Realtor Ombuds Programs Continue to Proliferate

The Tahoe Sierra Board of Realtors is implementing a new ombudsman program to assist agents and members of the public by answering questions and addressing ethical issues that frequently develop in the business. The practice is growing among local realtor boards, after a pilot program by the California Association of Realtors was well-received. Realtor ombuds do not practice to IOA or USOA standards, but instead follow a National Association of Realtors (NAR) policy. Nonetheless, realtor ombuds are impartial and informal, and work to resolve misunderstandings and disagreements through facilitation rather than adjudication. (Sierra Sun News; NAR Policy on Ombudsman.)