ALL forms of advertising must have at a minimum the Firm Name - this includes signs, business cards, flyers, car magnets, window decals, car wraps, postcards, etc. If it is a form of online advertising it must have Your Name, Team Name and Logo, Firm Name, and Chesapeake, VA. Of course, Our team CAN promote our team name on all advertising as well. Team Logo, Firm Name and Fair Housing Logo must be present on all materials.

WHAT DOES ADVERTISING MEAN?

The Virginia Real Estate Board’s definition:

"Advertising" means all forms of representation, promotion, and solicitation disseminated in any manner and by any means of communication to consumers for any purpose related to licensed real estate activity."

As you can see, advertising, from VREB’s perspective, is a broad concept, covering everything from a page you pay for in a newspaper to potentially the contents of your emails. Its regulations encompass all communication media (although they require different disclosures for print and online advertising).

A guideline to go by to determine whether you are engaged in regulated advertising is: Could what I am sending out be perceived as attempting to induce business? If it could be, follow all disclosure requirements.

Also, consider that real estate advertising can be in the eye of the beholder. For example, I post on my Facebook® page that I just sold my 25th listing this month. I might just be attempting to garner praise from my friends, but I might also be attempting to tell the world what an incredible agent I am and to work with me --------advertising!

Question: What are my disclosure obligations for online and print advertising?

Answer:

Online ads for a firm must have:

·Firm name;

·City and state of the main office; and

·All jurisdictions in which the firm is presently licensed

·Online ads for a licensee (not a firm) must have:

·Licensee’s and firm’s name;

·City and state of the licensee’s office (not necessarily the firm’s main office); and

·Jurisdiction(s) (usually states) in which licensee holds a license, active or not.

Online ads for a licensee (not a firm) must have:

· Licensee’s and firm’s name;

· City and state of the licensee’s office (not necessarily the firm’s main office); and

·Jurisdiction(s) (usually states) in which licensee holds a license, active or not