REALTOR^® B contacted REALTOR^® A, the listing broker, and notified her that he was a buyer's agent and was interested in showing one of her listings to his client, a prospective purchaser. REALTOR^® A made an appointment for REALTOR^® B and his client to view the property. Shortly thereafter, REALTOR^® B presented REALTOR^® A with a signed offer to purchase from his client which was contingent on REALTOR^® A's willingness to reduce her commission by the amount she had offered through the MLS to subagents and on the seller's willingness to compensate the buyer for the commission the buyer owed to REALTOR^® B, his agent. REALTOR^® A presented the offer to her client, the seller, explaining that she would not agree to reduce the previously agreed commission as specified in their listing contract.

REALTOR^® A then filed a complaint with the local Board charging REALTOR^® B with violating Article 16 as interpreted by Standard of Practice 16-16. In her complaint, REALTOR^® A stated that REALTOR^® B had interfered in her agency relationship with the seller by encouraging the buyer to condition acceptance of his offer on the renegotiation of REALTOR^® A's commission arrangement with her client, the seller.

REALTOR^® B defended his action arguing that REALTOR^® A's refusal to reduce her commission by an amount equal to what she had offered other brokers for subagency services would have placed the seller in the position of having to pay an excessive amount of commission if he had accepted the offer agreeing to contribute to the buyer broker's compensation. In addition, REALTOR^® B felt that it was his duty to his client to get the best price for the property by encouraging the buyer to reduce the costs of sale wherever practical.

What do you think the hearing panel concluded? Show Answer