They’re watching you.

Without our even being aware of it there are people watching us. The people watching us might not even really be aware that they are doing it. It is just a casual thing that occurs during the course of minding our own business and doing our own work. While all this watching is going on there is also very likely a lot of judging. My question to you is, “Do you act at all times like someone is watching you and making a judgment?”

Everyday we are each presented with choices. We choose whether to tell the truth, tell a little white lie or tell a whopper of a story. We choose whether to follow our doctor’s orders. We choose whether to follow the rules because they are the rules or to decide on our own which rules we want to follow. Even if we do great with the choices we make on a daily basis, there probably are some times that we are a little too close to that line between the right thing and the other thing.

Most of us reading this message right now are in the real estate business. Almost all of us in that business are licensed, which brings with it it’s own rules and laws. If you are a salesperson or broker in the business then there is a very strong possibility that you are a member of the National, State and Local Association of REALTORS®. That brings a few extra rules to follow.

NAR requires that everyone take the Code of Ethics class once during each 4 year period, which in this case runs from 1-1-2009 to 12-31-2102. If you have not taken the class during that time period, you need to start planning on how, when and where you will take the class.

The Standards of Practice go in to detail about what each of the rules in our Code of Ethics mean and how to follow them. It covers Duties to Clients and Customers, Duties to the Public and even Duties to REALTORS®. Learning and following all the 17 items covered in the Standards of Practice from NAR will help to make sure that you shine a little brighter as THEY watch you.