Field Guide to Real Estate Office Policy Manuals
(Updated November 2006)
How do you keep your office running smoothly? These days it's essential for companies to have written documentation about office policies and procedures. An easy-to-understand guidebook for salespeople to refer to in their daily business can help solve and prevent disputes, and helps ensure the success and reputation of your company. The articles and books in this Field Guide provide you with the necessary tools and tips to create a policy manual for your real estate office, covering subjects ranging from policies and procedures to what to include in a policy manual to cell phone usage and more. (M. Martinez, Library Manager)
Contents:
Real Estate Office Policies | Drafting a Policy Manual | Sample Policy Manuals & Manual Templates | Books, eBooks & Other Resources
What A Policy Manual Should Do
Provide a clear understanding of the relationship between broker and sales associates, management and employees, and administrative functions and sales functions.
Permit the anticipation of and resolution of controversies before they arise.
Stabilize both management and sales by building confidence that both management and sales associates know the rules by which the game is to be played.
Forbid favoritism, since all must operate within the framework of the manual's predetermined rules and guidelines.
Provide stability of organization and permit the staff to function effectively in the absence of management
Source: Portions adapted from Real Estate Office Management, 4th Ed., (Chicago, IL: Real Estate Education Co. 1996).
Real Estate Office Policies
Adopt a harassment policy, (Portland Business Journal, May 5, 2006).
Workplace romance creates trouble for many companies, (Austin Business Journal, Mar. 31, 2006).
Zero-tolerance policies: When Are They Right for Your Business?, (Employment Relations Today, Spring 2006). Q
Saying no to smoking, (San Antonio Business Journal, Jan. 9, 2006).
Company policy is first defense against computer virus attacks, (Pacific Business News, Dec. 23, 2005).
Accommodation required for workers 'regarded as' disabled, (HR Focus, Nov. 2005). Q
Book Smart: How to Make a Valuable Office Policy Manual, (Florida REALTOR®, June 2005).
Do Your Agents Understand your Policies?, (Realty Times, Apr. 28, 2005).
Emergency preparedness: are you taking these steps?, (HR Focus, Apr. 2005). Q
Advice for Dealing with ADA Ambiguities, (HR Focus, Feb. 2005). Q
New agents: Ask to read your broker's policy manual, (Realty Times, Feb. 27, 2004).
Pregnancy discrimination still major workplace issue, (Pacific Business News, Feb. 23, 2004).
Office policies on ethics...who needs 'em?, (REALTOR® Magazine, June 2000).
Drafting a Policy Manual
How to create an office policy manual, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, July 2006).
Your policy manual -- do you have one?, (REALTOR® Magazine Online).
Checklist: Policy Manual Musts, (REALTOR® Magazine, Mar. 2003).
Employee Relations: Developing a Policy Manual, (National Association of REALTORS® - Human Resources Toolkit).
25 Things every policy manual needs, (REALTOR® Magazine Online).
Components of employee handbook or personnel manual, (National Association of REALTORS®).
Sales Meeting Tool Kit: Creating a Company Policy on Agency, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, 2003).
Creating an Office Policy for DNC Rules, (National Association of REALTORS®).
Playing by the rules: The Do's and Don'ts for Writing an Employee Handbook, (Rural Telecommunications, Sept./Oct. 2005). Q
What to leave out of an employee handbook, (Allbusiness.com, 2004).
Penning effective policies, (Security Management, Dec. 2002). Q
An overview of personnel manuals, (HRnext.com, Dec. 2002).
Employee handbook: friend or foe? When writing an employee manual, choose your words carefully to avoid any appearance of a contract, (Credit Union Executive Journal, Sept./Oct. 2001). Q
Sample Policy Manuals & Manual Templates
Sample Policies, (Society of Human Resource Management, 2006).
Office Policy Manual Guide, (Tennessee Association of REALTORS®, June 2003).
Besner Auction and Realty Policy and Procedure Manual, (Besnerauction.com, 2004).
Employee Handbook Templates, (Sampleemployeehandbook.com, 2005).
Employee Manuals and Policies, (Business.com, 2002).
General Office Policy Manual, [for real estate Associations & Boards] (Northeast Tarrant County Association of REALTORS®, Apr. 2002).
Seattle-King County Association of REALTORS® Policy Manual, [for real estate Associations & Boards] (Seattle-King County Association of REALTORS®, July 2001).
Administrative Office Policy Manual, [for real estate Associations & Boards] (Greensboro Regional REALTORS® Association, Aug. 23, 2000).
eBooks & Other Resources
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
The resources below are available for loan through Information Central. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Central at 800.874.6500 for assistance.
Real Estate Office Management, (Chicago, IL: Dearborn Real Estate Education, 2004).
Broker office policies model manual, (Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Department of Real Estate - Broker Office Policies Model Manual Committee, c2002).
Workplace Law and Office Policies, (Chicago, IL: National Association of REALTORS®, 2001).
Office Policy Manual, (Novato, CA: Professional Publishers, Inc. 2000).
Policies and procedures manual: a guide for success in real estate, (Tallahassee, FL: The Real Estate School, 1998).
Field Guides & More
These Field Guides and other resources in the Virtual Library may also be of interest:
Field Guide to Opening a Real Estate Brokerage
Field Guide to Recruiting and Retaining Salespeople
>> Have an idea for a new Field Guide? Click here to send us your suggestions!
The inclusion of links on this Field Guide does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked to this Field Guide complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.
