S.E.I BROKERS is a real estate brokerage licensed by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC). As an innovative real estate brokerage, we are committed to the highest standards of professionalism and service in order to achieve the highest level of customers’ satisfaction. Our policy and procedure manual outlines key issues important for our Licensees operation, however, it is important that you use your professional judgment and education you have obtained. Licensees of S.E.I BROKERS are not employees of the company and are considered independent contractors, bound by an independent contractor agreement signed with S.E.I BROKERS which clearly outlines the relationship between Licensees and S.E.I BROKERS. As a Licensee, you are under the direction of a broker as results of the work, but not by the methods by which results are accomplished. Please use this document as a reference on how to conduct your daily business as the Company’s Licensee.

Company Philosophy

S.E.I BROKERS thrives to provide excellent service to our clients while constantly improving the professional skills and ethics of our employees and Licensees. We are dedicated to offering our clients the highest level of customer service, in order to create a brand associated with pure excellence.

Licensees are required to hold and maintain a valid Real Estate salesperson license or broker license, in good standing, for as long as Licensee is under independent contractor agreement with S.E.I BROKERS. If there is any change in your license status, such as expiration, revocation or suspension, you may not engage in any activity on behalf of S.E.I BROKERS. It is Licensee’s sole responsibility to comply with Florida’s Real Estate Commission’s education requirements.

As an independent contractor you may work from home, personal office or any other place of your choice. However, you are responsible for storing all transaction documents in a safe place with a lock and to be able to present them at the Broker’s request within 24 hours.

You must be accessible at the contact number and email address you provided to Broker, and respond no later than 24 hours after receipt of an email or voice message from the Broker. You do not have an employee employer relationship with S.E.I BROKERS. You are considered an independent contractor for all purposes. Except where it is otherwise expressly agreed in writing with the company, either party may terminate their association at any time with or without cause or reason. Broker maintains the absolute rights to transfer, demote, suspend and administer independent contractor discipline at any time, for any reason.

You are advised, however, that any violation of the following could be cause for immediate termination of your association:

S.E.I BROKERS Policy and Procedure Manual

S.E.I BROKERS is committed to Equal Opportunity in the workplace and maintains a policy to employ, retain, promote, terminate, and otherwise treat all Licensees, employees and job applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence.

Rebates or Credits

S.E.I BROKERS’S Licensees may negotiate their commissions with their clients in accordance with the real estate laws of the state of Florida. Fees and commissions owed to S.E.I BROKERS by Licensee are calculated on the total “Gross” commissions paid on a transaction and not the rebated, discounted or credited commission amount paid.

Buying or Selling your own property

Any transaction involving the buying or selling of your own property whether it is an investment property or your homestead it will be treated as a regular real estate transaction. All commission split will remain the same as stipulated in the independent contractor’s agreement.

Do-Not Call, Spam and Fax

Licensees who make “cold calls” must comply with the requirements of the National Do-Not-Call registry and Do-Not-Call Rules. Specifically, before making a cold call, a licensee must verify whether the number is on the national do-not-call registry. Licensees may not make “cold calls” to numbers in the registry. Licensee needs to update any download of the registry at least every 31 days.

Licensees are prohibited from engaging in any form of spam, email spam, mass faxing or emailing. If you are uncertain about the legitimacy or legality of an act you are planning to perform, please consult an attorney.

Discrimination

S.E.I BROKERS does not discriminate, does not allow any associated parties to discriminate and will not tolerate discrimination. Licensees must respect the law and not discriminate based on sex, color, religion, race, origin, disability, sexual orientation and family status. Licensees must assist all customers in meet their real estate needs.

Compensation Disputes

If a dispute of any kind involving the compensation, including, among other things, payment of the compensation, the amount of the compensation, or the parties entitled to the compensation, exists between or among S.E.I BROKERS and any other party involved in the transaction, the compensation will be held by S.E.I BROKERS until the dispute is resolved. You agree S.E.I BROKERS will incur no liability for withholding payment until all disputes are fully resolved.

