While you’re out navigating the hectic housing market, let NC REALTORS® legal counsel and their services navigate the unfamiliar legal territory for you. Our in-house counsel closely monitors, reports and acts on potential legal issues related to laws, regulations and policies that govern the real estate industry to protect our members’ best interests. With access to the Legal Hotline, weekly Q&As, manuals, the Tech Helpline and the Ombudsman Program, you will never again waste valuable time scratching your head or biting your nails over legal issues. Find epic resolution with NC REALTORS® legal services.
NC REALTORS® have free, unlimited access to the NC REALTORS® Legal Hotline. Did you know one call to a real estate lawyer costs an average of $250 per hour? With just one call to the Legal Hotline, you’ve paid for one year of NC REALTORS® dues in full. In 2021, over 6,700 calls and emails were fielded by our legal team, equating to a cumulative savings of $1,675,000*. Now that’s epic value!
Don’t waste your time stressing over forms, disclosure or landlord/tenant law. Call the NC REALTORS® Legal Hotline at (336) 294-1415 to get quick resolution, so you can return to your clients and your business.
*If each inquiry and resulting research equates to an hour of legal consultation.
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NC REALTORS® lawyers have created articles and Q&As on a wide variety of legal topics that are very relevant to your real estate practice. These appear in Insight magazine, NC REALTORS® weekly newsletter and other media, and have been archived and organized so that you can easily locate one that may be of interest to you.
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NC REALTORS® offers many legal documents and manuals to help you conduct business as efficiently as possible. Refer to the Model Office Policy Manual to build and maintain a strong real estate office, or use the Buyer or Seller Advisories to help guide your clients in the purchase and sale of their properties.
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Solve your most challenging IT issues and questions with NC REALTORS®’ newest member benefit, Tech Helpline. Designed to provide members technical support via email, chat and toll-free number at no cost to NC REALTORS® members, specific software products and hardware devices covered can be found here.
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A REALTOR® is more than a real estate agent; REALTORS® have training in ethics for both their dealings with the public and with the real estate community. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics is the cornerstone of the National Association of REALTORS® ethics training. It guides REALTORS® and also shows the public the level of commitment, education and dedication to their profession that each member of NAR possesses.
Ethics Complaints and Arbitration Requests
The term “REALTOR®” signifies membership in the National Association of REALTORS® (“NAR”). In addition to NAR membership, REALTORS® hold membership in a local and a state association of REALTORS®.
Not all licensed real estate agents are REALTORS®. REALTORS® are different from non-member licensees in that they voluntarily subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics.
If you believe that a REALTOR® has violated one or more articles of the Code of Ethics, you can file an ethics complaint alleging a violation(s) through the local association of REALTORS® where the REALTOR® holds membership or participates in a multiple listing service owned/operated by a REALTOR® association. You may search for a member’s local affiliation here.
In addition, REALTORS® agree as a condition of membership to arbitrate contractual disputes and specific non-contractual disputes as provided for in Article 17 of the NAR Code of Ethics.
Click here for quick access to several resources to help you understand what filing and processing an ethics complaint and arbitration request entails, as well as the general process you can expect when filing an ethics complaint or arbitration request with a local association of REALTORS®. Check with the local association of REALTORS® to ensure you have the proper forms required by that association.
In rare instances, ethics complaints and arbitration requests are processed by the NC REALTORS® rather than a local association of REALTORS®. Such complaints and requests are handled in accordance with the same procedures with a few modifications. If your ethics complaint or arbitration request is processed by NC REALTORS®, the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual outlines the process. Questions about ethics complaints and arbitration requests handled by NC REALTORS® should be directed to the NC REALTORS® Legal Department at (336) 294-1415.
A REALTOR® is more than a real estate agent; REALTORS® have training in ethics for both their dealings with the public and with the real estate community. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics is the cornerstone of the National Association of REALTORS® ethics training. It guides REALTORS® and also shows the public the level of commitment, education and dedication to their profession that each member of NAR possesses.
If you believe that a REALTOR® has violated one or more articles of the Code of Ethics, you can file an ethics complaint alleging a violation(s) through the local association of REALTORS® where the REALTOR® holds membership or participates in a multiple listing service owned/operated by a REALTOR® association. You may search for a member’s local affiliation here.
In addition, REALTORS® agree as a condition of membership to arbitrate contractual disputes and specific non-contractual disputes as provided for in Article 17 of the NAR Code of Ethics.
Click here for quick access to several resources to help you understand what filing and processing an ethics complaint and arbitration request entails, as well as the general process you can expect when filing an ethics complaint or arbitration request with a local association of REALTORS®. Check with the local association of REALTORS® to ensure you have the proper forms required by that association.
In rare instances, ethics complaints and arbitration requests are processed by the NC REALTORS® rather than a local association of REALTORS®. Such complaints and requests are handled in accordance with the same procedures with a few modifications. If your ethics complaint or arbitration request is processed by NC REALTORS®, the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual outlines the process. Questions about ethics complaints and arbitration requests handled by NC REALTORS® should be directed to the NC REALTORS® Legal Department at (336) 294-1415.
Like a mediator, an ombudsman helps parties find solutions. The ombudsman process does not replace mediation; rather, it is a more informal process that will take place earlier and that will, if successful, avoid the need for a more formal mediation process and potentially a formal ethics or arbitration hearing.
The definition of Ombudsman for REALTORS®
The Ombudsman Program in its simplest definition is informal telephone mediation. In some cases, it can address and solve minor complaints from the public. It can also solve inter-REALTOR® conflicts before they become serious problems. Like a mediator, an ombudsman helps parties find solutions. The ombudsman process does not replace mediation; rather, it is a more informal process that will take place earlier and that will, if successful, avoid the need for a more formal mediation process and potentially a formal ethics hearing or arbitration hearing.
Boards and associations of REALTORS® are charged with the responsibility of receiving and resolving ethics complaints and requests for arbitration. This obligation is carried out by local, regional and state grievance committees and professional standards committees. Many complaints received by boards and associations might be averted with enhanced communications and initial problem-solving capacity at the local level. The NC REALTORS® Ombudsman Program is intended to provide that capacity.
Download the Ombudsman Program Brochure
Role of the Ombudsman
The Ombudsman’s role is primarily one of communication and conciliation – not adjudication. Ombudsmen do not determine whether ethics violations have occurred or whether a REALTOR® may be entitled to a commission; rather, they anticipate, identify, and resolve misunderstandings and disagreements before matters ripen into disputes and possible charges of unethical conduct or formal requests for arbitration.
Confidentiality
All communications made to the ombudsman or NC REALTORS® – whether written or oral – shall be confidential and may not be disclosed (other than communicating information and results between staff and the ombudsman) to any other person for any reason.
