Real Estate Maryland-Real-Estate-Salesperson Maryland Real Estate Salesperson Examination Exam Practice Test

Once a contract is ratified, buyers who need a loan must promptly submit a written loan application and provide required documentation so the lender can process, underwrite, and issue a loan commitment within the time frames stated in the contract and financing addenda. This step triggers required disclosures, appraisal ordering (when applicable), and rate/lock options; delays can jeopardize financing contingencies and settlement timelines.

Property taxes collected by local jurisdictions in Maryland support essential public services such as schools, police and fire departments, infrastructure maintenance, libraries, and sanitation. The revenue forms the primary funding source for county and municipal budgets. These taxes do not automatically determine future tax rates; rather, they sustain ongoing community operations and improvements.

In Maryland pre-licensing, licensees are taught to help buyers—especially first-time purchasers or those with recent credit challenges—understand appropriate, suitable financing options (fixed vs. adjustable rates, government-backed loans, down payment assistance, points, APR, mortgage insurance, qualifying ratios), and to avoid steering to high-risk or predatory products. This aligns with consumer-protection principles, agency duties, and federal disclosure frameworks (TILA/RESPA) covered in the financing module.

The course’s antitrust section explains that Sherman Act criminal penalties can reach up to $100 million for corporations and up to $1 million for individuals, plus possible imprisonment for individuals. Real estate examples include price-fixing, market allocation, group boycotts, and tying arrangements—all prohibited.

A package loan (package mortgage) finances both real property and personal property (chattels) together in a single loan—common with new homes that include appliances or furnishings. A blanket loan covers multiple parcels; a wrap-around is junior financing that “wraps” an existing loan; “security” is not a loan type but a general concept.

Agency may be created expressly (by written or oral agreement) or by implication through the conduct of the parties. When a licensee and consumer act as though an agency relationship exists—advice, advocacy, and services consistent with representation—without a signed agreement, this is implied agency. Maryland emphasizes avoiding unintended implied agency by using timely written agreements and required disclosures.

In a seller-agency relationship, the agent owes the client (seller) fiduciary duties, which include loyalty, obedience (lawful instructions), disclosure, confidentiality, accounting, and reasonable care. Practical responsibilities include advising the seller on pricing and marketing strategy, actively marketing the property, presenting offers, and negotiating in the seller’s best interests. Duties owed to buyers (customers) are limited to honesty and disclosure of material facts, not advocacy. Therefore, “Market and sell the property” reflects the seller’s agent’s core duty; negotiating for the buyer or representing the buyer would conflict with loyalty to the seller unless properly disclosed and permitted as dual agency under Maryland law.

Courts commonly consider (1) method of attachment (annexation), (2) adaptation to the property’s use, and (3) agreement of the parties to determine whether an item is a fixture (real property) or personal property. “Acknowledgement,” “accessory,” and “reimbursement” are not part of the legal fixture tests.

Under the Protection of Homeowners in Foreclosure Act (PHIFA), Maryland provides enhanced civil remedies to consumers harmed by foreclosure consultants’ unlawful practices. For intentional (willful) violations, a consumer who brings a private action may recover treble (three times) the actual damages, along with reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. This heightened remedy is designed to deter predatory conduct in distressed-homeowner contexts and is taught in the Maryland pre-licensing course under the state-specific consumer protection and license law sections.

Maryland’s Fair Housing Law (State Government Article, Title 20, Subtitle 7) expands on the federal Fair Housing Act by adding additional protected categories: marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and source of income. This means licensees cannot discriminate in the sale, rental, or financing of housing based on these traits. The course emphasizes that local jurisdictions (e.g., Baltimore City, Montgomery County) may have even broader protections.

In Maryland, a redeemable ground rent (ground lease) allows the leasehold tenant to redeem (buy out) the ground rent by paying the statutory redemption amount to the ground rent holder, typically with advance written notice (often 30 days) after a minimum period has elapsed. An irredeemable ground rent cannot be bought out by the tenant. The question’s facts—15 years of payments and the tenant giving 30 days’ notice to buy out—match the characteristics of a redeemable ground lease.

Licensees owe duties of honesty, good faith, and disclosure of material facts. A planned freeway immediately behind the property is a material fact affecting value and desirability and must be disclosed to prospective buyers. If a seller instructs the agent to conceal material facts, the agent must refuse to withhold such information; if the seller insists, the appropriate course is to decline or terminate the listing rather than participate in misrepresentation.

Option C shows conflicting promises to the client; the correct ethical and legal approach is to require disclosure as a condition of representation (Option D).

