May 31, 2011: NAR President Responds to TODAY Show

In this letter to TODAY Show producers, 2011 NAR President Ron Phipps defends REALTORS® in response to the show’s May 31, 2011, segment, “House Hunting? Don’t Fall for These Tricks.” The following is an excerpt from the letter:

“Realtors® are working hard in today’s market to help people sell their homes to buyers who want to realize their dreams of owning a home. Not only did today’s segment, “House Hunting? Don’t Fall for These Tricks” unfairly disparage these hard-working professionals, it also misled viewers rather than giving them helpful, accurate information about buying and selling a home.

In all honesty, the entire segment seemed sensationalist and slanted – rather than give buyers truly helpful tips and advice, you preferred to plant suspicions and spread misinformation.

Several recent studies show that a majority of Americans – both homeowners and renters – believe in and aspire to homeownership, and Realtors® are working to bring sellers and buyers together in that context. The segment suggested that listing agents intentionally mislead buyers, when in fact many of the tactics you describe simply help position homes in a competitive market. As a condition of membership, Realtors® must subscribe to NAR’s strict Code of Ethics, which includes being honest with all parties in the transaction.”

In addition, the term “Realtor®” is not a generic term for real estate professional. By referring to “Realtors®” throughout the segment, Matt and Barbara were specifically, although we hope not intentionally, describing members of the National Association of Realtors®. In the future, please refrain from using this term as catch-all for “real estate agent.”
Instead of relying on in-studio discussions about the real estate market, why don’t you go out into the field and cover Realtors® as they help actual buyers and sellers in today’s environment – whether they’re helping homeowners make a life transition, helping sellers avoid foreclosure through a short sale, or working with first-time buyers who aspire to own a home of their own? We would be happy to help you with resources and logistics.
As a working Realtor® and president of the National Association of Realtors®, I offer to come on the TODAY Show to share insights into what’s really happening in today’s real estate market and provide information your viewers can truly use when buying or selling a home. No “tricks,” just the facts. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Ron Phipps, ABR, CRS, GRI, GREEN, e-PRO 2011 President National Association of REALTORS®