Wow, it's challenging enough in this business to practice real estate with a license but today I had a situation that really made me scratch my head. I was asked to take a duty call since the agent on duty was out on an appointment. The caller told me he was "sort of an agent himself" and wanted some info on a property for rent. Well, I don't really handle rentals unless it's for an established client and I figured that if he was "sort of an agent himself" he'd have access to the same information I had.
Come to find out he's not an agent at all! I told him that I went to real estate school and pay monthly dues in order to call myself an "agent" as well as attend regular continuing education. Then he claimed he never said he was an agent, that he was just asked to "represent" someone. I'm all about the entrepreneurial spirit but the thought of someone practicing real estate without a license...and accepting a fee for it...frightens the pure pudding out of me. I've been licensed in 2 states and have seen countless changes throughout my career. I know the amount of liability that lies on my shoulders as a licensed agent which is why I am so diligent in my dealings with the public.
The Good Lord only knows what trouble he'll end up causing his "client." Be sure to hire a licensed broker when either buying or selling a home. I know it's tempting to go the For Sale By Owner route when selling or attempting to purchase a FSBO just to save a few thousand bucks. But unless you're daily immersing yourself in the culture and climate of this market you are just setting yourself up for bigger problems that could perhaps cost way more than the few thousand dollars you saved.
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