The Statute of Frauds requires that certain contracts—including those for the sale or transfer of real property—be in writing and include:

The names of the parties,

Identification of the property, and

The essential terms and conditions (such as price and contingencies).This ensures the agreement is legally enforceable in court.

Under Maryland Real Estate Brokers Act §17-530 and COMAR 09.11.02.08, dual agency is permitted only when informed, written consent is obtained from both buyer and seller. When licensees operate as part of a team, the broker (or office manager acting as the broker’s designee) may appoint intra-company agents (ICAs) from within that team to represent each party.

The broker or manager then acts as the dual agent, overseeing both sides without providing direct representation to either. This structure preserves confidentiality and compliance with Maryland’s agency disclosure requirements.

When personal property (chattel) is physically attached to real property in such a way that it becomes part of the real estate, it becomes a fixture. Fixtures transfer with the property upon sale unless specifically excluded in the contract. The determination depends on attachment, adaptation, and intent. Maryland’s course addresses fixtures under “Real Property and the Law,” emphasizing how they affect ownership and conveyance.

A reference to a recorded plat (lot and block system) is a form of legal description, an essential element that precisely identifies the property being conveyed. Consideration is the value exchanged; the granting clause (words of conveyance) shows intent to transfer; the habendum clause defines the estate being granted (e.g., “to have and to hold…”).

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), enacted in 1980 and commonly known as “Superfund,” authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to identify and clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances.

CERCLA also establishes liability for potentially responsible parties (PRPs)—including current and past owners, operators, and those who arranged for disposal of hazardous substances.

Maryland’s pre-licensing course covers CERCLA as a federal regulation that affects real estate transactions involving contaminated properties, as buyers and sellers must be aware of any cleanup responsibilities before transfer.

A short sale occurs when the lender agrees to accept less than the total amount owed on the mortgage to release its lien so that the property can be sold.

The lender must approve the sale before closing.

This typically happens when the market value of the property is less than the outstanding loan balance, but foreclosure is avoided.

In the pre-licensing course, short sales are discussed under Financing and Foreclosure Alternatives, highlighting licensees’ duties to disclose the short-sale status to buyers and comply with lender requirements.

Reference (Maryland Source):

– Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices Course, Financing and Foreclosure Alternatives section.

– Maryland Real Property Article §7-105.1 (Mortgage Default Remedies).

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that results from the decay of uranium found in soil, rock, and groundwater. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless and can accumulate in enclosed spaces, such as basements and homes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies radon exposure as a leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers.

In Maryland, the pre-licensing course emphasizes that while radon testing is not mandatory, sellers and licensees have a duty to disclose known environmental hazards to buyers.

The escrow agent (often the broker, title company, or attorney) is the fiduciary who receives and holds trust money in a regulated escrow account until contract terms are fulfilled. In Maryland, the broker is responsible for maintaining escrow records and depositing all trust money promptly in accordance with COMAR 09.11.02.19. “Escrow master” and “mortgage agent” are not legal titles under Maryland law, and “special agent” refers to the agency relationship, not handling of funds.

A license is a personal, revocable privilege to perform some act on another person’s land without any possessory right or ownership interest. Unlike an easement, a license does not transfer with the land and can be revoked at any time by the licensor. Examples include permission to hunt, park, or attend an event on private property.

In Maryland’s pre-licensing course, this concept is taught under “Interests in Real Estate” as a type of encumbrance that affects property use but not ownership.

Severance is the act of detaching an item that was part of the realty, thereby converting it into personal property (e.g., removing a built-in fixture). Annexation is the opposite—attaching personal property so it becomes real property (a fixture). Emblements are annual crops treated as personal property by definition, not by a transformation act. A sale does not change the classification of items; it only transfers whatever is included (real or personal) as specified.

Under Maryland law, agency relationships are determined by who the licensee represents, not by who pays the compensation.

Even though the buyer’s agent may receive payment from the listing broker via a cooperative compensation (often shared through the MLS), that payment does not make the buyer’s agent an agent of the seller.

The licensee’s fiduciary duties—loyalty, confidentiality, disclosure, obedience, reasonable care, and accounting—belong solely to the buyer, the client under the brokerage agreement.

This principle is detailed under the Maryland Agency Law section of the pre-licensing course.

Reference (Maryland Source):

– Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices Course, Law of Agency module.

– Business Occupations and Professions Article §17-530 through §17-534.

– COMAR 09.11.07.01 – Disclosure of Agency Relationships.

