Realty Times routinely recommends that consumers check ARELLO.org, the official Website of the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) to verify that the agent they are considering hiring is properly licensed. One upset broker, following our advice, says she found that her information is 30 years out of date.

"I have been a licensed Realtor in the State of Pennsylvania for 35 years," writes [Broker A].

"I did a search with my name and it came up with a Real estate office that I had worked for about 30 years ago and said my license is null and void. The other license with 100 Real Estate Inc (the corporation name trading as Re/max 100 Real Estate) says it has expired. I did remarry and changed my name to [Broker A] on my license, but I am still the Broker /Owner of Re/max 100 Real Estate and have been for the past 20 years. I think that the consumer search for the licensee presents an inaccurate picture of the status of the Realtor and it disturbs me to think the consumer can do a search and the Realtor can lose business because the website does not reflect the accuracy of the status of the licensee."

"I am also licensed in the state of New Jersey and the state of New York, which is not reflected in the search."

Realty Times responds:

ARELLO.org is the official Website for the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO.) As the site says, it can be used by consumers as a license registration/verification search tool. It is the only site that allows consumers to search multiple agencies all at once.

That said, a database is only as good as the information that goes into it. It may be frustrating to you, but one or more of the agencies, associations, commissions or other entities in Pennsylvania has failed to keep accurate information about you in its database and that inaccuracy is being perpetuated on other sites such as ARELLO.org.

What's curious is how your records could be so out of date, given the requirements for continuing education, license fees and other trackable records that surely should have updated your profile automatically.

Your only choice is to notify the agencies who have inaccurate records of your existing status.

According to the National Association of Realtors, which sponsors ARELLO's consumer search for licensee information, ARELLO does not have its own database, but merely aggregrates the information from state real estate commission databases.

That makes it clear that the problem originates at the state level, so you should follow the reporting process from your brokerage to local and state associations. As for the fact that your profile doesn't reflect your licenses in other states, those will be reflected in the New Jersey and New York commissions records.

While it's understandable that you are disappointed and annoyed to find yourself noncompliant, when you know darn well that you are fully licensed, the situation is really no different than checking on your credit scores (where two out of five individual's records have some error,) your bank statements or other areas where accurate information about you is crucial. Mistakes and oversights occur, so it's your job to make sure that your records are accurate. A quick check now and then is a great ounce of prevention.

Help these organizations help you by making sure they post only accurate information about you and your agents. Then once the information is fixed, use it to your advantage by linking to it, or showing consumers where they may find it.

Published: August 2, 2006

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