The smartest woman in the world may be the former Senator from New York but there’s no question in my mind that the smartest man is indeed a Hilo boy. It’s not our Mayor, Uncle Steamy or even my honey (indeed a genius for having married yours truly). Nope, smart as they are, in my book, none competes with now retired custodian Al Estabilio.
When Hilo High was stymied as to how to keep kids from hanging around outside during dances, it was Al’s common sense suggestion that led to simply turning on the water sprinklers! When no deterrent to girls leaving lip prints on bathroom mirrors could be found, Al’s demonstration of his cleaning methods using only a squeegee and a good dose of toilet water broke the cycle! Sometimes we get so caught up in the problem that we loose sight of the obvious. And so it is with real estate.
Prior to license renewal every other year, Realtors® must complete 10 hours of continuing education. A recent requirement added formal ethics training. Most commonly ethics disputes among agents surround representation. Competing agents claim to either have been the procuring cause on a purchase or to be the chosen representative of a buyer. The agent writing the contract is generally assumed to have introduced the property to the buyer. When this is not the case, an ethics complaint might arise. Agents are not supposed to involve buyers and sellers in commission disputes. Most agents happily respect established relationships. In fact, you should be hesitant to work with an agent who “forgets” to ask if you are working with another agent. Even today, most experienced agents have more business than they can handle.
One hypothetical used in an ethics class I attended dealt with procedures an agent should follow when another agent’s buyer wanders into an open house. The buyer wanted to buy the house but their agent was out of town. Solutions suggested by agents attending the class varied. I personally favored allowing a buyer to proceed with their purchase while maintaining the relationship they have with their agent even if the agent never showed the property. Common sense and common courtesy, right?
The fact that our National association feels we need such reminders is a bit disconcerting. While useful, it took a four hour continuing education class to convey what, if asked, Al could have conveyed in two shakes; just follow the Golden Rule! It’s like I told you, the man is a genius!