Happy Spring RBAR members! We are approaching half-way through the year and it’s going quickly. Thank you to all of you who have embraced my mission for 2021 to ENGAGE membership and have stepped up to the challenge to make 2021 more interactive for all. Looking for ways to ENGAGE with us?
Find our Facebook private group - R-BAR REALTORS. We post many updates there for events, RPAC information, educational
opportunities, and current events / industry news. Don’t miss out! Join our Facebook group.
Join a committee. We have a variety of committees you may be interested in and we are always looking for new members.
What interests you? Education/professional development. Diversity & Inclusion. Government Affairs. Entertainment.
Community Outreach. Committees are a great way to get your feet wet and learn more about RBAR.
Take a class. We have webinars and classes going on constantly. Most are free to log in and learn. Some CE courses or
designation courses have a fee but most are open to everyone and free to learn.
Network. It’s spring up so we’ll have a number of in-person events coming up. In June we have our annual picnic. In August
we’ll have our Grand Slam event at the ballpark again. Come on out and meet your fellow members in person.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to remind you that even though inventory is scarce and competition for listings and to win deals
for buyer clients is fierce - please remain professional. I get calls daily from members upset over the behavior of other agents.
Know the state rules - especially advertising laws. Your brokerage name and phone number must be on all ads (including
social media posts) where you are soliciting business. Your brokerage info cannot be subordinate to or smaller than your info,
and any team info must not look like a separate brokerage. It all must track back to your broker. Period.
Know the Bright MLS rules - including how to handle Coming Soon and pocket listings. We are seeing agents advertising
“Coming Soon” not in MLS and they are taking too long to enter in Bright. Stop it please.
If you see a state law or Bright MLS rule violation - reach out to the other agent or to their broker. If that does not bring a
positive result, file a complaint with the state (for REC law violations) and Bright (for MLS violations).
We the board cannot police or reprimand anyone. Only YOU can stop this bad behavior by bringing it to the broker’s attention, and if that does not work FILE A COMPLAINT. It takes time and effort but it is the only way to stop these bad actors.
Brokers - YOU are responsible for your agents and their actions. Monitor their behavior and their files, of course. But also know that others are watching and illegal / unethical agents risk formal complaints. If we all did this, we could clean up the industry. I wish all brokers would just police their own agents so we wouldn’t have to write this post. But it’s not happening.
Let’s all try to be professional and aspire to be better - before the real
estate commission or an ethics board steps in.
Sincerely,
Erica Ramus
2021 President, Reading-Berks Association of REALTORS®