Under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC §168), depreciation is a method for recovering the cost of income-producing property over time.

Residential income-producing properties (such as apartment buildings) are depreciated over 27.5 years.

Commercial income-producing properties (such as office buildings) are depreciated over 39 years.These timelines are based on the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) used for tax purposes.This concept is included in the Maryland Pre-Licensing Course within the Appraisal and Valuation section, to ensure licensees understand property valuation and investment considerations.

The course’s antitrust module identifies group boycotts as agreements among competitors to refuse to deal with a particular person or firm, thereby restraining trade. By contrast:

Option B describes a tying arrangement;

Option C is market allocation;

A lot-and-block legal description identifies land within a recorded subdivision plat, referencing a specific lot number, block number, map book, and page filed with the county recorder. It’s the most common method for urban and suburban properties in Maryland.

Choices B and D represent metes-and-bounds and rectangular survey systems, respectively; A is simply a street address.

Maryland’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for real estate licensees is promulgated in COMAR (Code of Maryland Regulations) under the real estate subtitle, but enforcement rests with the Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC). The Commission investigates complaints and may impose sanctions (education, fines, suspension, revocation) for violations. REALTOR® associations enforce the NAR Code of Ethics, which is separate and contractual to membership, not the state’s legal code.

Once a building permit is issued, the local building department monitors the construction process through inspections at key stages (foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, final).

The purpose of these inspections is to ensure that work complies with state and local building codes and safety standards.

Maryland’s pre-licensing course explains that certified building inspectors—not peers or the builder—conduct these inspections.

Only after passing all required inspections will the department issue a certificate of occupancy (CO) confirming code compliance and permitting lawful use of the structure.

Maryland practice (as taught in pre-licensing) recognizes a customary 50/50 split of transfer and recordation taxes between buyer and seller, subject to local custom and negotiation. Parties may allocate differently in the contract, and some jurisdictions have varying defaults; however, exam-prep materials present 50/50 as the standard custom unless otherwise agreed.

Under the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (Title X) and the Maryland Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, sellers and landlords of housing built before 1978 must:

Provide the EPA-approved pamphlet on lead hazards.

Disclose known lead-based paint or hazards and supply any available records.

Allow buyers a 10-day inspection period (unless waived).

A licensee’s duty is to ensure that the sellers comply with these disclosure requirements and to remind them to deliver the proper forms and pamphlet.

The licensee is not responsible for testing or remediation but must ensure all disclosures are completed prior to ratification of the contract.

Reference (Maryland Source):

– Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course, Environmental Issues and Disclosures section.

– 42 U.S.C. §4852d (Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act).

– COMAR 26.16.02 (Maryland Lead Poisoning Prevention Program).

In dual agency (and Maryland’s intra-company/dual agency framework), an agent cannot provide undivided loyalty to both clients in the same transaction. Maryland requires written, informed consent and limits the fiduciary duty of loyalty because representing opposing interests precludes undivided advocacy. The agent still owes honesty, disclosure of material facts, reasonable skill and care, and confidentiality (within statutory limits), but undivided loyalty is expressly curtailed in dual agency.

An exclusive right-to-sell listing (and other listing forms) is an employment contract between the seller and the listing brokerage (through the broker). The buyer is not a party to the listing agreement. In this scenario, the parties are Guy (the seller) and Sara (the listing broker/brokerage).

The standard net-to-seller calculation is:

Net to seller = Sales price × (100% − commission rate) − closing costs.

Thus, the missing element is Sales price. (Commission is calculated on the sales price, then other seller-paid closing costs are subtracted to arrive at net.)

In the “Real Property and the Law” segment, the course distinguishes between real property (land, improvements, and appurtenances) and personal property (movable items not affixed to land). Emblements—also called fructus industriales—are annually cultivated crops (e.g., corn, wheat, vegetables) produced through tenant labor and industry. These are treated as personal property belonging to the person who planted them, typically the tenant, even if the crops mature after the tenancy ends. By contrast, fructus naturales (e.g., trees, shrubs, perennial plants) are part of the land and therefore real property until severed.

References (Course Outline/Study Topics): Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate — “Real Property and the Law” (Real vs. personal property; fructus industriales/emblements vs. fructus naturales).

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) accepts complaints related to false, misleading, or deceptive advertising practices and can investigate, mediate, or forward concerns to regulatory agencies.

The Maryland pre-licensing course advises licensees that maintaining truthful and transparent advertising is an ethical and legal requirement under both Maryland Real Estate Commission regulations and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules.

