Hey Brian Utley
There are definitely pros and cons with having and not having a license. One pro to having a license and brokering real estate for a living is knowing the off-market. I am a commercial broker In birmingham al with Southpace Properties Inc. As you probably have seen, finding deals in a sellers market is very difficult. Anything listed for sale is usually going to be at or above market. The offmarket is really the only place to find deals.
I am in commercial real estate. In commercial, the seller or landlord always pays the commission. The buyer or tenant never pays the commission so it’s really a win win for a buyer to use a broker to find deals, negotiate on their behalf and to write up offers.
When you (or your business partner) have a license, you become liable and held to the same standards as a licensed agent or broker. In other words, you take on liability that you otherwise would not have without a license.
Just a couple things to consider. Good luck!