As a South Carolina broker-in-charge (BIC), you are responsible for more than just closing deals—you are the first line of defense in managing risk, ensuring compliance, and protecting both your clients and your brokerage. The real estate industry is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of legal, regulatory, and ethical changes is essential to your success. This course will equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to navigate emerging challenges, minimize liability, and uphold the highest professional standards.

Throughout this four-hour mandatory course, you’ll explore key risk management concepts, including recent legal updates, commission orders, and best practices for reducing liability. You’ll also examine real-world case studies that illustrate common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Course highlights include:

• Responsibilities of BICs
• Risk identification and management
• Establish and enforce office policies
• Trust accounting
• BIC role in material fact and property disclosure compliance
• Document retention requirements
• Mandatory forms and language
• Fair housing issues
• Recent changes to advertising
• How to handle “Coming Soon” listings
• Understand wholesaling
• Impact of NAR Settlement in SC
• Reciprocity agreement updates
• Real Estate Service Agreements
• Understand SCREC Commission Orders

South Carolina has established laws and regulations with the intention of protecting consumers in real estate transactions. This protection results from the minimum professional standards for real estate licensees that are specified by state laws and regulations. The content selection and subject matter outline for this course were created by the South Carolina Real Estate Commission’s Education Committee. The topics chosen were selected because they’re areas of license law and practice that pose issues for real estate licensees in South Carolina.

This course aims to improve a licensee’s ability to serve clients and protect and promote the public. As a South Carolina licensee, you do your part to protect consumers by complying with license law and upholding high standards within the profession. In this course, you’ll take a walk through the law, learning to navigate as you go.

Course highlights include:

• The jurisdiction of the South Carolina Real Estate Commission
• Role of South Carolina REALTORS®
• Transaction Brokerage
• Transaction Brokerage Agreements
• Compensation and Transaction Brokerage
• Commingling, Conversion, and Trust Monies
• Earnest Money
• Due Diligence Fee
• Disputes Between Buyers and Sellers
• The Office of Investigation and Enforcement
• Complaints against licensees
• Disciplinary hearings
• Case studies to review actual issues in SC real estate practice

Fair housing law stands as a cornerstone of civil rights legislation, aiming to eliminate discrimination in housing markets and ensure equal opportunities for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, or any other protected characteristic. By understanding the importance of fair housing law, licensees recognize its pivotal role in fostering inclusive communities and combating systemic inequalities. This course explores the historical context, key provisions, and practical applications of fair housing law, equipping licensees with the knowledge and tools necessary to uphold these principles in their professional endeavors.

Real estate licensees play a vital role in upholding fair housing principles and safeguarding the rights of all individuals in the housing market. As gatekeepers of property transactions, licensees must stay abreast of fair housing laws and practices to ensure ethical and nondiscriminatory conduct. Beyond legal compliance, embracing fair housing principles fosters trust, promotes diversity, and enhances business success in an increasingly diverse marketplace. This course will empower licensees to navigate complex fair housing issues with confidence, fostering a culture of inclusivity and advancing the vision of fair and equitable housing for all.

This course was designed to meet the REALTOR® Fair Housing Training Requirement. Please confirm that your local association, who administers the Fair Housing training, will accept this course.