Send us a text There is a brand-new study being touted in the industry that discusses the state of your commissions/fees since the Sitzer Burnett settlement. The study by the Consumer Policy Center is eye-opening in the omissions and obfuscations made to reach the predetermined conclusion that real estate agents are doing workarounds in order to preserve pre-settlement commission rates. Oh, the greed that you must possess for wanting to get paid for your work. The study ignores t...

Send us a text If you are a follower of Dishin' Dirt, you know that I have spent the better part of the past year and a half telling everyone about the risks that come post-Sitzer Burnett. Today, I am going to discuss the cancer of dual agency and why 9 states have already outlawed it. Why is South Carolina not following suit? Are we going to wait for Sitzer 2.0 to do something about it. Dual agency is a complete conflict of interest that needs to go on the dishpan of...

Send us a text Why do builders offer a buyer agent incentive? It is very simple; to convince you to show their house over the competitors and so you will advocate for the builder when the buyer is choosing between multiple houses. Congratulations you just described commission steering. See the problem with that? You are supposed to advocate for your client and not the seller! These bonuses and agent incentives are a huge problem that could expose you to liability. Listen to ...

Send us a text I have spent a lot of time lamenting over the destruction of Clear Cooperation. The biggest threat to CCP is Robert Reffkin, CEO of Compass. With a possible Anywhere merger at hand, many in the industry fear that he will push the policy over all Anywhere brand platforms. Today, I have a copy of the advertisement Compass uses to sell clients on the Compass Private Exclusives and boy is it bad. It is pure propaganda that tries to convince a seller to go against what i...

Send us a text Last week all the buzz was the Compass/Anywhere merger. This week the big news is Zillow and its numerous legal troubles. Zillow has had a terrible month. Multiple lawsuits and now government interaction has marked the many troubles facing Zillow. Today, I examine these cases and discuss how the cases could affect all real estate agents, particularly those who rely on leads. Don't forget to like us and share us! Gary * Gary serves on the South Carolina Real Estate Commis...

Send us a text Huge news in the real estate market! Compass is buying Anywhere brands. We will look at the recent merger announcement between Compass and Anywhere with guest Colton Lindsay, a recognized real estate expert from Utah. We will explore the implications of this merger, the debt crisis facing the parties, and the importance of data in shaping the deal. Our conversation will also touch on generational changes in the industry, the role of AI, and the challenges of fair ho...

Send us a text On September 17, I had the opportunity to record Dishin' Dirt live onstage at SCR's REALTOR Mania. My guest was Jon Waclawski, General Counsel, Senior Vice President for NAR. We discussed everything from the status of legal cases against NAR, the good and bad of Sitzer/Burnett, Clear Cooperation, In-House Listings, the Three-way agreement, MLS rules and a whole lot more. Listen to hear what is going on at NAR in the legal sense. Don't forget to like us and sha...

Send us a text In this abbreviated episode of Dishin' Dirt, I will discuss the other side of the coin in the builder agent debate. I will talk about the fiduciary duty that buyer agents have in a new construction transaction. Quit dropping off your clients and leaving! Why do I even have to say this. And then I will shift gears to explain the implications of the new FinCEN reporting requirements and urge agents to stay informed and compliant to protect their licenses and clients. Don't ...

Send us a text Four-time guest, Garrett Maroon, joins me on Dishin' Dirt to discuss the intricacies of balancing work and family life, particularly in the real estate industry. We explore the concept of redefining success beyond traditional metrics, emphasizing the importance of personal fulfillment and relationships. Garrett also shares insights from his book, 'The Balanced Breakthrough,' including the PDA formula for building a successful business while maintaining a healthy wor...

Send us a text Builder and seller agent incentives are a big problem in our industry today. Should the agent get an incentive simply to show a house or should that incentive go to the buyer? Don't you have a fiduciary duty to do what is in the client's best interest? How is it in the client's best interest for you to get a bonus for steering them to a house? Doesn't sound too client centric to me! Today, I will discuss the complexities surrounding builder and seller bo...

Send us a text The Central Carolina REALTORs Association has amended its' sales contract. The contract that will go live near the end of September 2025 and includes new provisions on agent compensation, seller transaction costs, authority to sign and home warranties. Finally, compensation is in the contract where it should have been the past year. Hopefully this will stop the numerous problems in how agents document compensation. Check out this week's episode to learn the changes...

Send us a text It has been one year since real estate as we know it was supposed to end with the Sitzer Burnett/NAR settlement. House prices and commissions were supposed to collapse, and no real estate agent in their right mind was ever going to work with a buyer again. Today, I will discuss the implications of the first anniversary on the real estate industry. I will address the misconceptions surrounding the settlement, the impact on commissions, and the ongoing strength of the Realt...

Send us a text What the heck is Geographic Farming and how can it make you a lot of money? Janine Sasso, a successful real estate agent and author, joins me to discuss this very effective sales strategy for every real estate agent. Janine emphasizes the importance of being a hyper local agent, focusing on geographic farming, and building relationships through direct mail and events. She also discusses the challenges agents face today, including distractions from technology and the need for ge...

Send us a text Today I am I going to dig deeper into the significance of the Dawkins vs. Eastwood Homes case. I examine the implications of "take or leave it" builder contracts, particularly focusing on the unconscionable provisions that the Court has said can disadvantage home buyers while urging builders to reconsider their contract terms to avoid potential legal repercussion. This case affects any real estate agent who represents a new construction buyer. Don't forget to like us and share ...

Send us a text Real estate agent complaints about being cut of out of builder transactions and builder agents having direct communication with represented clients is on the rise. Today I review the recent guidance letter from the South Carolina Real Estate Commission regarding builder agents and their responsibilities. In particular, I discuss the need for builder agents to comply with the same regulations as other real estate agents including agency, interference with agency and discl...

Send us a text The Real Estate Commission continues to receive complaints about licensees advertising or marketing listings that belong to another Broker. As a result, the Commission issued a new guidance letter on how advertising and marketing must be handled in social media, print media and other communications. The Commission also discusses the rationale behind the law as well as why it matters to the real estate agent. Listen today to see what you can and cannot do in posting...

Send us a text FinCEN will simply not go away. We thought it was over last year when the government halted the requirement to file your business entity disclosures. But now the anti-money laundering portion of FinCEN requirements for cash transactions involving a corporate entity purchasing property must provide a 120 plus item disclosure which will cost your clients hundreds of dollars and hours of time. Erice Lybrand joins us to discuss this never-ending nightmare statute. Don't forge...

Send us a text The South Carolina REALTORS Association has revised the contract to address compensation in the contract. Today, I examine those changes but more importantly I look at the "why" behind the changes. Once we understand the "why" it makes the changes more acceptable and likely to be implemented. I also look at the new Form 555 Home Warranty form. Don't forget to like us and share us! Gary * Gary serves on the South Carolina Real Estate Commission as a Commissioner. The opin...

Send us a text Whether you know it or not, you are using AI every day in your real estate practice. So today I will examine the increasing role of AI in real estate but also examine the legal and ethical implications that comes with its use. Everyone should be embracing this technology like we did with the internet in the 90s and social media in the 2010s. But we also need to understand that the SC Real Estate Commission has already issued a guidance letter about legal problems th...

Send us a text The 'Pig Butchering' real estate scams to the Form 610, this podcast has it all. Today I educate you about the new real estate scam targeting agents as well as discuss why you should use a Form 610 on every transaction. And as a bonus, I will discuss if we are turning into a buyer's market and what they could mean for your business this summer. Don't forget to like us and share us! Gary * Gary serves on the South Carolina Real Estate Commission as a Commissioner. T...