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California Business and
Professions Code. Division 4. Real Estate
Part 1.
Real Estate Regulations.
Disciplinary Action
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10175.
Upon grounds provided in this article and the other
articles of this chapter, the License of any real estate Licensee
may be revoked or suspended in accordance with the provisions of this
part relating to hearings.
10175.2.
(a) If the Real Estate Commissioner
determines that the public interest and public welfare will be
adequately served by permitting a real estate Licensee to pay a monetary
penalty to the department in lieu of an actual License suspension, the
Commissioner may, on the petition of the Licensee, stay the execution of
all or some part of the suspension on the condition that the Licensee
pay a monetary penalty and the further condition that the Licensee incur
no other cause for disciplinary action within a period of time specified
by the Commissioner.
(b) The Commissioner
may exercise the discretion granted under subdivision (a) either with respect to a suspension
ordered by a decision after a contested hearing on an accusation against
the Licensee or by stipulation with the Licensee after the filing of an
accusation, but prior to the rendering of a decision based upon the
accusation. In either case, the terms and conditions of the disciplinary
action against the Licensee shall be made part of a formal decision of
the Commissioner.
(c) If a Licensee fails to pay the monetary penalty in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the decision of the
Commissioner, the Commissioner may, without a hearing, order the
immediate execution of all or any part of the stayed suspension in which
event the Licensee shall not be entitled to any repayment nor credit,
prorated or otherwise, for money paid to the department under the terms
of the decision.
(d) The amount of the monetary penalty payable under
this section shall not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each
day of suspension stayed nor a total of ten thousand dollars ($10,000)
per decision regardless of the number of days of suspension stayed under
the decision.
(e) Any monetary penalty received by the department
pursuant to this section shall be credited to the Consumer Recovery
Account of the Real Estate Fund. 10176. The Commissioner may, upon his
or her own motion, and shall, upon the verified complaint in writing of
any person, investigate the actions of any person engaged in the
business or acting in the capacity of a real estate Licensee within this
state, and he or she may temporarily suspend or permanently revoke a
real estate License at any time where the Licensee, while a real estate
Licensee, in
performing or attempting to perform any of the acts within the scope of
this chapter has been guilty of any of the following:
(a)
Making any substantial misrepresentation.
(b) Making any false promises
of a character likely to influence, persuade, or induce.
(c) A continued
and flagrant course of misrepresentation or making of false promises
through real estate Agents or salespersons.
(d) Acting for more than one
party in a transaction without the knowledge or consent of all parties
thereto.
(e) Commingling with his or her own money or property the money
or other property of others which is received and held by him or her.
(f) Claiming, demanding, or receiving a fee, compensation, or commission
under any exclusive agreement authorizing or employing a Licensee to
perform any acts set forth in Section 10131 for compensation or
commission where the agreement does not contain a definite, specified
date of final and complete termination.
(g) The claiming or taking by a
Licensee of any secret or undisclosed amount of compensation,
commission, or profit or the failure of a Licensee to reveal to the
employer of the Licensee the full amount of the Licensee's compensation,
commission, or profit under any agreement authorizing or employing the
Licensee to do any acts for which a License is required under this
chapter for compensation or commission prior to or coincident with the
signing of an agreement evidencing the meeting of the minds of the
contracting parties, regardless of the form of the agreement, whether
evidenced by documents in an Escrow or by any other or different
procedure.
(h) The use by a Licensee of any provision allowing the
Licensee an option to purchase in an agreement authorizing or employing
the Licensee to sell, buy, or exchange real estate or a business
opportunity for compensation or commission, except when the Licensee
prior to or coincident with election to exercise the option to purchase
reveals in writing to the employer the full amount of the Licensee's
profit and obtains the written consent of the employer approving the
amount of the profit.
(i) Any other conduct, whether of the same or a
different character than specified in this section, which constitutes
fraud or dishonest dealing.
(j) Obtaining the signature of a prospective
purchaser to an agreement which provides that the prospective purchaser
shall either transact the purchasing, leasing, renting, or exchanging of
a business opportunity property through the Broker obtaining the
signature, or pay a compensation to the Broker if the property is
purchased, leased, rented, or exchanged without the Broker first having
obtained the written authorization of the owner of the property
concerned to offer the property for sale, lease, exchange, or rent.
(k)
Failing to disburse funds in accordance with a commitment to make a Mortgage Loan that is accepted by the applicant when the real estate
Broker represents to the applicant that the Broker is
either of the
following:
(1) The lender.
(2) Authorized to
issue the commitment on behalf of the lender or lenders in the Mortgage Loan transaction.
(l)
Intentionally delaying the closing of a Mortgage Loan for the sole
purpose of increasing interest, costs, fees, or charges payable by the
borrower.
(m) Violating any section, division, or article of law which
provides that a violation of that section, division, or article of law
by a Licensed person is a violation of that person's licensing law, if
it occurs within the scope of that person's duties as a Licensee.
10176.1.
(a)
(1) Whenever the Commissioner takes any enforcement or
disciplinary action against a Licensee, and the enforcement or
disciplinary action is related to Escrow services provided pursuant to
paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 17006 of the Financial Code,
upon the action becoming final the Commissioner shall notify the
Insurance Commissioner and the Commissioner of Corporations of the
action or actions taken. The purpose of this notification is to alert
the departments that enforcement or disciplinary action has been taken,
if the Licensee seeks or obtains employment with entities regulated by
the departments.
(2) The Commissioner shall provide the Insurance
Commissioner and the Commissioner of Corporations, in addition to the
notification of the action taken, with a copy of the written accusation,
statement of issues, or order issued or filed in the matter and, at the
request of the Insurance Commissioner or the Commissioner of
Corporations, with any underlying factual material relevant to the
enforcement or disciplinary action. Any confidential information
provided by the Commissioner to the Insurance Commissioner or the
Commissioner of Corporations shall not be made public pursuant to this
section. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the disclosure of
any underlying factual material to the Insurance Commissioner or the
Commissioner of Corporations shall not operate as a waiver of
confidentiality or any privilege that the Commissioner may assert.
(b)
The Commissioner shall establish and maintain, on the Web site
maintained by the DRE, a database of its Licensees, including those who
have been subject to any enforcement or disciplinary action that
triggers the notification requirements of this section. The database
shall also contain a direct link to the databases, described in Section
17423.1 of the Financial Code and Section 12414.31 of the
Insurance Code
and required to be maintained on the Web sites of the Department of
Corporations and the Department of Insurance, respectively, of persons
who have been subject to enforcement or disciplinary action for
malfeasance or misconduct related to the Escrow industry by the
Insurance Commissioner and the Commissioner of Corporations.
(c) There
shall be no Liability on the part of, and no cause of action of any
nature shall arise against, the State of California, the DRE, the Real
Estate Commissioner, any other state Agency, or any officer, Agent,
employee, consultant, or contractor of the state, for the release of any
false or unauthorized information pursuant to this section, unless the
release of that information was done with knowledge and malice, or for
the failure to release any information pursuant to this section.
10176.5.
(a) The Commissioner may, upon his or her own motion, and shall
upon receiving a verified complaint in writing from any person,
investigate an alleged violation of Article 1.5 (commencing with Section
1102) of Chapter 2 of Title 4 of Part 4 of Division 2 of the Civil Code
by any real estate Licensee within this state. The Commissioner may
suspend or revoke a Licensee's License if the Licensee acting under the
License has willfully or repeatedly violated any of the provisions of
Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 1102) of Chapter 2 of Title 4 of
Part 4 of Division 2 of the Civil Code.
(b) Notwithstanding any other
provision of Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 1102) of Chapter 2 of
Title 4 of Part 4 of Division 2 of the Civil Code,
and in lieu of any other civil remedy, subdivision (a) of this section is the only remedy
available for violations of Section 1102.6b of the Civil Code by any
real estate Licensee within this state.
10177.
The Commissioner may
suspend or revoke the License of a real estate Licensee, or may deny the
issuance of a License to an applicant, who
has done any
of the following, or may suspend or revoke the License of a corporation, or
deny the issuance of a License
to a corporation, if an officer, director, or person owning or
controlling 10 percent or more of the corporation's stock has done any
of the following:
(a) Procured, or
attempted to procure, a real estate License or License renewal, for
himself or herself or a Salesperson, by fraud, misrepresentation, or
deceit, or by making a material misstatement of fact in an application
for a real estate License, License renewal, or reinstatement.
(b)
Entered a plea of guilty or
nolo
contendere to, or been found guilty of,
or been convicted of, a felony, or a crime substantially related to the
qualifications, functions, or duties of a real estate Licensee, and the
time for appeal has elapsed or the judgment of conviction has been
affirmed on appeal, irrespective of an order granting probation
following that conviction, suspending the imposition of sentence, or of
a subsequent order under Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code allowing that
Licensee to withdraw his or her plea of guilty and to enter a plea of
not guilty, or dismissing the accusation or information.
(c) Knowingly
authorized, directed, connived at, or aided in the publication,
advertisement, distribution, or circulation of a material false
statement or representation concerning his or her designation or
certification of special education, credential, trade organization
membership, or business, or concerning a business opportunity or a land
or subdivision, as defined in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11000)
of Part 2, offered for sale.
(d) Willfully disregarded or violated the
Real Estate Law (Part 1 (commencing with Section 10000)) or Chapter 1
(commencing with Section 11000) of Part 2 or the rules and regulations
of the Commissioner for the administration and enforcement of the Real
Estate Law and Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11000) of Part 2.
(e)
Willfully used the term "realtor" or a trade name or insignia of
membership in a real estate organization of which the Licensee is not a
member.
