Caveat REALTOR®

This week, the Virginia REALTORS®’s legal team continues their discussion of natural disasters from the perspective of property management. Although you cannot predict when a natural disaster will strike, you can take certain actions to make sure that you and your family are prepared to react. In this episode, Erin and Cate discuss what to do as a property manager when the properties that you manage are struck by a natural disaster. They review important office policies and some legal hotline questions, such as “Am I responsible for replacing a tenant’s personal property following a natural disaster?” Finally, Erin and Cate discuss some ways to make sure that you are prepared and know how to react when a natural disaster strikes.

September is emergency preparedness month, and this week the Virginia REALTORS®’s legal team discusses home sales and natural disasters. Although you cannot predict when a natural disaster will strike, you can take certain actions to make sure that you and your family are prepared to react. In this episode, Laura and Cate discuss what to do when your client has a home under contract for sale and a natural disaster strikes before closing. They review some legal hotline questions, such as “While working as the buying agent, my client did not want to go through the purchase of a house after a hurricane, how can they terminate the contract?” Finally, Laura and Cate discuss some ways to make sure that you are prepared and know how to react when a natural disaster strikes.

This week, the Virginia REALTORS®’s legal team discusses unlicensed assistants. What can they do for you? What are they not allowed to do? They review some legal hotline questions, such as “Can an unlicensed assistant host and open house?” Finally, Laura and Erin discuss some ways to make sure that your unlicensed assistant can continue to help you in your professional life while staying within the Virginian rules and regulations pertaining to real estate licensees.

What is an independent contractor? How is one different from an employee? This week, the Virginia REALTORS®’s legal team discusses independent contractors. Laura and Cate review some legal hotline questions, such as “I want to pay my licensees a base salary. Can I still classify them as independent contractors?” Finally, they discuss some ways to make sure that you properly classify independent contractors and do not unintentionally assume additional liability.

Join us for the conclusion of our three-part series on escrow. This week, the Virginia REALTORS®’s legal team considers escrow from the perspective of property management. They discuss some common legal hotline questions, such as “My tenant did not provide a forwarding address and has not claimed his security deposit. Can I move the funds out of my escrow account into my operating account?” Finally, they conclude by addressing some simple ways to limit your risk when dealing with escrow in the property management world.

Our three-part series on escrow continues with part two, where the Virginia REALTORS® legal team discusses how to disburse funds from escrow accounts. Cate and Erin review different methods of disbursing funds, including the ever-elusive interpleader. Finally, they discuss some common legal hotline questions, such as “How long is a broker allowed to hold an EMD if neither party agrees to its disbursement?”

Join us on part one of our three-part series on escrow. This week, the Virginia REALTORS®’s legal team looks into earnest money deposits. They review the rules and regulations surrounding escrow accounts and how to handle earnest money deposits. Finally, they discuss some common legal hotline questions, such as “Can you delay depositing the Earnest Money Deposit for a short sale until the lender approves the deal?”

Deep dive into the world of Property Owners’ Associations with the Virginia REALTORS®’s legal team. In this episode of Caveat REALTOR®, the Virginia REALTOR®’s legal team demystifies Property Owners’ Associations. They discuss how to navigate Property Owners’ Associations, and how you can make sure your client is informed when going through the home buying or selling process. Finally, they also address new legal updates that went into effect on July 1, 2017 before answering some common legal hotline questions.

Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, oh my! In this episode of Caveat REALTOR®, the Virginia REALTOR® legal team discusses social media for real estate licensees. They address four areas of major concern: advertising, antitrust, intellectual property, and confidentiality, and then answer some common legal hotline questions, such as “I want to post on Facebook that I just sold a house for over asking price. Can I share this? Is this an advertisement?” Finally, we wrap up the episode with a review of some easy ways to limit your risk when positing on your favorite social media site.

In this updated episode, the Virginia REALTORS® legal team discusses Virginia laws related to assistance animals. They highlight the difference between service animals under the American with Disabilities Act and assistance animals, discuss updates to Virginia law that took effect on July 1, 2017, and then answer some common legal hotline questions, such as “Can a renter have multiple assistance animals?” Finally, the Virginia REALTORS® legal team also provide some tips for limiting your risk when dealing with tenants requesting assistance animals.

The Virginia REALTORS® legal team provides updates on the Residential Property Disclosure Act and the required disclosure forms.

The Virginia REALTORS® legal team offers essential information on changes to Virginia home inspector regulations. Effective July 1, 2017, Virginia home inspectors must be licensed.

The Virginia REALTORS® legal team reviews home surveillance and offers REALTORS® updates on what to know to stay on the right side of risk compliance.