Code of Ethics-Duties to Clients and Customers
Posted in REALTORS Code of Ethics by Karen Rhodes on October 30th, 2006 Standard of Practice 1-6
REALTORS® shall submit offers and counter-offers objectively and as quickly as possible. (Adopted 1/93, Amended 1/95)
This has been a recent topic of discussion on a listserve in which I participate. The debate was, what is "as quickly as possible"? Opinions varied. Apparently there are quite a few REALTORS® who only work Monday thru Friday, 9 to 5. Well, this means if they receive an offer on a home at 6 pm on Friday night that they will present it to their seller client Monday morning. I believe this is only acceptable when the seller has given written instruction regarding presentation of offers to be between whatever hours the agent works and that disclosure is made to the buyer and their agent prior to an offer being written. For example, it should be disclosed in the MLS remarks.
I don’t work 24 hours a day 7 days a week but if I get an offer or need to write or present an offer on the weekends or in the evening I handle it. That, in my opinion, is "as quickly as possible". However, my clients know I do not work major holidays (who does?) or after 9 pm.
Of course, "objectively" means just that. Offers and counter offers are to be presented objectively without bias by the agent.