(f) Acted or conducted himself or herself in a manner that would
have warranted the denial of his or her application for a real estate
License, or has either had a License denied or had a License issued by
another Agency of this state, another state, or the federal government
revoked or suspended for acts that, if done by a real estate Licensee,
would be grounds for the suspension or revocation of a California real
estate License, if the action of denial, revocation, or suspension by
the other Agency or entity was taken only after giving the Licensee or
applicant fair notice of the charges, an opportunity for a hearing, and
other due process protections comparable to the
Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340), Chapter 4 (commencing
with Section 11370), and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), and only upon
an express finding of a violation of law by the Agency or entity.
(g)
Demonstrated negligence or incompetence in performing an act for which
he or she is required to hold a License.
(h) As a Broker Licensee,
failed to exercise reasonable supervision over the activities of his or
her salespersons, or, as the officer designated by a corporate Broker
Licensee, failed to exercise reasonable supervision and control of the
activities of the corporation for which a real estate License is
required.
(i) Has used his or her employment by a governmental Agency in
a capacity giving access to records, other than public records, in a
manner that violates the confidential nature of the records.
(j) Engaged
in any other conduct, whether of the same or a different character than
specified in this section, which constitutes fraud or dishonest dealing.
(k) Violated any of the terms, conditions, restrictions, and limitations
contained in an order granting a restricted License.
(l)
(1)
Solicited or induced the sale, lease, or listing for sale or lease of
residential property on the ground, wholly or in part, of loss of value,
increase in crime, or decline of the quality of the schools due to the
present or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person or
persons having a characteristic listed in subdivision (a) or (d) of Section 12955 of the
Government Code, as those characteristics are defined in Sections 12926
and 12926.1, subdivision (m) and paragraph (1) of subdivision (p) of
Section 12955, and Section 12955.2 of the Government Code.
(2)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), with respect to familial status,
paragraph (1) shall not be construed to apply to housing for older
persons, as defined in Section 12955.9 of the Government Code. With
respect to familial status, nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed
to affect Sections 51.2, 51.3, 51.4, 51.10, 51.11, and 799.5 of the
Civil Code, relating to housing for senior citizens. subdivision (d) of
Section 51 and Section 1360 of the Civil Code and subdivisions (n), (o),
and (p) of Section 12955 of the Government Code shall apply to paragraph
(1).
(m) Violated the Franchise Investment Law (Division 5 (commencing
with Section 31000) of Title 4 of the
Corporations Code) or regulations
of the Commissioner of Corporations pertaining thereto.
(n) Violated the
Corporate Securities Law of 1968 (Division 1 (commencing with Section
25000) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code) or the regulations of the
Commissioner of Corporations pertaining thereto.
(o) Failed to disclose
to the buyer of real property, in a transaction in which the Licensee is
an Agent for the buyer, the nature and extent of a Licensee's direct or
indirect ownership interest in that real property. The direct or
indirect ownership interest in the property by a person related to the
Licensee by blood or marriage, by an entity in which the Licensee has an
ownership interest, or by any other person with whom the Licensee has a
special relationship shall be disclosed to the buyer.
(p) Violated
Article 6 (commencing with Section 10237). (q) Violated or failed to
comply with Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2920) of Title 14 of Part
4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, related to mortgages. If a real
estate Broker that is a corporation has not done any of the foregoing
acts, either directly or through its employees, Agents, officers,
directors, or persons owning or controlling 10 percent or more of the
corporation's stock, the Commissioner may not deny the issuance of a
real estate License to, or suspend or revoke the real estate License of,
the corporation, provided that any offending officer, director, or
stockholder, who has done any of the foregoing acts individually and not
on behalf of the corporation, has been completely disassociated from any
affiliation or ownership in the corporation. This section shall become
inoperative on July 1, 2012, and, as of January 1, 2013, is repealed,
unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before
January 1, 2013, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes
inoperative and is repealed.
10177.
The Commissioner may suspend or
revoke the License of a real estate Licensee, delay the renewal of a
License of a real estate Licensee, or deny the issuance of a License to
an applicant, who has done any
of the following, or may suspend or
revoke the License of a corporation, delay the renewal of a License of a
corporation, or deny the issuance of a License
to a corporation, if an officer, director, or person owning or
controlling 10 percent or more of the corporation's stock has done any
of the following:
(a) Procured, or
attempted to procure, a real estate License or License renewal, for
himself or herself or a Salesperson, by fraud, misrepresentation, or
deceit, or by making a material misstatement of fact in an application
for a real estate License, License renewal, or reinstatement.
(b)
Entered a plea of guilty or
nolo
contendere to, or been found guilty of,
or been convicted of, a felony, or a crime substantially related to the
qualifications, functions, or duties of a real estate Licensee, and the
time for appeal has elapsed or the judgment of conviction has been
affirmed on appeal, irrespective of an order granting probation
following that conviction, suspending the imposition of sentence, or of
a subsequent order under Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code allowing that
Licensee to withdraw his or her plea of guilty and to enter a plea of
not guilty, or dismissing the accusation or information.
(c) Knowingly
authorized, directed, connived at, or aided in the publication,
advertisement, distribution, or circulation of a material false
statement or representation concerning his or her designation or
certification of special education, credential, trade organization
membership, or business, or concerning a business opportunity or a land
or subdivision, as defined in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11000)
of Part 2, offered for sale.
(d) Willfully disregarded or violated the
Real Estate Law (Part 1 (commencing with Section 10000)) or Chapter 1
(commencing with Section 11000) of Part 2 or the rules and regulations
of the Commissioner for the administration and enforcement of the Real
Estate Law and Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11000) of Part 2.
(e)
Willfully used the term "realtor" or a trade name or insignia of
membership in a real estate organization of which the Licensee is not a
member.
(f) Acted or conducted himself or herself in a manner that would
have warranted the denial of his or her application for a real estate
License, or either had a License denied or had a License issued by
another Agency of this state, another state, or the federal government
revoked or suspended for acts that, if done by a real estate Licensee,
would be grounds for the suspension or revocation of a California real
estate License, if the action of denial, revocation, or suspension by
the other Agency or entity was taken only after giving the Licensee or
applicant fair notice of the charges, an opportunity for a hearing, and
other due process protections comparable to the
Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340), Chapter 4 (commencing
with Section 11370), and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), and only upon
an express finding of a violation of law by the Agency or entity.
(g)
Demonstrated negligence or incompetence in performing an act for which
he or she is required to hold a License.
(h) As a Broker Licensee,
failed to exercise reasonable supervision over the activities of his or
her salespersons, or, as the officer designated by a corporate Broker
Licensee, failed to exercise reasonable supervision and control of the
activities of the corporation for which a real estate License is
required.
(i) Used his or her employment by a governmental Agency in a
capacity giving access to records, other than public records, in a
manner that violates the confidential nature of the records.
(j) Engaged
in any other conduct, whether of the same or a different character than
specified in this section, that constitutes fraud or dishonest dealing.
(k) Violated any of the terms, conditions, restrictions, and limitations
contained in an order granting a restricted License.
(l)
(1)
Solicited or induced the sale, lease, or listing for sale or lease of
residential property on the ground, wholly or in part, of loss of value,
increase in crime, or decline of the quality of the schools due to the
present or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person or
persons having a characteristic listed in subdivision (a) or (d) of Section 12955 of the
Government Code, as those characteristics are defined in Sections 12926
and 12926.1, subdivision (m) and paragraph (1) of subdivision (p) of
Section 12955, and Section 12955.2 of the Government Code.
(2)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), with respect to familial status,
paragraph (1) shall not be construed to apply to housing for older
persons, as defined in Section 12955.9 of the Government Code. With
respect to familial status, nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed
to affect Sections 51.2, 51.3, 51.4, 51.10, 51.11, and 799.5 of the
Civil Code, relating to housing for senior citizens. Subdivision (d) of
Section 51 and Section 1360 of the Civil Code and subdivisions (n), (o),
and (p) of Section 12955 of the Government Code shall apply to paragraph
(1).
(m) Violated the Franchise Investment Law (Division 5 (commencing
with Section 31000) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code) or regulations
of the Commissioner of Corporations pertaining thereto.
(n) Violated the
Corporate Securities Law of 1968 (Division 1 (commencing with Section
25000) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code) or the regulations of the
Commissioner of Corporations pertaining thereto.
(o) Failed to disclose
to the buyer of real property, in a transaction in which the Licensee is
an Agent for the buyer, the nature and extent of a Licensee's direct or
indirect ownership interest in that real property. The direct or
indirect ownership interest in the property by a person related to the
Licensee by blood or marriage, by an entity in which the Licensee has an
ownership interest, or by any other person with whom the Licensee has a
special relationship shall be disclosed to the buyer.
(p) Violated
Article 6 (commencing with Section 10237).
(q) Violated or failed to
comply with Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2920) of Title 14 of Part
4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, related to mortgages. If a real
estate Broker that is a corporation has not done any of the foregoing
acts, either directly or through its employees, Agents, officers,
directors, or persons owning or controlling 10 percent or more of the
corporation's stock, the Commissioner may not deny the issuance or delay
the renewal of a real estate License to, or suspend or revoke the real
estate License of, the corporation, provided that any offending officer,
director, or stockholder, who has done any of the foregoing acts
individually and not on behalf of the corporation, has been completely
disassociated from any affiliation or ownership in the corporation. A
decision by the Commissioner to delay the renewal of a real estate
License shall toll the expiration of that License until the results of
any pending disciplinary actions against that Licensee are final, or
until the Licensee voluntarily surrenders his, her, or its License,
whichever is earlier. This section shall become operative on July 1,
2012.
