FAQ: Do you need to include your broker's phone number in your blog signature?

When you read blogs by real estate professionals, many of them lack complete contact information in the blog signature. It is fair to assume that a blog is an advertisement and it is important to include the disclosures required in your state. In Maryland, the name of the broker or branch office manager must be included when an associate broker or salesperson uses an individual phone number or an email address in an advertisement.

The following notice is from the website of the Maryland Real Estate Commission:

Telephone Numbers in Advertising - Real Estate Commission

The Maryland Real Estate Commission requires associate brokers and salespersons who use an individual telephone number or e-mail address in their advertising to also include in the advertisement the identified telephone number of the broker or branch office manager. Consumers must be able to reach your broker or branch office manager directly without going through you or your staff. (Phone menu options are acceptable.)

The Commission is concerned that members of the public may be unaware of how to register any questions or concerns that may arise in their dealings with a particular associate broker or salesperson. The Commissioners believe that many issues can be resolved with the assistance of the broker or branch office manager, and that this requirement will make it easier for that assistance to be obtained.

Clover, Kentlands Photowalk, Gaithersburg, Maryland USA IMG 4297
Canon PowerShot G11 Camera
Photograph by Roy Kelley 
Roy and Dolores Kelley Photographs