This is a thorny issue, but I know one thing for sure: The more licensed real
estate sales people that there are in the field, the more self - promotion / self - marketing (spelled m - o - n - e-y) is required to
attempt to secure one's part of the dwindling pie.
Section § 440 of the Real Property Law requires licensure when any
person, for another and for a fee, commission or other valuable consideration, lists for
sale, sells, at auction or otherwise, exchange, buys or rents, or offers or
attempts to negotiate a
sale, at auction or otherwise, exchange, purchase or rental of an
estate or interest in real
estate, or collects or offers or
attempts to collect rent for the use of real
estate, or negotiates, or offers or
attempts to negotiate a loan secured or to be secured by a mortgage on real property other than a loan to be secured on one - to four - family residential property.