Ethics, Gifts, and Value Limitations.

[Account Closed]

I understand ethical guidelines may be different in different states.  I'm very grateful for the help I've received from various agents and property managers over the past year.  I'm curious if there are ethical issues within various jurisdictions.  I'd like to buy gift baskets for folks I've worked with over the years - do I need to keep it under a certain dollar amount?  My specific curiosities are in Colorado, Indiana, Arizona, and Ohio, but I'm sure it would be good to keep up in other jurisdictions.  Any thoughts?

[Chris Seveney]

I buy gifts for people who have helped me all the time. I do not see it as an ethics issue unless you are giving them gifts and getting something in return that the client does not provide to others strictly due to you giving them a gift. 

As an example, if an agent knows a property is coming on the market and gives you a heads up about it  and opportunity to buy it before it comes on the market because you can close with cash quickly, getting that information is not an ethics issue because you can close. If you buy them gifts and they give you info about the seller and you continue to buy them gifts for inside information - thats a different story