A 'reason to show up' for MLS training
Letter to the Editor
By Inman News, Friday, January 30, 2009.Re: 'Broker: MLS training goes too far' (Jan. 29)
Dear Editor:
It's sort of a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't problem. In my experience, out-of-state companies that join MLSs around the country do so as a marketing tool to "help" their clients purchase property anywhere without dealing with a different Realtor, referral fees, split commissions, etc.
Sounds good. The problem is that each state has its own unique laws governing the sale of real property. I have yet to meet a Realtor from out of state who understands our laws here in Montana. I don't even pretend to understand the laws in other states. If you, as a broker-owner, want to list or sell property here, I suggest you come here and get yearly training -- same as us.
If you can't make that type of commitment for knowledge, then don't pass yourself off as an expert. For the protection of the consumer and our industry: Recurrent, in-state training should be mandatory (and) online training should be eliminated, in most cases. Remember the ethics requirement that says you must put the needs of your client above your own? Maybe that isn't required in other states. It is here. One more reason to show up.
Jeff Driessen
Owner
Montana Land and Real Estate
Helena, Mont.
***
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Submitted by Judith Lindenau, CAE, RCE on January 30, 2009 - 5:01am.
There's a lot of difference between understanding the legal business environment and learning to use a computer system with which you are already familiar.
Submitted by John Rakoci on January 30, 2009 - 7:21am.
Jeff is correct. If it is important enough to join an MLS it is important enough to follow ALL the rules. If you are not interested enough to follow the rules you are not interested enough to treat clients as they deserve.
Submitted by Austin Smith on January 30, 2009 - 7:53am.
Amen Jeff.
Judith, Granted, but take a step back. Jeff is talking about training as a whole, and I agree with him. If an agent wants the right to market properties in a given area, he should then be required to to attend all training in that area.
By not making training sessions mandatory, brokers are shooting themselves in the foot by fostering sub-par agents...
...and then complaining about how the industry is chock full of sub-par agents, and that is somehow one of the reasons for the economic downturn.
Make up your minds, and in the meantime, go to your training.
Submitted by Bob Connors on January 30, 2009 - 7:54am.
This post is completely off the mark. Our local MLS does not exist to educate and train agents on state real estate law.
Bob Connors
www.realasave.com
Submitted by Austin Smith on January 30, 2009 - 7:58am.
Reference above comment...
Submitted by Jeff Fox on January 30, 2009 - 4:43pm.
First of all Jeff, most real estate associations require you to be a member of the state’s Association of Realtors who in turn belong to the National Association of Realtors. Which means we all adhere to a set of principle code of ethics. In addition most states, to my knowledge, require a person to be licensed to sell real estate. State law is usually regulated through these state licensing boards not the MLS.