Current Stats: Monthly Licensee Count as of August 1, 2026

Commission Presentations

August 2026 Presentations

Dee Bigelow, Information Officer, spoke at eXp Realty, LLC on August 5^th.

Melvin “Skip” Alston, Commission Chair, Mel Black, Commission Member, and Janet Thoren, Executive Director, spoke at Durham Regional Association of REALTORS® on August 10^th.

Bruce Rinne, Consumer Protection Officer, spoke at BHHS Carolinas Realty on August 12^th.

Brian Heath, Consumer Protection Officer, spoke at Aldridge & Southerland Inc. on August 18^th.

Janet Thoren, Executive Director, spoke at the NC Secretary of State’s Conference, Raising the Standard 2026: A Notary Education Conference on August 25^th.

September 2026 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 Coastal Plains Association of REALTORS® on September 3^rd.

Michael Cowan, Consumer Protection Officer, will speak at Linda Craft Team REALTORS® on September 15^th.

Bruce Rinne, Information Officer, will speak at Nest Realty Asheville on September 15^th.

Brian Heath, Consumer Protection Officer, will speak at Central Carolina Association of REALTORS® on September 16^th.

Jean Hobbs, Auditor/Investigator, will speak at Charlotte NARPM on September 16^th.

Bruce Rinne, Information Officer, will speak at Lantern Realty and Development LLC on September 28^th.

Fair Housing: Did You Know?

Did you know that force or threats of force to interfere with another person’s fair housing rights may be a federal crime?

Under 42 U.S.C. § 3631, Criminal Interference with Right to Fair Housing, it is unlawful for any individual(s), by the use of force or threatened use of force to injure, intimidate, or interfere with (to attempt to injure, intimidate, or interfere with), any person’s housing rights because of that person’s race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

Among those housing rights listed in the statute are:

• the sale, purchase, or renting of a dwelling;
• the occupation of a dwelling,
• the financing of a dwelling,
• contracting or negotiating for any of the rights enumerated above, or
• applying for or participating in any service, organization, or facility relating to the sale or rental of dwellings.

Violations of this federal statute may result in the following penalties:

• a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both;
• if bodily injury results, a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both; and
• if death results, imprisonment for any term of years or for life.

NOTE: The United States of Department of Justice prosecuted a North Carolina man in 2020, for criminal interference with the Fair Housing Act. You can read the press release here.  

Tech Corner: Have You Planned for Your Digital Business?

When preparing for the unexpected, most people think about physical assets, insurance policies, or contingency plans for their business. Having a plan in place is essential, as the Commission has previously discussed in its eBulletin article, “What’s Your Plan?”, which highlights Commission Rule 58A .0512 and the importance of preparing for the death or incapacity of a Broker-in-Charge (BIC) or Qualifying Broker (QB).

Most of today’s information exists online, like email accounts and client records. If you were suddenly unable to access your accounts due to an illness, emergency, or other unforeseen event, would someone know how to securely access the information needed to help manage your business?

Taking time to organize your digital assets can help protect your clients, your business, and your important records.

What Are Digital Assets? Digital assets include the online accounts, files, and devices you use to conduct business every day, such as:

• email accounts,
• cloud storage services,
• password manager,
• electronic document platforms,
• accounting or bookkeeping software,
• smartphones, tablets, and computers,
• two-factor authentication apps, and
• business calendars and contact lists.

Create an Inventory: Start by making an inventory of your important digital accounts. Your inventory doesn’t need to include passwords, but it should identify:

• the name of each account or service,
• what the account is used for,
• the email address associated with it,
• where login credentials are securely stored, and
• whether multi-factor authentication is enabled.

Use a Password Manager: Rather than storing passwords in notebooks, spreadsheets, or sticky notes, consider using a password manager.

Password managers securely store login credentials, generate strong passwords, and often provide secure emergency access features that allow a trusted individual to access your vault if needed.

Review Shared Access: Some business tools allow you to assign additional administrators or trusted users. If appropriate, review whether another authorized person should have administrative access to critical accounts. Remember to remove access promptly when employees or assistants no longer require it.

