Buyer representation
Learn when to enter into a buyer representation agreement with a buyer-client and distinguish between representing individual and entity clients and the forms and retainer periods used for each.
Read More
Category: Fundamentals
Form-of-the-Week: Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement and Fire Hardening and Defensible Space Disclosure Statement — Forms 314 and 314-1
A seller agent uses the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement to disclose the existence of natural hazards on the sale of any type of real estate to a prospective buyer and the Fire Hardening and Defensible Space Disclosure Statement when the property is in a high fire hazard severity zone to disclose retrofits, local vegetation management ordinances and fire hardening measures the buyer is to consider.
Read More
Newly-licensed sales agent and broker population
This article examines the number of broker and sales agent licenses issued by the DRE from 1998-present, with forecasts about future licensing trends.
Read More
Video Renewal Course: Real Estate Matters™ — the 2026 cinematic CE release for your DRE renewal
Our latest and greatest 45-hr renewal course ups the theatrical flair with actor-packed scenarios, humor and California-specific concepts.
Read More
The power of many: Building and operating a real estate team in California
Learn the rules and strategies behind real estate teams in California.
Read More
Form-of-the-Week: Modification of Representation Agreement and Release and Cancellation of Employment Agreement — Forms 120 and 121
After entering into a representation agreement with a client, an agent uses the Modification of Representation Agreement to change the terms of the employment without canceling it and to terminate the authorization to represent, an agent uses the Release and Cancellation of Representation Agreement.
Read More
DRE Bulletin Digest: Fall 2025
The Fall 2025 Real Estate Bulletin examines statistics from the California Department of Real Estate’s last fiscal year regarding their activities.
Read More
Market Comparison approach to value
Use a comparative market analysis (CMA) approach for setting the value of a subject property based on information collected on comps.
Read More
Due diligence demeanor in an agency
Learn the due diligence effort a broker employed under an exclusive representation agreement owes their client-seller or buyer when acting on their behalf and implement the best effort conduct owed a client under a non-exclusive open representation.
Read More
California’s for-sale inventory growth: buyer caution rises faster than owner need to sell
In early 2025, low-tier priced housing has the lowest level of inventory available for sale or rent.
Read More
Letter to the Editor: Why are addendums from other publishers not published by Realty Publications, Inc.?
A provision in the purchase agreement achieves the same objective as a separate addendum with paragraphs of legal jargon. The difference: our forms are engineered simple.
Read More
Climate risk: the open secret MLS users won’t talk about
Climate risk information hurt sales — so the MLS lobbied to take them down.
Read More
Your fee agreement, a purchase agreement, the breaching buyer
Follow the steps of a buyer agent from representation agreement to closing on a buyer’s acquisition of property and recognize a buyer’s breach of the purchase agreement.
Read More
Market condition analysis in a broker price opinion
Agents preparing a BPO ignore price trends at their peril.
Read More
A house without character: The paradox of California’s geography
California has the largest disparity in price between new and resale homes, presenting a unique opportunity for buyer brokers able to access a builder’s inventory for their buyer-clients.
Read More
Down payment download: Now this is ownership
Competent brokers and agents educate buyer-clients on the acquisition process into down payment consequences, transaction costs and ownership expenditures.
Read More
Letter to the Editor: Why does firsttuesday report availability and ASAP delivery of the TDS by a seller broker?
Delivery of property disclosures to buyers is legislated to occur “as soon as practicable” (ASAP) on inquiry from a prospective buyer, well before a purchase agreement setting a price is entered into.
Read More
Form-of-the-Week: Landlord and Seller Representation Agreement — Forms 106 and 102
A broker employed by a landlord to market the property to tenants, screen tenants and negotiate lease terms in exchange for a fee uses a Landlord Representation Agreement — the leasing equivalent of a Seller Representation Agreement.
Read More
Due-on clause exceptions and waivers
This article covers exceptions and waivers to the enforceability of the due-on clause present in all trust deeds and enforced on sales only during a cycle of rising long-term fixed rate mortgage rates.
Read More
DRE warns of email hackers committing wire fraud
DRE fraud alert underscores why you always need to check the wire transfer instructions.
Read More
