DRE in the News
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Navigating Your Risks: A Three-Part Interview with Veronica Kilpatrick from the Department of Real Estate
OC Realtor and OC Realtor Magazine
These articles are a three-part series based on an interview with DRE Supervising Special Investigator II,
Veronica Kilpatrick.
Part one, titled "Real Estate Advertising," appeared in the November/December 2019 issue of
OC REALTOR© on pages 42-45. Reprinted from OC REALTOR© Magazine ©
Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.
Part two, titled "Audits," appeared in the January/February 2020 issue on pages on pages 36-39.
Part three, titled "Removing Disciplinary Action from Public Record," appeared in the July/August
2020 issue of OC REALTOR© on pages 26-29. Reprinted from OC REALTOR© Magazine ©
Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.
Should real estate agents disclose if their clients have COVID-19?
Patrick Kearns - Inman - July 9, 2020
An incident where a Compass agent was fired for showing a home while failing to disclose the sellers had
tested positive for COVID-19 has set off a debate in the real estate industry: what can - and should - an
agent disclose to prospective buyers and their agents during the coronavirus pandemic?
Ex-Compass agent held showings at home of COVID-19 infected couple
Patrick Kearns - Inman - July 8, 2020
Compass has parted ways with Gary Wat after the company says the agent held showings for a home in
Altadena, California, where the sellers had allegedly contracted COVID-19.
Welk Resorts to pay $3.5 M for misleading marketing, sales tactics
Times-Advocate - June 3, 2020
Attorney General Becerra and San Diego District Attorney Stephan have obtained up to $3,550,000 in
restitution for consumers harmed by Welk Resort's "misleading marketing and sales tactics," according
to a press release from the California AG's office on Wednesday.
California homeowners can get up to 10 months to make up missed payments or sell
Jeff Lazerson - The Orange County Register - May 7, 2020
Borrowers unable to make monthly house payments can still stay in their homes for about 321 days.
McCauley Appointed Commissioner of California DRE
Dennis Kaiser - Connect California Commercial Real Estate News - April 8, 2020
The California Department of Real Estate reports Doug McCauley has been appointed by Governor Gavin
Newsom as Commissioner of the California Department of Real Estate.
Deceit, Disrepair and Death Inside a Southern California Rental Empire
Aaron Mendelson - LAist - February 12, 2020
Tens of thousands of California's poorest tenants -- many just a step away from homelessness -- have
endured conditions in housing run by PAMA Management, which can be dirty, dilapidated and even deadly.
Tulare County supervisor candidate 'owns up' to DUIs, disputes state reprimand
Joshua Yeager - Visalia Times Delta - February 7, 2020
Brad Maaske is running for Tulare County supervisor. In order to make it to the dais though, he must first
overcome two criminal convictions and questions surrounding his real estate license restrictions from the
California Department of Real Estate.
Redding real estate agent accused of insurance fraud after Carr Fire
David Benda - Redding Record Searchlight - January 22, 2020
A Redding realtor has been accused of insurance fraud stemming from losses he incurred in the Carr Fire,
the state Department of Insurance announced Wednesday.
OC Realtor Allegedly Scammed Clients Out of Half Million Dollars
Vikki Vargas - NBC4 News – October 8, 2019
An Orange County Realtor accused of bilking dozens of investors out of half a million dollars faced a judge
to answer to criminal charges Tuesday. Prosecutors say Laura Preciado took thousands of dollars from her real
estate clients, got out on bail and then did it again.
Orange County Realtor Accused of Scamming $1 Million From Homebuyers
Vikki Vargas - NBC4 News - May 13, 2019
An Orange County realtor is accused of scamming homebuyers and stealing more than $1 million in
deposits for properties which California real estate officials say she had no right to sell.
NBC News Bay Area
Chris Chmura, Arlen Fernandez, Eduardo Perez Parra, Joe Rojas, and James Jackson -
November 17, 2018
As Fast-growing Real Estate Wire Fraud Scams Target More Victims, NBC Bay Area Finds Flaw in Cyber-Security
Washington Post Article
Eugene Volokh - December 20, 2016
Arizona real estate agent runs afoul of California authorities — so he gets Arizona order that leads
to Google deindexing the California order - The Washington Post
NOTEBOOK:Tips
to avoid being scammed
Debra Gruszecki – Press Enterprise.com – September 17, 2014
The California
Department of Real Estate has just put out an advisory to help consumers and senior citizens avoid taking
the bait on real estate fraud for home loans, rentals, time shares and property recordings.
New Tool to
fight San Diego rental scam
Ed Lenderman – KUSI News – July 25, 2014
Realtors joined District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and State Real Estate Commissioner Wayne Bell in saying
that there's a proliferation of victims in San Diego of rental scam going on across the country.
San Diego Realtors' Group Warns Against Rental Fraud
Dwane Brown – KPBS.org – July 25,2014
There's a new tool to fight the rise of real estate and rental fraud in San Diego. At a press
conference Friday, the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors announced they are now giving out
stickers for the windows of vacant homes that will make it clear to potential buyers that the home
is not for rent.
Can a Simple Sticker Help You Lick Real-Estate Fraudsters?
Ken Stone – Times of San Diego – July 25, 2014
Get a sticker; stop a fraudster. That's the message of the Greater San Diego Association of
Realtors, which Friday unveiled a new tool for fighting real estate and rental fraud in San
Diego — a small red-and-black sticker.
Personal Finance: Beware, mortgage scammers on the rise again
Claudia Buck – The Sacramento Bee – July 28, 2014
For years, it was "the Wild West" of real estate scams. As the housing crisis pummeled
struggling homeowners, scammers pounced.
