Real estate reform must come from within the industry
Letter to the Editor
By Inman News, Thursday, April 14, 2011.Re: 'Another day, another call for real estate reform' (April 7)
Dear Editor:
Teresa Boardman's complaint about outsiders wanting to reform real estate may be valid. However, I'm find her assertion that she's been in this business so many years and rarely encounters incompetence to be a bit (hard to believe).
I've barely been in this business two years, and (have encountered) many agents already who I would consider to be incompetent (if I'm generous), or downright dishonest. And our own (industry's) governance systems -- not the state laws -- are the barriers to cleaning up these problems.
The system is designed to make sure there are few complaints, since to even raise the issue of another agent's ethics violations costs the complainer $250. There can't be this kind of dysfunction in an industry and not have it impact the clients.
Dorothy Templer
Realtor
Realty Executives Integrity
Whitefish Bay, Wis.
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Submitted by MC2 Home Inspections Indianapolis Home Inspectors Indiana on April 15, 2011 - 9:26am.
I have to say that I completely agree with Dorothy's comment concerning Teresa's article. I have been a home inspector for almost 5 years now and I have ran across literally hundreds of incompetent, unethical and unscrupulous real estate agents. Either Teresa has been living under a rock or she just doesn't want to openly admit what so many in our industry already know. It isn't like this is something new. I personally believe that it is the power of the internet that has opened up this can which has been tightly closed for so long. Now the ones inside that can are starting to get nervous.
Mike Chamberlain
MC2 Home Inspections
http://www.mc2inspections.com
Submitted by Rachel LaMar, J.D. on April 15, 2011 - 9:29am.
I agree with Dorothy 100%. It should not be a hassle or something to be afraid of to report an agent who is unethical. We have all dealt with these situations and it is sad to say that not only does this problem seem to be getting worse, but reporting of these situations concurrently seems to be decreasing. I have blogged about this topic and spoken with many agents, across the country, who are in agreement.
We really should be dealing with ethics violations in a much better way. It effects our clients, can create lawsuits and tarnishes the reputation of our industry and those of us who do the right thing.
Rachel LaMar, J.D.
Broker/Owner
LaMar Real Estate
760.310.9466
Rachel@LaMarRealEstate.org
http://www.LaMarRealEstate.org