(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner may, after hearing in accordance with this part relating to hearings, suspend or revoke the license of a real estate licensee who claims, demands, or receives a commission, fee, or other consideration, as compensation or inducement, for referral of customers to any escrow agent, structural pest control firm, home protection company, title insurer, controlled escrow company, or underwritten title company. A licensee may not be disciplined under any provision of this part for reporting to the commissioner violations of this section by another licensee, unless the licensee making the report had guilty knowledge of, or committed or participated in, the violation of this section.
(b) The term “other consideration” as used in this section does not include any of the following:
(1) Bona fide payments for goods or facilities actually furnished by a licensee or for services actually performed by a licensee, provided these payments are reasonably related to the value of the goods, facilities, or services furnished.
(2) Furnishing of documents, services, information, advertising, educational materials, or items of a like nature that are customary in the real estate business and that relate to the product or services of the furnisher and that are available on a similar and essentially equal basis to all customers or the agents of the customers of the furnisher.
(3) Moderate expenses for food, meals, beverages, and similar items furnished to individual licensees or groups or associations of licensees within a context of customary business, educational, or promotional practices pertaining to the business of the furnisher.
(4) Items of a character and magnitude similar to those in paragraphs (2) and (3) that are promotional of the furnisher’s business customary in the real estate business, and available on a similar and essentially equal basis to all customers, or the agents of the customers, of the furnisher.
(c) Nothing in this section shall relieve any licensee of the obligation of disclosure otherwise required by this part.
(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 718, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1998.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018