The duty to safeguard trust funds and other property the broker holds.
The duty, when negotiating, to present contract proposals in an objective and unbiased manner and disclose the advantages and disadvantages of the proposals.
Please review this information carefully. A broker or salesperson can answer your questions about brokerage services, but if you need legal advice, tax advice, or a professional home inspection, contact an attorney, tax advisor, or home inspector.
This disclosure is required by section 452.135 of the Wisconsin statutes and is for information only. It is a plain-language summary of a broker's duties to a customer under section 452.133 (1) of the Wisconsin statutes.
452.135(1)(b)
(b) If a broker is providing brokerage services as a subagent to a principal broker, the broker shall provide a copy of the written disclosure statement under
par. (a) to any person who is not the principal broker's client and who receives brokerage services from the broker within the scope of the agreement between the broker and the principal broker.
452.135(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), a broker shall provide to a client a copy of the following written disclosure statement not later than the time the broker enters into an agency agreement with the client:
BROKER DISCLOSURE TO CLIENTS
Under Wisconsin law, a broker owes certain duties to all parties to a transaction:
The duty to provide brokerage services to you fairly and honestly.
The duty to exercise reasonable skill and care in providing brokerage services to you.
The duty to provide you with accurate information about market conditions within a reasonable time if you request it, unless disclosure of the information is prohibited by law.
The duty to disclose to you in writing certain material adverse facts about a property, unless disclosure of the information is prohibited by law.
The duty to protect your confidentiality. Unless the law requires it, the broker will not disclose your confidential information or the confidential information of other parties.
The duty to safeguard trust funds and other property the broker holds.
The duty, when negotiating, to present contract proposals in an objective and unbiased manner and disclose the advantages and disadvantages of the proposals.
Because you have entered into an agency agreement with a broker, you are the broker's client. A broker owes additional duties to a client.
The broker will provide, at your request, information and advice on real estate matters that affect your transaction, unless you release the broker from this duty. The broker must provide you with all material facts affecting the transaction, not just adverse facts.
The broker will fulfill the broker's obligations under the agency agreement and fulfill your lawful requests that are within the scope of the agency agreement.
The broker will negotiate for you, unless you release the broker from this duty.
The broker will not place the broker's interests ahead of your interests. The broker will not, unless required by law, give information or advice to other parties who are not the broker's clients, if giving the information or advice is contrary to your interests.
If you become involved in a transaction in which another party is also the broker's client (a "multiple representation relationship"), different duties may apply.
MULTIPLE REPRESENTATION RELATIONSHIPS AND DESIGNATED AGENCY
A multiple representation relationship exists if a broker has an agency agreement with more than one client who is a party in the same transaction. In a multiple representation relationship, if all of the broker's clients in the transaction consent, the broker may provide services to the clients through designated agency.
Designated agency means that different salespersons employed by the broker will negotiate on behalf of you and the other client or clients in the transaction, and the broker's duties will remain the same. Each salesperson will provide information, opinions, and advice to the client for whom the salesperson is negotiating, to assist the client in the negotiations. Each client will be able to receive information, opinions, and advice that will assist the client, even if the information, opinions, or advice gives the client advantages in the negotiations over the broker's other clients. A salesperson will not reveal any of your confidential information to another party unless required to do so by law.
If a designated agency relationship is not in effect you may authorize or reject a multiple representation relationship. If you authorize a multiple representation relationship the broker may provide brokerage services to more than one client in a transaction but neither the broker nor any of the broker's salespersons may assist any client with information, opinions, and advice which may favor the interests of one client over any other client. If you do not consent to a multiple representation relationship the broker will not be allowed to provide brokerage services to more than one client in the transaction.
INITIAL ONLY ONE OF THE THREE LINES BELOW:
________I consent to designated agency.
________I consent to multiple representation relationships, but I do not consent to designated agency.
________I reject multiple representation relationships.
NOTE: YOU MAY WITHDRAW YOUR CONSENT TO DESIGNATED AGENCY OR TO MULTIPLE REPRESENTATION RELATIONSHIPS BY WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE BROKER AT ANY TIME. YOUR BROKER IS REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE TO YOU IN YOUR AGENCY AGREEMENT THE COMMISSION OR FEES THAT YOU MAY OWE TO YOUR BROKER. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COMMISSION OR FEES THAT YOU MAY OWE BASED UPON THE TYPE OF AGENCY RELATIONSHIP YOU SELECT WITH YOUR BROKER YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR BROKER BEFORE SIGNING THE AGENCY AGREEMENT.
