I recently took the continuing education course required by NAR called “The Code of Ethics”. I was not happy about taking it and my comments went more like “you can’t teach ethics. Either you have them or you don’t.”

But when the day came for the class and I went. The instructor was an agent from one of the local offices who has been a Realtor for 30 years. She shows properties regularly and has a descent production history. I found her to be a passionate supporter of the NAR and it’s 100 year history.

She gave a colorful background on the things that the NAR has accomplished over those years. Some of those were lobbies to get affordable house programs like FHA and the protection of property rights, etc. She spoke how the founding fathers of the NAR had dreams and hope for a professional standard, much like the founders of our nation did for our country.

Similarly, over the years there has been much good done by the leadership but due to political type practice some of those dreams of greatness got replaced by dreams of personal pride and power. But she stated that although she did not always agree with the leadership on each stance they took, on a local level there were truly leaders who are very patriotic to those founding principles of the NAR.

The developement of the MLS System has made competing business work in a coopertive competition like no other business model. She said that court cases against the NAR regarding the registered use of the word Realtor being used only by those licensed agents that join the NAR has been upheld time after time because we “adhere to a Code of Ethics.”

The NAR leadership is now asking itself if the Code of Ethics is what makes us special how many of our members have actually read it? So they required this class every 3 years so that agents would at least have an idea of the original hopes and dreams of our profession.

There were about 50 Agents in the class, some seasoned veterans and others who were just getting started. During the class many had questions about protocol and how to handle problems. The overall feeling I got is that most Agents want to do the right thing. What seems to be needed is direction and education to know the standard of professionalism.

Don’t look at lofty and distant NAR leaders. Check out the local, dyed in the wool, Realtor. They have passion, positive motivation and a desire to mentor. So the answer is, yes you can teach ethics to those willing to learn.