Bruce Aydt

columnist

Attorney Bruce Aydt, ABR, CRB, SRS, is a national real estate educator, a Missouri real estate broker, and past chair of the NAR Professional Standards Committee.

You can send him your ethics questions at ethics@realtors.org.

Content by Bruce Aydt

When must a licensee provide a copy of a newly created purchase agreement to the buyer?

November 1, 2009

Bruce Aydt

Regardless of how a property's defects are discovered, failing to disclose them after the fact amounts to concealment, a violation under Article 2.

October 1, 2009

Bruce Aydt

If a "Just Sold!" flyer would lead a reasonable consumer to believe the REALTOR® who sent the flyer actually "sold" the property, then it's a violation of the Code of Ethics.

September 1, 2009

Bruce Aydt

An acquaintance asked me discuss possibly taking on their listing. Would it be in violation of the Code of Ethics for me to follow through with this request without first getting permission from the broker who currently holds the listing? Or would this be OK because my acquaintance approached me about it?

July 1, 2009

Bruce Aydt

About a week after I took on a new listing, I switched brokerages and had my license transferred. My client wants to follow me to my new broker. Can she ask my former broker to terminate the listing so she can relist with me at my new brokerage?

June 1, 2009

Bruce Aydt

With distressed properties, there can be confusion about when an offer is accepted. The seller is still the legal owner of the property in most cases, and must be the first to accept an offer. Yet the lender also must approve or agree to the transaction, since it’s being asked to take less than what’s owed on the mortgage.

May 1, 2009

Bruce Aydt

Considering several offers at the same time or asking one or more potential buyers to make their best and final offer by a specific deadline doesn’t violate the Code of Ethics.

March 1, 2009

Bruce Aydt

Is it a violation of the Code of Ethics to advertise another broker's listing in print or on the Internet without permission from the listing agent or company?

February 1, 2009

Bruce Aydt

Is it ethical to contact the owners of commercial property with old signage that don't appear to be actively marketed? Should I contact the broker and ask if he or she has a current listing on the property?

December 1, 2008

Bruce Aydt

In presenting an offer from your buyer to a listing agent, you have the right to know if a second offer was written by the listing agent.

October 1, 2008

Bruce Aydt

Must all offers to purchase property be in writing?

September 1, 2008

Bruce Aydt

I sold a property that was listed with another brokerage company. Can I put a Sold sign up on this property even though I wasn’t the listing broker?

August 1, 2008

Bruce Aydt

What does the Code of Ethics say about disclosure and commissions when one brokerage's client crosses over to another to make a sale?

July 1, 2008

Bruce Aydt

Does including "MLS" in a non-multiple listing service site violate the Code of Ethics? Bruce Aydt responds.

June 1, 2008

Bruce Aydt

If both offers are accepted, who wins?

March 1, 2008

Bruce Aydt