Tougher licensing standards? If only.


North Carolina legislators are considering a bill that would require additional training for all real estate salespersons and brokers in charge of real estate offices, and would reclassify all newly licensed agents as "provisional brokers."

Officials with the North Carolina Association of Realtors and the North Carolina Real Estate Commission say they are pursuing these changes to improve the level of professionalism in the industry, and to better serve real estate consumers.

Provisional brokers, as defined by the law, must be supervised by a "broker-in-charge," and each physical real estate brokerage office must have a designated broker-in-charge. Provisional brokers cannot become a broker-in-charge, and they must complete a post-licensing education process consisting of 90 hours of classroom instruction or equivalent training or experience within two years of licensing in order to end the provisional status of their license.

North Carolina legislators are considering a bill that would require additional training for all real estate salespersons and brokers in charge of real estate offices, and would reclassify all newly licensed agents as "provisional brokers."

Officials with the North Carolina Association of Realtors and the North Carolina Real Estate Commission say they are pursuing these changes to improve the level of professionalism in the industry, and to better serve real estate consumers.

Provisional brokers, as defined by the law, must be supervised by a "broker-in-charge," and each physical real estate brokerage office must have a designated broker-in-charge. Provisional brokers cannot become a broker-in-charge, and they must complete a post-licensing education process consisting of 90 hours of classroom instruction or equivalent training or experience within two years of licensing in order to end the provisional status of their license.

If they do not complete the training in this time, their license will be terminated, according to the proposed bill.

More strict licensing laws would benefit everybody, consumers and Realtors, in so many ways. Too many people practice this profession in the literal sense - they "practice" because they do not do it full time nor depend on it.

Posted: Mon - April 4, 2005 at 10:44 PM         |

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