Real Estate Brokerage Regulatory Updates - 5/3/16 NYS Board of Real Estate meeting summary

On 5/3/16 the NYS Board of Real Estate continued its mission of optimizing the regulation of real estate brokers in our state by holding its meeting in NYC, Buffalo and Albany. To remind real estate brokers and salespersons, the public is welcome at these meetings where the public can bring comments from the floor. It's encouraged that Lieb School students attend these meetings to have your voices heard. 

"[T]he Board has general authority to promulgate rules and regulations affecting real estate brokers and salespersons in order to administer and effectuate the purposes of Article 12-A of the Real Property Law."

A complete video of the meeting is available on youtube.

In summary, the following was discussed:

1. Enforcement activity report;
2. Equalizing points for salespersons seeking a real estate broker's license for acting on the selling and listing sides of deals;
3. Updates on the continuing education topics of agency and diversity;
4. The new broker's curriculum; and
5. Fair Housing regulations, which were passed.

Most interestingly, the enforcement report claimed that while 317 complaints were fielded by the Department of State from January through April of this year, only 2% were referred to the Administrative Department to pursue charges. Agents should translate that statistic as meaning that while a lot of complaints come into the Department of State, a lot of effort is exerted in weeding out the legitimate complaints from the lot. This is quite reassuring.