{"id":23122,"date":"2024-01-05T16:18:15","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T16:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/?p=23122"},"modified":"2024-01-05T16:18:16","modified_gmt":"2024-01-05T16:18:16","slug":"can-you-change-that-contract","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Change That Contract?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s easier than you\u2019d expect to get tangled in the unauthorized practice of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a 2017 Wyoming case, a real estate agent was found to have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law for merely removing inapplicable provisions of a state association\u2019s form. As evidenced in this case, and depending on state law, even minor modifications to a form agreement may constitute the unauthorized practice of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What exactly constitutes the unauthorized practice of law varies from state to state. Some states even have specific statutes governing what actions real estate agents may undertake during transactions. It\u2019s crucial for real estate professionals to be familiar with their state\u2019s laws, and applicable rules and regulations, in order to avoid crossing the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And beyond state law, Article 13 of the REALTORS\u00ae Code of Ethics prohibits the unauthorized practice of law and specifically requires NAR members to recommend using legal counsel when the interests of any party to the transaction require it. REALTORS\u00ae should be aware of this ethical obligation when navigating their way through this issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect yourself by incorporating a few key practices into your business. These practices will help you avoid inadvertently participating in the un-authorized practice of law and ending up with either an ethics violation or a lawsuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Draft, Edit, or Interpret<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

First, never create your own legal agreements for clients. Instead, use the form agreements provided by state and local REALTOR\u00ae associations. These forms are often provided as a member benefit, such as through NAR\u2019s partnership with zipLogix<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, even when using a form agreement, be sure to avoid editing the agreement in a substantive way. Limit your editing to filling in nonlegal, factual provisions of the agreement, such as names, dates, locations, and party descriptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should a transaction require edits beyond just filling in factual information, refer clients to a real estate attorney. This is not only your ethical obligation as a REALTOR\u00ae, but taking any substantive edits upon yourself could constitute the unauthorized practice of law. If changes are required, you may be able to tap into resources available through your broker. It\u2019s possible a broker may already have had frequently requested clauses or provisions drafted by legal counsel, which may be useful in certain cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third, don\u2019t charge a fee for preparing any of the legal agreements or forms. Numerous states have found that preparing legal documents constitutes the unauthorized practice of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And finally, don\u2019t try to interpret legal contract language. The policy reasons behind the unauthorized practice of law are clear. Prior to providing legal advice, individuals must meet a number of requirements, including graduating from law school, passing the state bar exam, and obtaining a license to practice law. These requirements ensure that only people with sufficient knowledge and skills may represent the public in legal matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protecting You\u2014and Your Clients<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As transactions become more complex, it\u2019s not uncommon for clients to ask real estate practitioners to interpret a contract. Resist the temptation. The best answer, and the ethical obligation under the Code of Ethics, is to direct clients to an attorney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a lot at stake: The unauthorized practice of law can result in fines, suspension, and even revocation of your license. Help your clients by recommending they consult an attorney in appropriate circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By following these tips, you\u2019re not only helping protect yourself against potential legal and ethical trouble but also best serving your clients by encouraging them to get the assistance of a legal expert for the advice they need to complete a successful transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a9National Association of REALTORS\u00ae
Reprinted with permission<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s easier than you\u2019d expect to get tangled in the unauthorized practice of law. In a 2017 Wyoming case, a real estate agent was found to have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law for merely removing inapplicable provisions of a state association\u2019s form. As evidenced in this case, and depending on state law, even … <\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,8],"tags":[5,32,4,9],"class_list":["post-23122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-real-estate-tips","tag-anthony-didonato","tag-news","tag-real-estate","tag-tips","item-wrap"],"yoast_head":"\nCan You Change That Contract? - Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/can-you-change-that-contract\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/can-you-change-that-contract\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908\"},\"headline\":\"Can You Change That Contract?\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-05T16:18:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-01-05T16:18:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/can-you-change-that-contract\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":614,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908\"},\"keywords\":[\"Anthony DiDonato\",\"News\",\"Real Estate\",\"tips\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\",\"Real Estate Tips\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/can-you-change-that-contract\\\/\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/can-you-change-that-contract\\\/\",\"name\":\"Can You Change That Contract? - Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-05T16:18:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-01-05T16:18:16+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/can-you-change-that-contract\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/can-you-change-that-contract\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/can-you-change-that-contract\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Can You Change That Contract?