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CONSUMER NOTICE
THIS IS NOT A CONTRACT
Pennsylvania Law requires real estate brokers
and salespersons (licensees) to advise consumers who are seeking
to sell or purchase residential or commercial real estate or
tenants who are seeking to lease residential or commercial
real estate where the licensee is working on behalf of the
tenant of the business relationships permitted by the Real
Estate Licensing and Registration Act. This notice must be
provided to the consumer at the first contact where a substantive
discussion about real estate occurs unless an oral disclosure
has been previously provided. If the oral disclosure was provided,
this notice must be provided at the first meeting or the first
time a property is shown to the consumer by the broker or salesperson.
Before you disclose any information to
a licensee, be advised that unless you select an agency relationship
the licensee is NOT REPRESENTING YOU. A business relationship
of any kind will NOT be presumed but must be established between
the consumer and the licensee.
Any licensee who provides you with real
estate services owes you the following duties:
• Exercise reasonable professional skill and care which meets the practice
standards required by the Act.
• Deal honestly and in good faith.
• Present, in a timely manner, all offers, counteroffers, notices, and
communications to and from the parties in writing. The duty to present written
offers and counteroffers may be waived if the waiver is in writing.
• Comply with Real Estate Seller Disclosure Act.
• Account for escrow and deposit funds.
• Disclose all conflicts of interest in a timely manner.
• Provide assistance with document preparation and advise the consumer
regarding compliance with laws pertaining to real estate transactions.
• Advise the consumer to seek expert advice on matters about the transaction
that are beyond the licensee’s expertise.
• Keep the consumer informed about the transaction and the tasks to be
completed.
• Disclose financial interest in a service, such as financial, title transfer
and preparation services, insurance, construction,repair or inspection, at the
time service is recommended or the first time the licensee learns that the service
will be used.
A licensee may have the following business
relationships with the consumer:
Seller Agency:
Seller agency is a relationship where the licensee, upon entering into
a written agreement, works only for a seller/landlord.
Seller’s agents owe the additional duties of:
• Loyalty to the seller/landlord by acting in the seller’s/landlord’s best
interest.
• Confidentiality, except that a licensee has a duty to reveal known material
defects about the property.
• Making a continuous and good faith effort to find a buyer for the property,
except while the property is subject to an existing agreement.
• Disclosure to other parties in the transaction that the licensee has
been engaged as a seller’s agent.
A seller’s agent may compensate other brokers
as subagents if the seller/landlord agrees in writing. Subagents
have the same duties and obligations as the seller’s agent.
Seller’s agents may also compensate buyer’s agents and transaction licensees
who do not have the same duties and obligations as seller’s agents.
If you enter into a written agreement,
the licensees in the real estate company owe you the additional
duties identified above under seller agency. The exception
is designated agency. See the designated agency section in
this notice for more information.
Buyer Agency:
Buyer agency is a relationship where the licensee, upon entering into
a written agreement, works only for the buyer/tenant.
Buyer’s agents owe the additional duties of:
• Loyalty to the buyer/tenant by acting in the buyer’s/tenant’s best interest.
• Confidentiality, except that a licensee is required to disclose known
material defects about the property.
• Making a continuous and good faith effort to find a property for the
buyer/tenant, except while the buyer/tenant is subject to an existing contract.
• Disclosure to other parties in the transaction that the licensee has
been engaged as a buyer’s agent.
A buyer’s agent may be paid fees, which
may include a percentage of the purchase price, and, even if
paid by the seller/landlord, will represent the interests of
the buyer/tenant.
If you enter into a written agreement,
the licensees in the real estate company owe you the additional
duties identified above under buyer agency. The exception is
designated agency. See the designated agency section in this
notice for more information.
Dual Agency:
Dual agency is a relationship where the licensee acts as the agent for
both the seller/landlord and the buyer/tenant in the same transaction with the
written consent of all parties. Dual agents owe the additional duties of:
• Taking no action that is adverse or detrimental to either party’s interest
in the transaction.
• Making a continuous and good faith effort to find a buyer for the property
and a property for the buyer, unless either are subject to an existing contract.
• Confidentiality, except that a licensee is required to disclose known
material defects about the property.
Designated Agency:
In designated agency, the employing broker may, with your consent, designate
one or more licensees from the real estate company to represent you. Other licensees
in the company may represent another party and shall not be provided with any
confidential information. The designated agent(s) shall have the duties as listed
above under seller agency and buyer agency.
In designated agency, the employing broker
will be a dual agent and have the additional duties of:
• Taking reasonable care to protect any confidential information disclosed
to the licensee.
• Taking responsibility to direct and supervise the business activities
of the licensees who represent the seller and buyer while taking no action that
is adverse or detrimental to either party’s interest in the transaction.
The designation may take place at the time
that the parties enter into a written agreement, but may occur
at a later time. Regardless of when the designation takes place,
the employing broker is responsible for ensuring that confidential
information is not disclosed.
Transaction Licensee:
A transaction licensee is a broker or salesperson who provides communication
or document preparation services or performs other acts for which a license is
required WITHOUT being the agent or advocate for either the seller/landlord or
the buyer/tenant. Upon signing a written agreement or disclosure statement, a
transaction licensee has the additional duty of limited confidentiality in that
the following information may not be disclosed:
• The seller/landlord will accept a price less than the asking/listing
price.
• The buyer/tenant will pay a price greater than the price submitted in
a written offer.
• The seller/landlord or buyer/tenant will agree to financing terms other
than those offered.
Other information deemed confidential by
the consumer shall not be provided to the transaction licensee.
OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
The following are negotiable and shall be addressed in an agreement/disclosure
statement with the licensee:
• The duration of the employment, listing agreement or contract.
• The fees or commissions.
• The scope of the activities or practices.
• The broker’s cooperation with other brokers, including the sharing of
fees.
Any sales agreement must contain the zoning
classification of a property except in cases where the property
is zoned solely or primarily to permit single family dwellings.
A Real Estate Recovery Fund exists to reimburse
any person who has obtained a final civil judgment against
a Pennsylvania real estate licensee owing to fraud, misrepresentation,
or deceit in a real estate transaction and who has been unable
to collect the judgment after exhausting all legal and equitable
remedies. For complete details about the Fund, call (717) 783-3658.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
I acknowledge that I have received this disclosure.
Date: ____________
Print (Consumer) _______________________________
Signed (Consumer) ______________________________
Address (optional) _____________________________
Phone Number (optional) ________________________
Date: ____________
Print (Consumer) _______________________________
Signed (Consumer) ______________________________
Address (optional) _____________________________
Phone Number (optional) ________________________
I certify that I have provided this document
to the above consumer.
Date: ______________________ Print (Licensee)
_________________
____________________________
Signed (Licensee)
_______________________________________________________________
Adopted by the State Real Estate Commission at 49 Pa. Code §35.336.
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