Keep Your Recovery Information Current: Most online accounts rely on recovery information to regain access if you forget a password or lose a device.

Periodically verify that your:

• recovery email address is current,
• recovery phone number is accurate,
• backup authentication methods still work, and
• trusted devices are up to date.

Don’t Forget Your Devices: Your smartphone may be the key to nearly every account you own. Protect it by:

• using a strong passcode or biometric authentication,
• enabling automatic device encryption,
• turning on remote location and remote wipe features, and
• installing software updates promptly.

Plan Ahead: Preparing your digital business doesn’t require creating a complicated emergency plan. It simply means thinking ahead and ensuring that important information can be securely managed if life takes an unexpected turn.

What is Preventing You from Registering for Your CE Course Today?

Would you rather spend the year choosing courses that interest you—or spend the final weeks scrambling to find a course that fits your schedule?

For the 2025–2026 license year, 2,032 North Carolina brokers went inactive because they failed to complete their required CE. Therefore, they lost active status simply because their education requirements were not completed by June 10, 2026, at 11:59PM EST. Don’t let your CE become a last-minute emergency. Take your CE now—and take it early.

Brokers should plan ahead to take their CE courses because completing your CE early allows you to select courses that fit your schedule, interests, and professional goals instead of settling for whatever is available at the last minute, which may induce stress. Life is unpredictable, but your CE deadline is not. You can control when you register for your CE courses.

Therefore, take a few minutes today to find a course, register, and put it on your calendar. Your future self will thank you—and you can avoid becoming one of the brokers who discovers too late that an unfinished CE requirement can have real consequences. Moreover, CE courses are offered in a variety of formats, which makes it easier to find an option that fits your schedule and learning preferences.

Are you looking for an in-person or “live-online” CE course?

1. Visit www.ncrec.gov.
2. Select Education.
3. Choose Search CE Course Schedules.
4. Select Search Providers to view scheduled courses.
5. Refine your search by provider, instructor, or city.
6. Contact the education provider directly to register.

Do you prefer a self-paced, online elective course?

1. Visit www.ncrec.gov.
2. Select Education.
3. Choose List of Distance CE Providers.
4. Review the providers offering self-paced elective courses.
5. Contact the provider directly to register.

If you have any questions and/or comments about your CE requirements, please visit the Commissions Support page.

Is a Verbal Offer a Contract?

In North Carolina, a verbal or “oral” acceptance of a real estate offer does not create an enforceable contract. To satisfy the Statute of Frauds and create a binding real estate sales contract, there must be a written agreement signed by all parties, and the fact that all parties have signed must be communicated to the party against whom enforcement is sought. Until all of these requirements have been satisfied, there is no contract.

This distinction is important because Commission investigations sometimes reveal brokers telling buyers, sellers, or other brokers that a seller has “orally accepted” an offer or that the parties have an “oral agreement.” These statements are misleading and inappropriate because they may cause someone to believe a binding contract exists when it does not. When a seller says, “I will accept that offer,” the seller is expressing a willingness to accept the offer. This statement is NOT the same as legally accepting the offer.

Would you like to learn more about offers and acceptances? Review the Commission publications, When Does an Offer Become a Contract and Questions and Answers on: Offer and Acceptance.

Vickie Gallamore, Appointed to the NC Real Estate Commission and William “Bill” Aceto and Robert J. Ramseur, Jr. Reappointed

Vickie Gallimore of Asheboro has been appointed to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. She was appointed by the General Assembly, and her term will expire on July 31, 2029.

Vickie Gallimore is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Central Realty in Asheboro, North Carolina, where she has practiced real estate for nearly four decades. A lifelong resident of Randolph County, Ms. Gallimore has built a distinguished career serving buyers and sellers throughout the region and is consistently recognized among North Carolina’s top-producing REALTORS®. Her experience includes residential, luxury, commercial, relocation, and investment real estate, as well as brokerage leadership and business development.

Throughout her career, Ms. Gallimore has received numerous professional honors, including the RE/MAX Circle of Legends, RE/MAX Hall of Fame, RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award, and multiple RE/MAX Pinnacle and Diamond Awards. She has also been recognized as the #1 Sales Agent in Randolph County for listings and sales from 1988 through 2025 and has led one of North Carolina’s top-producing RE/MAX offices. She holds numerous professional designations and certifications, including Certified Residential Specialist, Graduate REALTOR® Institute, Accredited Buyer’s Representative, and Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist.

