A pending or completed divorce can affect who must sign real estate documents, whether a sale can proceed and how the proceeds are handled. Agents should involve a title professional or attorney early rather than interpret divorce documents themselves.
Licensees should not ignore a FREC complaint, audit notice or investigator contact, real estate attorney Danny Villazon said. He advised gathering records, following office procedures and seeking guidance before providing information.
Brokers can reduce the risk of supervision problems by offering training, remaining accessible, monitoring advertising and maintaining complete transaction files, real estate attorney Danny Villazon told attendees at the recent Florida Real Legal Summit. He said FREC is closely examining whether brokers are actively overseeing their associates and can document how that supervision works.
Florida Realtors General Counsel Juana Watkins warned that routine advertising, screening and customer communications can create lawsuits or ethics complaints even when they do not lead to regulatory discipline. She urged Realtors to understand overlapping rules and seek guidance before acting in legal gray areas.
Renters can protect their belongings, finances and temporary living costs by understanding what their policy covers and where gaps may remain.
Addendum H allows buyers to set maximum premiums for homeowner’s and flood insurance and cancel the contract without penalty if they cannot secure coverage at a price they can afford.
A Realtor advertised real estate-related products and services on her website through links to the websites of “Preferred Providers.” The Realtor received a fee each time a visitor clicked one of those links. However, the Realtor did not disclose that they were receiving these fees, claiming that the links were merely advertisements and not recommendations. Does this constitute a violation of the Code of Ethics?
Florida property owners can take steps to guard against increasingly sophisticated deed fraud involving forged documents, deepfakes and voice cloning. Experts recommend monitoring property records, enrolling in county alert programs and considering owner’s title insurance.
The CRSP may be one of the lesser-used forms in the Florida Realtors contract toolkit, but it is a hidden gem. With clear deadlines for offers and counteroffers, streamlined time-counting rules and a built-in path for resolving disputes, it offers practical provisions that can bring greater clarity and structure to residential transactions.
From security deposit limits to new compliance rules, changing landlord-tenant regulations are influencing investor behavior, housing supply and pricing trends. Here’s what real estate professionals need to understand to better guide clients and anticipate market shifts.
