In recent years, ethics in public life has received greater attention. Politicians, business people and others are being question about their ethical conduct. The home building industry is no exception.
One of the reasons there is so much pubic debate about ethics is the difficulty in defining ethics. Ethical conduct is different from legal conduct. Legal conduct involves doing the minimum that is required under the law to avoid being prosecuted or sued. Ethical conduct involves a higher standard, but how much higher is open to question.
Some people believe that ethical conduct should be governed by the Golden Rule- treating others as you would want them to treat you. This approach also has problems, because not all people have the same standards about how they want to be treated.
Nonetheless, there are some basic principles that guide the ethical conduct of the home building industry.
At the Home Builders Association of West Florida, we take pride in the ethics of our members. home buyers have a right to expect ethical treatment from their builders, just as builders have a right to expect ethical treatment from their buyers.
If you are shopping for a home, talk to some of the previous customers of the builders whom you are considering. Ask these previous customers whether they were pleased with their homes and the service they received. In large measure, ethics is determined by overall satisfaction with the home buying experience. When customers feel that they have received a quality home and were treated fairly, then they will feel that their builders treated them ethically.
May not be used without written permission from The Home Builders Association of Northwest Florida.