In real estate, there are everyday habits that feel routine, even harmless, but behind the scenes, many of them cross legal lines most agents don't even know exist.

It's handshake agreements instead of written ones. It's a "my client said so" text instead of a signed instruction. It's forgetting that being someone's friend isn't the same as being their fiduciary.

Most agents don't realize that our "normal" often contradicts the very statutes that govern our licenses.

And when a market correction, a class action, or a client complaint hits, ignorance won't protect you.

We're in an era where lawsuits, class actions, and shifting compensation models are rewriting the industry playbook in real time. Yet the core laws have been there since the 1990s. Agents don't fail because the laws change. They fail because they never understood them in the first place.

What are the non-negotiable rules every agent should be following? How do agents end up in legal traps without knowing? What do the regulations actually say about AI?

In this episode, we sit down with Deputy Commissioner of the Arizona Department of Real Estate, Mandy Neat. We talk about the legal traps most agents don't see coming and the outdated habits that can cost you your career.

She breaks down the legal pitfalls agents keep repeating, what's changing with the new licensing exams, and how AI fits (and doesn't fit) into the future of real estate.

Guest Bio

Mandy Neat is the Deputy Commissioner of the Arizona Department of Real Estate. She currently oversees the entirety of operations and continuous improvement at the Department. Before her appointment as Deputy Commissioner, she was a managing broker for one of the fastest-growing franchises in the real estate profession and has enjoyed her tenure in real estate for over 20 years. Neat was also the Treasurer for the Arizona Association of REALTORS® and served on committees and held numerous leadership roles for her local association WeSERV®, Arizona Association of REALTORS®, and the National Association of REALTORS®. Neat is an advocate for home ownership as well as assisting other professionals to succeed. She truly believes in her value statement of "Making YOU Matter!!" As Deputy Commissioner of Real Estate, Neat brings her experience and professionalism in updating auditing and investigation processes, ensuring real estate education is relevant, and working to improve general review processes and priorities in the Department to align them with current business models in the profession. Get the new Salesperson Licensing Exam Curriculum Outline here.

About Your Hosts

Lance Billingsley is a seasoned real estate professional with over a decade of experience in agent development and business coaching. Since January 2021, he has served as the Vice President of Agent Development at Navi Title Agency, where he leverages his extensive industry knowledge to mentor and support real estate agents. Before his tenure at Navi Title, Lance co-owned a top-performing real estate team at Realty ONE Group, achieving recognition as one of the company's top five teams. He also served as a business coach for Tom Ferry.

Dave Richards is a well-respected business coach working with CEOs, entrepreneurs, mortgage and real estate professionals, and others. With over 25+ years of executive leadership experience, he coaches and consults with the top professionals and organizations in their respective industries. Capitalizing on his certifications in Human Behavior, he specializes in building and optimizing high-performance teams and tackling difficult decisions that hold his clients back. He easily connects with entrepreneurs to help identify and communicate their vision, define their culture, and increase their profits and growth in today's dynamic marketplace.

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