10177.1.
The Commissioner may, without a hearing, suspend the
License of any person who procured the issuance of the License to
himself by fraud, misrepresentation, deceit, or by the making of any
material misstatement of fact in his application for such License. The
power of the Commissioner under this section to order a suspension of a
License shall expire 90 days after the date of issuance of said License
and the suspension itself shall remain in effect only until the
effective date of a decision of the Commissioner after a hearing
conducted pursuant to Section 10100 and the provisions of this section.
A statement of issues as defined in Section 11504 of the Government Code
shall be filed and served upon the respondent with the order of
suspension. Service by certified or registered mail directed to the
respondent's current address of record on file with the Commissioner
shall be effective service. The respondent shall have 30 days after
service of the order of suspension and statement of issues in which to
file with the Commissioner a written request for hearing on the
statement of issues filed against him. The Commissioner shall hold a
hearing within 30 days after receipt of the request therefor unless the
respondent shall request or agree to a continuance thereof. If a hearing
is not commenced within 30 days after receipt of the request for hearing
or on the date to which continued with the agreement of respondent, or
if the decision of the Commissioner is not rendered within 30 days after
completion of the hearing, the order of suspension shall be vacated and
set aside. A hearing conducted under this section shall in all respects,
except as otherwise expressly provided herein, conform to the
substantive and procedural provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with
Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code
applicable to a hearing on a statement of issues.
10177.2.
The
Commissioner may, upon his or her own motion, and shall, upon the
verified complaint in writing of any person, investigate the actions of
any Licensee, and he or she may suspend or revoke a real estate License
at any time where the Licensee
in performing or attempting to perform any of the acts within the scope
of Section 10131.6 has been guilty of any of the following acts:
(a) Has used a false or fictitious name,
knowingly made any false statement, or knowingly concealed any material
fact, in any application for the registration of a Mobile home, or
otherwise committed a fraud in that application.
(b) Failed to provide
for the delivery of a properly endorsed certificate of ownership or
certificate of title of a Mobile home from the seller to the buyer
thereof.
(c) Has knowingly participated in the purchase, sale, or other
acquisition or disposal of a stolen Mobile home. (d)
Has submitted a check, draft, or money order to the Department of
Housing and Community Development for any obligation or fee due the
state and it is thereafter dishonored or refused payment upon
presentation.
10177.3.
(a) No
Licensee shall knowingly or intentionally misrepresent the value of real
property.
(b) No Licensee
that offers or provides an opinion of value of residential real property
that is used as the basis for the origination of a Mortgage Loan shall
have a prohibited interest in that property, within the meaning of
Section 226.42(d) of Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the
accompanying commentary contained in Volume 75 of the Federal Register,
page 66554, dated October 28, 2010.
10177.4.
(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.
10177.5.
When a final judgment is
obtained in a civil action against any real estate Licensee upon grounds
of fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit with reference to any transaction
for which a License is required under this division, the Commissioner
may, after hearing in accordance with the provisions of this part
relating to hearings, suspend or revoke the License of such real estate
Licensee.
10177.6.
When an Agent undertakes to arrange financing in
connection with a sale, lease, or exchange of real property, or when a
person or entity arranging financing in connection with the sale, lease,
or exchange of real property undertakes to act as an Agent with respect
to that property, that Agent, person, or entity shall, within 24 hours,
make a written disclosure of those roles to all parties to the sale,
lease, or exchange, and any related Loan transaction. For purposes of
this section, "Agent" has the same meaning as defined in subdivision
(a)
of Section 2079.13 of the Civil Code.
10178.
When any real estate
Salesman is discharged by his employer for a violation of any of the
provisions of this article prescribing a ground for disciplinary action,
a certified written statement of the facts with reference thereto shall
be filed forthwith with the Commissioner by the employer and if the
employer fails to notify the Commissioner as required by this section,
the Commissioner may temporarily suspend or permanently revoke the real
estate License of the employer, in accordance with the provisions of
this part relating to hearings.
10179.
No violation of any of the
provisions of this part relating to real estate or of Chapter 1 of Part
2 by any real estate Salesman or employee of any Licensed real estate
Broker shall cause the revocation or suspension of the License of the
employer of the Salesman or employee unless it appears upon a hearing by
the Commissioner that the employer had guilty knowledge of such
violation.
10180.
The Commissioner may deny, suspend or revoke the real
estate License of a corporation as to any officer or Agent acting under
its License without revoking the License of the corporation.
10182.
As a
condition to the reinstatement of a revoked or suspended License, the
Commissioner may require the applicant to take and pass a qualifying
examination.
10185.
Any person, including officers, directors, Agents
or employees of corporations, who willfully violates or knowingly
participates in the violation of this division shall be guilty of a
Misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars
($10,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six
months, or by a fine and imprisonment.
10186.
(a) Following an
administrative proceeding, or in connection with a stipulation, when the
Commissioner grants the right to a License applicant or a Licensee to
apply for or to obtain a restricted License
or restricted Mortgage Loan
originator License endorsement, the Commissioner may, in addition to any
other terms and conditions placed upon the restricted Licensee, require
the restricted Licensee to pay the monetary costs associated with
monitoring the Licensed activities conducted by and pursuant to the
restricted License or
restricted Mortgage Loan originator License
endorsement.
(b) The Commissioner may also require, as a condition
precedent to the issuance of a restricted License
or restricted Mortgage Loan originator License endorsement, that the Licensee pay monetary
restitution to any person who sustained damages by reason of the act or
acts that led to the Discipline imposed by the Commissioner.
(c) The
Commissioner shall not renew a License
or a Mortgage Loan originator
License endorsement, and may deny an application for the removal of
License restrictions or for the reinstatement of an unrestricted
License, if the Licensee fails to pay all of the costs he or she is
ordered to pay pursuant to this section.
(d) The Commissioner shall not
reinstate an unrestricted License
or unrestricted Mortgage Loan
originator License endorsement, or remove restrictions from a License or
License endorsement, if the petitioner has failed to pay any costs he or
she was ordered to pay pursuant to this section.
(e) The Commissioner
may require a holder of a restricted or revoked License, who petitions
the Commissioner for reinstatement of his or her License pursuant to
Section 11522 of the Government Code, to pay the reasonable costs of
processing the petition request.
(f) All costs recovered under
this section shall be considered a reimbursement for costs incurred and
shall be deposited in the Real Estate Fund to be available,
notwithstanding Section 10451, upon appropriation by the Legislature.
10186.1.
(a) A
License or an endorsement of the department shall be suspended
automatically during any time that the Licensee is incarcerated after
conviction of a felony, regardless of whether the conviction has been
appealed. The department shall, immediately upon receipt of the
certified copy of the record of conviction, determine whether the
License or endorsement has been automatically suspended by virtue of the
Licensee's incarceration, and if so, the duration of that suspension.
The department shall notify the Licensee of the suspension and of his or
her right to elect to have the issue of penalty heard as provided in
subdivision (d).
(b) If after a hearing before an Administrative law judge from the Office of Administrative Hearings it is determined that
the felony for which the Licensee was convicted was substantially
related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a Licensee, the
Commissioner upon receipt of the certified copy of the record of
conviction, shall suspend the License or endorsement until the time for
appeal has elapsed, if no appeal has been taken, or until the judgment
of conviction has been affirmed on appeal or has otherwise become final,
and until further order of the department. (c) Notwithstanding
subdivision
(b), a conviction of a charge of violating any federal
statute or regulation or any statute or regulation of this state
regulating dangerous drugs or controlled substances, or a conviction of
Section 187, 261, 262, or 288 of the Penal Code, shall be conclusively
presumed to be substantially related to the qualifications, functions,
or duties of a Licensee and no hearing shall be held on this issue.
However, upon its own motion or for good cause shown, the Commissioner
may decline to impose or may set aside the suspension when it appears to
be in the interest of justice to do so, with due regard to maintaining
the integrity of, and confidence in, the practice regulated by the
department.
(d)
(1) Discipline may be ordered against a Licensee in
accordance with the laws and regulations of the department when the time
for appeal has elapsed, the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on
appeal, or an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition
of sentence, irrespective of a subsequent order under Section 1203.4 of
the Penal Code allowing the person to withdraw his or her plea of guilty
and to enter a plea of not guilty, setting aside the verdict of guilty,
or dismissing the accusation, complaint, information, or indictment.
(2)
The issue of penalty shall be heard by an Administrative law judge from
the Office of Administrative Hearings. The hearing shall not be held
until the judgment of conviction has become final or, irrespective of a
subsequent order under Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code, an order
granting probation has been made suspending the imposition of sentence,
except that a Licensee may, at his or her option, elect to have the
issue of penalty decided before those time periods have elapsed. Where
the Licensee so
elects, the issue of penalty shall be heard in the manner described in subdivision (b) at the hearing to determine whether
the conviction was substantially related to the qualifications,
functions, or duties of a Licensee. If the conviction of a Licensee who
has made this election is overturned on appeal, any Discipline ordered
pursuant to this section shall automatically cease. Nothing in this
subdivision shall prohibit the department from pursuing disciplinary
action based on any cause other than the overturned conviction.
(e) The
record of the proceedings resulting in a conviction, including a
transcript of the testimony in those proceedings, may be received in
evidence.
(f) Any other provision of law setting forth a procedure for
the suspension or revocation of a License
or endorsement issued by the department shall not apply to proceedings
conducted pursuant to this section.
10186.2.