Consumers may also contact the Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC) for license law violations, but general deceptive ad complaints typically begin with the BBB.

Reference (Maryland Source):

– Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices Course, Ethical Advertising and Consumer Protection section.

– COMAR 09.11.02.01 – Ethical Standards of Advertising.

– Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. §45.

A life tenant holds possession for the duration of a measured life but must maintain the property and preserve its value for the remainderman or reversionary owner.

When the life tenant damages, neglects, or depletes the property, that conduct is termed an act of waste.

The future interest holder may take legal action to stop such waste.

The concept appears under “Interests in Real Estate” when describing life estates and their limitations.

Reference (Maryland Source):

– Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course, Estates in Land chapter.

– Maryland Real Property Article §14-101 et seq.

For pre-1978 residential housing, federal law (Title X) requires the lead-based paint disclosure, EPA pamphlet delivery, and an opportunity for a lead assessment. This is a material, mandatory disclosure. Medical history of prior occupants (e.g., HIV, Ebola) is not disclosed and implicates fair housing and privacy. Number of prior owners is not a material defect by itself.

Maryland agency law requires fiduciary duties to each client—loyalty, confidentiality, disclosure, obedience, reasonable care—but it does not prohibit a licensee from showing the same property to multiple buyer clients. A licensee must avoid disclosing one client’s confidential information (e.g., willingness to pay more) and provide fair, diligent service to each, but there is no exclusivity right entitling a buyer to first refusal unless contractually agreed. Therefore, no violation occurred when Renae showed the property to more than one client.

Misrepresentation occurs when a licensee omits or falsifies a material fact or makes false, deceptive, or misleading statements in advertising or communications. In Maryland, misrepresentation is a violation under §17-322(a)(1) and COMAR 09.11.02.01 (Advertising). A material fact is any information that could influence a consumer’s decision in a real-estate transaction. Intentional misrepresentation may also lead to civil liability for fraud.

Maryland’s Real Estate Agency Law (§17-530, Business Occupations and Professions Article) mandates that written agency disclosure be provided to all parties in any residential lease transaction exceeding 90 days.

This ensures transparency in representation and prevents misunderstandings regarding whom the licensee represents in the transaction.

The disclosure must occur no later than the first scheduled face-to-face meeting with the prospective tenant or landlord.

An encumbrance is any claim, charge, or liability attached to real property that burdens the title or limits use, including monetary interests (e.g., liens, such as mortgages, tax liens, mechanic’s liens) and non-monetary/physical interests (e.g., easements, encroachments, deed restrictions). Encumbrances do not necessarily prevent transfer, but they run with the land and affect marketability.

When a life estate is measured by the life of a life tenant (Jacob) and the grantor (Janice) specifies that, upon the life tenant’s death, the property passes to a third party, that third party holds a remainder interest (a present, non-possessory future interest). If the property were set to return to the grantor instead, the grantor would hold a reversionary interest.

The principle of regression states that a property of higher value may decrease in worth when located near or among lower-quality properties. Conversely, the principle of progression means a lower-valued property can gain value by proximity to higher-quality ones.

This concept is emphasized in the Maryland pre-licensing module “Real Estate Appraisal and Valuation” to explain how neighborhood characteristics influence market value.

A legal description uniquely identifies a parcel of real estate so it can be distinguished from every other property.

In Maryland, contracts and deeds must contain a valid legal description, such as:

Metes and bounds,

Lot and block, or

Rectangular survey (government survey).This ensures the transfer is legally enforceable and leaves no ambiguity about what property is being conveyed.Without a legal description, a real estate contract or deed may be deemed invalid or unenforceable in court.

A legal description precisely identifies a parcel of real estate so it can be uniquely located and distinguished from other property. In Maryland, deeds typically include one of several accepted types of legal descriptions: metes and bounds, lot and block, or rectangular survey (where applicable).

Metes and bounds describe the property boundaries using directions, distances, and reference points (monuments).

This ensures that the property can be clearly identified for conveyance and recording purposes.

Items such as the county clerk’s name, developer name, or title abstract are not part of the deed’s legal description.

A home inspection is a professional, non-invasive evaluation of the property’s physical condition (systems and components) to inform buyers about defects and needed repairs. It is not an appraisal (value) and doesn’t set list price; while it can reveal “red flags,” its primary purpose is to provide the buyer an accurate picture of condition to inform negotiations and contingency decisions.

The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) is the state agency responsible for enforcing fair housing laws within Maryland.

