Amanda

Having a new licensed real estate agent is exciting, yet challenging for the broker of record and the new licensee. Standard protocol for a new real estate licensee…

Real estate scams are becoming more and more prevalent. Housing scammers are finding new and sophisticated ways to try and dupe people into handing over their hard-earned cash…

Real estate licensees are resilient in any economic climate. Optimism is a strength. However, when it comes to describing conditions in a declining market, licensees need to be…

New technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are transforming the real estate experience. From virtual tours to chatbots, these tools are adding value to…

With more than 2.9 billion monthly active users on Facebook, it’s not surprising that it’s a popular place to promote real estate. As with all advertising, real estate…

When property owners face financial hardship and can’t afford to pay their mortgage anymore, they may try and sell quickly to avoid foreclosure. They typically take what they…

Ensuring a prospective tenant can afford to pay monthly rent is an important consideration for landlords and the property managers that screen applicants on behalf of landlords. Property…

To help reduce your risk, we’ve summarized all our property management posts on handling evictions,  property maintenance, and short-term vacation rentals over the last two years. Use it…

Sellers must disclose any material defects, problems, or issues with a property that may influence a property’s price or the buyer’s decision to purchase. The actual detail of…

Technology is moving at a rapid pace and new automation tools are appearing all the time.  Disclosure issues are a major reason that real estate licensees (and sellers)…

Managing disgruntled staff can be difficult in any profession. In a real estate brokerage,  disgruntled staff members have the potential to make life very difficult for a broker,…

Fair Housing Act and Housing Ads Real estate licensees and property managers need to be aware of and comply with the Fair Housing Act. This legislation prohibits discrimination…

We all come from different backgrounds, with learned ideas and perceptions based on our experiences. This can contribute to bias, whether conscious or unconscious. Bias, at its core,…

Real estate licensees need to act with caution when it comes to talking about zoning with prospective buyers. What may seem like a casual chat can lead to…

When you own a real estate brokerage, you likely need a Business Owner’s Policy, to combine general liability insurance with commercial property insurance. But not all Business Owner’s…

Once you’re at the offer or accepted contract stage, there are common pitfalls even the most experienced licensee can fall into if you’re not careful — from inspections…

Technology is advancing at a rapid rate in all industries, and real estate is no exception. Transaction Management Software is yet another area of real estate where new…

When you list a foreclosure property, there are risks that can lead to lawsuits if those risks aren’t properly managed. Here’s what to watch out for and how…

Property owners, property managers and real estate agents face a lot of hidden dangers from a risk management perspective in remodeling and repairing structures and maintaining and improving…

Could your team — and your new hires — use a refresher on key risk management areas? This ClaimPrevent® Summary touches on critical details about working with clients…

Failing IT infrastructure can cost real estate brokers money. There can be costly outages and potential loss of systems and important data. Brokers may even face a lawsuit…

The ripple effect of the collapse of one of the world’s crypto giants, FTX, is now being felt in the real estate industry. The cryptocurrency market was already…

DIY (“do it yourself”) can be an attractive option for a seller or a landlord because it’s cheaper than engaging a professional. But, what about the impact if…

Scammers are using sophisticated ways to try and get money from unsuspecting businesses and individuals. Text scam messages are one of the methods that scammers use to try…

This summary covers the most common problems when completing a Residential Purchase and Sale Agreement from a Risk Management perspective. Use it to onboard new hires or as…

This session covers the writing, review, acceptance, and rejection of real estate offers — all from a risk management perspective. Use this ClaimPrevent® summary for onboarding new hires…

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been at the forefront of recent media coverage. Some commentators have voiced concerns about AI chatbots replacing human customer service, the possibility of widespread…

Antitrust laws in the United States exist to protect consumers. They set the ground rules for fair business practices and competition, and prevent monopolies from occurring. But antitrust…

It’s 2023 and filters are everywhere. There are filters on Instagram®, Snapchat®, and TikTok®, and photo editing tools on smartphones. That’s even without professional tools like Photoshop®. But,…

