Reaching Amicable Agreements

Your association’s ombudsman program can help you can nip conflict in the bud.

Couple shaking hands with business professional over a desk with a contract, a key, small wooden houses, and a calculator

I have heard about an ombudsman program at my local REALTOR® association. What exactly is it, and how does it work?

Most of us don’t like conflict. Consumers and real estate professionals who want to vent or voice a concern about an agent or broker may be reluctant to discuss a concern directly or file a written complaints, leaving the problem unresolved.

The alternative is to contact a local or state REALTOR® association ombudsman program. In its simplest definition, an ombudsman program provides informal telephone mediation completed by a neutral person. The National Association of REALTORS® requires all REALTOR® associations across the country to offer ombudsman services to their members and consumers, either directly or through an agreement with other REALTOR® associations.

The ombudsman’s job is to listen to concerns, bring understanding to the situation, and help reach an amicable resolution among all parties. This is a huge benefit to agents and brokers who are REALTORS®. With the assistance of an ombudsman, they have a chance to clear up misunderstandings that they may not have even known existed and ensure positive relationships moving forward.

Diane Disbrow has 40 years of real estate experience and helps real estate professionals navigate ethical slippery slopes as director of Shore Real Estate Academy in Tuckerton, N.J.