Under the Maryland Fair Housing Act (found in Title 20 of the State Government Article), the MCCR investigates complaints of discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability.

The MCCR’s duties include:

Receiving and investigating housing discrimination complaints.

Attempting conciliation between parties when possible.

Referring cases to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) when they fall under federal jurisdiction.

Enforcing penalties and ensuring compliance with both state and federal fair housing standards.

In the Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course, this information is covered under the “Maryland Fair Housing and Ethics Requirements” module, emphasizing that licensees must understand and comply with both federal Fair Housing Act provisions and Maryland’s additional protected classes enforced by the MCCR.

Reference (Maryland Source):

Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course – “Maryland Fair Housing and Ethics Requirements” Module

Annotated Code of Maryland, State Government Article, Title 20 – Human Relations, §§ 20-701 to 20-711 (Maryland Fair Housing Act).

Under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, an investor may defer recognition of capital gains taxes by exchanging one investment or business property for another of like kind.

This is known as a 1031 tax-deferred exchange.

The Maryland pre-licensing course covers this as a financing and investment concept, explaining that it defers, not eliminates, the tax obligation and that investors must comply with strict timelines and rules set by the IRS.

Licensees should avoid offering tax advice but can inform clients of the potential to explore this option with a qualified tax professional or attorney.

Reference (Maryland Source):

– Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices Course, Investment and Taxation Concepts section.

– Internal Revenue Code §1031 (Like-Kind Exchanges).

Within “Real Estate Brokerage Operations” (advertising and solicitation compliance), the course emphasizes federal rules governing outreach to consumers:

The Do Not Call Implementation Act (and related FTC/FCC rules) regulates telemarketing, requiring scrubbing against the National Do Not Call Registry, time-of-day restrictions, identification requirements, and record-keeping.

The CAN-SPAM Act governs commercial email, requiring accurate header information, a truthful subject line, clear identification as an advertisement (where applicable), a clear opt-out mechanism, and honoring opt-out requests promptly.

The Junk Fax Prevention Act (amending the TCPA) restricts unsolicited fax advertisements, allowing them only under specific conditions (e.g., established business relationship, proper opt-out notice).

These are the primary federal solicitation rules covered for prospecting; antitrust and fair housing laws are also taught but address different risk areas (competition and discrimination, respectively) rather than direct telemarketing/email/fax solicitation mechanics.

References (Course Outline/Study Topics):

Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course — “Real Estate Brokerage Operations” (Advertising & Solicitation Compliance: Do Not Call rules, CAN-SPAM, Junk Fax Prevention Act; distinctions from antitrust and fair housing requirements).

For a valid conveyance by deed, in addition to other deed validity requirements (competent grantor, identifiable grantee, granting clause, adequate description, consideration recited, execution, etc.), there must be “delivery and acceptance”. Delivery by the grantor and acceptance by the grantee are the operative acts that pass title. An exchange of money is not required to effect the legal transfer (consideration may be nominal and need not be physically exchanged at that moment). Judicial validation is not a standard requirement for voluntary conveyances.

Informed consent is a legal requirement under Maryland Agency Law when a brokerage represents both a buyer and a seller in the same real estate transaction (dual agency).

In this arrangement, the broker acts as the dual agent, while separate intra-company agents may represent each party.

The client must receive full disclosure of the potential conflicts of interest and consent in writing before dual agency can occur.

Without informed, written consent, dual agency is prohibited under Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC) regulations.

In Maryland practice, standard residential contracts (e.g., the Maryland REALTORS® Residential Contract of Sale) require parties to initial and date each page. This page-by-page acknowledgment demonstrates that both buyer and seller reviewed and consented to the specific terms on every page, reducing disputes over omitted or altered provisions. Final signatures execute the agreement, but initials and dates on each page evidence assent to the entire document as presented.

The Maryland pre-licensing course explains that the Maryland Real Estate Guaranty Fund is designed to compensate members of the public who suffer actual financial loss due to certain acts or omissions of Maryland licensees in the provision of real estate brokerage services. Claims must be based on verifiable monetary damages; non-economic harms such as embarrassment, inconvenience, or pain and suffering are not compensable under the Fund. The course also outlines claimant eligibility and procedural requirements established in Title 17 (Real Estate Brokers) of the Maryland Business Occupations and Professions Article.

In real estate, positive (affirmative) misrepresentation occurs when a licensee makes an affirmative statement of fact that is false. When the statement is knowingly false and causes reliance and harm, it rises to fraudulent misrepresentation—but it is still a positive (affirmative) misrepresentation because it is an overt, false assertion (as opposed to concealment/nondisclosure, sometimes called passive misrepresentation).

