When the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) became the California Bureau of Real Estate (BRE) in 2013, it was a whopper of a change for industry professionals. It was essentially a reduction and rearrangement of the Department overall, putting it under the Department of Consumer Affairs. All of the applications, forms, documents, and titles had to be rewritten or revised.
Now, in 2017, a year full of other monumental changes, California Governor Jerry Brown has just signed Senate Bill 173 reverting from BRE back to DRE. With the sponsorship and support of the California Association of Realtors, among others, the Bill passed both the Senate and Assembly with no opposing votes, much to the relief of the entire Department and those who depend upon its reliable functionality.
SB173 is not merely a name change – government is far too complicated for that! The Bill also changes to hierarchy of the Department, removing it from under the umbrella of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). The newly re-formed DRE will be under the jurisdiction of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency (BCSH). The passing of SB 173 will abolish one level of supervision between the Governor and the Commissioner of Real Estate, reducing management tensions.
Over the last several years, industry professionals have watched timelines skyrocket – adding more time to a critical path item, carrying with it the costs of time and money as projects take longer to get to market. The efficiencies decreased and frustrations grew as the BRE lacked support and direction for its department. Internally, red tape and issues such as employee reimbursements and technology upgrades were ignored or forgotten. With the restructuring, the Department will now be in a position to control its own fate.
The passing of the SB173 will ease frustrations and anxieties both internal and external, improving speed and efficiency for not only our clients but all real estate professionals. The recent reversion has the Department hopeful that they will retain further control over fund usage, support, and staffing. With too many people and not enough real estate, housing costs in California continue to soar, creating an increasing need for stability.
Who knew one letter could make such a big difference in the world of real estate?
Well, for one, the entire California building industry knew. Returning to the DRE has filled building industry professionals with the hope that things will return to a more efficient and independently-controlled era. The ultimate goal of returning to the DRE is to serve the real estate and housing industry more efficiently.
Now that the Department of Real Estate will have control over their budget, they hope to be able to harness the technology upon which we have come to depend. By embracing technology, we will be able to submit electronic filings. By implementing newer technology, we at California Builder Services can provide more efficient efforts for our clients, highlighting the speed and efficiency this change affords us.
Starting July 1, 2018, the forms, documents, and titles will change again; a small price to pay for such significant, advantageous changes. And for those of us who never acclimated to calling it BRE, we’re safe calling it DRE!
