Only Broker-to-Broker referral compensation is legal under RESPA. RESPA expert shares how to avoid illegal kickbacks The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act is a complex federal law aimed at protecting consumers during the settlement process. If referrals are central to your business, listen up. One lawyer offers tips on complying with this federal law banning… Continue Reading NAR: Tips to Avoid RESPA (illegal kickbacks, referrals)
Licensees and Brokerages may want to remind your 2025 buyers who bought 6% property tax assessment ratio properties (e.g., primary residence is 4% property tax assessment ratio) to properly apply for any ATI 25% proper tax valuation discount at their county goverment (e.g. online, at county government offices, no later than January 30, 2026 or… Continue Reading ATI Deadline January 30th Reminder!
Complaint packages sent: 2024 181 2025 174 Complaint packages received back: 2024. 59 2025. 67 Grievance Committee moved to a hearing: 2024 35 2025 43 Hearings: 2024 22 2025 27 Ranked articles: 2024: 1, 2, 12, 10, 15, 9, 4, 3, 7, 11, 13 2025: 1, 2, 12, 9, 15, 16, 3, 4, 11, 5,… Continue Reading Updated Professional Standards Statistics (#2 is #2)
South Carolina Statewide Cooperative Hearings: 2025: 27 2024: 22 2023: 27 2022: 20 Several Local Associations joined the SC Statewide Professional Standards Cooperative (e.g., CTAR, GGAR, effectively doubling the REALTOR® population in the statewide cooperative to 30,000 REALTORS®). Zoom hearings began circa 2020-2021 due to the pandemic. 2021: 14 2020: 10 Posted by: Byron King… Continue Reading SCR Professional Standards Hearings
Complaint packages sent: 2024 181 2025 174 Complaint packages received back: 2024. 59 2025. 67 Grievance Committee moved to hearing: 2024 35 2025 43 Hearings: 2024 22 2025 27 Ranked articles: 2024: 1, 2, 12, 10, 15, 9, 4, 3, 7, 11, 13 2025: 1, 12, 9, 15, 16, 3, 4, 11, 5, 6, 13… Continue Reading 2024 and 2025 Professional Standards Statistics
2025 NAR Professional Standards Statistics. Ranked order of ethics articles filed: 1 honesty, client's best interest 12 false advertising 9. properly update agreements in writing 15 "gossip" 16 " poaching clients" 3. cooperation 4. self-dealing 11 competence 5 self-dealing 6 compensation disclosure 13 recommend legal counsel Busiest month: October Least busy month: June Complaint packages… Continue Reading 2025 Professional Standards Statistics
December 2025: 20 complaint packages sent 5 ethics complaints received 7 ethics complaints reviewed by Grievance Committee 2 ethics complaints moved to Professional Standards Committee citing Articles 1, 2, 4 1 ethics hearing held Posted by: Byron King on 1/6/26 (This information is only accurate as of 1/6/26. You must contact SCR for updates and… Continue Reading Professional Standards December 2025
Because it is relatively simple to disclose, my recommendation is to disclose in all channels at all times. It is common industry jargon to use "agent owned" or similar words to that effect in all channels (e.g., MLS, print, internet, signage, socials, forms, emails, texts, calls, conversations, flyers, tv, radio). South Carolina forms implement state… Continue Reading Always Everwhere Properly DIsclose Self Dealing
COA HOA POA complaints to the SC Department of Consumer Affairs, report states a 67% resolution rate. Top county, Horry. https://consumer.sc.gov/HOA-reports 2025 Executive Summary The Department received 617 HOA complaints during calendar year 2024. Of that amount, 183 complaints were excluded from the report: 125 did not meet the statutory requirements for inclusion, 53 were… Continue Reading COA HOA POA Complaint Procedure at SCDCA
In addition to fake sellers (Forwarn, tax records) and fake buyers with fake crypto investment opportunities for buyer agents, several states are reporting fake buyers will entice a buyer agent to Zoom conference about their buying needs. The fake buyer then sends a fake Zoom link that installs malware on the buyer agent's computer for… Continue Reading New Scam – Fake Buyers, Fake Zoom Link fm Fake Buyers Installs Malware