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/\",\"name\":\"Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania\",\"description\":\"Properties and Real Estate for Sale\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/anthony-110x150.jpg\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/anthony-110x150.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/anthony-110x150.jpg\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/anthony-110x150.jpg\"},\"description\":\"For all of your Real Estate needs, place yourself in the competent hands of a career Realtor who is a Philadelphia native and Delaware County resident. Skilled, smart and enthusiastic about his work and his life, Anthony DiDonato has the appealing combination of business sense and people skills gives him an edge in an industry that demands both. Educated at Drexel University with a dual major in accounting and finance and minors in management and psychology Anthony DiDonato offers over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. He has been a real estate investor since 1985 and a member of H.A.P.C.O. (Landlord Association). He became a licensed Realtor in 1992 and a member of the Local, Pennsylvania and National Associations of Realtors. Anthony DiDonato is also a member of the Computerized Multiple Listings, (MLS) and Internet Marketing Programs. In 1997 Anthony DiDonato became Century 21 All-Elite, Inc. Corporate Secretary. Anthony DiDonato believes in taking his profession to the highest level of quality service. He is known for finding that \u201cperfect\u201d property in Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania for his buyers and helping his sellers prepare their properties so they sell quickly and efficiently. When it comes time to negotiate the terms of a contract, Anthony DiDonato has the knowledge, experience, and professionalism applied to meeting \u2013 or exceeding \u2013 his clients\u2019 expectations. His service to his clients is second to none. His honesty and integrity have been his claim to fame. For Superior Real Estate Representation in the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania\u2026 call Anthony DiDonato.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\"],\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.anthonydidonato.net\\\/wordpress\\\/author\\\/admin\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Can You Change That Contract? - Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#\/schema\/person\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908"},"headline":"Can You Change That Contract?","datePublished":"2024-01-05T16:18:15+00:00","dateModified":"2024-01-05T16:18:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/"},"wordCount":614,"publisher":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#\/schema\/person\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908"},"keywords":["Anthony DiDonato","News","Real Estate","tips"],"articleSection":["News","Real Estate Tips"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/","url":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/","name":"Can You Change That Contract? - Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#website"},"datePublished":"2024-01-05T16:18:15+00:00","dateModified":"2024-01-05T16:18:16+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/can-you-change-that-contract\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Can You Change That Contract?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#website","url":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/","name":"Real Estate Agent and Sales in PA - Anthony DiDonato Broomall, Media, Delaware County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania","description":"Properties and Real Estate for Sale","publisher":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#\/schema\/person\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/#\/schema\/person\/964792b6994e8cc4cbddc36ad4824908","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/anthony-110x150.jpg","url":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/anthony-110x150.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/anthony-110x150.jpg","caption":"admin"},"logo":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/anthony-110x150.jpg"},"description":"For all of your Real Estate needs, place yourself in the competent hands of a career Realtor who is a Philadelphia native and Delaware County resident. Skilled, smart and enthusiastic about his work and his life, Anthony DiDonato has the appealing combination of business sense and people skills gives him an edge in an industry that demands both. Educated at Drexel University with a dual major in accounting and finance and minors in management and psychology Anthony DiDonato offers over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. He has been a real estate investor since 1985 and a member of H.A.P.C.O. (Landlord Association). He became a licensed Realtor in 1992 and a member of the Local, Pennsylvania and National Associations of Realtors. Anthony DiDonato is also a member of the Computerized Multiple Listings, (MLS) and Internet Marketing Programs. In 1997 Anthony DiDonato became Century 21 All-Elite, Inc. Corporate Secretary. Anthony DiDonato believes in taking his profession to the highest level of quality service. He is known for finding that \u201cperfect\u201d property in Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania for his buyers and helping his sellers prepare their properties so they sell quickly and efficiently. When it comes time to negotiate the terms of a contract, Anthony DiDonato has the knowledge, experience, and professionalism applied to meeting \u2013 or exceeding \u2013 his clients\u2019 expectations. His service to his clients is second to none. His honesty and integrity have been his claim to fame. For Superior Real Estate Representation in the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania\u2026 call Anthony DiDonato.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net"],"url":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23122"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23122\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}