SUBAGENCY
The broker may, with your authorization in the agency agreement, engage other brokers who assist your broker by providing brokerage services for your benefit. A subagent will not put the subagent's own interests ahead of your interests. A subagent will not, unless required by law, provide advice or opinions to other parties if doing so is contrary to your interests.
Please review this information carefully. A broker or salesperson can answer your questions about brokerage services, but if you need legal advice, tax advice, or a professional home inspection, contact an attorney, tax advisor, or home inspector.
This disclosure is required by
s. 452.135 of the Wisconsin statutes and is for information only. It is a plain-language summary of a broker's duties to you under section 452.133 (3) of the Wisconsin statutes.
452.135(2)(b)
(b) If a client enters into an agency agreement with a broker to receive brokerage services related to real estate primarily intended for use as a residential property containing one to 4 dwelling units, and the written disclosure statement under
par. (a) is not incorporated into the agency agreement, the broker shall request the client's signed acknowledgment that the client has received a copy of the written disclosure statement.
452.135 Annotation
The `New' Chapter 452: Defining Real Estate Broker Practice. Leibsle. Wis. Law. June 2006.
452.138
452.138
Brokers providing services in more than one transaction. A broker may provide brokerage services simultaneously to more than one party in different transactions unless the broker agrees with a client that the broker is to provide brokerage services only to that client. If the broker and a client agree that the broker is to provide brokerage services only to that client, the agency agreement shall contain a statement of that agreement.
452.138 History
History: 1993 a. 127;
2005 a. 87.
452.138 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
RL 24, Wis. adm. code.
452.139
452.139
Changes in common law duties and liabilities of brokers and parties. 452.139(1)
(1)
Common law duties of broker. The duties of a broker specified in this chapter or in rules promulgated under this chapter shall supersede duties or obligations under common law to the extent that those common law duties or obligations are inconsistent with the duties specified in this chapter or in rules promulgated under this chapter.
452.139(2)(a)(a) A client is not liable for a misrepresentation made by a broker in connection with the broker providing brokerage services, unless the client knows or should have known of the misrepresentation or the broker is repeating a misrepresentation made to him or her by the client.
452.139(2)(b)
(b) A broker who is providing brokerage services to a client and who retains another broker to provide brokerage services to that client is not liable for a misrepresentation made by the other broker, unless the broker knew or should have known of the other broker's misrepresentation or the other broker is repeating a misrepresentation made to him or her by the broker.
452.139(2)(c)
(c) Nothing in this subsection limits the liability of a broker under
s. 452.12 (3) for misrepresentations made by an employee who is a broker. Nothing in this subsection limits the liability of a client for a misrepresentation that the client makes in connection with brokerage services.
452.139 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
RL 24, Wis. adm. code.
452.14
452.14
Investigation and discipline of licensees. 452.14(1)(1) The department shall, upon motion of the board or upon its own determination, conduct investigations and, as appropriate, may hold hearings and make findings, if the department receives credible information that a broker, salesperson or time-share salesperson has violated this chapter or any rule promulgated under this chapter.
452.14(2)
(2) The department shall present the findings of any investigation of a licensee or registrant to the board for its consideration. The department shall upon motion of the board, and may, upon its own determination, commence disciplinary proceedings on any matter under investigation concerning a licensee or registrant. No investigation of a licensee or registrant may be closed without motion of the board.
452.14(3)
(3) Disciplinary proceedings shall be conducted by the board according to rules adopted under
s. 440.03 (1). The board may revoke, suspend or limit any broker's, salesperson's or time-share salesperson's license or registration, or reprimand the holder of the license or registration, if it finds that the holder of the license or registration has:
452.14(3)(a)
(a) Made a material misstatement in the application for a license or registration, or in any information furnished to the board or department;
452.14(3)(b)
(b) Made any substantial misrepresentation with reference to a transaction injurious to a seller or purchaser in which the broker, salesperson or time-share salesperson acts as agent;
452.14(3)(c)
(c) Made any false promises of a character such as to influence, persuade or induce the seller or purchaser to his or her injury or damage;
452.14(3)(d)
(d) Pursued a continued and flagrant course of misrepresentation or made false promises through agents or salespersons or advertising;
452.14(3)(f)
(f) Accepted from any person except the broker's, salesperson's, or time-share salesperson's employer, if the broker, salesperson, or time-share salesperson is employed as a salesperson or time-share salesperson by a broker, a commission or valuable consideration as a salesperson or time-share salesperson for the performance of any act specified in this chapter or as compensation for referring a person to another broker, salesperson, or time-share salesperson or to any other person in connection with a transaction;
452.14(3)(g)
(g) Represented or attempted to represent a broker other than the employer, without the express knowledge and consent of the employer;
452.14(3)(h)
(h) Failed, within a reasonable time, to account for or remit any moneys coming into the broker's, salesperson's or time-share salesperson's possession which belong to another person;
452.14(3)(i)
(i) Demonstrated incompetency to act as a broker, salesperson or time-share salesperson in a manner which safeguards the interests of the public;
452.14(3)(j)
(j) Paid or offered to pay a commission or valuable consideration to any person for acts or services in violation of this chapter;
452.14(3)(jm)
(jm) Intentionally encouraged or discouraged any person from purchasing or renting real estate in a particular area on the basis of race. If the board finds that any broker, salesperson or time-share salesperson has violated this paragraph, the board shall, in addition to any temporary penalty imposed under this subsection, apply the penalty provided in
s. 452.17 (4);
452.14(3)(k)
(k) Been guilty of any other conduct, whether of the same or a different character from that specified herein, which constitutes improper, fraudulent or dishonest dealing;
452.14(3)(n)
(n) Treated any person unequally solely because of sex, race, color, handicap, national origin, ancestry, marital status or lawful source of income.
