CATAWBA PROPERTIES NC LLC (MARION)- By Consent, the Commission suspended the broker license of Catawba Properties NC LLC for a period of 12 months, effective September 14, 2026. The Commission then stayed the suspension in its entirety upon certain conditions. The Commission found that Catawba Properties NC LLC maintained one (1) trust account for tenant security deposits and rent payments. Commission staff conducted a spot audit inspection of Catawba Properties NC LLC’s trust account. The audit revealed untimely disbursement of trust funds and an unidentified overage in the account. Catawba Properties NC LLC failed to perform monthly three-way reconciliations and did not properly maintain the trust account. Catawba Properties NC LLC failed to create, maintain, and retain records sufficiently to identify the ownership of all trust funds. Catawba Properties NC LLC failed to maintain trust account records that would provide a complete audit trail and did not properly deposit or handle trust funds.
ANTHONY DAVID DIGIOIA (CORNELIUS)- By Consent, the Commission suspended the broker license of Digioia for a period of 6 months, effective February 10, 2026. The Commission then stayed the suspension in its entirety upon certain conditions. The Commission found that Digioia was contacted by an individual who wanted Digioia to act as listing agent for vacant land they purported to own. Digioia listed the property but failed to take adequate steps to verify the identity of the caller other than checking a phone number on an app. The fraudulent transaction was only discovered after the closing attorney mailed a check to the actual owner’s address after a failed wire transfer. The buyer lost the due diligence fee paid as well as other costs paid in the transaction. Digioia refunded his full commission in the transaction.
TERESA SIMMONS DIXON (TEACHEY)- By Consent, the Commission suspended the broker license of Dixon for a period of 12 months, effective September 30, 2026. The Commission then stayed the suspension in its entirety upon certain conditions. The Commission found that Dixon acted as the buyer’s agent in the transaction and helped the buyer select a home to purchase. The buyer wanted to make an offer to purchase this home but needed to sell another property to afford the new one, so he told Dixon to make an offer on the new home contingent on selling the other property. Dixon did not submit a contingent sale addendum with the offer to the seller and did not inform the buyer that his Offer to Purchase was not contingent on selling the other property. The buyer went under contract, but the transaction did not close because he was unable to sell the other property in a timely manner. Additionally, Dixon failed to respond to a Letter of Inquiry from the Commission within 14 days of receipt. Dixon did not respond to the Commission for over 4 months after receiving a Letter of Inquiry.
ANNA HROMYAK (WILMINGTON)- By Consent, the Commission reprimanded Hromyak effective August 17, 2026. The Commission found that Hromyak represented a buyer in the subject transaction. The buyer and seller agreed to include a home warranty in the contract, costing around $700. Hromyak failed to ensure that the agreed-upon home warranty was included in the closing documents, and the transaction closed without it.
KEYSTAR REALTY & MANAGEMENT LLC (RALEIGH)- By Consent, the Commission reprimanded KeyStar Realty & Management LLC, effective August 17, 2026. The Commission found that KeyStar Realty & Management LLC listed and was responsible for the accuracy of the advertisement of a property listed by an affiliated provisional broker. KeyStar Realty & Management LLC listed the property as having 2,538 square feet of heated living area, improperly including 756 square feet of unpermitted space not directly accessible from the main living areas. KeyStar Realty & Management LLC improperly advertised that the unpermitted space could be used to generate rental income and misrepresented that the property was located on a public street when it is a private road with no road maintenance agreement. After contract formation, it was discovered that the unpermitted area is not permitted to be rented and the street is private with no road maintenance agreement.
CHRISTINA ELISE PARKER (DENVER)- By Consent, the Commission reprimanded Parker effective September 23, 2026. The Commission found that Parker was the broker-in-charge and responsible for supervising an affiliated broker. The affiliated broker agreed to represent a buyer in the purchase of residential property located approximately 190 miles from their primary service area. Parker failed to ensure the Working with Real Estate Agents Disclosure form was timely completed and failed to ensure the affiliated broker properly disclosed agency relationships.
DAVID JOHNSON PATNEAUDE (MARION)- By Consent, the Commission suspended the broker license of Patneaude for a period of 12 months, effective September 14, 2026. The Commission then stayed the suspension in its entirety upon certain conditions. The Commission found that Patneaude was broker-in-charge and qualifying broker for Catawba Properties NC LLC. As broker-in-charge, Patneaude was responsible for maintaining the firm’s trust account. Commission staff conducted a spot audit inspection of Respondent’s trust account. The audit revealed untimely disbursement of trust funds and an unidentified overage in the account. Patneaude failed to perform monthly three-way reconciliations and did not properly maintain the trust account. Patneaude failed to create, maintain, and retain records sufficiently to identify the ownership of all trust funds. Patneaude failed to maintain trust account records that would provide a complete audit trail and did not properly deposit or handle trust funds.
PAUL D. PERRY (FAYETTEVILLE)- By Consent, the Commission suspended the broker license of Perry for a period of 12 months, effective August 1, 2026. The Commission then stayed the suspension following a one-month active period upon certain conditions. The Commission found that Perry & Associates Realty Inc. advertised vacant land on behalf of a purported seller who stated that they resided overseas. Perry & Associates Realty Inc. failed to take reasonable and recommended steps to verify the seller’s identity, leading to the buyer discovering after closing that the sale was fraudulent. Perry failed to review a Working with Real Estate Agent Disclosure with the seller and failed to obtain a signature on the disclosure; Perry failed to review the transaction documents and failed to see that the listing agreement expired prior to the date signed; and Perry failed to ensure that the dual agency authorizations were properly completed. Perry & Associates Realty Inc. acted as dual agent, and Perry purported to act as designated dual agent but failed to obtain written authorization to do so.
PERRY & ASSOCIATES REALTY INC. (FAYETTEVILLE)- By Consent, the Commission suspended the broker license of Perry & Associates Realty Inc. for a period of 12 months, effective August 1, 2026. The Commission then stayed the suspension in its entirety upon certain conditions. The Commission found that Perry & Associates Realty Inc. advertised vacant land on behalf of a purported seller who stated that they resided overseas. Perry & Associates Realty Inc. failed to take reasonable and recommended steps to verify the seller’s identity, leading to the buyer discovering after closing that the sale was fraudulent. Perry failed to review a Working with Real Estate Agent Disclosure with the seller and failed to obtain a signature on the disclosure; Perry failed to review the transaction documents and failed to see that the listing agreement expired prior to the date signed; and Perry failed to ensure that the dual agency authorizations were properly completed. Perry & Associates Realty Inc. acted as dual agent, and Perry purported to act as designated dual agent but failed to obtain written authorization to do so.
TRACY KATHERINE ROWLAND (CONCORD)- By Consent, the Commission reprimanded Rowland effective September 23, 2026. The Commission found that Rowland listed residential property for sale equipped with a Generac PWRcell 9 kWh battery storage system and solar panels. In marketing the property, Rowland advertised that the property included a “whole-house generator so they will never be without power.” Rowland, based on her understanding and representations from the homeowner that the system was a ‘generator,’ represented that buyers “will never be without power,” although the duration of backup power provided by the system depends on the home’s electrical demand and the available stored battery capacity.
TRACY ROWLAND REAL ESTATE INC. (CONCORD)- By Consent, the Commission reprimanded Tracy Rowland Real Estate Inc. effective September 23, 2026. The Commission found that Tracy Rowland Real Estate Inc. listed residential property for sale equipped with a Generac PWRcell 9 kWh battery storage system and solar panels. In marketing the property, Tracy Rowland Real Estate Inc. advertised that the property included a “whole-house generator so they will never be without power.” Tracy Rowland Real Estate Inc., based on representations made by the homeowner that the system was a ‘generator,’ represented that buyers “will never be without power,” although the duration of backup power provided by the system depends on the home’s electrical demand and the available stored battery capacity.
TRELORA REALTY INC. (LAKEWOOD)- By Consent, the Commission reprimanded Trelora Realty Inc. effective September 23, 2026. The Commission found that Trelora Realty Inc. represented a buyer in the purchase of a residential property located approximately 190 miles from Trelora Realty Inc.’s primary service area. Trelora Realty Inc., through its affiliated broker, failed to become competent in the market area or otherwise take reasonable steps necessary to adequately represent and protect the buyer’s interests and fulfill the buyer agency fiduciary duties owed to the buyer.
LORENA TREVINO (RALEIGH)- By Consent, the Commission suspended the broker license of Trevino for a period of 3 months, effective September 1, 2026. The Commission then stayed the suspension following a one-month active period upon certain conditions. The Commission found that Trevino was contacted by an individual inquiring about selling his vacant lot. The individual claimed to reside in California and provided a California driver’s license that included a middle initial, whereas no middle name or initial is on public record for the subject property’s true owner. Trevino did not request to communicate with the individual via videoconferencing, did not use public records to verify the seller’s information, and failed to attend firm-sponsored training sessions regarding fake sellers. Trevino entered into an exclusive right to sell listing agreement with the individual and subsequently sold the subject property. The true owner’s general contractor later informed the owner that public records indicated he was no longer the owner of the property, thus notifying the true owner of the transaction.
VACASA NORTH CAROLINA LLC (PORTLAND)- The Commission accepted the permanent voluntary surrender of the real estate license of Vacasa North Carolina LLC, effective September 30, 2026. The Commission dismissed without prejudice allegations that Vacasa North Carolina LLC violated provisions of the Real Estate License Law and Commission Rules. Vacasa North Carolina LLC neither admitted nor denied misconduct.
BENJAMIN ADAM YELM (CHARLOTTE)- By Consent, the Commission suspended the broker license of Yelm for a period of 12 months and permanently prohibited him from BIC eligibility, effective September 23, 2026. The Commission found that Yelm, while designated as the broker-in-charge of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investments Services of North Carolina, failed to supervise affiliated brokers with respect to adherence to agency agreement and disclosure requirements, failed to supervise unlicensed individuals employed by the office, and allowed Marcus & Millichap to pay a commission to unlicensed individuals.