Please review and agree below:
I hereby apply for REALTOR® membership in the Southern Middle Tennessee Association of REALTORS®, and enclose my payment, which I understand will be returned to me in the event I am not accepted to membership.
In the event my application is approved, I agree as a condition to membership to, on my own initiative, thoroughly familiarize myself with the Code of Ethics of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® , including the duty to arbitrate business disputes in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual of the Association and the constitution, bylaws, and rules and regulations of the Southern Middle Tennessee Association of REALTORS®, the Tennessee Association and the National Association. I further agree to complete satisfactorily a reasonable and nondiscriminatory Board Orientation Program covering such Code, constitution, bylaws, rules and regulations, and duty to arbitrate. I further agree that my act of paying dues shall evidence my initial and continuing commitment to abide by the aforementioned Code of Ethics, constitution, bylaws, rules and regulations, and duty to arbitrate, all as from time to time amended. Finally, I consent and authorize the board, through its membership committee or otherwise, to invite and receive information and comment about me from any member or other person, and I agree that any information and comment furnished to the board by any member or other person in response to any such invitation shall be conclusively deemed to be privileged and not form the basis of any action by me for slander, libel, or defamation of character.
NOTE
•Applicant acknowledges that the board/association will maintain a membership file of information which may be shared with other boards/associations where applicant subsequently seeks membership. This file shall include: previous applications for membership; all final findings of Code of Ethics violations and violations of other membership duties within the past three (3) years; pending complaints alleging violations of the Code of Ethics or alleging violations of other membership duties; incomplete or pending disciplinary measures; pending arbitration requests; and information related to unpaid arbitration awards or unpaid financial obligations to the board/association or its MLS.
• Applicant acknowledges that if accepted as a member and he/she subsequently resigns from the board or otherwise causes membership to terminate with an ethics complaint pending, the Board of Directors may condition renewal of membership upon applicant's certification that he/she will submit to the pending ethics proceeding and will abide by the decision of the hearing panel. If applicant resigns or otherwise causes membership to terminate, the duty to submit to arbitration continues in effect even after membership lapses or is terminated, provided the dispute arose while applicant was a REALTOR®.
• Dues payments to the Southern Middle Tennessee Association of REALTORS® are not tax deductible as charitable contributions. Portions of such payments may, however, be tax deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses.
• Membership dues are due annually on January 1st. Failure to renew membership will result in termination of membership and related services. Your company may be billed a NonMember Assessment if you are a primary member of our association.
I agree that, if accepted for membership in the board, I will pay the fees and dues as from time to time established. I hereby certify that the foregoing information furnished by me is true and correct, and I agree that failure to provide complete and accurate information as requested, or any misstatement of fact, may be grounds for revocation of my membership, if granted. By agreeing below, I consent that the REALTOR® Associations (local, state, national) and their subsidiaries, if any (e.g. MLS Foundation) may contact me at the specified address, telephone numbers, fax numbers, email address or other means of communication available. This consent applies to changes in contact information that may be provided by me to the Association(s) in the future. This consent recognizes that certain state and federal laws may place limits on communication that I am waiving to receive all communications as part of my membership.