Courtney Poulos, founder of ACME | SERHANT. in Los Angeles, is championing a concept that could reshape the real estate industry: a single, nationwide real estate license. Poulos, who leads the luxury team under the SERHANT. umbrella, recently completed the Advanced Management Development Program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. It was there that she connected with a classmate who has ties to senior policy circles, providing an opportunity to explore the feasibility of this idea on a broader scale.
The current system requires agents to obtain separate licenses for each state where they conduct business, along with complying with distinct continuing education requirements and state-specific regulations. This patchwork creates significant friction for agents dealing with relocating clients, second-home buyers, and high-net-worth individuals with properties in multiple states. Poulos argues that this framework is outdated, designed for a more localized era, and fails to accommodate the mobility of modern clients. A national license would not override state-specific contract or disclosure laws, but it would eliminate the licensing and infrastructure hurdles that currently impede agents from serving clients across state lines.
The notion of a national license is not novel, but Poulos's Harvard connection offers a fresh pathway to advance it. Her classmate's position at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce provides a direct link to policy circles that individual brokers typically lack. Additionally, Ryan Serhant, whose national firm now includes ACME under the ACME | SERHANT. brand, informally indicated support for the idea when Poulos raised it with him. While the conversation was casual, Serhant's prominent platform could help bring wider industry attention to the proposal.
The implications for agents and clients are substantial. For agents, a national license would enable them to represent clients in other states without having to partner with or refer deals to local agents, thereby retaining full commissions. For clients, it means continuity—they can stick with a trusted agent through cross-state transactions rather than starting anew in an unfamiliar market. Poulos sees particular benefits for boutique brokerages, which often compete against large, multi-state firms. A national license would level the playing field, allowing smaller firms to retain clients as they move or invest across state lines, rather than losing business to larger competitors.
Poulos emphasizes that the idea is still in its infancy. The immediate next step is to build a coalition of interested parties to gauge support and determine feasibility. Over the coming months, she expects the conversation to evolve as more stakeholders weigh in. For now, the focus is on generating dialogue and exploring whether the industry is ready for such a transformative change.