(a)
(1) A Licensee
shall report any of the following to the department:
(a) The bringing of an indictment or information
charging a felony against the Licensee.
(b) The conviction of the
Licensee, including any verdict of guilty, or plea of guilty or no
contest, of any felony or Misdemeanor.
(c) Any disciplinary action taken
by another licensing entity or authority of this state or of another
state or an Agency of the federal government.
(2) The report required by
this subdivision shall be made in writing within 30 days of the date of
the bringing of the indictment or the charging of a felony, the
conviction, or the disciplinary action.
(b) Failure to make a report
required by this section shall constitute a cause for Discipline.
10186.9.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and after
January 1, 2015, the department shall be subject to review by the
appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.
10200.
All real estate
License fees shall be payable in advance of issuing the licenses and at
the time of filing the application. Unless otherwise provided, all
licenses expire at midnight of the last day of the period for which
issued.
10201.
The holder of a License who fails to renew it prior to
the expiration of the period for which it was issued and who has
otherwise qualified for such License, may renew it within two years from
such expiration upon proper application and the payment of a late
renewal fee in an amount equal to one and one-half times the regular
renewal fee in effect at the time the License is reinstated.
10201.6.
Any person who has qualified in an examination for a real estate License
shall file the required application and fee for the License within one
year thereafter.
10202.
The definitions contained in this article are
solely for the purposes of this article.
10207.
The amount of the real
estate fees prescribed for an examination or for a License under this
chapter is that fixed by the following provisions of this article. No
part of any fee paid in accordance with the provisions of this chapter
is refundable. It is deemed earned by the department upon its receipt.
10208.5.
The real estate Broker License examination fee is ninety-five
dollars ($95). The real estate Broker License
reexamination fee is ninety-five dollars ($95). If an applicant fails to
appear for the examination within two years from the date of filing his
or her application and fee for the examination, his or her application
shall thereupon lapse and no further proceedings thereon shall be taken.
This section shall remain in effect unless it is superseded pursuant to
subdivision (a) of Section 10226.5.
10209.
(a) The Commissioner shall,
by regulation, establish fees for applications for approval of
equivalent courses of study as defined in Section 10153.5 in an amount
sufficient to cover the cost of administration. The fee for an
application for approval of each course given by a private vocational
school, including any branch school which gives the same course, shall
not exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150).
(b) The Commissioner shall
notify every applicant of his decision on the application no later than
60 days after receipt by the Commissioner of a completed application.
The application shall be on a form to be supplied by the Commissioner.
10209.2. The Commissioner shall, by regulation, establish fees for
applications for approval of educational courses, seminars, workshops,
conference, or their equivalent, or for the evaluation of petition based
on a claim of equivalency, as authorized by Section 10170.4 in an amount
sufficient to cover the cost of processing such applications or
petitions. 10209.5. The fee for a restricted Broker License shall be the
same as that for an unrestricted License
as provided in Section 10210.
10210.
(a) The fee for a real estate Broker License shall not exceed
three hundred dollars ($300). In the case of an original applicant, the
fee is payable upon filing the real estate Broker License application.
(b) If an applicant fails to pass the real estate Broker License
examination within two years from the date of filing his or her Broker
License application, his or her Broker License application shall lapse
and no further proceedings thereon shall be taken.
(c) This
section shall remain in effect unless it is superseded pursuant to
Section 10226 or subdivision (a) of Section 10226.5, whichever is applicable.
10211.
If the Licensee is a corporation, the License issued to it entitles one
officer thereof, on behalf of the corporation, to engage in the business
of real estate Broker without the payment of any further fee, such
officer to be designated in the application of the corporation for a
License. For each officer other than the officer so designated, through
whom it engages in the business of real estate Broker, the appropriate
original or renewal fee is to be paid in addition to the fee paid by the
corporation.
10213.5.
The real estate Salesperson License examination
fee is sixty dollars ($60). The real estate Salesperson License
reexamination fee is sixty dollars ($60). If an applicant fails to
appear for the examination within two years from the date of filing his
or her application and fee for the examination, his or her application
shall thereupon lapse and no further proceedings thereon shall be taken.
This section shall remain in effect unless it is superseded pursuant to
subdivision (a) of Section 10226.5.
10213.6.
If an applicant for any
examination fails to take the examination on the date scheduled, he or
she may make application in writing to the Principal office of the
department in Sacramento for a new date. A fee of twenty dollars ($20)
shall accompany the written request for applying for the first new
examination date in the case of a Broker applicant, and a fee of fifteen
dollars ($15) shall accompany the written request for the first new
examination date in the case of a Salesperson applicant. A fee of thirty
dollars ($30) shall accompany the written request for all subsequent new
examination dates for both Broker and Salesperson
applicants. This section shall remain in effect unless it is superseded
pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10226.5.
10214.5.
The fee for a restricted
Salesperson License shall be the same as that for an unrestricted
License as provided
in Section 10215.
10215.
(a) The fee for a real
estate Salesperson License shall not exceed two hundred forty-five
dollars ($245), except that for an applicant qualifying pursuant to
Section 10153.4 who has not satisfied all of the educational
requirements prior to issuance of the License, the fee shall not exceed
two hundred seventy-five dollars ($275). In the case of an original
applicant, the fee is payable upon filing the real estate Salesperson
License application.
(b) If an applicant fails to pass the real estate
Salesperson License examination within two years from the date of filing
his or her Salesperson License application, his or her Salesperson
License application shall lapse and no further proceedings thereon shall
be taken. (c) This section shall remain in effect unless it is
superseded pursuant to Section 10226 or subdivision (a) of Section
10226.5, whichever is applicable.
10222.
For any examination required
under any order issued pursuant to the provisions of the
Administrative Procedure Act, the fee shall be the same as for a Salesperson or Broker
License examination, as appropriate. 10225. An application for a permit
to sell real property securities secured by Liens on real property
situated outside the State of California shall be accompanied by the
filing fee together with an amount equivalent to twenty-five cents
($0.25) a mile for each mile going and returning, or where public
transportation is available the actual round trip fare pertaining
thereto, estimated by the Commissioner to be traveled from the office of
the DRE where the application is
filed to the location of the property, and the amount estimated to be
necessary to cover the expense of the inspection and appraisal of the
property, not to exceed seventy-five dollars ($75) a day for each day
actually spent in the inspection and appraisal of the property or
properties.
10226.
(a) The Commissioner may
periodically by regulation prescribe fees lower than the maximum fees
provided in Sections 10209.5, 10210, 10214.5, 10215, and 10250.3
whenever he or she determines those lower fees are sufficient to offset
the costs and expenses incurred in the administration of Part 1
(commencing with Section 10000) of this division. The Commissioner shall
hold at least one regulation hearing each calendar year, to determine if
lower fees should be prescribed.
(b) If, as of June 30 of any fiscal
year, the balance of funds in the Real Estate Fund exceeds an amount
equal to 150 percent of the department's authorized budget for the
following year, then within 30 days thereafter the Commissioner shall,
notwithstanding the
Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of
the Government Code), issue regulations reducing real estate License and
subdivision fees so that as of June 30 of the next fiscal year the
balance of funds in the Real Estate Fund shall not exceed an amount
equal to 150 percent of the department's authorized budget for that
year.
(c) If the Commissioner fails to reduce these fees within the
timeframe specified in subdivision (b), then fees shall
automatically be reduced to the levels as indicated in subdivision (b) of Section
10226.5. That reduction shall be effective no later than September 1 of
the fiscal year wherein the Commissioner is obliged to issue regulations
pursuant to subdivision (b).
10226.5.
(a) If at any time funds are
transferred or loaned from the Real Estate Fund to the General Fund by
the Budget Act, then 30 days from and after the date of the transfer or
Loan, fees shall be reduced as indicated in subdivision (b),
irrespective of any provisions of the Budget Act precluding that
reduction.
(b) Fees shall be reduced pursuant to paragraph (a) to the
following maximum amounts:
(1) Real estate Broker examination or
reexamination: Fifty dollars ($50).
(2) First reschedule of Broker
examination: Fifteen dollars ($15); subsequent reschedules: Twenty-five
dollars ($25).
(3) Real estate Broker License, original or renewal: One
hundred sixty-five dollars ($165).
(4) Real estate Salesperson
examination or reexamination: Twenty-five dollars ($25).
(5) First
reschedule of Salesperson examination: Ten dollars ($10); subsequent
reschedules: Twenty-five dollars ($25).
(6) Real estate Salesperson
License, original or renewal: One hundred twenty dollars ($120).
(7)
Real estate Salesperson License without all educational requirements:
One hundred forty-five dollars ($145).
(8) A notice of intention without
a completed questionnaire: One hundred fifty dollars ($150).
(9) An
original public report for subdivision interests described in Section
11004.5: One thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600) plus ten dollars
($10) for each subdivision interest to be offered.
(10) An original
public report for subdivision interests other than those described in
Section 11004.5: Five hundred dollars ($500) plus ten dollars ($10) for
each interest to be offered.
(11) A conditional public report for
subdivision interests described in Section 11004.5: Five hundred dollars
($500).
(12) A conditional public report for subdivision interests other
than those described in Section 11004.5: Five hundred dollars ($500).
(13) A preliminary public report for subdivision interests described in
Section 11004.5: Five hundred dollars ($500).
(14) A preliminary public
report for subdivision interests other than those described in Section
11004.5: Five hundred dollars ($500).
(15) A renewal public report for
subdivision interests described in Section 11004.5: Five hundred dollars
($500).
(16) A renewal public report for subdivision interests other
than those described in Section 11004.5: Five hundred dollars ($500).
(17) An amended public report for subdivision interests described in
Section 11004.5: Three hundred dollars ($300) plus ten dollars ($10) for
each subdivision interest to be offered under the amended public report
for which a fee has not previously been paid.
(18) An amended public
report to offer subdivision interests other than those described in
Section 11004.5: Three hundred dollars ($300) plus ten dollars ($10) for
each subdivision interest to be offered under the amended public report
for which a fee has not previously been paid. (19) An application for an
original, renewal, or amended registration as required by Section 10249:
One hundred dollars ($100).
(20) The filing fee for an
application for a permit to be issued pursuant to Article 8.5
(commencing with Section 10250) for each subdivision or phase of the
subdivision in which interests are to be offered for sale or lease shall
be as follows:
(a)
One thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600) plus ten dollars ($10) for
each subdivision interest to be offered for an original permit
application.
(b) Five hundred dollars ($500) plus ten dollars ($10) for
each subdivision interest to be offered that was not permitted to be
offered under the permit to be renewed for a renewal permit application.
(c) Three hundred dollars ($300) plus ten dollars ($10) for each
subdivision interest to be offered under the amended permit for which a
fee has not previously been paid for an amended permit application.
(d)
Five hundred dollars ($500) for a conditional permit application.
10230.
(a) The provisions of this article do not apply to the negotiation of a
Loan by or on behalf of a real estate Broker in connection with a
qualifying sale or exchange of real property in which the Broker acted
as the Agent of one or more of the parties to the sale or exchange, nor
to the sale or exchange by or on behalf of the Broker of a promissory
note created for the purpose of financing a qualifying real property
sale or exchange transaction in which the Broker acted as the Agent of
one or more of the parties to the qualifying real property sale or
exchange regardless of the time of the sale or exchange of the
promissory note. For the purposes of this subdivision, a "qualifying"
sale or exchange of real property is one that is subject to the
requirements of Article 3 (commencing with Section 2956) of Chapter 2 of
Title 14 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code.
(b)
subdivision (a)
shall not apply to the negotiation of Loans nor to sales or exchanges of
promissory notes in connection with the financing of a real property
sale or exchange transaction in which the Broker had a direct or
indirect monetary interest as a party. 10231. Except as authorized by
permit issued pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Corporate
Securities Law of 1968 (Section 25000 et seq. of the Corporations Code),
no person in doing any of the acts set forth in subdivision (d) of
Section 10131, subdivision (e) of Section 10131, and Section 10131.1
shall accept any purchase or Loan funds or other consideration from a
prospective purchaser or lender, or directly or indirectly cause such
funds or other consideration to be deposited in an Escrow except as to a
specific Loan or a specific real property sales contract or promissory
note secured directly or collaterally by a Lien on real property on
which Loan, contract or note the person has a Bona fide authorization to
negotiate or to sell or which has been bought and completely paid for by
the Licensee, or has an unconditional written contract which obligates
him to purchase a specific real property sales contract or promissory
note secured directly or collaterally by a deed of Trust.
10231.1.
No
person in doing any of the acts set forth in subdivision (d) of Section
10131, subdivision (e) of Section 10131, and Section 10131.1 shall, as
Agent or Principal,
retain funds payable according to the terms of a promissory note or real
property sales contract secured directly or collaterally by a Lien on
real property, for a period longer than 25 days, except pursuant to a
written agreement with the purchaser or lender.
10231.2.
(a) A real estate Broker who, through express or
implied representations that the Broker or any Salesperson acting on the
Broker's behalf is engaging in acts for which a real estate License is
required by subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 10131, proposes to solicit
and accept funds, or to cause the solicitation and acceptance of funds,
to be applied to a purchase or Loan transaction in which the Broker will
directly or indirectly obtain the use or benefit of the funds other than
for commissions, fees, and costs and expenses as provided by law for the
Broker's services as an Agent, shall, prior to the making of any
representation, solicitation, or presentation of the statement described
in subdivision (b), submit the following to the DRE:
(1)
A true copy of the statement described in subdivision (b) complete except for the
signature of the prospective lender or purchaser.
(2) A statement that
the submittal is being made to the department pursuant to Section
10231.2.
(b) A Broker
making a solicitation pursuant to subdivision (a)
shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the person solicited, the
applicable completed statement described in Section 10232.5 not less
than 24 hours before the earlier of the acceptance of any funds from
that person by or on behalf of the Broker or the execution of any
instrument obligating the person to make the Loan or purchase. The
statement shall be signed by the prospective lender or purchaser and by
the real estate Broker or, on the Broker's behalf, by a real estate
Salesperson Licensed to the Broker. When so executed, an exact copy of
the executed statement shall be given to the prospective lender or
purchaser, and the Broker shall retain a true copy of the executed
statement for a period of four years.
(c) None of the provisions
of subdivision (a) or (b) shall apply in the case of an offering of a
security authorized pursuant to applicable provisions of the Corporate
Securities Law of 1968 (Division 1 (commencing with Section 25000 of
Title 4 of the Corporations Code). (d) In the case of a solicitation by
a corporate real estate Broker,
the provisions of subdivisions (a) and
(b) shall apply if the funds solicited are intended for the
direct or indirect use or benefit of an officer or director of the
corporation or of a person with a 10 percent or greater ownership
interest in the corporation.
10232.
(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided, Sections
10232.2, 10232.25, 10233, and 10236.6 are applicable to every real
estate Broker who intends or reasonably expects in a successive 12
months to do any of the following:
(1) Negotiate a combination of 10 or
more of the following transactions pursuant to subdivision (d) or (e)
of Section 10131 or Section 10131.1 in an aggregate amount of more than
one million dollars ($1,000,000):
(a) Loans secured directly or collaterally
by Liens on real property or on business opportunities as Agent for
another or others.
(b) Sales or exchanges of real property sales
contracts or promissory notes secured directly or collaterally by Liens
on real property or on business opportunities as Agent for another or
others.
(c) Sales or exchanges of real property sales contracts or
promissory notes secured directly or collaterally by Liens on real
property as the owner of those notes or contracts.
(2) Make collections
of payments in an aggregate amount of two hundred fifty thousand dollars
($250,000) or more on behalf of owners of promissory notes secured
directly or collaterally by Liens on real property, owners of real
property sales contracts, or both.
(3) Make collections of payments in
an aggregate amount of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) or
more on behalf of obligors of promissory notes secured directly or
collaterally by Liens on real property, lenders of real property sales
contracts, or both. Persons under common management, direction, or
control in conducting the activities enumerated above shall be
considered as one person for the purpose of applying the above criteria.
(b) The negotiation of a combination of two or more new Loans and sales
or exchanges of existing promissory notes and real property sales
contracts of an aggregate amount of more than two hundred fifty thousand
dollars ($250,000) in any three successive months or a combination of
five or more new Loans and sales or exchanges of existing promissory
notes and real property sales contracts of an aggregate amount of more
than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in any successive six
months shall create a rebuttable presumption that the Broker intends to
negotiate new Loans and sales and exchanges of an aggregate amount that
will meet the criteria of subdivision (a).
(c) In determining the
applicability of Sections 10232.2, 10232.25, 10233, and 10236.6, Loans
or sales negotiated by a Broker, or for which a Broker collects payments
or provides other servicing for the owner of the note or contract, shall
not be counted in determining whether the Broker
meets the criteria of subdivisions (a) and
(b) if any of the following apply:
(1)
The lender or purchaser is any of the following:
(a) The Federal National Mortgage
Association, the Government National Mortgage Association, the Federal
Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Federal Housing Administration, and
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b) A bank or
subsidiary thereof, bank holding company or subsidiary thereof, Trust
company, savings bank or savings and Loan association or subsidiary
thereof, savings bank or savings association holding company or
subsidiary thereof, credit union, industrial bank or industrial Loan
company, finance lender, or insurer doing business under the authority
of, and in accordance with, the laws of this state, any other state, or
the United States relating to banks, Trust companies, savings banks or
savings associations, credit unions, industrial banks or industrial Loan
companies, commercial finance lenders, or insurers, as evidenced by a
License, certificate, or charter issued by the United States or a state,
district, territory, or commonwealth of the United States.
(c) Trustees
of a pension, profit-sharing, or welfare fund, if the pension,
profit-sharing, or welfare fund has a net worth of not less than fifteen
million dollars ($15,000,000).
(d) A corporation with outstanding
securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 or a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation.
(e) A syndication
or other combination of any of the entities specified in subparagraph
(a), (b), (c), or
(d) that is organized to purchase the promissory note.
(f) The California Housing Finance Agency or a local housing finance
Agency organized under the
Health and Safety Code.
(g) A Licensed
residential mortgage lender or servicer acting under the authority of
that License.
(h) An institutional investor that issues mortgage-backed
securities, as specified in paragraph (11) of subdivision (i) of Section
50003 of the Financial Code.
(I) A Licensed real estate Broker
selling all or part of the Loan, the note, or the contract to a lender
or purchaser specified in subparagraphs (a) to (H), inclusive.
(2) The Loan
or sale is negotiated, or the Loan or contract is being serviced for the
owner, under authority of a permit issued pursuant to applicable
provisions of the Corporate Securities Law of 1968 (Division 1
(commencing with Section 25000) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code).
(3) The transaction is subject to the requirements of Article 3
(commencing with Section 2956) of Chapter 2 of Title 14 of Part 4 of
Division 3 of the Civil Code.
