You know that REALTORS® are knowledgeable, trusted professionals who can help you buy or sell a home, lease a property, or assist with other real estate transactions.

You may be tempted to ask your REALTOR® subjective questions, such as “How are the schools around here?” “Do you know if there are many families with young children in this neighborhood?” or “Is this a high-crime area?”

You may be surprised to learn that REALTORS® are prohibited from offering their opinions in these areas. Instead, they are required to point you toward unbiased, third-party resources on these matters.

Why? As a member of the local, state, and national REALTOR® organization, your REALTOR® has promised to uphold a Code of Ethics to maintain the highest standards of professionalism.

That means your REALTOR® avoids exaggeration, misrepresentation, or concealment of pertinent facts related to the property and transaction.

That means your REALTOR® will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity, which includes volunteering information about the composition of a neighborhood.

That means REALTORS® are prohibited from providing any specialized professional service outside of their area of expertise. For example, they cannot tell you if that water heater will last a few more years or whether the foundation is a problem.

What your REALTOR® will do is guide you through the steps of a complex transaction, share with you the best market data available, explain your options, and help you achieve your goals. Your REALTOR® will also recommend you contact a lawyer if some aspect of the transaction requires it. Your REALTOR® brings industry know-how and professional connections you can’t get anywhere else. Your REALTOR® can help you with negotiations, pricing, and advice—and will always do so with the highest level of integrity.

When you hire a REALTOR®, you are hiring a trusted professional. You can count on the information you receive from a REALTOR® as you make one of the biggest financial decisions of your and your family’s life.