Social networking sites such as Facebook, Activerain, RealTown, Trulia Voices, etc. provide a myriad of ways to connect consumers and colleagues alike with real estate info. Blogs have proliferated in the last few years, people are writing them reading them and commenting all over the internet. These formats allows for a free and open exchange of info, sometimes a little too free and open as commenter’s/authors occasionally forget that we, as Realtors, have numerous regulations and a Code of Ethics to abide by that covers all forms of communication, including “electronic” communication. Read this excerpt from the 2010 National Associations of Realtors Code of Ethics:
Ok, well maybe not entirely new, but there have been some changes the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics (COE). This important document governs our conduct with not only the public but also with each other and the standards outlined are what set us apart as an organization and as a profession from other salespeople. In the interest of space I am not listing all the language specifically so to review the entire COE and understand better the context of these changes, go to http://www.realtor.org/mempolweb.nsf/pages/code .
Read on after the jump to find out the changes affecting the COE this year: