Updated 2019−20 Wis. Stats. Published and certified under s. 35.18. October 1, 2021. 1 Updated 19−20 Wis. Stats. REAL ESTATE PRACTICE 452.01 CHAPTER 452 REAL ESTATE PRACTICE 452.01 Definitions. 452.14 Investigation and discipline of licensees. 452.03 Brokers and salespersons licensed. 452.142 Actions concerning licensees. 452.05 Duties and powers of board. 452.15 Ineligibility. 452.06 Councils and committees. 452.17 Penalties. 452.07 Rules. 452.18 Court review. 452.08 Board receipt of proposed legislation. 452.19 Fees and commissions. 452.09 Application for license, contents. 452.20 Limitation on actions for commissions. 452.10 Applications, verification, fees, exceptions. 452.21 Compensation presumed. 452.11 Nonresident applicants and licensees. 452.22 Certifications as evidence. 452.12 Licenses. 452.23 Disclosures, investigations and inspections by brokers and salespersons. 452.13 Trust accounts. 452.132 Responsibilities of firms and licensees. 452.24 Disclosure duty; immunity for providing notice about the sex offender reg- 452.133 Duties of licensees; prohibitions. istry. 452.134 Agency relationships; multiple representation relationships. 452.25 Criminal convictions and disclosures. 452.135 Disclosure of duties. 452.30 Association with firm; independent practice. 452.136 Advertising by licensees. 452.34 Unlicensed personal assistants. 452.137 Cooperation with out−of−state brokers and salespersons. 452.38 Independent contractor relationship. 452.138 Firms providing services in more than one transaction. 452.40 Use of forms; provision of legal advice. 452.139 Changes in common law duties and liabilities of brokers and parties. 452.42 Records retention. Cross−reference: See definitions in s. 440.01. (bm) For another person, and for commission, money, or other Cross−reference: See also chs. REEB 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, and 25, Wis. adm. code. thing of value shows real estate or a business or its inventory or fixtures, whether or not the business includes real property, except 452.01 Definitions. In this chapter: that this paragraph does not include showing a property that is (1e) “Adverse fact” means any of the following: offered exclusively for rent. (a) A condition or occurrence that is generally recognized by (c) For another person, and for commission, money, or other a competent licensee as doing any of the following: thing of value, promotes the sale, exchange, purchase, option, rental, or leasing of real estate, a time share, or a business or its 1. Significantly and adversely affecting the value of the prop- goodwill, inventory, or fixtures, whether or not the business erty. includes real property. This paragraph does not apply to a person 2. Significantly reducing the structural integrity of improve- who only publishes or disseminates verbatim information pro- ments to real estate. vided by another person. 3. Presenting a significant health risk to occupants of the (d) Issues a written report of property value that is prepared for property. another person and that is not an appraisal, as defined in s. 458.01 (b) Information that indicates that a party to a transaction is not (1). able to or does not intend to meet his or her obligations under a (3) “Broker” does not include any of the following: contract or agreement made concerning the transaction. (a) Receivers, trustees, personal representatives, guardians, or (1m) “Agency agreement” means a written agreement other persons appointed by or acting under the judgment or order between a firm and a client in which the client authorizes the firm of any court. to provide brokerage services to the client. (b) Public officers while performing their official duties. (1o) “Associated with a firm” means to have been engaged by a firm to provide brokerage services to the firm’s clients and cus- (c) Any bank, trust company, savings bank, savings and loan tomers on behalf of the firm and under the firm’s supervision, association, insurance company, or any land mortgage or farm including as an employee of the firm or as an independent contrac- loan association organized under the laws of this state or of the tor, or both. United States, when engaged in the transaction of business within the scope of its corporate powers as provided by law. (1p) “Associated with a subagent” means to be associated with a firm that is engaged as a subagent. (d) Employees of persons enumerated in pars. (a) to (c), (f), and (i) when engaged in the specific performance of their duties (1s) “Board” means real estate examining board. as such employees. (2) “Broker” means any person not excluded by sub. (3), who (dm) Any employee of an attorney under par. (h) if all of the does any of the following: following are true: (a) For another person, and for commission, money, or other 1. The employee’s activities are directly supportive of the thing of value, negotiates or offers or attempts to negotiate, attorney’s