize good/bad/right/wrong. You would be amazed at the stories I hear during any random ethics class.

I am an optimist in that I do believe everyone (with some very minor exceptions) has the capacity to develop ethically.

A “good” real estate agent will be successful no matter where he or she works: traditional real estate firm, discount real estate brokerage, or some other business model.

Nice list Jillayne, I would like to add “resourceful” and “professional” to your list. I know professional is overused and abused, but I think it implies a certain level of service or standard that should be adhered to.

The winds of change in Real Esate are exciting and the changes are bringing choices to the consumer…a very good thing…although with choices comes the need/responsibility for the consumer to become educated to make good decisions.

Something the wind does very well is “winow out the chaff from the grain”. So blow, wind blow…the RE agents and RE services who provide the consumers with value will remain, while those who don’t are winowed away.

BTW Joe…While I’d love to be a Beitey Girl (I mean Bond Girl!), I am probably more of a Miss Moneypenny…providing help and support are more my forte! LOL!