Commission Presentations

Sharon Barnard, Auditor/Investigator, Leah Green, Consumer Protection Officer, Bruce Rinne, Information Officer, and Terri Taylor, Auditor/Investigator, spoke at Marti Hampton Inc. eXP Realty on October 1^st.

Len Elder, Director of Education and Licensing and Kizzy Crawford Heath, Assistant Director of Education and Licensing, spoke at the NCREEA fall conference on October 2nd.

Janet Thoren, Director of Regulatory Affairs, spoke at the NCREEA fall conference on October 3rd.

Charlie Moody, Deputy Legal Counsel,  spoke at Orange Chatham Association of REALTORS® on October 7^th.

Kizzy Crawford Heath, Assistant Director of Education and Licensing, spoke at Platinum Group Realty on October 11^th.

Brian Heath, Consumer Protection Officer, spoke at Charlotte Chapter of the National Association of Property Managers on October 15^th.

Bill Aceto, Commission Chair, Skip Alston, Commission Vice Chair, Miriam Baer, Executive Director, and Janet Thoren, Legal Counsel, spoke at the NC REALTORS® annual conference on October 20th-23rd.

Lyndi James, Auditor, spoke at Onslow County NC on October 15^th.

Bruce Rinne, Information Officer, spoke at Bold Real Estate on October 28^th.

November 2025 Presentations

*These presentations are subject to change due to the availability of Commission members and/or staff.*

Kizzy Crawford Heath, Assistant Director of Education and Licensing, will speak at Triangle Board of Realists on November 11^th.

Christy Evans, Consumer Protection Officer, will speak at Raleigh Realty Inc. on November 12^th.

Lyndi James, Auditor, will speak at Keller Williams Innovate on November 18^th.

Disciplinary Actions

TAMMI L. IDLER (DURHAM) – The Commission accepted the permanent voluntary surrender of the real estate license of Idler, effective September 17, 2025. The Commission dismissed without prejudice allegations that Idler violated provisions of the Real Estate License Law and Commission Rules. Idler neither admitted nor denied misconduct.

KAMARIA WALKER (CHARLOTTE) – By Consent, the Commission suspended the broker license of Walker for a period of 24 months, effective July 15, 2025. The Commission then stayed the suspension following a two-month active period upon certain conditions. The Commission found that, starting in 2017, Walker’s LLC conducted short term rentals whereby the LLC, as tenant, entered into residential leases with multiple apartment properties. Walker accepted payments for short term rental reservations but failed to place advance rents in a trust account. Walker failed to refund advance rent of $2800 to a tenant after Walker closed her business and cancelled the reservation.

MATTHEW A. WALKER (GREENVILLE) – The Commission accepted the permanent voluntary surrender of the real estate license of Walker, effective September 17, 2025. The Commission dismissed without prejudice allegations that Walker violated provisions of the Real Estate License Law and Commission Rules. Walker neither admitted nor denied misconduct.

LISA W. WAYNE (WILMINGTON) – By Consent, the Commission reprimanded Wayne effective September 1, 2025. The Commission found that in July 2024, Wayne acted as listing agent for residential property built in 1968. The property went under contract with a buyer who had an inspection conducted which showed crawlspace and subfloor issues. Wayne received a copy of the inspection report, but the buyer later terminated after the parties could not agree on the due diligence request. Wayne failed to disclose the issues learned from the inspection report to a subsequent buyer. The second buyer had an inspection which noted the same issues, but the parties negotiated a price reduction and the transaction closed.

Current Stats: Monthly Licensee Count as of September 1, 2025

Commission Presentations

September 2025 Presentations

Bruce Rinne, Information Officer, spoke at Compass on September 2^nd.

Dee Bigelow, Information Officer, spoke at Salisbury Rowan Board of REALTORS® on September 9^th.

Lyndi James, Auditor/Investigator, spoke at Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage on September 9^th.

Diana Jasany, Communications Officer, spoke at the Coastal Plains Association of REALTORS® on September 9th.

Bruce Rinne, Information Officer, spoke at Orange Chatham Association of REALTORS® on September 11^th.

Miriam Baer, Executive Director, spoke at Longleaf Pine REALTORS® on September 16^th.

Michael Cowan, Consumer Protection Officer, Brian Heath, Consumer Protection Officer, and Beau Minnick, Consumer Protection Officer, spoke at Triangle Chapter of the National Association of Property Managers on September 18^th.

Lyndi James, Auditor/Investigator, spoke at Kingsly Realty on September 25^th.

October 2025 Presentations

*These presentations are subject to change due to the availability of Commission members and/or staff.*

Sharon Barnard, Auditor/Investigator, Leah Green, Consumer Protection Officer, Bruce Rinne, Information Officer, and Terri Taylor, Auditor/Investigator, will speak at Marti Hampton Inc. eXP Realty on October 1^st.

