Free Practice Questions for Real Estate Maryland-Real-Estate-Salesperson Exam

In settlement prorations, prepaid items (e.g., prepaid property taxes or HOA dues) are credited to the seller and debited to the buyer, because the seller has paid for a period that extends beyond the closing date, and the buyer reimburses the seller for the buyer’s post-closing share. Conversely, accrued but unpaid items (e.g., the current year’s unpaid property taxes) are debited to the seller and credited to the buyer. The Maryland course teaches these conventions in the Closing and Math sections.

Within “Real Estate Brokerage Operations” (advertising and solicitation compliance), the course emphasizes federal rules governing outreach to consumers:

The Do Not Call Implementation Act (and related FTC/FCC rules) regulates telemarketing, requiring scrubbing against the National Do Not Call Registry, time-of-day restrictions, identification requirements, and record-keeping.

The CAN-SPAM Act governs commercial email, requiring accurate header information, a truthful subject line, clear identification as an advertisement (where applicable), a clear opt-out mechanism, and honoring opt-out requests promptly.

The Junk Fax Prevention Act (amending the TCPA) restricts unsolicited fax advertisements, allowing them only under specific conditions (e.g., established business relationship, proper opt-out notice).

These are the primary federal solicitation rules covered for prospecting; antitrust and fair housing laws are also taught but address different risk areas (competition and discrimination, respectively) rather than direct telemarketing/email/fax solicitation mechanics.

References (Course Outline/Study Topics):

Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course — “Real Estate Brokerage Operations” (Advertising & Solicitation Compliance: Do Not Call rules, CAN-SPAM, Junk Fax Prevention Act; distinctions from antitrust and fair housing requirements).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Loan Program provides financing for low- to moderate-income borrowers in rural areas.

The Maryland course teaches that Section 502 Direct Loans may offer repayment terms of up to 38 years, depending on borrower income and property location.

These loans are designed to promote homeownership in eligible rural communities and may include payment assistance or subsidies to reduce monthly payments.

Under Maryland Business Occupations and Professions Article §17-322 and the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 09.11.02, the Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC) may impose disciplinary action on a licensee who violates license law or the Commission’s Code of Ethics. Sanctions can include a formal reprimand, monetary fine, license suspension, or license revocation. Imprisonment does not apply to ethical or administrative violations unless accompanied by criminal fraud. Each case is reviewed individually by the Commission.

Bracketing is an appraisal technique used in the sales comparison approach.

An appraiser selects comparables (“comps”) that are both superior and inferior to the subject property in key features (size, amenities, condition, etc.) to ensure the subject’s value falls within a supported range.

This method provides a balanced and realistic market value estimate.

The Maryland pre-licensing course explains bracketing in the “Real Estate Appraisal and Valuation” section to prepare students for both state and national exam questions on comparative analysis.

The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) is the state agency responsible for enforcing fair housing laws within Maryland.

Under the Maryland Fair Housing Act (found in Title 20 of the State Government Article), the MCCR investigates complaints of discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability.

The MCCR’s duties include:

Receiving and investigating housing discrimination complaints.

Attempting conciliation between parties when possible.

Referring cases to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) when they fall under federal jurisdiction.

Enforcing penalties and ensuring compliance with both state and federal fair housing standards.

In the Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course, this information is covered under the “Maryland Fair Housing and Ethics Requirements” module, emphasizing that licensees must understand and comply with both federal Fair Housing Act provisions and Maryland’s additional protected classes enforced by the MCCR.

Reference (Maryland Source):

Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course – “Maryland Fair Housing and Ethics Requirements” Module

Annotated Code of Maryland, State Government Article, Title 20 – Human Relations, §§ 20-701 to 20-711 (Maryland Fair Housing Act).

A land trust is a type of living trust in which real property is the only asset placed into the trust.

Under a land trust, the trustee (fiduciary) holds legal title to the property, while the beneficiary retains the rights to control, manage, and receive income or proceeds from the property.

The Maryland pre-licensing course explains that land trusts are commonly used for privacy, estate planning, and avoiding probate, since the property is owned and transferred through the trust rather than by individual deed.

Earnest money is a good-faith deposit tendered by the buyer with an offer to purchase, demonstrating the buyer’s commitment and providing liquidated damages/security per the contract terms. The deposit is typically held in a broker or title/escrow trust account and is credited to the buyer at closing or disbursed according to the contract if the transaction does not close.

The buyer determines the amount of the earnest money deposit, since it is the buyer’s good-faith indication of intent to perform under the contract.

The licensee can explain customary local practices and typical deposit amounts but may not set or require a specific figure.

The offer, including the deposit amount, becomes binding only when accepted by the seller.

This is emphasized in the Contracts and Offer Preparation module, which explains that the buyer controls all offer terms, including price, contingencies, and deposit.

Reference (Maryland Source):

– Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices Course, Real Estate Contracts section.

– Business Occupations and Professions Article §17-322 (Improper Brokerage Practices).

Maryland law requires that a licensee acting as a seller’s agent must provide any unrepresented buyer with the "Understanding Whom Real Estate Agents Represent" disclosure at the first scheduled face-to-face meeting about a specific property.

The purpose is to ensure that consumers understand who represents whom before discussing confidential or motivational information.

This rule is clearly detailed in the Maryland Agency Law module of the pre-licensing course.

Reference (Maryland Source):

– Maryland 60-Hour Principles and Practices Course, Maryland Agency Law section.

– Business Occupations and Professions Article §17-530 through §17-534.

– COMAR 09.11.07.01 – Agency Disclosure Requirements.