Social Media Ethics In Real Estate

Social media is rampant nowadays. It seems like almost everyone is on some site, whether it is Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, or TikTok.

Social media is an amazing tool for marketing a business. It allows you to reach millions of people with just one post.

This is especially true in the real estate industry. You can easily reach potential clients, allowing you to make a sale more quickly. However, a real estate post isn’t like some informal tweet you can send to your friends. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is strict when it comes to ethics. Plus, there are local, state, and national laws you need to abide by.

Alo, remember that anything on the internet lasts forever. As a real estate professional, here are some rules you should abide by.

Identify Yourself

Always identify yourself fully. In any marketing material. You need to include your first and last name, as well as a phone number, email, or physical address. In addition, you should include the brokerage company’s licensed name.

Identify the Listing Agent

Don’t confuse customers and act like you’re the listing agent. You should always cite the listing agent in any post about a listing that’s not yours. You can do this by listing the agent’s name, brokerage, and a link to their website.

Be Truthful

Social media is often the best place to make a first impression of the property you’re charged with selling. Yes, you want to present a home in its best light but you also want to avoid misleading buyers with too many embellishments.

The NAR prohibits the false misrepresentation of real estate in social media posts. That can mean outright lying about a spec, such as total square footage or available parking. or it can be adjusting a photo to hide a flaw.

Make Sure Your Bio is Accurate

It’s important to remember that the information you place in a bio needs to be correct and current. Do not put “#1 real estate agent in Florida” if it’s not true. But if you are given some sort of award or ranking by a publication, feel free to add it. Just be sure to cite the source. Also, be sure to regularly update your bio as your certifications change. 

Keep Your License With Help From a Tampa Real Estate Broker License Lawyer

What you post online can and will be used against you. Real estate professionals need to be mindful of what they post online and make sure they are being ethical in all their transactions.

A Tampa real estate broker license lawyer from The Law Offices of David P. Rankin, P.A. can help you deal with ethics violations. I have been involved in several hundred license discipline proceedings before the Florida Real Estate Commission and was the attorney for the Greater Tampa Realtors for 18 years. Fill out the online form or call (813) 968-6633 to schedule a consultation.

Source:

blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-rules-for-real-estate/