Every REALTOR® in this Association operates under the same Code of Ethics, and that shared standard is what makes the word REALTOR® mean something to a buyer or seller who has no other way to judge who they’re trusting with the largest transaction of their life. Professional Standards exists to protect that meaning, which means it exists to protect you. When every member is held to the same bar, the public’s confidence in working with a REALTOR® extends to every one of us, including you.
That protection runs in your direction too. If another agent misrepresents a property, interferes with your listing, or treats your client unfairly, the Code of Ethics gives you a real path to recourse rather than a shrug. If a client or another member ever raises a concern about your own conduct, the process is designed to be fair, confidential where appropriate, and focused on resolution rather than punishment for its own sake. Most concerns never need to go further than a phone call.
The Ombudsman is usually the fastest and least formal route. Many disputes and misunderstandings get resolved through an informal conversation before they ever become a complaint, and reaching out early often prevents a small friction point from becoming a larger one.
When a matter involves a possible ethics violation, it moves through the formal Filing a Complaint process, which is reviewed by fellow members trained specifically for this role. This is REALTORS® holding each other to the standard we all agreed to, not an outside authority imposing rules on the profession.
Arbitration serves a different purpose. It exists specifically for compensation disputes between REALTORS®, offering a faster and less expensive resolution than taking a disagreement to court, and it keeps those disputes inside the profession rather than becoming public litigation that reflects poorly on everyone involved.
If you have a concern, a question about a colleague’s conduct, or you’re unsure whether something rises to the level of a complaint, contact the Association office. Protecting the integrity of this profession is something every member benefits from, and it starts with using the process that’s already built for you.
