Showing posts with label Brokerage Laws. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brokerage Laws. Show all posts
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Attorneys don't need a real estate brokerage license to earn a commission. Yet, they can obtain a license by simply paying a fee without even taking the requisite 120 hour class or passing the exam.
So, why should an attorney bother becoming licensed as a broker? The reason is that it both helps the attorney's clients to gain access to property and it also secures the attorney's ability to split a brokerage commission pursuant to a cooperative brokerage agreement.
Full article in The Suffolk Lawyer, written by Andrew Lieb, Esq. here.
So, why should an attorney bother becoming licensed as a broker? The reason is that it both helps the attorney's clients to gain access to property and it also secures the attorney's ability to split a brokerage commission pursuant to a cooperative brokerage agreement.
Full article in The Suffolk Lawyer, written by Andrew Lieb, Esq. here.
Friday, June 05, 2015
Last evening, Lieb School taught a continuing education course, Estate Deals, at Newsday's Headquarters to over 100 real estate salespersons from the region.
Before the class began, I told the audience about a discussion happening right now between attorneys on the New York State Bar Association's Real Property Law Section's Listserv, called "Real Estate Binders". I advised of the conclusion of the attorneys about how terrible the results are for transacting parties when they sign Sales Agreements prepared by real estate brokers / salespersons who procured the transaction without having such an agreement drafted by a competent attorney. To my shock, many brokers thought I was wrong and they insisted to continue this practice of having their clients sign this one (1) page form contract.
After reading, I hope they will rethink their position because it is quite possible that transacting parties will end up being in a binding contract by way of this Sales Agreement, which is the furthest thing from their intended goal when working with a real estate broker and/or salesperson. The case of Pescatore v. Manniello addresses such a situation wherein the Appellate Division stated that the "agreement satisfied the statute of frauds, as it identified the parties to the subject real estate sales transaction, described the realty to be sold with reasonable particularity, and it stated the purchase price of the realty, the down payment called for as well as its due date, and the balance due upon closing. The agreement also provided for a closing date, and stated that the transaction was not subject to mortgage financing. The additional fact that the agreement stated that a more formal contract was to be signed does not render the purchase deposit agreement unenforceable".
Plus, a real estate salesperson owes their client duties of loyalty, accountability and the use of reasonable care so isn't the salesperson breaching those fiduciary duties to their client by having their client enter into a contract without knowledge of its binding effect and without advising them to utilize instead the twelve (12) page "RESIDENTIAL CONTRACT OF SALE Jointly Prepared by the Real Property Section of the New York State Bar Association, the New York State Land Title Association, the Committee on Real Property Law of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the Committee on Real Property Law of the New York County Lawyers' Association. (11/00)", which is supplemented by a tailored Rider by most attorneys in Downstate New York.
The Sales Agreement used by many on long island is hyperlinked.
As can be seen on the face of the agreement, it states: "THIS IS A LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE CONTRACT, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHETHER YOU WISH TO CONSULT YOUR ATTORNEY PRIOR TO SIGNING THE SAME". Further, the Sales Agreement contains an attorney approval clause, but such clause is waived unless the Sales Agreement is disapproved by a party's attorney within "3 business days after full execution thereof". Wouldn't it be smarter to just fill out the form without having any party sign the agreement and send the information to an attorney to negotiate within a formal contract of sale?
It comes down to this: Do real estate salespersons care more about the best interest of their clients when creating a meeting of the minds or would they rather mislead the clients that it's a good idea to be in a terrible contract just so that the salesperson feels more secure about receiving a commission?
You decide.
Before the class began, I told the audience about a discussion happening right now between attorneys on the New York State Bar Association's Real Property Law Section's Listserv, called "Real Estate Binders". I advised of the conclusion of the attorneys about how terrible the results are for transacting parties when they sign Sales Agreements prepared by real estate brokers / salespersons who procured the transaction without having such an agreement drafted by a competent attorney. To my shock, many brokers thought I was wrong and they insisted to continue this practice of having their clients sign this one (1) page form contract.
After reading, I hope they will rethink their position because it is quite possible that transacting parties will end up being in a binding contract by way of this Sales Agreement, which is the furthest thing from their intended goal when working with a real estate broker and/or salesperson. The case of Pescatore v. Manniello addresses such a situation wherein the Appellate Division stated that the "agreement satisfied the statute of frauds, as it identified the parties to the subject real estate sales transaction, described the realty to be sold with reasonable particularity, and it stated the purchase price of the realty, the down payment called for as well as its due date, and the balance due upon closing. The agreement also provided for a closing date, and stated that the transaction was not subject to mortgage financing. The additional fact that the agreement stated that a more formal contract was to be signed does not render the purchase deposit agreement unenforceable".
Plus, a real estate salesperson owes their client duties of loyalty, accountability and the use of reasonable care so isn't the salesperson breaching those fiduciary duties to their client by having their client enter into a contract without knowledge of its binding effect and without advising them to utilize instead the twelve (12) page "RESIDENTIAL CONTRACT OF SALE Jointly Prepared by the Real Property Section of the New York State Bar Association, the New York State Land Title Association, the Committee on Real Property Law of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the Committee on Real Property Law of the New York County Lawyers' Association. (11/00)", which is supplemented by a tailored Rider by most attorneys in Downstate New York.
The Sales Agreement used by many on long island is hyperlinked.
