We pride ourselves on the way we conduct
our business.
We subscribe
to
The Canadian Real Estate Association Code of Ethics and
Standards
of Business Practice.
CODE OF ETHICS
The Realtor must be zealous to maintain, and continually
strive to improve, the professional standards of his or her calling:
1. by keeping informed as to developments and
trends in real estate,
2. by endeavouring to protect the public against
fraud, misrepresentation or unethical practice in connection with
real estate transactions,
3. by rendering services and opinions based
only on the Realtor's knowledge, training, qualifications and
experience in real estate,
4. by seeking no unfair advantage over, nor
injuring directly or indirectly, the reputation of, nor publicly
disparaging the business practice of other Realtors, and
5. by being loyal to the Realtor's Real Estate
Board and Provincial / Territorial Association and active in their
work.
In the interpretation of his or her obligations, the Realtor
can take no safer guide than that which has been embodied in the
Golden Rule -- "Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you".
No inducement of profit and no instructions from clients or customers
can ever justify departure from the ideals of fair dealing and
high integrity resulting from adherence to a lofty standard of
moral conduct in business relations.
Accepting this standard as his or her own, every Realtor pledges
to observe the spirit of the Code in all dealings and to conduct
business in accordance with the Standards of Business Practice
as adopted by The Canadian Real Estate Association.
STANDARDS OF BUSINESS PRACTICE
Article 1
Realtors shall endeavour to be informed regarding the essential
facts which affect current market conditions in order to be in
a position to counsel their clients and/or to assist customers
in a responsible manner.
Article 2
A Realtor shall protect and promote the interests of his or her
client. This primary obligation does not relieve the Realtor of
the responsibility of dealing fairly with all parties to the transaction.
Article 3
A Realtor shall fully disclose in writing to, and is advised
to seek written acknowledgment of disclosure from, all parties
to a transaction regarding the role and the nature of service
the Realtor will be providing to the client versus the customer
or other party to the transaction. The Realtor shall also disclose
his or her role to other Realtors involved in the transaction.
Article 4
A Realtor has an obligation to discover facts pertaining to every
property for which the Realtor accepts an agency which a reasonably
prudent Realtor would discover in order to fulfill the obligation
to avoid error, misrepresentation or concealment of pertinent
facts.
Article 5
Realtors should ensure written representation agreements whenever
possible in order to avoid misunderstandings with their clients
and customers.
Article 6
Realtors shall ensure that agreements regarding real estate transactions
are in writing in clear and understandable language, expressing
the specific terms, conditions, obligations and commitments of
the parties to the agreement. A copy of each final agreement shall
be furnished to each party upon their signing or initialing, and
shall be dealt with in accordance with the instructions of the
parties involved.
Article 7
The Realtor shall, prior to the signing of any agreement, fully
inform the signing party regarding the type of expenses for which
he/she may be normally liable.
Article 8
A Realtor shall not accept compensation from more than one party
to a transaction without the written consent of his or her client(s).
Article 9
Realtors shall disclose to a client or customer if there is any
financial benefit the Realtor or his/her firm may receive as a
result of recommending real estate products or services to that
party.
Article 10
A Realtor shall not accept any rebate or profit on expenditures
made for a client without the client's consent or accept any rebate
or profit on expenditures for a customer without the customer's
knowledge.
Article 11
The Realtor shall not discourage parties to a transaction from
seeking legal counsel.
Article 12
The Realtor shall not knowingly permit any property in his or
her charge to be used for unlawful purposes.
Article 13
A Realtor shall not present an offer or acquire an interest in
property either directly or indirectly for himself or herself,
any member of his or her immediate family or any entity in which
the Realtor has a financial interest, without making the Realtor's
position known to the seller in writing. In selling/leasing property
owned by the Realtor, or in which the Realtor has an interest,
the interest shall be revealed to the buyer/tenant in writing.