provision of legal services to the attorney’s client. whether directly or indirectly, a sale, exchange, purchase, or rental of, or the granting or acceptance of an option to sell, exchange, 2. The employee’s activities are activities that the attorney purchase, or rent, an interest or estate in real estate, a time share, may perform under par. (h). or a business or its goodwill, inventory, or fixtures, whether or not 3. The employee is under the direction and supervision of the the business includes real property. attorney. (b) Is engaged wholly or in part in the business of selling or (e) Any custodian, janitor, employee or agent of the owner or exchanging interests or estates in real estate or businesses, includ- manager of a residential building who exhibits a residential unit ing businesses’ goodwill, inventory, or fixtures, whether or not the therein to prospective tenants, accepts applications for leases and business includes real property, to the extent that a pattern of sales furnishes such prospective tenants with information relative to the or exchanges is established, whether or not the person owns the rental of such unit, terms and conditions of leases required by the real estate or businesses. Five sales or exchanges in one year or owner or manager, and similar information. 10 sales or exchanges in 5 years is presumptive evidence of a pat- (f) Any credit union which negotiates loans secured by real tern of sales or exchanges. estate mortgages or any licensee under ch. 138 which negotiates 2019−20 Wisconsin Statutes updated through 2021 Wis. Act 79 and through all Supreme Court and Controlled Substances Board Orders filed before and in effect on October 1, 2021. Published and certified under s. 35.18. Changes effective after Octo- ber 1, 2021, are designated by NOTES. (Published 10−1−21) Updated 2019−20 Wis. Stats. Published and certified under s. 35.18. October 1, 2021. 452.01 REAL ESTATE PRACTICE Updated 19−20 Wis. Stats. 2 loans secured by real estate mortgages or any licensed attorney (5m) “Negotiate” means to provide to a party assistance who, incidental to the general practice of law, negotiates or offers within the scope of the knowledge, skills, and training required or attempts to negotiate a loan, secured or to be secured by mort- under this chapter in developing a proposal or agreement relating gage or other transfer of or encumbrance on real estate. to a transaction, including doing any of the following: (g) A person licensed as a mortgage banker under s. 224.72 (a) Acting, whether directly or indirectly, as an intermediary who does not engage in activities described under sub. (2). by facilitating or participating in communications between parties (h) Attorneys licensed to practice in this state while acting related to the parties’ interests in a transaction. In this paragraph, within the scope of their attorney’s license. providing advice or opinions on matters that are material to a (i) A developer, as defined in s. 707.02 (11), negotiating a transaction in which a person is engaged or intends to engage or transaction involving a time share. showing a party real estate does not, in and of itself, constitute act- ing as an intermediary by facilitating or participating in communi- (3e) “Brokerage service” means any service described under cations between parties. sub. (2) provided to a person by a firm and any licensees associ- ated with the firm. (b) Completing, when requested by a party, appropriate board− approved forms or other writings to document the party’s proposal (3j) “Business entity” means any organization or enterprise, consistent with the party’s instruction. other than a sole proprietorship, which is operated for profit or that is nonprofit and nongovernmental, including an association, busi- (c) Presenting to a party the proposals of other parties to the ness trust, corporation, joint venture, limited liability company, transaction and giving the party a general explanation of the provi- limited liability partnership, partnership or syndicate. sions of the proposal. (3k) “Business representative” means a director, manager, (5n) “Out−of−state broker” means a person who is not member, officer, owner or partner of a business entity. licensed under this chapter and who is regularly and lawfully engaged in the real estate brokerage business in another state, a (3m) “Client” means a party to a transaction who has an territory or possession of the United States, or a foreign country. agency agreement with a firm for brokerage services. (5p) “Out−of−state salesperson” means a person who is not (3p) “Crime” does not include a crime for which the individ- licensed under this chapter and who is employed or engaged as an ual has been pardoned; a crime for which the conviction has been independent contractor by an out−of−state broker. reversed, set aside, or vacated; or a crime for which the conviction has been expunged under s.