Ohio REALTORS® Defends Licensing Requirements for Real Estate Professionals
By Andrew Huffman, Ohio REALTORS Director of Government Affairs
Ohio REALTORS® provided testimony this week on the importance of licensing and education requirements for real estate practitioners before the House State and Local Government Committee. The committee is reviewing occupational licensing standards in the state and looking to remove unnecessary barriers to entry in the state’s workforce. The committee will examine other states’ requirements and attempt to align Ohio’s occupational licensing standards with those in other states to ensure Ohio’s are not more restrictive.
Ohio REALTORS® stressed in its testimony that real estate practitioners licensed by the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing are responsible for assisting Ohioans through what is often the most significant financial decision they make in their lives – the purchase of a new home. Ohio REALTORS® also highlighted the complexity associated with real estate transactions and the fiduciary duty that real estate salespeople and their brokers have with their clients. For these reasons, Ohio REALTORS® urged the committee to ensure licensing standards in Ohio remain robust to ensure practitioners obtain the basic knowledge required to safely, and effectively serve Ohioans.
Below is a portion of their testimony:
We appreciate this committee’s review of Ohio’s professional licensing requirements and for examining ways to remove unnecessary regulations. On behalf of our approximately 37,000 members Ohio REALTORS® believe that the state should strive to have the most educated and qualified real estate practitioners to protect the public’s wellbeing and improve the homebuying process for its citizens.
We look forward to working with the committee on any ideas to improve Ohio’s occupational licensing standards to ensure that newly licensed real estate practitioners are adequately prepared to navigate their clients through what will likely be the largest financial decision and most complex purchase they will make.
The full testimony can be found through the following link:
