You may not, through inattention or ignorance, permit our advertising to fall into any of the following categories. You are responsible to know the relevant guidelines and to apply them at all times.
- False Advertising
- Misleading Advertising
- Blind Ads
- Any ads that violate local, state, and federal fair housing laws
All ads MUST comply with FREC guidelines. As registered Broker for the office, Ruth Carrington is fully responsible for all ads placed by either the company or its licensees (that means you!) no matter who pays for it, no matter what phone numbers are used etc. Therefore our concern is not only on your behalf, but because the Division of Real Estate will hold the company fully responsible for all your ads of any kind whatever.
Here are the guidelines for all advertising, including internet advertising:
- all advertising must be in the name (brokerage name) and under the supervision of the broker
- done in a manner in which any reasonable person would know they are dealing with a real estate licensee
- Licensee’s name may appear in addition to brokerage name (see next bullet point)
- licensee’s last name must appear in ad as registered with the real estate commission
- Internet advertising must have brokerage name placed immediately adjacent to, above, or below the point of contact information. Point of contact information could be a brokerage or licensee’s mailing and/or physical addresses, email addresses and telephone, cell phone or fax numbers or any other means by which an individual would contact the brokerage or individual licensee
- Nicknames– If licensees wish to use a nickname in advertising, they should include it in quotation marks after their first name or first initial. For example: John “Johnny” Johnson or J. “Johnny” Johnson. Any time an agent’s name appears in an advertisement, it must use the last name as it is registered with the Florida Real Estate Commission.
- Team advertising:
- 1) “Team or group advertising” shall mean a name or logo used by one or more real estate licensees who represent themselves to the public as a team or group. The team or group must perform licensed activities under the supervision of the same broker or brokerage.
- (2) Each team or group shall file with the broker a designated licensee to be responsible for ensuring that the advertising is in compliance with chapter 475, Florida Statutes, and division 61J2, Florida Administrative Code.
- (3) At least once monthly, the registered broker must maintain a current written record of each team’s or group’s members.
- (4) Team or group names. Real estate team or group names may include the word “team” or “group” as part of the name. Real estate team or group names shall not include the following words:
- (a) Agency (b) Associates (c) Brokerage (d) Brokers (e) Company (f) Corporation (g) Corp. (h) Inc. (i) LLC (j) LP, LLP or Partnership (k) Properties (l) Property (m) Real Estate (n) Realty (o) Or similar words suggesting the team or group is a separate real estate brokerage or company
- (5) This rule applies to all advertising.
- (6) In advertisements containing the team or group name, the team or group name shall not be in larger print than the name of the registered brokerage. All advertising must be in a manner in which reasonable persons would know they are dealing with a team or group.