This week, the Virginia REALTORS® legal team talks about the DPOR regulations governing license renewal. Laura and Cate talk about how soon a new agent can start practicing and how DPOR handles transfers between firms. They also discuss the delay in license lookup for an expired license and how that does not mean you can continue to practice. Finally, they answer some common legal hotline questions on the topic.

This week, the Virginia REALTORS® legal team continues the discussion about unrepresented parties in a real estate transaction; this week focusing on the unrepresented buyer. Cate and Erin discuss what you as a licensee can and can’t do for an unrepresented party, particularly when it comes to offering your professional judgment. They then answer some questions from the legal hotline, including what to do if a prospective buyer refuses to sign a disclosure sheet.

This week, the Virginia REALTORS® legal team discusses the difference between independent contractor relationships and limited service agreements. Erin and Jon talk about the duties owed by real estate licensees to their clients in each of these situations, and how the relationships differ in significant ways. They also answer some legal hotline questions, such as “Can my firm offer both full- and limited-service relationships?” and “If I have an independent contract with a Seller, do I have to disclose that to an unrepresented party?”.

The Virginia REALTORS®’s legal team discusses unlicensed assistants. What can they do for you? What are they not allowed to do? Laura and Erin discuss some ways to make sure that your unlicensed assistant can continue to help you in your professional life while staying within the Virginian rules and regulations pertaining to real estate licensees.

Find up-to-date information on the best practices for managing teams. Generally, a team consists of a licensee and at least one other person who work together regularly under one brokerage firm; hold themselves out to the public as being one entity; and refer to themselves by a common name.

The Virginia REALTORS® legal team offers essential information on changes to Virginia home inspector regulations. Effective July 1, 2017, Virginia home inspectors must be licensed.

The Virginia Real Estate Board (VREB) governs what is licensed vs. unlicensed activity. Assistants who do not have a real estate license hanging with a supervising broker cannot perform “licensed activity.”

We discuss the dos and don’ts of unlicensed assistants including what can an unlicensed assistant do and how can an unlicensed assistant be paid.