2024 Changes to Real Estate Advertising

The real estate statutes now include a new definition of “advertising” that includes print media, audio or video broadcast, and written or photographic material distributed through various mediums.  See Section 20-311(1) of the Connecticut General Statutes.

 

The laws (statutes and regulations) have been modified to distinguish between supervising licensees (e.g., brokers) and supervised licensees (e.g., team members, associate brokers, and salespeople).

 

Advertising cannot imply that any group is a licensed business entity, unless properly licensed as one. A group cannot imply it is a team, unless properly registered as one. As before, a team cannot imply it is a business entity.

 

The updated regulations provide advertising requirements for specific licensees as follows:

 

Supervising Licensees (Brokers)

  • Print media (advertisement of property or services):
    • Must prominently display
      • Name as it appears on license
      • Phone number or email address
    • If on behalf of or in coordination with another supervising licensee
      • Name of all supervising licensees responsible for advertisement
      • Phone number of all supervising licensees responsible for advertisement
  • Publishing or posting to electronic media (social media site, computer/mobile phone application, text message or similar messaging service, or email)
    • Must include:
      • Name as it appears on license (prominently displayed)
      • Link to internet site that complies with the requirements for internet sites
  • On internet site:
    • Must prominently display on each webpage of site
      • Name as it appears on license
      • Phone number or email address
      • Last date property information on site was revised (unless updated automatically as changes are made in MLS)
    • If on behalf of or in conjunction with another licensee (services or property), on applicable internet sites
      • Name of both the advertising supervising licensee and the licensee with whom they have such business relationship
      • phone number and email of both the advertising supervising licensee and the licensee with whom they have such business relationship


Supervised Licensees (Associate Brokers and Salespeople)

  • Associate brokers must also follow the requirements and standards of real estate brokers and
    • must include the name of the supervising licensee at a prominent location in all advertisements
  • Print:
    • Must include:
      • Name as it appears on license
      • Phone number or email address
    • Also include (in the same font size or larger than supervised licensee)
      • Name of supervising licensee
      • Supervising licensee’s phone number or email address
  • Publishing or posting to electronic media (social media site, computer/mobile phone application, text message or similar messaging service, or email)
    • Must include:
      • Name as it appears on license (prominently displayed)
      • Link to internet site that complies with the requirements for internet sites
  • On internet site:
    • Prominently display on each webpage of site
      • Name as it appears on license
      • Phone number or email address
      • Last date property information on site was revised (unless updated automatically as changes are made in MLS)
    • Include on each webpage (at least same size font as supervised licensee)
      • Name of supervising licensee
      • Supervising licensee’s phone number or email address