Commission Checks

At no time is a S.E.I BROKERS Licensee to request, receive, ask or authorize any escrow agent or tile company to release a commission check on a transaction they may be involved in unless authorized to do so by S.E.I BROKERS, in writing. A complete package of the transaction files must be sent to S.E.I BROKERS prior to a such request.

Multiple Listing Service

Multiple Listing Service (MLS) provides real estate professional listings and valuable information. You are obliged to join your local MLS and board of REALTORS. By joining MLS, you will be requested to comply with MLS rules which you may find in the respective Association of Realtors’s website.

Failure to comply with MLS rules, may result in fines, suspension or other sanctions, to you and to S.E.I BROKERS. You are responsible for any fine or punishment imposed on you or on S.E.I BROKERS as a result of your noncompliance.

Tax Reporting

Licensees are urged to maintain accurate records of all their earnings and expenses and provide them to the Internal Revenue Service at the end of each year as required by law. Licensees are advised to obtain a professional tax advice regarding these matters.

Confidentiality

S.E.I BROKERS may provide you with innovative proprietary tools and information that are only available to S.E.I BROKERS’S Licensees. You agree to keep all information concerning S.E.I BROKERS’S tools, online system, forms, website, marketing strategies, programs, legal information, brochures, clients, training materials and plans confidential at all times.

Error and Omissions Insurance

As expressed on our Independent Contractor Agreement, All real estate transactions are covered under our E&O insurance policy, which has a limit liability of $1.0M. Licensees are responsible for the deductible on any transaction that was brokered through S.E.I BROKERS and resulted in claim or lawsuit. Such deductible may be as high as $5000.

Lockboxes and Signs

Licensees are responsible for ordering, purchasing and handling his signs and lockboxes. Licensees should use only know and reliable vendors.

You are required to notify the principal broker of:

Any claim or potential claim made against you and or the company, including any demand received by you for money or services alleging a negligent act or omission; any notification of the commencement of a Lawsuit, arbitration or mediation process; or any written or verbal notice or threat that anyone intends to hold you and/or the company responsible for any alleged wrong doing. You are required to cooperate with the S.E.I BROKERS in the defense of the claim. You are required to Promptly pay S.E.I BROKERS any amounts due here under upon notice to you from the company in regards of such claim or lawsuit. S.E.I BROKERS has the right to make all decisions concerning the defense of the claim, including choice of counsel. In the event you object to any decision made by the S.E.I BROKERS, you may obtain your own attorney at your own expense; however, you shall not be relieved from the obligation to pay your portion of the cost of the claim as set forth herein. Except as provided below, the cost of the defense of the claim, or to defend or protect against any potential or possible claim where the S.E.I BROKERS or you are not involved as a party, including attorney’s fees, and the cost of any settlement or a judgment collectively the “costs of defense”, shall be allocated between the company and you in the same percentages as per your Independent Contractor Agreement or prospective transaction that led to the claim, whether or not the transaction actually closed.

You will be responsible for all costs of a claim if you fail to follow any law, regulation or S.E.I BROKERS policy as set forth in this policy manual, and that failure results in a judgment or other final adjudication based on that failure.

You will be solely responsible, and shall reimburse S.E.I BROKERS, for all the company’s costs of defense if a judgment or other final adjudication on any claim adverse to S.E.I BROKERS and/or you establishes that dishonest, fraudulent, criminal, or malicious acts, errors or omissions were committed or results in a finding of intentional tort, slander, defamation or any conduct which leads to the imposition of punitive, exemplary or multiple damages, or fines or penalties, or establishes discrimination on the basis of race, creed, religion, ethnic background, national origin, age, sex, handicap, familial status, physical disability, sexual preference, or any other unlawful classification.

