The general rule is that you, as a real estate professional, cannot call a person on the Do Not Call Registry unless you have an existing business relationship with the person.

First and fore most, in this market, before accepting a listing, an agent should always ascertain a few vital pieces of information.

All dealings concerning property exclusively listed, or with buyer/tenants who are subject to an exclusive agreement shall be carried on with the client's agent or broker, and not with the client . . .

Most REALTORS® are aware of the anti-kickback provisions of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. "No man shall giveth, Yea, neither shall he receiveth, any thing of value pursuant to any covenant under the heavens that calleth for referrals of settlement services."

The rules state the the Card Holder will be granted a revocable license to use the SentriCard in connection with the Holder's normal and customary activities while acting as a real estate agent or appraiser on the terms and conditions set forth in the referenced User Agreement.

Article 12 requires that Realtors® present a true picture in their advertising and real estate communications.

Disclosure of pertinent facts relating to the property and the transaction must be disclosed by a Realtor® to his client, but because state regulations and the Code of Virginia only disclosure of pertinent facts relating to the property may be disclosed by a Realtor® to a customer.

The MLS is a forum that not only allows listing brokers to advertise their properties for sale or for rent but also provides them with a means to make offers of cooperative compensation that can be reviewed and accepted

Under the old Home Inspection Contingency, a Seller who wanted to void the contract would simply fail to respond to a counter-offer and the contract would automatically become void.

"REALTORS® shall not advertise nor permit any person employed by or affiliated with them to advertise listed property without disclosing the name of the firm."

Sellers often place agents in compromising positions by asking them to take actions that break or skirt the rules. However, the sellers quickly disappear when the complaints are filed.

Depending on the circumstances and the cost of the repair, it may be a good business decision for the agent to offer to repair the damage.

To avoid replicating this troubling scenario, we recommend a Negotiation Period of no less than seven days.

The following guidelines have been prepared by the Risk Management Committee of the National Association of REALTORS® to supplement the REALTOR® association's long standing antitrust compliance program.

When someone enters a property through a lockbox, there is a record of the visit. Each SentriCard® is assigned to one agent and thus the owner can trace who has entered his or her property.

Article 11 of the Code of Ethics states that REALTORS® shall not undertake to provide specialized professional services that is outside their field of competence unless they fully disclose their lack of experience to the client or engage the assistance of one who is competent in the area.

Improperly placed open house signs can cost you more than a sale. They can also result in confiscated signs and a loss of hard-earned money.

Realtors® are required under Article 12 of the Code of Ethics to ensure that their professional status is clearly identifiable in any advertisement.

All payments made in connection with a RESPA-covered transaction must be disclosed on the HUD-1/1A Settlement Statement.

A landlord wants to restrict the number of people who are able to rent his three-bedroom condo unit. Therefore, he instructs his Property Manager to advertise the property as "two bedrooms with a den". The Property Manager knows this is wrong and wants a reason why he can not comply with this request.