A REALTOR® is someone, who is a member of the Local (Northern Solano County Association of REALTORSr, State (California Association of REALTORS®), and the National Association of REALTORSr, who is bound by the group's code of ethics established in 1913.

Ethical standards are the primary difference between real estate practitioners and REALTORS®, who must pledge to act in the best interest of their clients, always behave honestly, and to reveal any potential conflicts of interest.

Though practitioners who aren't REALTORS® are not required to comply with NAR's ethical code, they still must abide by state laws requiring them to be licensed and work only for a broker.

Real estate professionals can be censured, fined, or have their licenses suspended or revoked for violating state laws; and random audits are conducted to ensure the laws are being followed.

Meanwhile, NAR will take disciplinary action against any REALTOR® in violation of the ethics code, starting with a warning letter, mandatory educational classes, suspended membership, and fines of up to $5,000. Ethical standards are important because real estate professionals depend upon referrals for future business.

REALTORS® have a duty to protect their clients' best interests, and educated consumers hold them to those standards.

For Information on how to Obtain and Maintain a California Real Estate Liscense
Contact www.dre.ca.gov or click the web address below and print
California Department of Real Estate: Instructions to License Applicants