Realtors sometimes get a bad name. The barrier to entry is relatively low in this industry. And in any profession, there’s a wide range of skill levels, personalities and such. There are plenty of great real estate agents out there. In fact, most agents I work with are great people. When choosing an agent, it’s important to consider how honesty and integrity in real estate will affect you. Why are these qualities a cornerstone of my business?
Early On
When I was a kid, I joined the Boy Scouts of America, eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Throughout that process, I learned a lot about life. One of the things that’s really stuck with me is the 12 points of the Scout Law: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
Those are all good attributes in a person, but being trustworthy is so important to me.
The 4 Agreements
“Be impeccable with your word.”
The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
One book that made an impact on me as a teenager was “The 4 Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. It’s a book about the ancient Toltec wisdom of doing 4 simple things in your daily life: be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best.
Those are some great insights for a young person. I believe there’s a good reason he made “Be impeccable with your word” the first of the 4 Agreements. Without it, the rest wouldn’t matter. But why is honesty and integrity in real estate crucial?
The Hard Truth
Honesty in real estate means more than simply not saying things that are untrue. Sometimes, it means telling people what they need to hear, NOT what they want to hear. It means you do what you say you’ll do, and admitting when you don’t know something.
REALTOR® Code of Ethics
Not all real estate agents are created equal. Neither Kansas, nor Missouri require real estate agents to be a REALTOR® as a condition of obtaining a real estate license. The National Association of REALTORS® is a trade organization that not all agents choose to join. However, those who do are bound by the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, which define how agents should act with other agents, their clients and the general public. REALTORS® that violate these standards can be fined, suspended or lose their affiliation completely. This should be the barrier to entry for all agents, but it goes deeper than that.
Reputation Amongst Agents
Having a good reputation amongst other real estate agents is very important, but often overlooked. What if the agent you hire to help you to sell your house was once dishonest with the agent who is now representing the world’s best potential buyer for your house? What if the agent helping you find your dream home has a reputation of being unprofessional or hard to work with amongst other agents? What are your chances of your success? Would you even know there was a problem? Often, you wouldn’t. That’s why you should interview multiple agents and check their references.
What Now?
Are you considering buying, selling or investing in real estate? I’d love to have an honest conversation about that! Feel free to reach me below.
Justin Rollheiser – REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty | Diamond Partners, Inc.
13671 S Mur-Len Rd | Olathe, KS 66062
Mobile 913-800-7653
Office 913-322-5878
Comments or Questions?