Ms. Gallimore has a longstanding commitment to community service and leadership. She currently serves on the Randolph Community College Foundation Board and the Randolph County Development Corporation Board and has been a member of the Randolph Rotary Club since 1990. Her previous community service includes leadership with Hospice of the Piedmont, the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce, the American Cancer Society, and other civic and economic development organizations. She also started the first Relay for Life Walk in Randolph County and successfully raised money for cancer research. Further, her service has been recognized with the North Carolina Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service, the Jack H. Brown Memorial Community Service Award, and the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce Athena Award.

Ms. Gallimore is also a member of a family deeply rooted in real estate. Her husband is a commercial broker, and both of their children, Brian and SarahBeth Gallimore, and their daughter-in-law, Sarah, hold North Carolina real estate licenses. Brian and Sarah actively practice real estate alongside their mother at RE/MAX Central Realty. A proud mother and grandmother of five, Ms. Gallimore continues to combine her professional experience, community commitment, and knowledge of North Carolina real estate in service to the profession and the people of her community.

William “Bill” Aceto was reappointed to the Commission by the General Assembly. His term will expire on July 31, 2029.  Licensed since 2007, Aceto specializes in investment properties, commercial real estate, development, large acreage tracts, building lots, residential brokerage and long-term property management. As a REALTOR® committed to property owners’ rights, Aceto also personally invests in rental properties, land tracts, and residential properties in the High Country.  Aceto and his Blue Ridge Realty & Investments partner, Todd Rice, also co-founded and operate Blue Ridge Professional Property Services, LLC, Boone High Country Rentals, and Ashe Rental Agency.

Having held leadership positions for the High Country Association of REALTORS®, including President in 2019, Aceto was named the 2020 High Country Association REALTOR® of the Year.  Aceto is active in the North Carolina REALTORS® and was a 2015 Graduate of the NC REALTORS® Leadership Academy. He has been the Chair of the NC Real Estate Commission, Chair of NCR Legislative and RPAC Committees as well as its Property Management Division (PMD) and was also a Federal Political Coordinator for NAR® for over 10 years. Additionally, he has served as a public member on the North Carolina Building Commission, is a former member of the Town of Boone Board of Adjustment (ETJ Alternate), and past Chairman of the Watauga County Board of Elections.

He graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Political Science with minors in Business and Criminal Justice and served as the Chair of Appalachian State Board of Visitors.

Bill lives in Boone with his wife, Sallie and children, Liam (9) and Maggie (7).

Robert J. Ramseur, Jr. of Raleigh, has been reappointed by the General Assembly. His term will expire on July 31, 2029. Ramseur is a partner at Ragsdale Liggett PLLC. His practice focuses on residential and commercial real estate transactions, lease drafting and negotiation, construction and development, tax and entity structuring, and real estate litigation.

Ramseur is a former member of the Real Estate Commission. He was previously appointed by Governor Pat McCrory in 2015 and has served in the past as Commission Chair.

He is a member and the current chair of the Joint Forms Task Force for the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Association of REALTORS®. Ramseur holds a JD and a BA from Wake Forest University.

Announcement: The Commission names new Director of Regulatory Affairs

Kristen Fetter was named the Director of Regulatory Affairs for the North Carolina Real Estate Commission in August 2026. Ms. Fetter graduated from North Carolina State University with degrees in Political Science and Spanish Language and Literature. She received her law degree from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in 2006.

Since graduating from law school, Kristen has spent the majority of her career working in the court system. Kristen was the Trial Court Administrator in Wake County for 3 years. She served as a criminal prosecutor for nearly 12 years and is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, Arizona, and Virginia. Kristen joined the Commission’s Regulatory Affairs staff in November 2021.

As the Director of Regulatory Affairs, Kristen is responsible for overseeing all legal activities of the division, including providing legal advice and opinions to the Commission on matters related to its regulatory authority and representing the Commission in litigation.