This session covers Seller Disclosures, Real Estate Licensee Disclosure Responsibilities, Staging, and Showings from a Risk Management perspective. Use this ClaimPrevent® summary for onboarding new hires or as…

Rainwater tanks and water barrels are an asset to a homeowner. They yield many benefits and are often installed as an environmentally-conscious choice that prevents the wasting of…

Real estate is a competitive industry. A bit of friendly competition is natural, but what if your licensees take it a step too far and won’t cooperate with…

Some locations in the United States are more synonymous with disasters than others — wildfires in California, hurricanes in Florida, and earthquakes along the west coast. However, it…

Your real estate office likely has a number of independent contractors working under your brokerage. An independent contractor may have non-licensed assistants helping with answering phones, marketing efforts,…

When prospective tenants ask a real estate licensee if the landlord will  take Section 8, they want to know if the landlord will  accept part of their rent…

Whether you’re assisting a real estate seller or a buyer, your communication skills can create a positive experience or a negative experience for your client. Clear communication is…

Some clients are amazing and their properties look like show homes 24/7. These gems are a dream to promote and are easy to sell to prospective buyers. But,…

Many responsibilities come with being a Property Manager. It’s not just about finding great tenants and collecting the rent. Managing property maintenance and repairs is an ongoing job…

This session covers licensee responsibilities with new listings, information to be gathered with different seller situations, and creating the public listings — all from a risk management point…

Our new ClaimPrevent® Summary Series explores what every licensee needs to know from a risk management perspective in 9 installments, organized by topic (links to all the Summaries…

Selling new builds or properties under construction can be challenging for real estate licensees. When dealing with these properties, licensees face risks that are not so common with…

One of the greatest challenges for a real estate property appraiser is balancing the expectations of your clients. Sometimes challenges arise because a client asks for an appraisal,…

This Risk Management Article covers changes to the June 2022 CAR forms and some anticipated December 2022 changes to the Residential Purchase Agreement.   June 2022 changes Seller Possession…

Even the most astute real estate professionals can find themselves embroiled in lender fraud scams. Here’s what you need to know and steps you can take to protect…

Transaction Coordinators play an important role in real estate transactions. Being organized and paying great attention to detail is critical to your success. You need to stay on…

California Civil Code section 2079.16 states that buyers and sellers of real estate are advised that California licensed real estate agents and brokers are not qualified to give…

Taking time out to go on vacation can be difficult for Property Managers if you manage multiple properties simultaneously, it may not be possible to just drop everything…

A buyer canceled the purchase contract on a property with her first broker. Then, the buyer went into contract again on the same property, using a buyer’s agent…

What real estate pros should do if served with a subpoena | RSS.com Attorney Kathryn Holbert has been defending real estate professionals for more than 15 years. In…

Steering is a method of discrimination in real estate. It happens when a real estate licensee influences a buyer or prospective tenant’s choice of housing because of their…

Condominiums and other properties covered by a Homeowners Association have specific challenges that ordinary properties don’t have. Often, they have strict rules and regulations that can  sometimes be…

Selling older homes can be a challenge. Unlike more modern properties, they may contain a range of hazardous materials that are no longer commonly used in modern construction…

Many a lawsuit has happened because a buyer finds an issue post-closing and blames the seller for not disclosing key defects. Even when sellers have been honest in…

RESPA compliance often comes up as an area of concern for real estate licensees, but it’s equally as important to mortgage brokers. As a mortgage broker, you may…

In June 2022, The White House announced that President Biden continues to call on the Senate to pass the Equality Act. The legislation, if passed, will provide long…

Real estate licensees can find themselves in a challenging situation if they haven’t read the fine print when switching insurers. Not having current coverage for SPECIFIC past activities…

As a property manager, you may come across landlords that want to impose mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations. The pandemic has caused significant discussion and, in some cases, debate about…

There are a variety of tools and software available to help brokers to manage their real estate business. Sometimes it can be difficult to choose the best options…

In dual agency, the real estate licensee acts on behalf of both the buyers and sellers, and has fiduciary duty to both parties. Dual agency can be appealing,…