The Hits Keep Coming: Losing My Florida Real Estate License

I’ve held my Florida real estate license for about 15 years. It’s something my father always wanted me to have, so I earned it and kept up with the continuing education requirements ever since. Despite not using the license much, I’ve always held onto it, thinking it was a good thing to have in my back pocket.

But part of maintaining your real estate license means self-reporting any criminal offenses. After being charged in March 2024, I did what was required—I self-reported. Shortly after, I received a notice that an administrative complaint had been filed against me by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC). Essentially, they were looking to penalize me for the charges.

They have a range of punishments, from fines to suspensions, to outright revoking your license. Despite my minimal use of the license, I feel this situation has nothing to do with real estate, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), or FREC. However, they questioned my moral character, even asking, “Would you trust this person with your family?”

After speaking for barely a minute during the hearing, a decision was made. They chose to permanently revoke my license and add a fine on top of it.

I’m not sharing this for sympathy, but to shed light on what goes on behind the scenes. Had I not self-reported, I’d still have my license today, no questions asked. Yet, in the span of four minutes, a permanent decision was made, and there was little I could do to defend myself.

During the hearing, another gentleman spoke up about his school’s failure to report his coursework, and they immediately called his license into question. When he stood up for himself, they dismissed him and joked about him being a “certificate warrior,” essentially mocking him for advocating for his own education.

At this point, I’ve learned to let things like this roll off my shoulders. There’s virtually nothing I can say to change their decision. The only hope for any sort of resolution lies in post-conviction relief, and even then, it’s not like an apology tour will follow, with everyone rushing to right the wrongs. It’ll just go away, quietly, like it never happened.