CLP Sales and Business Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A prospect says they need a two-bedroom but your community only has one-bedrooms available. What is the most ethical and effective response?
- Tell them a two-bedroom may open up soon and take their contact info (Correct answer)
- Show them a one-bedroom and emphasize its benefits without mentioning the size difference
- Decline to assist them since you cannot meet their needs
- Refer them to a competitor property that has two-bedrooms available
Correct answer: Tell them a two-bedroom may open up soon and take their contact info
Taking their contact information and notifying them of future availability maintains honesty while keeping the prospect engaged.
Question 2: Under the Fair Housing Act, which of the following is considered an illegal steering practice?
- Showing a prospect all available units regardless of their background
- Directing minority prospects only to certain floors or buildings within a community (Correct answer)
- Providing equal information about all amenities to every prospect
- Offering the same lease terms to all applicants who qualify
Correct answer: Directing minority prospects only to certain floors or buildings within a community
Steering directs protected class members to specific areas of a property, which is an illegal discriminatory practice under the Fair Housing Act.
Question 3: A leasing professional discovers that a current resident is subletting their apartment without authorization. What is the correct course of action?
- Ignore the situation to avoid conflict with the resident
- Accept additional rent from the subtenant directly
- Report the violation to management and follow the property's lease enforcement procedures (Correct answer)
- Offer the subtenant their own lease immediately
Correct answer: Report the violation to management and follow the property's lease enforcement procedures
Unauthorized subletting is a lease violation that must be reported to management and handled through proper enforcement channels.
Question 4: Which sales technique involves listening carefully to a prospect's objection and then restating it as a question to better understand their concern?
- Assumptive close
- Clarifying restatement (Correct answer)
- Trial close
- Feature-benefit bridging
Correct answer: Clarifying restatement
Clarifying restatement reflects the prospect's objection back to them, demonstrating active listening and helping uncover the real concern.
Question 5: A leasing agent is showing an apartment and notices a maintenance issue the prospect hasn't spotted. What is the ethical obligation?
- Say nothing and hope the prospect doesn't notice after move-in
- Disclose the issue and inform the prospect it will be repaired before move-in (Correct answer)
- Offer a small rent discount to offset the problem without disclosing it
- Only disclose if the prospect specifically asks about maintenance
Correct answer: Disclose the issue and inform the prospect it will be repaired before move-in
Ethical leasing requires transparency about known property defects, and assuring the prospect of timely repairs builds trust.
Question 6: When a prospect asks about the crime rate in the neighborhood, how should a leasing professional respond?
- Minimize or deny any crime to avoid losing the prospect
- Provide the actual crime statistics you know from memory
- Direct them to public resources like local police department websites for accurate data (Correct answer)
- Tell them the neighborhood is completely safe regardless of facts
Correct answer: Direct them to public resources like local police department websites for accurate data
Directing prospects to official public sources protects the leasing professional from liability while giving the prospect accurate information.
Question 7: What does the term 'value proposition' mean in apartment leasing sales?
- The monthly rent amount listed on the lease agreement
- The combination of benefits a community offers that justify its price to prospective residents (Correct answer)
- The total move-in cost including deposit and first month's rent
- A written guarantee of property value appreciation
Correct answer: The combination of benefits a community offers that justify its price to prospective residents
A value proposition communicates the unique combination of benefits—amenities, location, service—that make a community worth its price.
CLP Sales and Business Ethics 2
A prospect says they need a two-bedroom but your community only has one-bedrooms available.
What is the most ethical and effective response?