REALTOR®’s Refusal to Disclose Nature and Current Status of Listing to Another REALTOR®

Client X listed his home with REALTOR® A under an exclusive right to sell listing agreement negotiated for a period of 90 days. During the first 75 days, REALTOR® A attempted various marketing strategies, but none were successful. Client X expressed disappointment and told REALTOR® A that he might seek another agency when the listing expired.

 

That same day, Client X expressed to a friend his dissatisfaction with REALTOR® A’s lack of results, and mentioned that he might employ another agent. The friend, in turn, related this information to his friend, REALTOR® B, and suggested that REALTOR® B contact Client X. Aware that the property was currently listed with REALTOR® A, REALTOR® B called REALTOR® A, explained the information passed on to him, and inquired about the nature and current status of Client X’s listing with REALTOR® A. Specifically, REALTOR® B asked REALTOR® A when the listing would expire and whether the listing was an “exclusive right to sell” or “open” listing. REALTOR® A responded that the listing was his and refused to discuss the matter further.

 

REALTOR® B then contacted Client X and explained that their mutual friend had informed him that Client X might be seeking another agent to sell his property. REALTOR® B told Client X that he did not wish to interfere in any way with Client X’s present agency agreement with REALTOR® A, but that if Client X intended to seek another agent when his present listing agreement with REALTOR® A terminated, he would like to discuss the possibility of listing Client X’s property. Client X invited REALTOR® B to his home that evening, and there they discussed the terms and conditions under which REALTOR® B would list the property upon termination of REALTOR® A’s listing. REALTOR® B and Client X did not enter into any written agreement at that time. However, Client X requested REALTOR® B to meet with him the day following the expiration of REALTOR® A’s listing, and Client X said that at that time he would execute a new listing agreement with REALTOR® B. The property did not sell before REALTOR® A’s listing expired, and on the day following the expiration of REALTOR® A’s listing, Client X listed the property with REALTOR® B. Upon learning of REALTOR® B’s listing, REALTOR® A filed a complaint with the Board alleging that REALTOR® B violated Article 16 of the Code of Ethics.

At an ethics hearing duly noticed and convened after all due process procedures of the Board were followed, REALTOR® A presented his complaint that REALTOR® B had contacted REALTOR® A’s client during the unexpired term of the client’s listing agreement with REALTOR® A and had, therefore, violated Article 16 of the Code of Ethics.

 

REALTOR® B defended his action by pointing out that when he was informed that Client X was seeking another broker, he sought to respect the agency of REALTOR® A by calling him to inquire about the type and expiration date of the listing. He said he told REALTOR® A he would respect REALTOR® A’s agency agreement, but that he needed to know this information to determine when, and under what circumstances, Client X would be free to list the property with another broker. REALTOR® A refused to discuss the listing status, stating that “it was none of his business.” REALTOR® B cited Standard of Practice 16-4 in defense of his direct contact with Client X.

The Hearing Panel concluded that REALTOR® B had adequately respected the agency of REALTOR® A as interpreted by Standard of Practice 16-4. The panel’s decision indicated that a listing broker should recognize that his refusal to disclose the type and expiration date of a listing to an inquiring broker frees the inquiring broker to contact the seller directly. If the contact with the seller is made under the provisions of Standard of Practice 16-4, the REALTOR® is also able to discuss the terms of a future listing on the property or may enter into a listing to become effective upon the expiration of the current listing.

 

The panel found REALTOR® B not in violation of Article 16.