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Dispute Resolution

The Greensboro Regional REALTORS® Association (GRRA) provides various services to assist their Members, their member's clients and the public in the resolution of disputes. By virtue of becoming and remaining a Member of the Greensboro Regional REALTORS® Association, Members agree to abide by the Association bylaws and the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.

The dispute resolution system (DRS) of GRRA helps settle differences between sellers and buyers, and between consumers and real estate practitioners through the ombudsman program, mediation and in some arbitration situations.

The DRS is a means of resolving disputes out of court. Working toward dispute resolution through mediation can improve understanding between real estate professionals and their clients, and provide an alternative to costly and time-consuming legal procedures. The DRS is a serious effort to design workable and fair alternatives to traditional civil litigation, thereby discouraging frivolous complaints.

The Association's paid professional staff members are not licensed REALTORS® or lawyers. The Professional Standards Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that the professional standards process of paperwork administration, notifications, correspondence, and maintenance of the confidential case files is done in a timely and efficient manner according to the policies and procedures set forth in the North Carolina and National Association of REALTORS® Professional Standards manuals. The staff is not allowed to dispense legal advice or counsel you on your case.

The entire ethics process takes a minimum of 3 months but may take longer. It is the ultimate duty of staff to ensure due process to all parties. You can assist staff by making sure that additional requests for information and any pertinent deadlines in the process are responded to in a timely manner.

If you have a question about Professional Standards, please contact our CEO Mike Barr at 336-854-5868 or review our Ethics and Professional Standards information.

Ombudsman Service

The Association has identified and trained members with a thorough knowledge of the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Care in the Greensboro real estate industry, as well as the willingness and patience to help others, to provide ombudsmen services.

When a phone call from a GRRA member or client of a member comes into the Association, the caller may be offered the ombudsman service. The ombudsman may advise the complainant on possible avenues of resolution or simply answer questions.
If the matter might be better resolved in a meeting with the respondent, the ombudsman may encourage the complainant to request ethics mediation.

If the complainant wishes to file a complaint, the ombudsman can assist the complainant with the preparation of written statements and an understanding of what the burden of proof for a hearing might entail.

The ombudsman may also be the disputant's REALTOR® representative at any ensuing hearing. The complainant is assured of complete confidentiality during this process.

If you have a question about Ombudsman, please contact our CEO Mike Barr at 336-854-5868.