1. The Professional Approach To Real Estate: Professional Courtesies Training

2. Respect for peers

3. PROFESSIONALISM Be professional
Respect For Peers
PROFESSIONALISM
Be professional
Identify Realtor® status and company affiliation
Real estate is a reputation business. What you do today will affect your reputation – and your business – for years to come.
Always identify your Realtor status and your company affiliation in all contacts with other Realtors, including when making appointments. 3

4. Show courtesy, trust and respect Respond promptly and courteously
RESPECT FOR PEERS
Show courtesy, trust and respect
Respond promptly and courteously
Allow sufficient time for a response
Keep electronic file sizes reasonable
Limit faxes
Show courtesy, trust and respect to other real estate professionals.
Respond to other agents’ calls, faxes and s promptly and courteously.
When contacting other agents, respect their time. Allow sufficient time for them to respond before calling back.
Be aware that large electronic files with attachments or lengthy faxes may be a burden on recipients.
Documents that are scanned and ed may be clearer and easier to read than faxes. 4

5. ATTITUDE Maintain a positive attitude
Respect For Peers
ATTITUDE
Maintain a positive attitude
Avoid disparaging remarks and do not share war stories
Avoid inappropriate endearments or other denigrating language
Maintain a positive attitude toward other Realtors®, their clients, their companies and others in the industry.
Avoid making disparaging remarks and sharing war stories.
Avoid the inappropriate use of endearments or other denigrating language. 5

6. LISTINGS Keep status current in MLS Enter settlement information ASAP
Respect For Peers
LISTINGS
Keep status current in MLS
Enter settlement information ASAP
Consult the CMLS Rules and Regulations
Notify listing agent about inaccurate information
Keep the listing status current in the MLS and enter the settlement dates as soon as possible per CMLS rules.
Notify the listing agent if there appears to be inaccurate information about the property in the MLS.
As a last resort, report the inaccuracy to CMLS staff.
When in doubt, refer to the CMLS Rules and Regulations. 6

7. DISCLOSURE Disclose your relationship to listing agent
Respect For Peers
DISCLOSURE
Disclose your relationship to listing agent
Do not prospect at other Realtors®’ events.
Disclose your relationship with the prospective buyer – whether subagent, buyer's agent or dual agent – to the listing agent. If you are related to the buyer, be sure to disclose that relationship to everyone involved.
Do not prospect at other Realtors®’ open houses or similar events. 7

8. Share important information
RESPECT FOR PEERS
Share important information
Notify CSS of any changes
The listing agent should share important information about a property with Centralized Showing Service, including the presence of pets, security systems, and whether sellers will be present during the showing.
The listing agent should notify Centralized Showing Service immediately if there are any changes to showing instructions or property status. 8

9. Replace/return keys promptly
RESPECT FOR PEERS
Wait before showing
Replace/return keys promptly
If you arrive for a showing and find another Realtor® showing the house, wait until the Realtor® has finished showing the property before entering.
Carefully replace keys in the lockbox after showings. Make sure the lockbox is properly secured.
Promptly return any keys that are held at the listing office. 9

10. FEEDBACK Direct all questions to the listing agent
Respect For Peers
FEEDBACK
Direct all questions to the listing agent
Respond promptly and professionally
Remember: Sellers might see feedback
Direct all questions about a property to the listing agent, not to the seller.
Respond promptly and professionally via or voice mail to feedback requests after a showing, regardless of the buyer’s interest.
Showing agents should be aware that feedback might be viewed directly by the seller. Do not include your contact information in feedback provided to CSS except for your first name. 10

11. INTERRUPTIONS There are few true emergencies Cell phone etiquette
Respect For Peers
INTERRUPTIONS
There are few true emergencies
Cell phone etiquette
No texts
Don’t leave the room to answer calls
Callers can leave messages
Don’t be distracting
There are very few true emergencies in real estate.
Be aware that instructors, leaders and other agents find it very distracting when phones ring or vibrate, or when agents send text messages during meetings or classes. Leaving a meeting or class to take a call is disruptive and might be interpreted as an affront to the speaker.
If you are expecting an important call, let the caller know when you will be unavailable and that you will return calls at breaks or after meetings. Turn your phone off before the meeting or class begins. Phones set on vibrate can sometimes be heard or felt and are distracting to others in the room. 11

12. RESPECT FOR PEERS
Discussion Questions
What is the best way to communicate with the cooperating agent during a transaction?
Can you call an agent in the evenings?
At the beginning of negotiations, talk with the other agent about how effective communication will take place – , phone, fax, etc. Remember to be prompt and courteous in your communications. Never use inappropriate terms of endearment or condescending language. Always ask how late you may call and the best number to use. 12

13. RESPECT FOR PEERS
Discussion Questions
While showing another broker’s listing, the seller made disparaging remarks about his current agent. What should you do?
It is our duty to show courtesy, trust and respect for our fellow real estate professionals. Whenever someone makes disparaging remarks about another agent, politely acknowledge the comments and avoid adding fuel to the fire. Encourage the seller to have an honest discussion with his or her agent about how he or she feels. Never interfere with another agent’s client relationship.
Avoid discussions about what you would do if it were your listing or your client. Do not get into conversations about how you work or about your opinions with someone else’s client. 13

14. RESPECT FOR PEERS
Discussion Questions
While showing another broker’s listing, you notice that some information in the MLS printout is incorrect, and the back door of the home does not lock securely. What should you do?
Whenever you observe a mistake in the MLS or find something out of order in the home, contact the listing agent as soon as possible to let him or her know of the inaccuracy and/or problems at the property. You need to consider the safety of the homeowner as well as your own liability as an agent. 14

15. RESPECT FOR PEERS
Discussion Questions
If your seller has a pet, what would you advise him or her to do with the pet during showings and inspections?
How do you communicate the existence of pets in MLS?
Some buyers are afraid of or allergic to pets, so listing agents should advise their clients to crate their pets or make arrangements to remove them from the property during showings and inspections.
Listing agents should provide details about pets, including where they are located, under MLS “Agent Remarks” and in the Centralized Showing Service showing instructions. It is not advisable to advertise that a pet is “friendly.” Some otherwise friendly pets may feel a need to defend their territory when strangers are present. 15

16. The Professional Approach To Real Estate: Professional Courtesies Training