A property owner's neighbor has been helping local homeowners find buyers for their properties and collecting referral fees for each successful sale. The neighbor does not hold any real estate license. Under Georgia license law, which statement most accurately describes the licensing requirement for performing brokerage acts?

Correct Answer

A) A person who performs brokerage acts for another for compensation in Georgia must generally hold the appropriate real estate license unless a specific statutory exemption applies.

O.C.G.A. § 43-40-29 establishes that any person who performs brokerage acts for another for compensation must hold a valid Georgia real estate license. The statute defines brokerage acts broadly—including listing, selling, buying, exchanging, negotiating, and auctioning real property for others. Only specific statutory exemptions (such as owners selling their own property, attorneys acting within their practice, or court-appointed individuals) excuse a person from this requirement.