Sexual Harassment Policy

S.E.I BROKERS disapproves of and does not tolerate Sexual harassment of any kind. All licensees must avoid offensive or inappropriate sexual behavior and are responsible for assuring that their workplace is free from sexual harassment at all times. S.E.I BROKERS prohibits, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual acts or favors, with or without accompanying promises, threats or reciprocal favors or actions, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature which creates a hostile or offensive working environment. Complaints of sexual harassment will be promptly and carefully investigated, and all licensees are assured that they will be free from any reprisal or retaliation from filing such complaints. Any licensee who has a complaint of sexual harassment by anyone should immediately bring the complaint to the attention of the principal broker. The investigations will include interviews with all relevant persons, including the complainant, the accused, and other potential witnesses. Licensees are assured that the privacy of the complainant and the person accused of sexual harassment will be kept strictly confidential. The principal broker will review findings with the complainant at the conclusion of the investigation. If the investigation reveals that the complaint appears to be valid, immediate and appropriate corrective action, up to an including termination will be taken to stop the harassment and prevent its recurrence. If the validity of the complaint cannot be determined, immediate and appropriate action will be taken to assure that all parties are acquainted with this sexual harassment policy and to avoid sexual harassment in the future. The above policy also applies to harassment of any kind.

Recommendations on Working with Clients and the Public

Listing Presentations

All of your marketing efforts will be a waste of time if you don’t have an effective listing or buyer presentation with your customer. New Licensees are welcome to seek assistance and we may provide such.

If you need closer guidance, Our marketing director may provide it to you, or may refer you to the relevant licensed individual who may assist you. Here are a few suggestions that may increase your effectiveness.

Always be on time for appointments. Leave early and plan your schedule well. Be positive, optimistic, confident and truthful. Be precise and do not exaggerate. The law requires you always leave a signed copy of any agreement with Seller.

It is recommended that you visit the property before showing it to customers. Being familiar with a property will assist you when showing it to clients.

Make sure Sellers are doing their best to make their property show well. Notify Sellers or other party’s agents of any change in showing schedule.

When arriving to a showing, approach the door or lockbox first without your client and advise Seller of the situation. Be respectful to your client and to other parties.

When using a lockbox, first approach the door and knock or use the doorbell. If no answer, enter and make sure there is no one there.

Turn on the lights, open curtains and make the property lightened and all details visible to you and your client.

Spend enough time with your client at the property and advise your clients of any defects or issues that require your clients attention and appropriate disclosure.

Do not leave your client unattended on the property as you may be blamed for missing items later on. When leaving, be sure to leave your card in a visible place and leave the property, including electric switches, alarms and curtains, in the same condition it was before.

Working as a Listing Agent

Licensees are obligated to present all offers to the seller, even if the property is in escrow, unless the seller has given you written instructions to the contrary. Upon receiving offers from buyers, review them thoroughly for completeness, accuracy and clarity. It’s important to pay close attention to time limits set out in the offer, ESPECIALLY the time within which the seller must respond. Also it is important to pay close attention to all the dates by which the buyer must perform such as financing and inspections contingencies, Condominium applications etc.

Working as a Buyer’s Agent

When working with buyers you must obtain any relevant and background information, and clarify any ambiguities before showing properties. It is imperative that you know for sure the financial situation of your buyer prior to preparing any offers. Make sure you send a pre-qualification letter from the financial institution alone with the purchase offer.

As with all contracts, you must obtain all parties’ signatures in order for the contract to become effective. If a party signs on behalf of another, you must have evidence of that person’s authority to do so in writing.

NOTE: You must adhere to all time requirements stated in the purchase agreement and closing instructions unless all parties agree in writing to the contrary. Never use outdated forms.

Loan Modifications

S.E.I BROKERS does not allow Licensees to engage in loan modifications and such activity is not covered by Broker’s E&O insurance policy.

Communication with Broker

Principal Broker and all office staff may be reach via E-mail, phone, our WhatsApp private Chat or text messages. All important announcements and notifications will be communicated by via email, or our private chat on WhatsApp. It is imperative that you pay close attention to all emails arriving from S.E.I BROKERS and notify us of any change in your contact information.