Charlie Moody, Deputy Legal Counsel, will speak at Orange Chatham Association of REALTORS® on October 7^th.

Kizzy Crawford Heath, Assistant Director of Education and Licensing, will speak at Platinum Realty Group on October 11^th.

Brian Heath, Consumer Protection Officer, will speak at Charlotte Chapter of the National Association of Property Managers on October 15^th.

Lyndi James, Auditor, will speak at Onslow County NC on October 15^th.

Bruce Rinne, Information Officer, will speak at Johnston County Association of REALTORS on October 21st.

Bruce Rinne, Information Officer, will speak at Bold Real Estate on October 28th.

Tech Corner: Using Chatbots & Automated Responses in Real Estate:

Using Chatbots & Automated Responses in Real Estate: Clients are expecting quick responses from a broker nowadays, sometimes within minutes. While no tool can replace the personal expertise of a licensed broker, chatbots and automated messaging systems can assist with simple tasks, ensuring that your clients or customers feel acknowledged and supported.

What is a Chatbot? A chatbot is a computer program powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that can simulate conversation with users. Chatbots are built into websites, social media platforms, and customer relationship management (CRM) tools.

Chatbots can:

• Answer common questions (ex, office hours, location, contact info).
  • Schedule showings or consultations through linked calendars.
  • Collect client information (e.g., name, contact details, and areas of interest).
  • Provide resources (e.g, links to forms, Commission information, and various guides).

If a chatbot seems too advanced or you are unsure of the technology, you could start with automatic email or text responses.

These other automated tools can:

• Immediately acknowledge receipt of the inquiry.
• Set expectations for response time.
• Share helpful information.

Benefits of Automated Response Systems:

• Improved client service: Client gets instantly acknowledged.
• Timesaving: Filters or any repetitive questions.
• Lead Capture: Ensure no inquiry is missed.
• Professional Image – Show you are tech-savvy and attentive.

Keep In Mind:

NOTE: Do not over-rely on or overuse these tools. These tools are best for FAQ’s and scheduling, not for constant communications.

• Compliance: Automated tools should not give legal, financial, or brokerage-specific guidance beyond what is permitted.
• Transparency: Ensure that your clients are aware of the automated system they are using.
• Tone: Messages should be professional, friendly, and align with your brand.

If you haven’t seen it yet, the North Carolina Real Estate Commission has its own Chatbot, Alfred. Alfred is available to answer any of your NCREC questions. Alfred was fed a variety of NCREC literature, like the License Law and Rules book, the North Carolina Real Estate Manual, and NCREC eBulletin articles. You can find Alfred at the bottom right-hand corner of our website, ncrec.gov.

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Video Link: https://youtu.be/PWDGL9NrgkQ

Did you know you can opt in to receive notifications about proposed or final rule changes? It’s a quick and easy process to subscribe to “rulemaking.”

Fair Housing

The Commission will host its third and final Fair Housing Symposium on October 30, 2025, at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, NC. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and stay informed. Register now on the Commission’s website to reserve your spot.

Fair Housing

Explore the Commission’s New Fair Housing Webpage — A Must-Have Resource for Brokers and Consumers

The Commission has launched a newly updated fair housing webpage designed to support both real estate brokers and the public. This comprehensive resource reinforces the Commission’s commitment to cultivating a real estate environment free of discrimination, ensuring fair and equal access and opportunity in housing.

Whether you’re a broker seeking guidance on fair housing compliance and best practices or a consumer looking to understand your rights, the fair housing page offers information to fit your needs. It includes:

• educational materials on federal, state, and local fair housing laws,
• educational materials on fair housing rights and responsibilities,
• links to fair housing training and other helpful resources, and
• resources to file a fair housing complaint.

Visit the new fair housing page here.

Request a Program Presenter

Are you interested in having a Commission representative present at your next training meeting or brokerage event?

The N.C. Real Estate Commission may be available to provide a presenter to give an informative presentation tailored for real estate professionals and consumers.

These sessions run at least 30 minutes (including time for Q&A) and focus on topics of special interest to licensees and the public, with no fee or expenses charged.

To request a presenter, submit the online form available on the Commission’s website. Requests should be made at least 30 days before your event and include an alternate date when possible. The Commission will make every effort to accommodate your request, depending on staff availability.

Keep in mind that Commission staff cannot speak at prelicensing or continuing education courses, nor can they revisit the same organization within a 12-month period. Also, continuing education credit is not awarded for attending these presentations.

This is a great opportunity to bring timely updates and insights directly to your office—so plan ahead and invite the Commission to join your next meeting!

Save the Date: NCREC Educators Conference

Join the North Carolina Real Estate Commission at its Educators Conference on Thursday, April 2, 2026.