(d) If two or more real estate brokers who
are not under common management, direction, or control cooperate in the
negotiation of a Loan or the sale or exchange of a promissory note or
real property sales contract and share in the compensation for their
services, the dollar amount of the transaction shall be allocated
according to the ratio that the compensation received by each Broker
bears to the total compensation received by all brokers for their
services in negotiating the Loan or sale or exchange.
(e) A real estate
Broker who
meets any of the criteria of subdivision (a) or (b) shall
notify the department in writing within 30 days after that determination
is made.
10232.1.
(a) A real estate Broker, prior to the use of any
proposed advertisement in connection with the conduct of activities
described in subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section 10131 and Section
10131.1, may submit a true copy thereof to the DRE for approval. The
submission shall be accompanied by a fee of not more than forty dollars
($40). The Commissioner shall by regulation prescribe the amount of the
fee. If disapproval of the proposed advertisement is not communicated by
the department to the Broker within 15 calendar days after receipt of
the copy of the proposed advertisement by the department, the proposed
advertisement shall be deemed approved, but the department shall not be
precluded from disapproving a later publication or other use of the same
or similar advertising. The Commissioner shall adopt regulations
pertaining to the submittal and clearance of that advertising and
establishing criteria for approval to ensure that the public will be
protected against false or misleading representations. Except as
provided in subdivision (b), "advertisement" includes dissemination in
any newspaper, circular, form letter, brochure or similar publication,
display, sign, radio broadcast or telecast, which concerns
(1) the use,
terms, rates, conditions, or the amount of any Loan or sale referred to
in subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section 10131 or Section 10131.1 or
(2)
the security, solvency, or stability of any person carrying on the
activities described in those sections.
(b) "Advertisement" does not
include a letter or brochure that meets both of the following criteria:
(1) It is restricted in distribution to other real estate brokers and to
persons for whom the Broker has previously acted as an Agent in
arranging a Loan secured by real property or in the purchase, sale, or
exchange of a deed of Trust or real property sales contract.
(2) It is
restricted in content to the identification and a description of the
terms of Loans, mortgages, deeds of Trust, real property sales
contracts, or any combination thereof offered for funding or purchase
through the Broker as Agent.
(c)
subdivision (a) is not applicable to
advertising that is used exclusively in connection with an offering
authorized by permit issued pursuant to the applicable provisions of the
Corporate Securities Law of 1968 (Division 1 (commencing with Section
25000 of Title 4 of the Corporations Code).
(d) All advertising
approvals shall be for a period of five years after the date of
approval. The approval period applies to all advertising, including that
which was previously submitted on a mandatory basis.
10232.2.
A real
estate Broker
who meets the criteria of subdivision (a) of Section 10232 shall
annually file the reports referred to in subdivisions (a) and (c)
with the DRE within 90 days after the end of the Broker's fiscal year or
within any additional time as the Real Estate Commissioner
may allow for filing for good cause:
(a) The report of a review by a Licensed
California independent public accountant of Trust fund financial
statements, conducted in accordance with generally accepted accounting
practices, which shall include within its scope the following
information for the fiscal year relative to the business activities of
the Broker described in subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section 10131:
(1)
The receipt and disposition of all funds of others to be applied to the
making of Loans and the purchasing of promissory notes or real property
sales contracts.
(2) The receipt and disposition of all funds of others
in connection with the servicing by the Broker of the accounts of owners
of promissory notes and real property sales contracts including
installment payments and Loan or contract payoffs by obligors.
(3) A
statement as of the end of the fiscal year which shall include an
itemized Trust fund accounting of the Broker and confirmation that the
Trust funds are on deposit in an account or accounts maintained by the
Broker in a financial institution.
(b) A Broker who meets the criteria
of Section 10232, but who, in carrying on the activities described in
subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section 10131, has not during a fiscal year,
accepted for the benefit of a person to whom the Broker is a trustee,
any payment or remittance in a form convertible to cash by the Broker,
need not comply with the provisions of subdivision (a). In lieu thereof,
the Broker shall submit to the Commissioner within 30 days after the end
of the Broker's fiscal year or, within any additional time as the
Commissioner may allow for a filing for good cause, a notarized
statement under penalty of perjury on a form provided by the department
attesting to the fact that the Broker did not receive any Trust funds in
cash or convertible to cash during the fiscal year.
(c) A report of all
of the following aspects of the business conducted by the Broker while
engaging in activities described in subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section
10131 and in Section 10131.1:
(1) Number and aggregate dollar amount of
Loan, Trust deed sales and real property sales contract transactions
negotiated.
(2) Number and aggregate dollar amount of promissory notes
and contracts serviced by the Broker or an affiliate of the Broker.
(3)
Number and aggregate dollar amount of late payment charges, prepayment
penalties and other fees or charges collected and retained by the Broker
under servicing agreements with beneficiaries and obligees.
(4) Default
and foreclosure experience in connection with promissory notes and
contracts subject to servicing agreements between the Broker and
beneficiaries or obligees.
(5) Commissions received by the Broker for
services performed as Agent in negotiating Loans and sales of promissory
notes and real property sales contracts.
(6) Aggregate costs and
expenses as referred to in Section 10241 paid by borrowers to the
Broker.
(d) The Commissioner shall adopt regulations prescribing the
form and content of the report referred to in subdivision (c) with
appropriate categories to afford a better understanding of the business
conducted by the Broker.
(e) If the Broker
fails to file either of the reports required under subdivisions (a) and (c) within the time
permitted herein, the Commissioner may cause an examination and report
to be made and may charge the Broker one and one-half times the cost of
making the examination and report. In determining the hourly cost
incurred by the Commissioner for conducting an examination and preparing
the report, the Commissioner may use the estimated average hourly cost
for all department audit staff performing audits of real estate brokers.
If a Broker fails to pay the above amount within 60 days of the mailing
of a notice of billing, the Commissioner may suspend the Broker's
License or deny renewal of the Broker's License. The suspension or
denial shall remain in effect until the above amount is paid or the
Broker's right to renew a License has expired. The Commissioner may
maintain an action for the recovery of the above amount in any court of
competent jurisdiction.
(f) The reports referred to in
subdivisions (a) and (c) are exempted from any requirement of public disclosure by
paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 6254 of the Government Code.
The Commissioner
shall annually make and file as a public record, a composite of the
annual reports and any comments thereon which are deemed to be in the
public interest.
10232.25.
(a) A real estate Broker
who meets the criteria of subdivision (a) of Section 10232 shall, within
30 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of the
Broker's fiscal year, or within any additional time as the Real Estate
Commissioner may allow for good cause, file with the Commissioner a
Trust funds status report as of the last day of the fiscal quarter which
shall include the following:
(1) A representation that the form and
content of the Trust account records of the Broker are in compliance
with the regulations of the Commissioner.
(2) A representation that the
Broker's Trust fund bank account is maintained in compliance with the
regulations of the Commissioner.
(3) A statement of the Broker's
aggregate accountability for Trust funds.
(4) A report of Trust funds in
the Broker's custody consisting of the Trust account bank statements as
of the bank's accounting date immediately preceding the end of the
fiscal quarter and a schedule of withdrawals and deposits adjusting the
account to its true balance as of the end of the fiscal quarter.
(5) A
statement explaining any difference in amount between the Broker's total
accountability under paragraph (3) above and the adjusted Trust account
bank balance under paragraph (4) above.
(b) Each report
made pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include the following:
(1) The name, address, and
position or capacity of the person who prepared the report.
(2) A
declaration under penalty of perjury by the Broker that the information
and representations in the report are true, complete, and correct to the
best of the Broker's knowledge and belief. The declaration in a report
submitted on behalf of a corporate Broker shall be signed by a
Broker-officer through whom the corporation is Licensed as a real estate
Broker and by the chief executive officer of the corporation if he or
she is not the signing Broker-officer.
(c) If a Broker
fails to file a report required under subdivision (a) within the time permitted, the
Commissioner may cause an examination and report to be made and may
charge the Broker one and one-half times the cost of making the
examination and report. In determining the hourly cost incurred by the
Commissioner for conducting an examination and preparing the report, the
Commissioner may use the estimated average hourly cost for all
department audit staff performing audits of real estate brokers. If a
Broker fails to pay the above amount within 60 days of the mailing of a
notice of billing, the Commissioner may suspend the Broker's License or
deny renewal of the Broker's License. The suspension or denial shall
remain in effect until the above amount is paid or the Broker's right to
renew a License has expired. The Commissioner may maintain an action for
the recovery of the above amount in any court of competent jurisdiction.
(d) A Broker who meets the criteria of Section 10232, but who, in
carrying on the activities described in subdivisions (d) and (e) of
Section 10131, did not during a fiscal quarter, accept for the benefit
of a person to whom the Broker is trustee, any payment or remittance in
a form convertible to cash by the Broker, need not comply with the
provisions of subdivision (a). In lieu thereof, the Broker shall submit
to the Commissioner within 30 days after the end of the fiscal quarter
or within any additional time as the Commissioner may allow for good
cause, a statement under penalty of perjury on a form provided by the
department attesting to the fact that the Broker did not receive any
Trust funds in cash or convertible to cash during the fiscal quarter.
(e) Any real estate Broker who engages in any of the activities
specified in subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 10131, but who is not
required by this section to file Trust funds status reports with the
Commissioner and who is not exempt therefrom under subdivision (d),
shall complete Trust funds status reports in accordance with either
(1)
the requirements of subdivisions (a) and
(b) applicable to Trust funds
status reports filed with the Commissioner, or
(2) the requirements
established by the lender or note owner, if the lender or note owner
does all of the following:
(i) requires monthly reconciliations of Trust
account balances;
(ii) requires annual, CPA-audited financial
statements; and
(iii) maintains a contractual right to audit the Trust
accounts held by the Broker on behalf of the lender or note owner.
