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See excerpt of the applicable Articles of the Code of Ethics at right. As a Realtor, we have a responsibility to “protect and promote” our clients’ interests,” and we have a duty to refrain from the “concealment of pertinent facts related to the property.”

What prompts this blog post is 20 years of watching *most* agents in my market not advising their clients to test for radon. I’ve discussed with this a number of home inspectors, and the estimate I get most often is that only 10% of all Realtors in my market advise their clients to test for radon.

Which means that 90% DO NOT advise their clients to test for radon.

And in my home market – Metro Detroit – where a full 30% of all homes FAIL a radon test (and where many communities have much higher failure rates – see below) – there would *seem* to be a bit of a disjunct between Realtor responsiblities…and Realtor behavior.

And since radon is a carcinogen most likened to second-hand cigarette smoke, it’s kind of a big deal to a lot of people, ESPECIALLY people with young children.

Here’s what the EPA has to say about radon:

So, as a Realtor bound by the Code of Ethics, to NOT advise your buying clients to test for radon, would *appear* to be a clear violation of those duties.

The remainder of my comments are in this video:

Red areas in maps below indicate areas of consistent radon failure. I chose New York and Pennsylvania as random examples to demonstrate how pervasive radon failure is. See additional details at http://www.epa.gov/radon/.

The bottom line: protect your clients, and protect yourself: make sure EVERY buying client tests for radon.