Article 14
In providing an opinion of value of real property, a Realtor
shall not undertake to provide such an opinion if it is outside
the Realtor's field of experience to do so, unless this fact is
disclosed to the client or unless assistance is obtained from
another person who has experience in this area. A Realtor shall
not perform an appraisal contrary to the terms and conditions
of any designation the Realtor holds through The Canadian Real
Estate Association. In all other circumstances, the Realtor shall
not provide an opinion of value on property in which the Realtor
has a present or contemplated interest without first disclosing
this fact to the client. Fees charged for providing an opinion
of value shall not be based on the amount of value reported.
Article 15
A Realtor shall present all written offers and counter offers
as objectively and as quickly as possible.
Article 16
A Realtor shall not advertise a property if such advertising
has been restricted at the request of the seller/landlord. In
any advertisement, the advertised or offered price of a property
shall not be other than that which was agreed upon with the seller/landlord.
Article 17
A Realtor is obliged to render a skilled and conscientious service,
in conformity with standards of competence which are reasonably
expected in the specific real estate disciplines in which the
Realtor engages. When a Realtor is unable to render such service,
either alone or with the aid of other Realtors, the Realtor should
not accept the assignment or otherwise provide assistance in connection
with the transaction.
Article 18
Realtors shall ensure a true presentation in all advertising.
Properties and services shall not be advertised without identifying
the firm or, where applicable, the individual practitioner, in
accordance with provincial licensing legislation.
Article 19
The Realtor shall not deny professional services to any person
for reasons of race, creed, colour, sex, familial status, age
or national origin. The Realtor shall not be party to any plan
or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the
basis of race, creed, colour, sex, familial status, age or national
origin.
Article 20
The Realtor shall observe the bylaws, rules and regulations established
by the Realtor's Real Estate Board and/or Association, in addition
to the regulations, terms and conditions associated with any designation
that the Realtor may hold through membership in the Canadian Real
Estate Association.
Article 21
The business of a Realtor shall be conducted in strict accordance
with all statutory and regulatory requirements that apply to that
business.
Article 22
The Realtor shall never publicly discredit a competitor. If the
Realtor's opinion is sought regarding a specific transaction,
it should be rendered with strict professional integrity and courtesy.
Article 23
The agency or other contractual relationship of a competitor
shall be respected by all Realtors. Negotiations concerning exclusively
listed property or with any party who is exclusively represented
shall be carried on with the client's agent and not with the client
directly, except with the consent of the client's agent.
Article 24
A Realtor shall not seek information about a competitor's transaction
to be used for the purpose of closing a transaction himself or
herself, or for the purpose of interfering with any other contractual
undertaking.
Article 25
Signs in respect of the sale, rent, lease, development or exchange
should not be placed on any property by more than one Realtor
unless authorized by the seller/landlord. Realtors shall not interfere
with another real estate broker's sign.
Article 26
Should a Realtor be asked to co-operate in any way in connection
with a disciplinary investigation or proceeding pertaining to
alleged unethical practice, the Realtor shall place all pertinent
facts before the proper Committee of the Real Estate Board or
Association to which the Realtor belongs.
Article 27
In the event of a dispute between Realtors associated with different
firms of the same local Board/Association regarding the fee or
commission earned or to be earned in connection with a real estate
transaction, the dispute shall be submitted for arbitration in
accordance with the bylaws, rules and regulations of their local
Board/Association.
Article 28
In the event of a dispute between Realtors associated with different
firms and belonging to different local Boards/Associations, regarding
the fee or commission earned or to be earned in connection with
a real estate transaction, the dispute shall be submitted to arbitration
in accordance with the bylaws, rules and regulations of the appropriate
Provincial/Territorial Association. Should the Realtors belong
to different Provincial/Territorial Associations, the dispute
shall be arbitrated in accordance with the bylaws, rules and regulations
of The Canadian Real Estate Association.
Article 29
The business of a Realtor shall be conducted so as to avoid controversies
with other Realtors.