POWER Base
Professional Standards, The Code of Ethics & Fair Housing
The strength of any structure is dependent on the POWER of its base.
Since 1913, REALTORS® have chosen to be rooted by a moral code of conduct known as The Code of Ethics. By adhering to the professional standards laid out in the Code, REALTORS® establish business practices built on competency, honesty and high integrity. The single, most outstanding characteristic that sets REALTORS® apart from other real estate practitioners is the willingness to accept and abide by The Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS®.
The Code of Ethics, which was first adopted on July 29, 1913, is a living document, responsive in its content to changes in real estate law and the industry. It has been revised many times through the years to reflect current developments in the professional real estate practice and currently consists of 17 articles and related standards of practice by which REALTORS® are held.
MAAR offers its members and their clients and customers a vehicle to economically expedite ethics complaints and/or arbitration requests by seeking a resolution through MAAR. Help is just a phone call away with our Ethics & Professional Standards Hotline, where a group of Professional Standards Advisors (PSAs) take turns answering these confidential calls. Ethics complaints that are brought before MAAR give those parties involved an opportunity to be educated about the Code. In addition, REALTORS® are judged by their peers as opposed to other individuals who may be far less familiar with the practices and customs of the real estate industry.
There is also a standing Professional Standards Committee that conducts hearings on possible violations of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, arbitration requests, and MLS Lockbox/SentriCard complaints.
This base of moral ethics extends to all areas of practice for MAAR members and ensures that other laws and acts of legislation enforcing similar standards are also followed by members – one example being the Fair Housing Act.
Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (also known as the Fair Housing Act) prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children younger than the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children younger than the age of 18) and handicap (disability).
For REALTORS®, ethical conduct and non-discriminatory practices are both essential bases for all business practices and the glue that binds together successful business relationships, which is what the real estate industry is all about.
April is Fair Housing Month! The MAAR Fair & Affordable Housing Committee is hosting the 5th Annual Fair & Affordable Housing Fair on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. until noon in the MAAR Education Center.
Come get a better understanding of the numerous resources available in our community to help first-time homebuyers, low-to-moderate income buyers and homeowners facing foreclosure.
Previous agencies that have attended the fair include MAAR’s Welcome Home Memphis program, City of Memphis Department of Housing and Community Development, Shelby County Department of Housing, THDA, the Community Development Council of Greater Memphis, Memphis Consumer Credit Counseling, United Housing, Inc. Memphis Housing Resource Center, UT Extension Services, Memphis Fair Housing Center, Frayser CDC, The Works, Inc., NACA, and many others. |
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The Value of Professional Standards & The Code of Ethics
I’m Tommie Criswell-Jones. As a member of the Memphis Area Association of REALTORS®, and as a consumer, I know that ethics and professionalism matter. In fact, national surveys show that the number one reason people choose a particular REALTOR® is the REALTOR’S® reputation. The second reason consumers most often cite for choosing a specific REALTOR® is trustworthiness. MAAR promotes professional standards among our members, creating an orderly marketplace for REALTORS® and consumers. Call the MAAR Professional Standards Hotline (901.818.2445) for a quick response to your questions. Alleged code of ethics violations and commission disputes can be resolved by mediation, arbitration or an ethics hearing. MAAR understands that as a REALTOR®, you’re only as good as your reputation. Protection of that reputation is another invaluable benefit of your MAAR membership.