Song: Respect by Aretha Franklin
The year is winding to an end, the holidays are approaching
(anyone else excited for Halloween?) and hopefully we’re all falling into our
end-of-year routines. But, there’s something crucial to your membership that I
want to bring to your attention, since it isn’t a part of your routines every
year, and that’s your Code of Ethics training.
NAR requires that all members take a Code of Ethics training
every two years, on even-numbered years, which means this year it is required.
You may have seen the videos on Facebook, and if you haven’t, I’ve put them
below for you to take a look. Despite the tremendous acting efforts of Director
of Education Alison Trevor and Director of Membership Amanda Brewer, over 4,000
KCRAR members still haven’t taken their Code of Ethics trainings. And you only
have about two months left to do it!
The Code of Ethics is a huge part of what sets REALTORS®
apart from anyone else selling real estate. We’re held to a higher standard,
which is why consumers know they can trust us to help them find their dream
homes. Taking this training every other year is a big part of maintaining that
standard of excellence, so it’s critical that you complete yours. And on top of
that reason, if you don’t complete your training by Dec. 31 of this year, your
REALTOR® membership will be suspended. That’s how important this training is.
If you haven’t yet completed your Code of Ethics training,
you will soon be receiving a postcard reminder in the mail, which will direct
you to kcrar.com/coe-deadline.
That has further details about how to complete the training and outlines the
different options. But I can tell you now that a great option is NAR’s
online training, which even has options specifically for appraisers
and commercial members.
And while we’re on the topic of what sets us apart as
REALTORS®, there are also a few ways to show professional courtesies that
aren’t spelled out in the Code of Ethics. These are things like making sure
your listing information is always accurate in the MLS. That could mean
updating your listing statuses as soon and as accurately as you can. The “Show
for Backup” status is a great example of this. It should only be used if you
are still scheduling showings. If you’re not, it should be in the pending
status. And you can always read more about professional standards on kcrar.com/professional-courtesies.
Basically, treat everyone how you would want to be treated.
But you’ll learn all about that in your Code of Ethics training, which you’ll
take before Dec. 31, right?