452.14(4)
(4) If a broker is a business entity it shall be sufficient cause for reprimand or for the limitation, suspension or revocation of a broker's license that any business representative of the business entity, or anyone who has a financial interest in or is in any way connected with the operation of a brokerage business, has been guilty of any act or omission which would be cause for refusing a broker's license to such person as an individual.
452.14(4m)
(4m) In addition to or in lieu of a reprimand, the issuance of a private letter of warning or a revocation, limitation or suspension of a license or certificate of registration under
sub. (3), the board may do any of the following:
452.14(4m)(a)
(a) Assess against a person who is licensed or registered under this chapter a forfeiture of not more than $1,000 for each violation enumerated under
sub. (3).
452.14(4m)(b)
(b) Require a licensee to successfully complete education or training, in addition to any education or training required for licensure or registration or for renewal of a license or certificate under this chapter, as a condition of continued licensure or registration or reinstatement of a license or certificate.
452.14(5)
(5) The department may seek judicial review under
ch. 227 of any final decision of the board. The department shall be represented in such review proceedings by an attorney within the department. Upon request of the board, the attorney general may represent the board. If the attorney general does not represent the board, the board may retain special counsel which shall be paid for out of the appropriation under
s. 20.165 (1) (g).
452.14 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also chs.
RL 15,
16, and
24, Wis. adm. code.
452.14 Annotation
Real estate brokers may engage in guaranteed sales plans if there is full disclosure and the broker does not engage in fraud, misrepresentation, or improper dealing. 61 Atty. Gen. 3.
452.14 Annotation
Provisions in Executive Order 67 (1973), with respect to duty of real estate brokers to advise prospective purchasers of floodplain zoning status of property, do not constitute a new standard but suggest a course of action that the real estate examining board might take. The action to be taken would depend on the facts in each case. 63 Atty. Gen. 236.
452.14 Annotation
Neither s. 440.20, 452.10 (2), 1977 stats., nor the rules of the department of regulation and licensing require the board to hold a hearing when a citizen files a verified complaint with the board requesting institution of disciplinary proceedings against a licensee. 68 Atty. Gen. 30.
452.15
452.15
Ineligibility. No license or certificate of registration may be issued under this chapter to any person whose license or certificate under this chapter has been revoked until the expiration of a period determined in each case by the board or, in the case of revocation under
s. 452.17 (4) (a) 2., a period determined in each case by the board of not less than 5 years from the date the revocation became finally effective.
452.17(1)(1) Any person who engages in or follows the business or occupation of, or advertises or holds himself or herself out as or acts temporarily or otherwise as a broker or salesperson in this state without a license under this chapter shall be prosecuted by the district attorney in the county where the violation occurs or by the attorney general and may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than 6 months or both.
452.17(2)
(2) Any person who engages in or follows the business or occupation of, or advertises or holds himself or herself out as or acts temporarily or otherwise as, a time-share salesperson in this state without being registered with the department shall be prosecuted by the district attorney in the county where the violation occurs and may be fined not less than $25 nor more than $200 or imprisoned not less than 10 days nor more than 6 months or both.
452.17(3)
(3) Any person who otherwise violates any provision of this chapter may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 6 months or both.
452.17(4)(a)1.
1. Shall, for the first offense, suspend the license or registration of the broker, salesperson or time-share salesperson for not less than 90 days.
452.17(4)(a)2.
2. Shall, for the 2nd offense, revoke the license or registration of the broker, salesperson or time-share salesperson.
