REAL Smart with Cheryl King and Maura Neill

Thinking about bringing on an assistant? Before you start delegating, you need to know the rules. In this episode, Maura and Cheryl break down the difference between licensed and unlicensed real estate assistants -- and more importantly, what an unlicensed assistant is and isn't allowed to do in Georgia. It's the kind of thing that can get an agent (and their broker) in serious trouble if they get it wrong, so this conversation is worth your time before you make any hiring decisions.

Transaction coordinators can be a game-changer -- but only if you use them right. In this episode, Maura and Cheryl break down the dos and don'ts of working with a TC, including why bringing them in too late is a bigger deal than you think and how setting clear expectations from the start makes everything run smoother.

Free speech is a constitutional right. The REALTOR Code of Ethics is a professional obligation. But what happens when the two collide? This week, Maura and Cheryl dig into the tension between what you're legally allowed to say and what your code of ethics says you should say -- and where the line gets blurry for agents."I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." ~ Evelyn Beatrice Hall

In real estate, conversations don’t close deals, contracts do. It’s easy to rely on a handshake, a text, or a “we’re all on the same page” moment—but when details aren’t in writing, they’re not enforceable. And when things go sideways, those gaps can become costly. In this episode, Cheryl and Maura explore why verbal agreements fall apart, where agents get into trouble, and how to make sure every deal is built on something solid and signed.

Some deals come dressed up as opportunities… but carry real risk underneath. “Subject to” offers promise creative solutions, but they can raise serious legal and ethical concerns, including potential mortgage fraud. What sounds like a win-win can quickly unravel if lenders, title, or the law get involved. In this episode, Maura and Cheryl pull back the curtain on these offers, what they really mean, and how to recognize when a deal crosses from creative into dangerous territory.

Sometimes it's about more than just the house. From refrigerators to light fixtures to that oddly beloved backyard swing, personal property can turn a smooth transaction into a surprisingly emotional standoff. What’s included, what’s excluded, and what was assumed can quickly blur, especially when it’s not clearly defined in the contract. In this episode, Cheryl and Maura break down how small items create big disputes and how to eliminate confusion before it becomes conflict.

Possession sounds simple… until it isn’t. When buyers or sellers stay in a home outside of closing, the clean handoff everyone expects can quickly turn into a tangle of liability, timelines, and unmet expectations. Who’s responsible if something breaks? What happens if someone won’t leave? And what did everyone think was agreed to versus what’s actually in writing? In this episode, Maura and Cheryl unpack how post-closing and pre-closing possession can go sideways, and how to structure these agreements so the keys change hands without the chaos. 

In this episode, Maura and Cheryl explore the shifting landscape of seller-offered compensation. With changes like South Carolina REALTORS® removing cooperative compensation from listing agreements—and new expectations around buyer brokerage agreements—agents and sellers alike are rethinking old norms. Should sellers still offer compensation upfront, or is it time for commission to become just another negotiable piece of the deal? This conversation zooms out to the bigger picture and what it means for how deals get structured going forward.Link to Cheryl's Buyer Broker Compensation Strategy Sheet: https://www.smartstips.com/resources