As can be seen on the face of the agreement, it states: "THIS IS A LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE CONTRACT, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHETHER YOU WISH TO CONSULT YOUR ATTORNEY PRIOR TO SIGNING THE SAME". Further, the Sales Agreement contains an attorney approval clause, but such clause is waived unless the Sales Agreement is disapproved by a party's attorney within "3 business days after full execution thereof". Wouldn't it be smarter to just fill out the form without having any party sign the agreement and send the information to an attorney to negotiate within a formal contract of sale?
It comes down to this: Do real estate salespersons care more about the best interest of their clients when creating a meeting of the minds or would they rather mislead the clients that it's a good idea to be in a terrible contract just so that the salesperson feels more secure about receiving a commission?
You decide.
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
Did you know that there are laws about keeping real estate brokerage records?
Currently, the applicable law reads:
§175.23 Records of transactions to be maintained
(a) Each licensed broker shall keep and maintain for a period of three years, records of each transaction effected through his office concerning the sale or mortgage of one- to four-family dwellings. Such
records shall contain the names and addresses of the seller, the buyer, mortgagee, if any, the purchase price and resale price, if any, amount of deposit paid on contract, amount of commission paid to broker or gross
profit realized by the broker if purchased by him for resale, expenses of procuring the mortgage loan, if any, the net commission or net profit realized by the broker showing the disposition of all payments made by
the broker. In lieu thereof each broker shall keep and maintain, in connection with each such transaction a copy of (1) contract of sale, (2) commission agreement, (3) closing statement, (4) statement showing
disposition of proceeds of mortgage loan.
(b) Each licensed broker engaged in the business of soliciting and granting mortgage loans to purchasers of one to four family dwellings shall keep and maintain for a period of three years, a record of the name
of the applicant, the amount of the mortgage loan, the closing statement with the disposition of the mortgage proceeds, a copy of the verification of employment and financial status of the applicant, a copy of the inspection and compliance report with the Baker Law requirements of FHA with the name of the inspector. Such records shall be available to the Department of State at all times upon request.
----
However, much of the currently applicable law makes no sense as often a broker does not have a contract of sale in his / her possession and often the broker keeps all records electronically.
Now, there is a proposal to change the law to reflect reality and the new law would read as follows (underlines being additions to the law):
§175.23 Records of transactions to be maintained
(a) Each licensed broker shall keep and maintain for a period of three years, paper and/or electronic records of each transaction effected through his or her office concerning the sale [or mortgage] of one- to four-family dwellings. In some transactions, the broker may not be provided a copy of the document required. In such instances, the broker will not be found to have violated this regulation if said document is not kept and maintained. Records to be kept and maintained shall contain:
(1) the names and addresses of the seller[,] and the buyer, [mortgagee, if any,] (2) the broker prepared purchase contract or binder, or if the purchase contract is not prepared by the broker, then the purchase price [and resale price, if any,] and the amount of deposit (if collected by broker) [paid on contract], (3) the amount of commission paid to broker, (4) [or g]the gross profit realized by the broker if purchased by him or her for resale, [expenses of procuring the mortgage loan, if any, the net commission or net profit realized by the broker showing the disposition of all payments made by the broker. In lieu thereof each broker shall keep and maintain, in connection with each such transaction a copy of (1) contract of sale, (2) commission agreement, (3) closing statement, (4) statement showing disposition of proceeds of mortgage loan.] (5) any document required under Article 12-A of the Real Property Law and (6) the listing agreement or commission agreement or buyer-broker agreement.
(a) Each licensed broker shall keep and maintain for a period of three years, paper and/or electronic records of each transaction effected through his or her office concerning the sale [or mortgage] of one- to four-family dwellings. In some transactions, the broker may not be provided a copy of the document required. In such instances, the broker will not be found to have violated this regulation if said document is not kept and maintained. Records to be kept and maintained shall contain:
(1) the names and addresses of the seller[,] and the buyer, [mortgagee, if any,] (2) the broker prepared purchase contract or binder, or if the purchase contract is not prepared by the broker, then the purchase price [and resale price, if any,] and the amount of deposit (if collected by broker) [paid on contract], (3) the amount of commission paid to broker, (4) [or g]the gross profit realized by the broker if purchased by him or her for resale, [expenses of procuring the mortgage loan, if any, the net commission or net profit realized by the broker showing the disposition of all payments made by the broker. In lieu thereof each broker shall keep and maintain, in connection with each such transaction a copy of (1) contract of sale, (2) commission agreement, (3) closing statement, (4) statement showing disposition of proceeds of mortgage loan.] (5) any document required under Article 12-A of the Real Property Law and (6) the listing agreement or commission agreement or buyer-broker agreement.
[(b) Each licensed broker engaged in the business of soliciting and granting mortgage loans to purchasers of one to four family dwellings shall keep and maintain for a period of three years, a record of the name of the applicant, the amount of the mortgage loan, the closing statement with the disposition of the mortgage proceeds, a copy of the verification of employment and financial status of the applicant, a copy of the inspection and compliance report with the Baker Law requirements of FHA with the name of the inspector. Such records shall be available to the Department of State at all times upon request.]
Notate the addition of the sentence "any document required under Article 12-A of the Real Property Law" at the end of the second paragraph. This is a catchall that includes such items as an Agency Disclosure Form and any other document later added to the law.
So, keep an eye on the DOS's Regulatory Activity page to determine when this Recent Proposal will become a Recent Adoption and hence, applicable law, or just keep an eye on the Lieb Blog for simple updates when real estate events happen.
