Sec. 11. 32 MRSA §13199, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:

2-A.__Professional qualifications. Each applicant for an associate broker license must have practiced as a real estate sales agent for 2 years within the 5 years immediately preceding the date of application and satisfactorily completed a course of study meeting guidelines established by the commission.__The commission may not issue a license under this section until an individual has completed 2 years as a licensed real estate sales agent.

Sec. 12. 32 MRSA §13200, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 395, Pt. A, §212, is amended to read:

2. Professional qualification. Each applicant for a sales agent license shall meet one of the following qualifications.:

A. The applicant shall satisfactorily complete a course of study of at least 84 hours, meeting commission established guidelines.; and

B. The applicant may shall appear at such time and place as the director may designate for the purpose of a written sales agent examination.

Sec. 13. 33 MRSA §171, sub-§§2 and 4, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 476, §1, are amended to read:

2. Seller. "Seller" means the owner of the residential real property that is for sale, exchange, sale under an installment contract or lease with an option to buy or the seller's licensed real estate brokerage agency as defined in Title 32, section 13271, subsection 10.

4. Purchaser. "Purchaser" means a transferee in any of the types of transactions described in section 172 or the purchaser's licensed real estate brokerage agency as defined in Title 32, section 13271, subsection 10.

Sec. 14. 33 MRSA §172, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 476, §1, is amended to read:

This subchapter applies to the transfer of any interest in residential real property, whether by sale, exchange, installment land contract, lease with an option to purchase or any other option to purchase, when the transaction is without the assistance of a person licensed to practice real estate