Option A describes an affirmative false statement that causes harm (i.e., a classic example of positive misrepresentation; intent makes it fraudulent).

Options B and C describe innocent/negligent errors but don’t clearly state an affirmative false statement of material fact.

Option D confuses “positive” with “beneficial outcome,” which is not what the term means.

References (Maryland Pre-Licensing Core Content):

Maryland 60-Hour Course: “Real Estate Brokerage and the Law of Agency” (truthful dealing; material facts; affirmative vs. passive misrepresentation; fraudulent vs. negligent vs. innocent misrepresentation).

COMAR 09.11.02 (standards of practice: honesty, fair dealing, and prohibition against misrepresentation).

Fair housing education emphasizes that inclusive, diverse neighborhoods support opportunity, stability, and equity—values aligned with the federal Fair Housing Act and Maryland fair housing objectives. In pre-licensing training, learners are taught that promoting diversity (and avoiding steering, blockbusting, or discriminatory practices) is both an ethical obligation and a legal requirement.

Maryland law requires licensees to present and explain the statutory agency disclosure—commonly titled “Understanding Whom Real Estate Agents Represent”—at the first scheduled face-to-face meeting with a prospective party. This disclosure explains the types of agency relationships available in Maryland (seller/landlord representation, buyer/tenant representation, and dual agency with possible intra-company agents) and clarifies whom the licensee represents. This requirement is part of Maryland’s agency framework and consumer-protection emphasis in the pre-licensing curriculum.

The course states that an exclusive right-to-sell listing is a brokerage employment agreement between the seller and the listing brokerage (through the authorized broker), not with the buyer. The listing contract authorizes the brokerage to market the property and earn compensation upon a sale during the listing term, regardless of who procures the buyer. Therefore, the parties are the seller (Chuck) and the listing brokerage (Nevin’s brokerage).

Maryland permits dual agency only under strict disclosure and consent rules (typically implemented as intra-company agency, where a broker designates separate intra-company agents for each party). Written, informed consent from both parties must be obtained before the licensee(s) act in a dual/intra-company capacity for a specific transaction and, in any event, prior to the parties entering into a contract. Maryland uses a MREC-prescribed Consent for Dual Agency disclosure form for this purpose. Early disclosure is encouraged at the formation of the brokerage relationship, but transaction-specific informed consent must be secured before contract.

References (Maryland Sources / Pre-Licensing Core Content):

Maryland Business Occupations and Professions Article, Title 17 (Real Estate Brokers Act) — agency disclosures; dual/intra-company agency framework; written informed consent requirements.

MREC forms/guidance: Consent for Dual Agency (transaction-specific written consent).

Maryland 60-Hour Pre-Licensing Course: “Maryland Agency Law” (dual agency; intra-company agency; timing and form of consent).

Maryland license law allows the earnest-money deposit (good-faith deposit) to be paid in cash, certified funds, or personal check, provided the terms are disclosed in the sales contract. A post-dated check or promissory note is not considered “good funds” unless all parties agree in writing. Verbal assurances never satisfy the deposit requirement. The broker must promptly deposit the funds in a designated trust (escrow) account.

In the “Math for Real Estate and Practical Applications” portion, area and measurement conversions are foundational. An acre is defined as 43,560 square feet. Option B (“43,560 feet”) is incorrect because it omits the necessary square unit. The course emphasizes accurate units and conversions for calculations involving land area, price-per-square-foot/acre, and legal descriptions.

References (Course Outline/Study Topics): Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate — “Math for Real Estate” (Area/acre conversions; unit accuracy).

A key tax advantage of owning income-producing real property is depreciation, which allows investors to deduct a portion of the property’s cost basis (excluding land) over its useful life for tax purposes. This non-cash expense can shelter rental income and reduce taxable income. By contrast, insurance expenses and transfer taxes are ordinary expenses/costs (not advantages), and taxable gains are a potential liability upon disposition, not a benefit.

Amortization is the process of systematically paying down a loan balance over time through periodic payments that cover interest and principal, according to an amortization schedule.

Installment refers to a single periodic payment, not the full process.

Loan is the debt itself.

Mortgage is the security instrument (lien) that pledges property as collateral for the loan.

References (Maryland Pre-Licensing Core Content):

Maryland 60-Hour Course: “Real Estate Financing” (amortization schedules; principal vs. interest; fully vs. partially amortized loans).

Basic finance terminology as standardized across pre-licensing materials.