[quote author="IrvineRealtor" date=1212669952]Good smell test. It is a violation to post any bonus based on threshold pricing, punishable by the DRE up to and including loss of license and/or financial recourse. There is a self-policing policy much like the "report" function here, flagging inappropriate content.
Inappropriate content can include any number of issues, such as fair housing violations, photo restrictions, and illegal pay structures (as you have mentioned) to name a few.</blockquote>
It's funny, I remember when I had access to the MLS, and then those bastards made it only work with that stupid key code thingy, weenies had to make their "private" database actually <em>private</em>. Anyway, I would notice some of the listings having a bonus/trip/date with TenMagnet, etc., come up one day, and the next day they would be changed to not include that. Some hands were probably slapped. But, they are not supposed to that in any way shape or form, even if it comes out of their proceeds of the commission, disclosed or not.
No offense to IR2, but any agent who has offered or received any of these bonuses could and should lose their license and be hit with a hefty fine. It's too bad the DRE was too busy getting people licensed rather than get people to lose their license. I have stories of kickbacks that would make even IR2 want to go IR1 on those agents. If the rules were 25% as strict as the securities license like series 6 or 7, then 1. very few of the agents would ever pass 2. they would so scared to lose their license because A. it was so hard to get B. the chances to lose it would be 1000 times higher C. they would hate to suffer a minimum fine of $5k for the smallest of things D. never being able to get it or any other license from selling tacos to homes would be difficult at best , if not impossible 3. actually have to have a fiduciary duty. Granted, there still would be some bad apples, but not baskets full. Good thing IR2 didn't land in the basket.