Document Diligence: Safeguarding Your Transactions
A veteran broker once said, "No one ever failed in this business because of the paperwork." It's true: Real estate is a relationship-based business. However, to protect consumers and yourself, knowing how to manage the paperwork--whether it's cotton bond and ink or bits and bytes--is integral to your role. Maintaining detailed and organized records, even for transactions that don't close, not only satisfies regulatory requirements, it also protects your license. It proves you did what you were supposed to do when you were supposed to do it.
We can't do anything about paper cuts, but if you're ready to become more comfortable selecting and using documents to ensure on-time, accurate, and litigation-free real estate transactions, let's do this.
Course highlights include:
- Typical transaction documents
- Standard clauses, addenda, and contingencies
- How to practice within the scope of your license (but avoid unauthorized practice of law)
- How to field and manage multiple offers
- Managing signatures, notarizations, and identification
- Best practices in transaction management
- Best practices in document retention
- Keeping documents secure, both hard copy and digital
- Wire fraud prevention
State Requirements For Virginia
Virginia State Requirement Details for Real Estate Salesperson Continuing Education
Renewal Date: License expires every two years on the last day of the initial license month. Renew no earlier than 60 days prior to license expiration.
Hours Required by the State if License Expires Before June 30, 2026: 16 hours
- 8 hours of mandatory course topics
- 3 hours in Ethics & Standards of Conduct
- 2 hours in Fair Housing
- 1 hours in Legal Updates and Emerging Trends
- 1 hours in Real Estate Agency
- 1 hours in Real Estate Contracts
- 8 hours of elective course topics or mandatory course topics
Hours Required by the State if License Expires On or After June 30, 2026: 16 hours
- 11 hours of mandatory course topics
- 3 hours in Ethics & Standards of Conduct
- 2 hours in Fair Housing
- 2 hours in Legal Updates and Emerging Trends
- 2 hours in Real Estate Agency
- 2 hours in Real Estate Contracts
- 5 hours of elective course topics or mandatory course topics
Note: These Continuing Education requirements also apply to inactive experienced salespersons who apply to activate their licenses. No Continuing Education is required of new salespersons in their first two-year license term. However, some new salesperson licensees—upon completion of their 30-hour Post-License Education requirement—may choose to begin taking Continuing Education courses in the six months just prior to renewing their license for the first time. If a new salesperson completes Continuing Education courses in those last six months of the first licensure period, those hours may carry over to the 16-hours required of them during their second two-year licensure term pursuant to 18 VAC 135-20-101.
Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation Real Estate Board
Street Address: 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, Virginia 23233-1485
Mailing Address: 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, Virginia 23233-1485
Telephone: (804) 367-8526
Email: reboard@dpor.virginia.gov