The
Broker shall retain all Trust funds status reports prepared under this
subdivision on file at the Broker's offices, where they shall be subject
to inspection by representatives of the Commissioner
upon 24 hours' notice.
10232.4.
(a) In making a solicitation to a particular person and
in negotiating with that person to make a Loan secured by real property
or to purchase a real property sales contract or a note secured by a
deed of Trust, a real estate Broker shall deliver to the person
solicited the applicable completed statement described in Section
10232.5 as early as practicable before he or she becomes obligated to
make the Loan or purchase and, except as provided in subdivision
(c),
before the receipt by or on behalf of the Broker of any funds from that
person. The statement shall be signed by the prospective lender or
purchaser and by the real estate Broker, or by a real estate Salesperson
Licensed to the Broker, on the Broker's behalf. When so executed, an
exact copy shall be given to the prospective lender or purchaser, and
the Broker shall retain a true copy of the executed statement for a
period of three years.
(b) The requirement of delivery of a
disclosure statement pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not apply with respect to
the following persons:
(1) The prospective purchaser of a security
offered under authority of a permit issued pursuant to applicable
provisions of the Corporate Securities Law of 1968 (Division 1
(commencing with Section 25000) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code)
that require that each prospective purchaser of a security be given a
prospectus or other form of disclosure statement approved by the
department issuing the permit.
(2) The seller of real property who
agrees to take back a promissory note of the purchaser as a method of
financing all or a part of the purchase of the property.
(3) The
prospective purchaser of a security offered pursuant to and in
accordance with a regulation duly adopted by the Commissioner of
Corporations granting an exemption from qualification under the
Corporate Securities Law of 1968 for the offering if one of the
conditions of the exemption is that each prospective purchaser of the
security be given a disclosure statement prescribed by the regulation
before the prospective purchaser becomes obligated to purchase the
security.
(4) A prospective lender or purchaser, if that lender
or purchaser is any of the following:
(a) The United States or any state,
district, territory, or commonwealth thereof, or any city, county, city
and county, public district, public authority, public corporation,
public entity, or political subdivision of a state, district, territory,
or commonwealth of the United States, or any Agency or corporate or
other instrumentality of any one or more of the foregoing, including the
Federal National Mortgage Association, the Government National Mortgage
Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Federal
Housing Administration, and the Veteran's Administration.
(b) Any bank
or subsidiary thereof, bank holding company or subsidiary thereof, Trust
company, savings bank or savings and Loan association or subsidiary
thereof, savings bank or savings association holding company or
subsidiary thereof, credit union, industrial bank or industrial Loan
company, finance lender, or Insurance company doing business under the
authority of, and in accordance with, the laws of this state, any other
state, or of the United States relating to banks, Trust companies,
savings banks or savings associations, credit unions, industrial banks
or industrial Loan companies, commercial finance lenders, or Insurance
companies, as evidenced by a License, certificate, or charter issued by
the United States or any state, district, territory, or commonwealth of
the United States.
(c) Trustees of pension, profitsharing, or welfare
fund, if the pension, profitsharing, or welfare fund has a net worth of
not less than fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000).
(d) Any corporation
with outstanding securities registered under Section 12 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any wholly owned subsidiary of that
corporation.
(e) Any syndication or other combination of any of the
entities specified in subparagraph (a), (b), (c), or
(d) which is
organized to purchase the promissory note.
(F) A Licensed real estate
Broker engaging in the business of selling all or part of the Loan,
note, or contract to a lender or purchaser to whom no disclosure is
required pursuant to this subdivision.
(G) A Licensed residential
mortgage lender or servicer when acting under the authority of that
License.
(c) When the Broker has custody of funds of a prospective
lender or purchaser which were received and are being maintained with
the express permission of the owner and in accordance with law, and the
Broker retains the funds in an Escrow depository or a Trust fund account
pending receipt of the owner's express written instructions to disburse
the funds for a Loan or purchase, the Broker shall cause the disclosure
statement to be delivered to the owner and shall obtain the owner's
written consent to the proposed disbursement before making the
disbursement. Unless the Broker has a written agreement with the owner
as provided in Section 10231.1, the Broker shall transmit to the owner
not later than 25 days after receipt, all funds then in the Broker's
custody for which the owner has not given written instructions
authorizing disbursement.
10232.5.
(a) If the real estate Broker is
performing acts described in subdivision (d) of Section 10131 in
negotiating a Loan to be secured by a Lien on real property or on a
business opportunity, the statement required to be given to the
prospective lender shall include, but shall not necessarily be limited
to, the following information:
(1) Address or other means of
identification of the real property that is to be the security for the
borrower's obligation.
(2) Estimated fair market value of the securing
property as determined by an appraisal, a copy of which shall be
provided to the lender. However, a lender may waive the requirement of
an independent appraisal in writing, on a case-by-case basis, in which
case, the real estate Broker shall provide the Broker's written
estimated fair market value of the securing property, which shall
include the objective data upon which the Broker's estimate is based.
(3) Age, size, type of construction and a description of improvements to
the property if contained in the appraisal or as represented to the
Broker by the prospective borrower.
(4) Identity, occupation,
employment, income, and credit data about the prospective borrower or
borrowers as represented to the Broker by the prospective borrower or
borrowers.
(5) Terms of the promissory note to be given to the lender.
(6) Pertinent information concerning all encumbrances which constitute
Liens against the securing property and, to the extent of actual
knowledge of the Broker, pertinent information about other Loans that
the borrower expects or anticipates will result in a Lien being recorded
against the property securing the promissory note to be created in favor
of the prospective lender. As used in this paragraph, actual knowledge
with respect to any anticipated or expected Loan, means knowledge gained
by the Broker through arranging that other Loan or receipt of written
notification of that other Loan. In this regard, the Broker shall also
provide to the prospective lender the option to apply to purchase a
title Insurance policy or an endorsement to an existing title Insurance
policy covering the securing property, and a copy of a written Loan
application, and a credit report.
(7) Provisions for servicing of the
Loan, if any, including disposition of the late charge and prepayment
penalty fees paid by the borrower.
(8) Detailed information concerning
any proposed arrangement under which the prospective lender along with
persons not otherwise associated with him or her will be joint
beneficiaries or obligees.
(9) If the solicitation is subject to the
provisions of Section 10231.2, a detailed statement of the intended use
and disposition of the funds being solicited including an explanation of
the nature and extent of the benefits to be directly or indirectly
derived by the Broker.
(b) If the real estate Broker is performing acts
described in subdivision (e) of Section 10131 or in Section 10131.1 in
negotiating the sale of a real property sales contract or promissory
note secured directly or collaterally by a Lien on real property, the
statement required to be given to the prospective purchaser by Section
10232.4 shall include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, the
following information:
(1) Address or other means of identification of
the real property that is the security for the trustor's or vendee's
obligation.
(2) Estimated fair market value of the real property as
determined by an appraisal, a copy of which shall be provided to the
prospective purchaser. However, a purchaser may waive the requirement of
an independent appraisal in writing, on a case-by-case basis, in which
case, the real estate Broker shall provide the Broker's written
estimated fair market value of the securing property, which shall
include the objective data upon which the Broker's estimate is based.
(3) Age, size, type of construction and a description of improvements to
the real property if known by the Broker.
(4) Information available to
the Broker relative to the ability of the trustor or vendee to meet his
or her contractual obligations under the note or contract including the
trustor's or vendee's payment history under the note or contract.
(5)
Terms of the contract or note including the Principal balance owing.
(6)
Provisions for servicing of the note or contract, if any, including
disposition of late charge, prepayment penalty or other fees or charges
paid by the trustor or vendee.
(7) Detailed information concerning any
proposed arrangement under which the prospective purchaser along with
persons not otherwise associated with him or her will be joint
beneficiaries or obligees. In this regard, the Broker shall also provide
to the prospective purchaser the option to apply to purchase a title
Insurance policy or an endorsement to an existing title Insurance policy
covering the real property and, if available from the seller of the note
or contract or from the original lender, a copy of a written Loan
application, and a credit report.
(8) A statement as to whether the
dealer is acting as a Principal or as an Agent
in the transaction with the prospective purchaser.
10232.6.
(a) A real estate Broker, acting
within the course and scope of his or her License, who arranges for or
engages the services of an appraiser Licensed or certified by the Office
of Real Estate Appraisers for the applicable transaction, and delivers
the resulting appraisal to the prospective lender and prospective
purchaser as required by Section 10232.5, has met the Broker's
obligation of full and complete disclosure solely pursuant to paragraph
(2) of subdivision (a) of Section 10232.5 and paragraph (2)
of subdivision (b) of Section 10232.5, and is not required to provide a
separate estimate of fair market value under Section 10232.5.
(b) This
section shall not apply in instances where the Licensed or certified
appraiser is an employee of the Broker. However, the duty of disclosure
shall not be deemed met where the Broker knew or should have known that
the referral was negligently made or that the fair market value provided
by the appraiser was inaccurate.
(c) Nothing in this section is intended
to relieve the Broker of any obligation or requirement to disclose what
he or she knows about the value of the property.
(d) This section shall
apply only to Loan transactions and shall have no effect on a real
estate Broker's duties of disclosure in purchase or sales transactions.
10233.
A real estate Licensee
who undertakes to service a promissory note secured directly or
collaterally by a Lien on real property or a real property sales
contract shall comply with each of the following requirements:
(a) The Licensee shall have a written authorization from
the borrower, the lender, or the owner of the note or contract, that is
included within the terms of a written servicing agreement that
satisfies the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), (4), and (5) of
subdivision (k) of Section 10238.
