[quote=SD Realtor]”As far as the assistant, if they are licensed, then they are permitted to do transactions. Lots of the big-name teams classify their licensees as assistants even though they do much of the work.”
Just to clarify on something UR, if you are an assistant and pay the lower fees as an assistant, it does not matter if you are licensed or not, you will have access to the MLS but you will not be able to have your names on any transactions, buy or sell, on the MLS.
[/quote]
I think we are talking past each other on this one.
I am referring to the DRE designation (the only legal requirement) and you are referring to the board designation (the Realtor category).
The state does not care how SDAR or Sandicor classifies you. I would venture to say that 10% of the listings I deal with and show refer me to a licensed assistant who handles the entire transaction. They are functioning as the agent even though they never put their name on the Winforms or on the MLS. I have seen some of the commission check breakouts actually name them though (as they would with an agent or professional tc). Some of those breakouts have had my name on them when I was a licensed assistant.
[quote=SD Realtor]
SDAR is highly compelled to enforce the pricing policy as it is defined. That is, if you are a licensee and you intend to perform transactions for that broker, you are supposed to pay your full MLS dues. Generally assistants are classified and defined as people who assist brokers with more “office work” rather then transactions. While this may include running comps and performing support work for transactions the “INTENT” of the lower pricing structure is defined to be for true assistants.
[/quote]
Lots of licensed assistants show property, negotiate deals or hold open houses. While SDAR may have rules against this (I don’t think they do actually, but I could be wrong), no such rules are generally enforced.
Instead they place regulations (which are enforced) regarding names on forms, fee structures on various realtor necessities (MLS, sentrilock cards) and definitions of what membership is required to do certain things.
[quote=SD Realtor]
Yes an assistant may have a license but why would a licensee want to go through the trouble of being licensed to do transactions by getting licensed yet only be an assistant. [/quote]
Most professional tc’s are fully licensed. Most office assistants are licensed. I was a licensed assistant for years before being independent. To this day, I will assist another agent if they request it and compensate me. The reason I (and many others) became assistants was that it seemed more secure to get a paycheck than try to drum up my own clientele as a new agent. Honestly getting licensed is not that hard. It really has a low threshold. Currently it is 3 classes and a test. That is more than the 1 class and test 2 years ago. So yeah, lots of licensees would prefer to be assistants. I did it for years after finishing college.
