Dispute Resolution

Best Practices

Guidelines for Courtesy and Professionalism

The following Best Practices have been established by the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors^® as aspirational goals for its members. They are intended only as suggested ideals of courtesy and professionalism to strive for in the course of a member’s business activity. Best Practices are not intended to serve as licensing or ethical standards, which are already well-established under Oregon laws and the National Association of Realtors^® Code of Ethics. While PMAR strongly encourages every brokerage to subscribe to Best Practices, it is an individual brokerage decision and is not regulated by PMAR[1].

In order to distinguish between the roles of the Realtors^®, we have simply identified them as “agent” and “manager”. This should alleviate any confusion over whether a “broker” is a “principal broker”, and whether a “principal broker” is a manager or a broker supervising their assistants. [1] It is not intended that these Best Practices establish a legal standard of care.

List of Best Practices

Agents and managers are encouraged to become familiar with and subscribe to the PMAR Best Practices principles.
Agents and managers should strive to be knowledgeable of and adhere to the Realtors^® Code of Ethics.
Agents and managers are encouraged to be knowledgeable of and adhere to all Rules and Regulations of the RMLS^TM.
Agents and managers should endeavor to stay current with changes in the laws, rules, and regulations governing Oregon real estate transactions.
Communications between brokerage firms are encouraged to be agent-to-agent, and manager-to-manager. An agent will endeavor to work through his/her own manager if the manager of another firm is contacted.
When interceding to resolve a conflict between agents in two firms, managers will attempt to speak and cooperate directly with each other. A manager should avoid contacting an agent in another firm unless the two managers mutually agree in advance that the contact is appropriate.
Prior to filing a formal complaint against a Realtor^®, agents should attempt to discuss the matter with their manager to ensure that the complaint is appropriate in all respects.
Brokerages should require usage of the most current version of standardized real estate forms.
Agents will strive to attain and adhere to a high standard of legibility in all documents.
Managers are encouraged to develop a multiple offer policy consistent in each branch and agent within their company. The policy should be shared upon request of a co-operating manager whose agent is participating in a multiple offer situation.
Agents should refrain from speaking on behalf of their clients on transactional matters without prior authorization, for example, obtaining advance written instruction as to how cooperative presentation of offers will be received.
Agents should encourage their clients to acknowledge in writing the presentation of offers, and timely communicate that proof of presentation to the cooperating agent.
Agents should attempt to maintain a clearly defined role in the transaction, taking care to avoid going outside of their area of expertise. They should try to be a resource as to “where” the client may obtain information, rather than being the “source” of that information.
Agents should seek to refer business to, or partner with, another knowledgeable real estate professional when they are requested to provide services that fall outside of their area of expertise, including but not limited to property type or geographic location.
Agents and Managers should endeavor to respond promptly to all forms of communication, e.g., phone, email, text, fax, and mail.
It is recommended that Listing Agents acting as Disclosed Limited Agents in a multiple offer situation will disclose that fact, with the permission of their seller, to all cooperating agents.
Agents will endeavor to obtain their client’s written response to all offers/counter offers and deliver that response to the cooperating agent.

Questions? Contact PMAR Professional Standards Administrator Diana Colin at 503-459-2156.