LIEB BLOG

Legal Analysts

Friday, October 25, 2019

Attention RE Brokers - No More CE Grandfathering + New Required Courses in CE

On 10/23/19, continuing education requirements for NYS real estate brokers, associate real estate brokers and real estate salespersons were changed by A6082. These changes are effective 7/1/21.

Lieb School has got you covered for your continuing education needs. Because our school's courses are written & taught by Andrew M. Lieb, Esq. we have been teaching the required courses this entire time! We know what topics you need to avoid getting sued while making money.

The new law creates 2 new categories of continuing education: "ethical business practices" & "recent legal matters" plus it eliminates grandfathering for brokers who were licensed 7/1/08.

NOW, all licensees must receive 22.5 hours of continuing education every 2 years to stay licensed. The 22.5 hours must include:

  • 3 hours on fair housing &/or discrimination
  • 2.5 hours on ethical business practices
  • 1 hour on recent legal matters governing the practice of real estate brokers and salespersons in New York, which may include statutes, laws, regulations, rules, codes, Department of State Opinions and Decisions, and Court Decisions 
  • 1 hour on the law of agency (2 hours in the initial 2-year cycle)

Amended RPL §441(3)(a) now states (capital is newly added & [] are deleted):

No renewal license shall be issued any licensee under this article for any license period commencing November first, nineteen hundred ninety five unless such licensee shall have within the two year period immediately preceding such renewal attended at least twenty-two and one-half hours which shall include at least three hours of instruction pertaining to fair housing and/or discrimination in the  sale or rental of real property or an interest in real property, AT LEAST TWO AND ONE-HALF HOURS OF INSTRUCTION PERTAINING TO ETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES, AT LEAST ONE HOUR OF INSTRUCTION PERTAINING TO RECENT LEGAL MATTERS GOVERNING THE PRACTICE OF REAL ESTATE BROKERS AND SALESPERSONS IN NEW YORK WHICH MAY INCLUDE STATUTES, LAWS, REGULATIONS, RULES, CODES, DEPARTMENT OF STATE OPINIONS AND DECISIONS, AND COURT DECISIONS AND at least one hour of instruction pertaining to the law of agency except in the case of the initial two-year licensing term for real estate salespersons, two hours of agency related instruction must be completed, and successfully completed a continuing education real estate course or courses approved by the secretary of state as to method, content and  supervision, which approval may be withdrawn if in the opinion of the secretary of state such course or courses are not being conducted properly as to method, content and  supervision. For those individuals licensed pursuant to subdivision six of section four hundred forty-two-g of this article, in the individual's initial license term, at least eleven hours of the required twenty-two and one-half hours of continuing education shall be completed during the first year of the term. Of those eleven hours, three hours shall pertain to applicable New York state statutes and regulations governing the practice of real estate brokers and salespersons. To establish compliance with the continuing education requirements imposed by this section, licensees shall provide an affidavit, in a form acceptable to the department of state, establishing the nature of the continuing  education acquired and shall provide such further proof as required by the department of state. [The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any licensed real estate broker who is engaged full time in the real estate business and who has been licensed under this article prior to July first, two thousand eight for at least fifteen consecutive years immediately preceding such renewal.]

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

LLC Anonymity in Real Estate Transactions Is No More

Your Guide to Buying a Flip at the Right Time

Did you know that if a buyer’s contract of sale is dated within 90 days of the seller’s deed, the buyer may not be able to get a mortgage commitment? Underwriters at mortgage lenders have policies against issuing loans when the dates between the prior deed and the current contract of sale are too close in time.

Read the full article by Andrew Lieb, Esq. published in Dan's Papers here. 


Summary of the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 for General Landlord/Tenant Practice

New York State Overhauls Discrimination/Harassment Laws Opening the Floodgates to Future Claims

On August 12. 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation implementing extensive reforms to the New York State Human Rights Law, which dramatically increases protections for victims of discrimination and harassment in the workplace and makes it exceedingly more difficult for employers to defend against such claims.

Mordy Yankovich, Esq. shares an analysis of the major changes to the NYSHRL in The Suffolk Lawyer Law Journal here.