AGENTS FAIL IN ETHICS SURVEYS

“It’s just not fair”.

Article originally published JANUARY 8, 2004 –Reviewed and approved.

By Neil Jenman

Two surveys in less than two weeks have confirmed what most of us already know. Consumers don’t trust real estate agents.

The result of the annual Roy Morgan honesty and ethics poll was released today. In a survey covering 28 professions, nurses rank number one for public trust with 96 per cent of us believing they are honest and ethical. Second and third positions were held by chemists at 87 per cent and doctors at 80 per cent.

The bottom two professions are estate agents and car salesmen where the numbers are almost reversed. A massive 89 per cent of the population do not rate agents highly for ethics and honesty.

It is now the twentieth year in a row that the Roy Morgan poll has ranked agents almost at the bottom of all the professions when it comes to honesty and ethics.

Another survey conducted by Melbourne’s Herald Sun – and released 10 days ago – showed a similar result. Among those people most likely to be selling or buying property – the 25 to 44 age group –– 90 per cent say they do not trust agents.

So far, the only person reported to have commented from within the real estate industry is Mr Enzo Raimondo of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV).  Raimondo said agents do not deserve their “bad rap”.

Of course not. Ninety per cent of the Australian population is wrong. Mr Raimondo is right. For saying that agents are not ethical and honest, consumers should apologise to Mr Raimondo, all estate agents and the REIV.

It’s just not fair.

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