It’s easier than you’d expect to get tangled in the unauthorized practice of law. In a 2017 Wyoming case, a real estate agent was found to have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law for merely removing inapplicable provisions of a state association’s form. As evidenced in this case, and depending on state law, even …
Tag: News
Jan 04
Be Clear on Co-signing Perils
If it looks like a jointly held mortgage will be the answer to getting the transaction done, don’t sugarcoat the facts. Younger customers frequently look to parents or grandparents to help them get into a first home. As rising home prices and interest rates present even greater challenges for first-time buyers these days, you may …
Jan 03
The Code That Grows
Global business and state laws are among the issues that our evolving Code of Ethics addresses. Our industry is changing. Technology brings new business models and the skill set of REALTORS® keeps evolving. You might be wondering where that leaves our venerable Code of Ethics. The National Association of REALTORS® adopted its Code of Ethics …
Jan 02
Get your New Year Started off Right…
Call me Directly: Anthony DiDonatoABR, AHWD, RECS, SRES, SFRAssociate BrokerREALTOR®CENTURY 21 All-Elite Inc.3900 Edgmont Ave, Brookhaven, PA 19015Office Number: (610) 872-1600 Ext. 124 Cell Number: (610) 659-3999 {Smart Phones Click to Call} Direct Number: (610) 353-5366 {Smart Phones Click to Call} Fax: (610) 771-4480Email: anthony@anthonydidonato.com Licensed in PA, DE and NJ
Dec 28
Prepare for Common Legal Hurdles in Your Business
These are the hurdles agents most often face and how to stay in compliance while navigating a transaction. A Korean-American couple recently asked Brian Bartholomew to show them homes only in Korean neighborhoods. Bartholomew, a sales associate with RE/MAX Cornerstone in Brea, Calif., immediately saw the red flag. “I can’t steer you toward an area …
Dec 27
Do You Know Who You Are Calling?
Your phone marketing strategy could land you in legal trouble. As a real estate professional, you’re constantly looking to grow your business. While picking up the phone to call potential clients and solicit new business may seem outdated in today’s digitized world, the reality is that the telephone still plays an important role in marketing. …
Dec 27
Are You Using Tenant Screening Tools Legally?
Property managers must abide by strict rules when using common reports to determine the eligibility of prospective renters. Make sure you know what you can and can’t do with the information. When a rental application is under consideration, most property managers and landlords require a prospective tenant’s credit report, credit score, and, usually, a background …
Dec 22
Complete Your Closings Online
New laws make remote electronic notarization secure and accessible. From home searches to purchase contracts and loan applications, many aspects of a modern real estate transaction are now conducted electronically and online. But until recently, the actual closing has remained a stubbornly paper process in an increasingly digital world. Over the past several years, with …
Dec 21
Buying With Friends: A Legally Complicated Transaction
What you should know about working with clients who choose this unusual avenue to homeownership. A small but growing share of home buyers is forging an alternative path to homeownership that is ripe for potential legal consequences: purchasing a property with friends. With affordability near an all-time low, it’s easy to see why some consumers, …
Dec 20
Appraisals Among Most Misunderstood Legal Issues
2019 law and ethics in review: What you, our readers, buzzed about the most this year. Perhaps the most important aspect of your business is learning how to protect yourself legally in the event a transaction or client relationship goes awry. Articles about misunderstandings regarding your freedom to communicate with appraisers, how to handle a …
