Do you have to be a licensed real estate agent to show a home?

Question

Just wondering if it's possible to show homes without being licensed as an agent.

Answer 1

probably not.

Answer 2

You don't need a license to sell your own property or to flip houses, but in order to act as a real estate agent and show and receive a commission for real estate transactions, you need a license.

I have heard of some agents having assistants show houses for them, but they aren't supposed to. Assistants are not supposed to be talking about the specifics of the houses, like what amenities will be left by the owner, or negotiate the financial details of the property. For obvious reasons, they are also not supposed to get codes for lock boxes or carry keys to get into the supra locks.  

It's very important to keep seller's houses safe. To be a real estate agent, you have to have a clean criminal record and they take your fingerprints and run your background. Plus the Department of Real Estate keeps a record of all agents and if an agent does something wrong, either by illegal intentions or stupidity, they can track them, sue them, take away their license and possibly send them to prison. The Department of Real Estate cannot keep track of non-agents.

Real estate agents are also educated in what they should and shouldn't say when showing houses. There are too many instances where something could go wrong when having someone who isn't an agent showing properties.