by Dennis Wilson, Manager, Professional Standards
Anyone who has followed my ramblings during the last nine years will know that I have long promoted the need to have consistent professional standards, education and enforcement for every licensed REALTOR® in BC.
Professions of all kinds, including teachers, physicians, nurses and engineers, have established standards within a regional, national or sometimes international scope. And that is for a reason. It elevates the quality of the work they provide, it establishes a bar to which practitioners must aspire to, and meet, and it better ensures that the public and the clients they serve respect, trust, understand and value what they do — across borders.
Realtors should have that same regard. But in order to have it, we must show that we ourselves respect, trust, understand, and value what we do — no matter where our board is located.
Provincially-recognised professional standards, including education and enforcement, would establish the value of expertise and knowledge that is specific to Realtors in many ways:
- With a provincially-recognized professional standard, Realtors will earn a much better reputation for competence, best practice, proven methods, ethics, and professional integrity.
- The public/clients and fellow Realtors, would know that the services a Realtor provides are being carried out by a knowledgeable, competent person whose standards meet a province-wide base, not just a small portion of it.
- They would also be assured that someone calling herself or himself a Realtor in BC is held to the same level of qualifications as any other person calling themselves a Realtor in BC — regardless of which board or which region holds their membership.
- Realtors who follow a broadly recognisable set of professional standards including educational and enforcement processes are less likely to draw complaints about their conduct from clients, and criticism from the public and the media.
- Realtors who fall short of professional conduct would not be able to avoid scrutiny by simply skipping over to the next regional board, where the professional standards differ and where enforcement may be limited.
- We would have the benefit of greater resources to carry out complaint procedures, enforcement, arbitration and dispute management with greater efficiency and lower cost.
- With a provincial set of standards, Realtors who fall short would be on record at a provincial level which could deter bad behaviour and encourage a higher level of professionalism among the Realtor community generally.
- Education and training of both Realtors and staff who help to implement and maintain professional standards, would be consistent across all regions.
I truly believe that with the changes in store from a new Real Estate Council, new regulations, or from an amalgamation of boards, a recognized and standardized profession that carries value and respect for what you do is possible — and something to be proud of.