As this infernal COVID-19 pandemic drags on, this has become clear: We’ve learned how to function virtually when necessary; we’ve learned to live with much higher stress levels; and some of us have encountered the stress of dealing with a market where inventory is low and aggravation is high.

Dr. Henry’s daily health and safety edicts have now become, for some, like wallpaper—they’re there, but we don’t notice them as much as we once did when they were new. This is unfortunate because I’m increasingly concerned about our individual and collective reputational risk that COVID-19 has brought to our front door.

There’s the risk of getting sick and the steps we take to avoid this. There are the risks of dealing remotely with others and all the communication challenges that brings. There are also the physical health risks that come with the current environment made much worse if we don’t follow the COVID-19 rules. It’s our civic duty, in my opinion, to do our bit to not spread this blasted virus around. And it’s our duty as professionals to meet or exceed both Dr. Henry’s public health orders and the expectations of those around us.

Which is why, when I get yet another call from a frustrated member saying another member has thumbed their nose at the rules, I start tearing at what’s left of my hair. You’d think it would be relatively simple to get members and their clients to follow the rules in the middle of a pandemic. But I’ve been in the rules business for long enough to know while the majority of us obey rules (usually, because they want to and not because they fear punishment), there are always some who don’t and never will. It’s like this in all walks of life.

What about social media’s kangaroo court? Do you think it will be lenient? I doubt it, and your reputation will be in shreds in no time at all. Think about all the advertising dollars and hard work you did to establish your reputation. It could be gone in an afternoon with you, forever more, being branded as “that guy who got caught holding an open house.”

Do you think it’s a small risk? Think again. When the CEO of the country’s largest pension fund decided to fly to the Middle East for a holiday and a COVID-19 jab, he was out of a job the very next week. Ditto for the casino CEO who flew to the Yukon with his wife so they could both get their jabs. Oh, and then there are the politicians who thought they could get away with flying somewhere over Christmas. The outcry was immediate. Some were outraged. Do you want this to happen to you? Politicians and CEOs have pensions. You don’t.

Honestly folks, I can’t wave a magic wand and get everyone to follow the rules. If you won’t do this for me, please do it for yourself and your colleagues.

A member wrote to express his frustration at members who may be inputting incorrect room size information into their new listings. Whether this is done with the intention of changing the information later when the room sizes can be confirmed or it’s due to inattention or a lack of care, it constitutes a breach of the Rules of Cooperation, the Realtor® Code, and the Real Estate Services Act. And, of course, it carries with it potential liability in court. When the Rules of Cooperation were revised last year, Rule 3.06 was amended to require members to declare “the source of the measurements referenced in the listing.” The rule doesn’t specify what suitable sources of measurements are. I think though, these would be floor plan companies, blueprint drawings, and even the members using their measuring tape if the resulting measurements are accurate. What is not okay is using as a source of measurements “a figment of my imagination.”

In this throwback video from 2019, Ethics Guy® Kim Spencer speaks with long-time real estate lawyer Brian Taylor about the often polarizing topic of pricing or “underpricing” a listing. Given that this remains a conversation topic today, we thought we’d share Kim and Brian’s advice.