Toby Boyce

By Toby E. Boyce

It seems that everywhere a licensed real estate agent looks today, the discussion is centering on raising the bar (#rtb Twitter hash tag). It is has been a trending topic on Twitter, its own Google Wave, a session at Real Estate Barcamp New York, an article in Inman News, and even was featured on the YPN Lounge last week with Nobu Hata’s “For the Member, By the Members.”

In case you’ve been living under a rock, raising the bar is a discussion on increasing the standards of our profession. We are right there with used car salespeople and lawyers on a lot of industry lists. Is that where we as REALTORS® want to be? Or better yet, is that an accurate reflection on the quality of our industry? Well, perception is realty. So we need to make changes in an effort to adjust the public’s perception of licensed real estate agents.

I’ve heard several arguments for addressing changes in the legislature of each state. And while that would be a wonderful ideal world, it is just that – a Utopia. My best example is that within the state of Ohio, the Ohio Association of REALTORS® is the largest trade organization in the state and it has been working with ASHII and NAHI to require home inspectors to be licensed within the state. I’ve never heard a legislator say it is a bad idea or they don’t see the need. However this bill has never passed through the state legislature. If this logical bill can’t get passed, how are more stringent real estate licensure standards going to work? Continue reading »