(b) The Licensee shall provide the
lender or the owner of the note or contract with at least the following
accountings:
(1) An accounting of the unpaid Principal balance at the
end of each year.
(2) An accounting of collections and disbursements
received and made during each year.
(3) Each accounting required under
this subdivision shall identify the person who holds the original note
or contract and the deed of Trust evidencing and securing the debt or
obligation for which the accounting has been provided.
(c) The Licensee
shall provide to the lender or the owner of the note or contract written
notification within 15 days of the occurrence of any of the following
events:
(1) The recording of a notice of default.
(2) The recording of a
notice of trustee's sale.
(3) The receipt of any payment constituting an
amount greater than or equal to five monthly payments, together with a
request for partial or total reconveyance of the real property, in which
case the notice shall also indicate any further transfer or delivery
instructions. (4) The delinquency of any installment or other obligation
under the note or contract for over 30 days.
10233.1.
If a real estate
Broker in servicing a real property sales contract or a promissory note
secured directly or collaterally by a Lien on real property for the
mortgagee, beneficiary, or owner of the note or contract, causes funds
other than funds received from the obligor of the note or contract to be
applied toward a payment to protect the security of the note or contract
being serviced, including the payment of debt service on an obligation
secured by the same real property having priority over the mortgage or
deed of Trust securing the promissory note that the Broker is servicing,
the Broker shall, not later than 10 days after making any such payment,
give written notice to the mortgagee, beneficiary, or owner of the date
and amount of payment, the name of the person to whom payment was made,
the source of funds, and the reason for making the payment.
10233.2.
For
the purposes of Division 3 (commencing with Section 3101) and Division 9
(commencing with Section 9101) of the
Commercial Code, when a Broker,
acting within the meaning of subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 10131 or
Section 10131.1, has arranged a Loan or sold a promissory note or any
interest therein, and thereafter undertakes to service the promissory
note on behalf of the lender or purchaser in accordance with Section
10233, delivery, transfer, and perfection shall be deemed complete even
if the Broker
retains possession of the note or collateral instruments and documents,
provided that the deed of Trust or an assignment of the deed of Trust or
collateral documents in favor of the lender or purchaser is recorded in
the office of the county recorder in the county in which the security
property is located, and the note is made payable to the lender or is
endorsed or assigned to the purchaser.
10234.
(a)
Except as provided in subdivision (d), every real estate Licensee who
negotiates a Loan secured by a Trust deed on real property shall cause
the Trust deed to be recorded, naming as beneficiary the lender or his
or her nominee (who shall not be the Licensee or the Licensee's
nominee), with the county recorder of the county in which the real
property is located prior to the time that any funds are disbursed,
except when the lender has given written authorization for prior
release.
(b) If funds are released on the lender's written authorization
as described in subdivision (a), the Trust deed shall be recorded, or
delivered to the lender or beneficiary with a written recommendation
that it be recorded forthwith, within 10 days following release.
(c)
Every real estate Licensee who sells, exchanges, or negotiates the sale
or exchange of a real property sales contract or a promissory note
secured by a Trust deed on real property shall cause a proper assignment
of the real property sales contract or Trust deed to be executed and
shall cause the assignment to be recorded, naming as assignee the
purchaser or his or her nominee (who shall not be the Licensee or the
Licensee's nominee), with the county recorder of the county in which the
real property is located within 10 working days after the Licensee or
seller receives any funds from the buyer or after close of Escrow; or
shall deliver the real property sales contract or Trust deed to the
purchaser with a written recommendation that the assignment thereof be
recorded forthwith.
(d) A Trust deed may be recorded in the name of the
real estate Broker negotiating the Loan if all of the following apply:
(1) the lender or purchaser is any person or entity set forth in
paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 10232,
(2) the Trust deed is
recorded with the county recorder of the county in which the real
property is located, and
(3) the real property securing the Loan as
described in the Trust deed is not a dwelling as defined in Section
10240.2 or unimproved real property.
10234.5.
In addition to the
requirements of Section 10234, in the placing of any Loan, a Broker
shall deliver or cause to be delivered conformed copies of any deed of
Trust to both the investor or lender and the borrower within a
reasonable amount of time from the date of recording.
10235.
No real
estate Licensee shall knowingly advertise, print, display, publish,
distribute, telecast or broadcast, or cause or permit to be advertised,
printed, displayed, published, distributed, televised or broadcast, in
any manner any statement or representation with regard to the rates,
terms, or conditions for making, purchasing or negotiating Loans or real
property sales contracts which is false misleading or deceptive.
Indicating or otherwise implying any specific yield or return on any
note other than the interest rate specified in said note shall be prima
facie evidence that such advertisement is misleading or deceptive unless
the advertisement sets forth the actual interest rate specified in the
note and the discount from the outstanding Principal
balance at which it is being offered for sale.
10235.5.
(a) No real estate Licensee
or Mortgage Loan originator shall place an advertisement disseminated
primarily in this state for a Loan unless there is disclosed within the
printed text of that advertisement, or the oral text in the case of a
radio or television advertisement, the DRE License number and the unique
identifier assigned to that Licensee by the Nationwide Mortgage
Licensing System and Registry under which the Loan would be made or
arranged.
(b) "Mortgage Loan originator," "unique identifier," and
"Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry" have the meanings
set forth in Section 10166.01.
10236.
The Commissioner in his or her
discretion may honor requests from interested persons for interpretive
opinions with respect to any provision of this article or with respect
to any regulation for implementation of provisions of this article. No
provision of this article imposing any Liability applies in the case of
an act done or omitted in good faith in conformity with a written
interpretive opinion of the Commissioner or an opinion of the Attorney General, notwithstanding that the opinion may later be amended or
rescinded or be determined by judicial or other authority to be invalid
for any reason. 10236.1. No real estate Licensee
shall advertise to give or to offer to give to a prospective purchaser
or lender any premium, gift or any other object of value as an
inducement for making a Loan, or purchasing a promissory note secured
directly or collaterally by a Lien on real property or a real property
sales contract.
10236.2.
(a) A real
estate Broker
who satisfies the criteria of subdivision (a) or (b) of
Section 10232 and who fails to notify the DRE, in writing, of that fact
within 30 days thereafter as required by subdivision (e) of Section
10232 shall be assessed a penalty of fifty dollars ($50) per day for
each additional day written notification has not been received up to and
including the 30th day after the first day of the assessment penalty. On
and after the 31st day the penalty is one hundred dollars ($100) per
day, not to exceed a total penalty of ten thousand dollars ($10,000),
regardless of the number of days, until the department receives the
written notification.
(b) The Commissioner may suspend or revoke the
License of any real estate Broker who fails to pay a penalty imposed
under this section. In addition, the Commissioner may bring an action in
an appropriate court of this state to collect payment of the penalty.
(c) All penalties paid or collected under this section shall be
deposited into the Consumer Recovery Account of the Real Estate Fund.
10236.4.
(a) In compliance with Section 10235.5, every Licensed real
estate Broker shall also display his or her License
number on all advertisements where there is a solicitation for borrowers
or potential investors. Every Mortgage Loan originator, as defined in Section
10166.01, shall also display the unique identifier assigned to that
individual by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry on
all advertisements where there is a solicitation for borrowers.
(b) The
disclosures required by Sections 10232.4 and 10240 shall include the
Licensee's License
number, the Mortgage Loan originator's unique
identifier, if applicable, and the department's License information
telephone number.
(c) "Mortgage Loan originator," "unique identifier,"
and "Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry" have the
meanings set forth in Section 10166.01.
10236.5.
A real estate Broker
shall notify the department when he or she is no longer servicing or
arranging Loans subject to the reporting requirements of Section 10232.
If a Broker has already made reports required by this article within the
year, he or she shall continue reports for that year, but shall notify
the department prior to the expiration of that year that he or she will
no longer be servicing or arranging Loans for which reports are
required. The department's records, including those which may be
disclosed by calling the License
information telephone number of the department, may then be
appropriately updated.
10236.6.
(a) The
Commissioner, in his or her discretion, may audit any Broker who
conducts transactions subject to the provisions of this article. The
audit shall be conducted after reasonable notice to the Broker and shall
include an examination of both of the following:
(1) Trust accounts
under the control of the Broker or in any manner affiliated with the
Broker.
(2) Nontrust accounts under the control of the Broker or in any
manner affiliated with the Broker to which funds from Trust accounts
have been deposited other than for the payment of commissions, fees,
costs, or expenses due to or incurred by the Broker.
(b) The authority
to audit these nontrust accounts shall be limited to instances where
either an annual review or audit conducted by an independent certified
public accountant or a departmental audit reveals unauthorized transfers
of money to those accounts.
10236.7.
(a) A real estate Broker, when
engaging in acts for which a License is required, who arranges a
transaction pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 10237) or one
or more provisions of the Corporate Securities Law of 1968 (Division 1
(commencing with Section 25000) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code),
shall clearly indicate in the real estate Broker's transaction file the
provision or provisions of this Code or the Corporate Securities Law of
1968 pertaining to qualification or exemption from qualification under
which the transaction is being conducted. The real estate Broker
shall retain this information for the period specified in subdivision (a) of
Section 10148.
(b) The real estate Broker
shall submit a copy of the information described in subdivision (a) to any investor from whom the
real estate Broker obtains funds in connection with the transaction,
either directly or through an Agent or affiliate, within 10 days of
receipt of those funds.
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