Question

It is important that your personal practices are aligned with your clients expectations, as this will decrease the risk of problems arising. However, it is inevitable that, at some stage, problems will appear that need to be dealt with.

Scenario: You are a NSW real estate agent. You have a client (vendor/principal) that has asked you to not include any pictures of the bathroom in your marketing campaign for the sale of their property, as it is half demolished due to an asbestos finding.

What is the personal practice you must employ to deal with this matter and what is the client's expectation;

Answer 1

In addressing a client's request to omit bathroom photos from a property's marketing campaign due to it being half-demolished, transparency, ethics, and balancing the client's expectations with potential buyers' right to be informed is essential. Ensuring professional image and property rights are upheld while creating an ethical environment for informed consent is a crucial personal practice for real estate agents.

Step-by-step explanation:

As a NSW real estate agent dealing with a client who has asked to not include any pictures of a half-demolished bathroom due to asbestos, your personal practice must on professional ethics and transparency. It's important to align with the client's expectations by respecting their request but you must also ensure you adhere to legal and ethical marketing standards.

Problems could arise from misrepresentation, so honesty is key. Discuss the issue with the client and suggest alternatives like providing a floor plan without the bathroom details or a disclaimer explaining the current renovation status due to asbestos removal, ensuring potential buyers are well informed.

Maintaining a professional image is critical and requires managing personal traits, dealing with bias, and approaching the marketing strategy ethically while catering to the client’s needs.

Property rights grant you the ability to contract with others regarding the sale, which in this case, includes the right to market the property in a manner that respects both the vendor's wishes and the prospective buyer's right to know about the property's condition. It's crucial to strike a balance between a client's wishes and the ethical requirement to not deceive potential buyers.

Arriving at a mutually agreeable solution and ensuring informed consent is also part of the ethical environment necessary for the sale of the property.