It's simple. Open the Code. Close more deals.
When it comes to building your business, you can’t do it without the trust of your clients, your prospects and your peers. Unfortunately, you can’t simply ask for their trust. You have to earn it. The best way to earn it is to live the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.
The trick is learning how to apply the Code to the real-world scenarios you face every day. Here are four easy steps to get you started:
1. Understand it
Visit www.theCodeisGoodBusiness.com and check out “Straight Talk,” a practical guide to the Code that can help you sell more real estate, and see why the Code is more than a list of “Thou Shalts” and “Thou Shalt Nots.”
2. Hear it
Listen to the success stories of six REALTORS® who live the Code: It’s a powerful business tool that leads to more sales, more referrals and long-term relationships with both clients and other REALTORS®.
3. Learn to use it
VAR’s 16 interactive online ethics lessons make it easy to understand and apply the Code of Ethics to real-world scenarios. Just click on the link on the right side of this page to log in and get started. Complete all 16 lessons and you’ll earn one hour of elective post-license education or one hour of ethics CE… all while improving your business acumen. (Note: This course does not satisfy NAR Quadrennial Ethics requirement. See item 5 below.)
4. Talk about it
Visit www.VARbuzz.com under the “Ethics” tab, or the blog section at www.theCodeisGoodBusiness.com and join conversations with your peers about best practices and how the Code applies in real-world contexts.
5. NAR Quadrennial Ethics Training
Between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2008, every REALTOR® is required to complete 2 1/2 hours of Code of Ethics training.. NAR offers a free course. Please visit their link: http://www.realtor.org/law_and_policy/code_of_ethics/COE_online_course_hours_info.
Additionally, a course you may have taken for ethics continuing education may have already satisfied this requirement. You will have to check with the course provider to see if the course also qualified for NAR quadrennial ethics. Your local association can verify if you have met the quadrennial ethics requirement for the cycle that ended 12/31/08.
The next cycle will be from 1/1/09 – 12/31/12.