Believe it or not, those are actual
statements of defense offered
during actual hearings by actual
ORRA members accused of violating
the REALTOR® Code of Ethics Article
3, Standard of Practice 3-9:
REALTORS® shall not provide access
to listed property on terms other
than those established by the owner
or the listing broker.
According to ORRA Professional
Standards Committee Chairman Sandra
Miller, Happy Homes, the number of
inquiries that ORRA is receiving and the
number of formal complaints that are being
filed in regards SOP 3-9 are reaching
epidemic proportions. “As an example,
out of the current ethics cases that are
making their way through the grievance
process, nine of 17 involve SOP 3-9,” says
Miller. “It’s shocking, because there is simply
no excuse for a REALTOR® to enter any
listing counter to the showing instructions
under any circumstances.”
Miller also points out that both agents
and brokers, both new and seasoned, are
being named as respondents to SOP 3-9
complaints.
ORRA CEO Cliff Long contributes to
the discussion of this significant issue.
“It cannot be stressed enough that the
protection and security of one’s home
is paramount and when a seller makes
the decision to put a lock box on their
home, those sellers are trusting their
listing agent with one of their most
important possessions,” says Long.
“That agent is assuring them that their
home will be safe, that no one will enter
without their agents’ knowledge, and
that REALTORS® can be trusted to follow
the rules and REALTOR® Code of Ethics.
The natural extension, of course, is that
every REALTOR® who violates the COE by
accessing a home without permission
thereby demeans the professionalism of
all REALTORS®.”
REALTORS® who enter a listing counter
ETHICS
ENTER
THE FRAY
Violations of the Code of Ethics Article 3,
Standard of Practice 3-9 have become an
epidemic as more and more REALTORS® access
properties in defiance of showing instructions
“
We were in the
neighborhood, and the
house had a lockbox.
I called the agent per the
showing instructions and
left a message.
We drove by, and the seller
said it was ok.
My buyers insisted on seeing
it right then.
The property was vacant so I
didn’t think it was a big deal.
I have a key, and I can access
any property with a lockbox
that I want.
”
16 Orlando REALTOR® July / August 2018