Texas Real Estate Commission rules govern the activities of your unlicensed assistants. Here are five areas where your unlicensed assistants can get in trouble.

Showing Property

A license is required to show property for sale or lease. An unlicensed assistant isn’t allowed to host an open house or unlock the door for a client if you’re running late.

Suggesting Properties

You can hire an unlicensed person to answer phones for your brokerage. After first identifying himself or herself as being unlicensed, that person may then confirm advertised details about a listing, such as whether a specific property is still available. For example, if a potential buyer calls about a property that’s no longer on the market, the unlicensed assistant must refer the caller to you, the license holder, to discuss other properties that might meet his criteria.

If you have your unlicensed assistant gather personal information from consumers who contact you, make sure any questions the assistant asks do not veer into soliciting or negotiating for services where a license is required.

Soliciting Business

An unlicensed person may call a seller client to schedule showings; however, he or she cannot call prospects to solicit business, such as finding tenants or buyers for a property.

Advising Agents

An unlicensed office manager may train and motivate agents. But that person can’t supervise or direct agents in their work on real estate matters.

Accepting Rent

A license is required for any person who controls the acceptance or deposit of rent from a resident of a single-family residential property.