Before You Sign: Why Verifying Your Agent Matters

Welcome to Verify Your Florida Real Estate Agent, a free course from NAREB Tampa Academy. It is taught by Keianna "KC" Carty, President of NAREB Tampa, REALTOR®, and Owner/Broker of Sellstate Southshore Realty.

This course is for home buyers, home sellers, renters, landlords and families anywhere in Florida, with examples from Tampa Bay. You do not need any real estate background. By the end, you will know how to confirm that the person helping you with a home is licensed by the state, what the results mean, what warning signs to watch for, and how to protect your property from fraud.

A few minutes that protect your biggest investment

For most families, a home is the largest purchase they will ever make. You may hand over an earnest money deposit, share your financial information, and sign agreements that commit you for months. Before you do any of that, take a few minutes to confirm that the person guiding you holds a current, active Florida real estate license.

Verification is:

• Free. The state's online search costs nothing.
• Fast. It usually takes less than five minutes.
• Official. The information comes directly from the state agency that licenses real estate professionals.

Why it matters

Working with someone who is not properly licensed can expose you to:

• Lost money. Deposits paid to an unlicensed person may be hard or impossible to recover.
• Contract problems. Agreements handled by an unlicensed person can lead to disputes and delays.
• Fraud. Some scammers pose as agents or landlords to collect deposits, application fees or rent for homes they do not control.
• Bad advice. Licensed professionals must complete education, pass an exam and follow state rules. Unlicensed people are not held to those standards.

Who needs a license?

In Florida, people who help others buy, sell, rent or lease real estate for compensation generally must hold a real estate license issued through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Florida Statutes section 475.42(1)(a) states that a person may not operate as a broker or sales associate without holding "a valid and current active license."

There are some exceptions. For example, Florida Statutes section 475.011 exempts owners selling, exchanging or leasing their own property, attorneys acting within their professional duties, and several other specific situations. If someone says they are exempt, it is reasonable to ask them to explain why, and to check with an attorney if you are unsure.

Protecting our community

For generations, Black families in Tampa Bay and across the country faced barriers to safe, fair homeownership. NAREB was founded in Tampa in 1947 to fight for "Democracy in Housing." Part of that mission today is making sure every family has the knowledge to protect itself. Scams often target first-time buyers, seniors, families who inherited property, and people who are new to an area. Sharing what you learn in this course is one way to look out for your neighbors.

What this course covers

• Module 1: why verification matters and how real estate licensing works in Florida
• Module 2: how to verify a license online and by phone, and how to read the results
• Module 3: red flags, Florida law on unlicensed activity, and how to report it
• Module 4: property fraud alerts and verifying everyone in your transaction

Each module ends with a short quiz, and a final test closes the course.

Reflect

• Have you ever checked the license of an agent, contractor or other professional before hiring them?
• Who in your family is planning to buy, sell or rent soon and might benefit from this course?
• What would you do if someone you trusted could not show you a license?