GA REALCAST with Maura Neill

The topic of teams in real estate has been very much a topic of discussion by the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) over the past 12 to 18 months. Currently the real estate commissions in at least 33 states have some sort of regulation regarding real estate teams, and GREC has been working through the ways that they can better serve the consumer/public interest with regard to this somewhat controversial topic, while also keeping the lines of communication open between real estate licensees, REALTORS®, and REALTOR® Associations

I had the opportunity to sit in on two such conversations -- back in February 2019 at the Georgia REALTORS® Conference and in March 2020 at the GREC office. The GREC proposal on teams was open to public comment and received over 85 written comments during the comment period, and then on March 11, 2020, the Georgia Real Estate Commission held a public hearing, at which approximately 20 real estate agents and REALTORS® attended to give a 3-minute testimony with their feedback on the teams proposal.

Shortly after, of course, the coronavirus pandemic hit, and Governor Kemp issued his Shelter in Place orders for the state, which meant the temporary work-from-home orders for state agencies and a cancellation of in-person meetings for the foreseeable future. In today's episode, Chairman of the Real Estate Commission Paul Brower and Real Estate Commissioner Lynn Dempsey join me to talk the GREC-proposed regulations of teams and the forthcoming (though currently tabled) new ruling on teams from the Commission. We also briefly discuss the the feedback that was received on those proposed rules for teams, the process that has been embarked upon so far, and what the next steps are from the Commission. We also get an update from Commissioner Dempsey on how the real estate commission has fared during our state’s Shelter in Place, how staff was able to keep working and keep the work real estate licensing for the state moving during this time, and how it is to be getting back to work this week.

You can visit the Georgia Real Estate Commission website, here: https://grec.state.ga.us/

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PAUL BROWER, CHAIR - Georgia Real Estate Commission: Paul Brower of Marietta has served for ten years on the Georgia Real Estate Commission and currently is Chairman. He is a Director of the Georgia Association of REALTORS®, a member of the Atlanta and Cobb REALTORS® Associations, and a Director of the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials. He earned his salesperson’s license in 2003 and broker’s license in 2006. He has completed the GRI program and holds the ABR and other designations. He and his wife, Sheila, who was 2017 GAR President, are a team in the East Cobb Office of Harry Norman, REALTORS®.

LYNN DEMPSEY - Georgia Real Estate Commissioner: Dempsey is a second-generation auctioneer and the former president and managing broker of Dempsey Auction Company. He is a past president of the Georgia Auctioneers Association and was named to the Georgia Auctioneers Hall of Fame. Dempsey was a member of the Rome-Floyd County Development Authority and served on the Georgia Auctioneer’s Commission. He previously sat on the boards of directors for the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Chamber. Dempsey is a graduate and past chairman of Leadership Georgia. He sits on the advisory board for the Exchange Club Family Resource Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and teaches Sunday School at Rome First United Methodist Church. Dempsey earned a bachelor’s degree in Real Estate from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Katie, have two children and seven grandchildren. They reside in Rome.