GREC REnews, 2022 May

GGRREECC RREENNeewwss May 2022
Volume 18 Issue 5

Monthly Newsletter of the Georgia Real
Estate Commission

# 1
2022 Calendar
Georgia Instructor Training Workshop (GIT) October 17-18, 2022
Atlanta, GA For more Info, visit greea.org
Link to Proposed Rule
Changes
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RENewsletter Click Here

This Issue

Advertising Cases

P. 1-2

GREC Job Opening

P. 1

Disciplinary Stats

P. 1

AMK Advertising and Misleading Info P. 2

Consider the Following Recent Cases Investigated by the Commission Regarding Advertising Listings on
Personal Websites and Social Media:
Jane Doe, an Associate Broker Licensee

1) Advertised on her personal website and Facebook seven (7) properties under the company name of "Jane Doe Real Estate", a name not registered or licensed by the Commission; and
2) Failed to include the name and telephone number of her Firm; and 3) Failed to remove said advertisements after the listings were sold or expired.
Ms. Doe was required to pay an amount of $400 within 45 days to include a fine of $200 and reimbursement to the Commission for its administrative investigative, and legal costs and expenses in the amount of $200.
Within 60 days, Ms. Doe was also required to complete a three-hour course approved by the Commission titled "Being a Broker and Staying Out of Trouble." Reference the Advertising Rules and Regulations on the next page.
...continued on page 2

Job Opportunity at the Georgia Real Estate Commission as Investigator
https://grec.state.ga.us/wpcontent/uploads/pdfs/About/HireREInvestigator%20%20April%202022.pdf

Link to GREC Disciplinary Actions
View Current Suspensions and
Revocations

Click Here

Click here to review a legend of the disciplinary actions the Commission may impose.
Page 1

SUBMIT
Comments &
Suggestions
H
Online Courses from GREC
$10 each 3 Hour CE
Course
Total of 9 Hours CNE Available (Approved as License Law
CE and approved as Instructor CE)
"Avoiding Trust
Account Trouble"
"Practicing Real Estate & Staying
Out of Trouble"
"Being a Broker and Staying Out of Trouble"
Click Here
Georgia Real Estate Commission Suite 1000 International Tower 229 Peachtree Street NE Atlanta, GA 30303-1605 Phone 404-656-3916

GREC RENews May 2022, Volume 18 Issue 5

Cases investigated by the Commission

...continued from page 1

In another case, a Salesperson Licensee did the following: 1) Advertised specific properties on the Internet under the company name "Fast Realty," a company name not licensed by the Commission and while his license was affiliated with another Firm; 2) Failed to include his Firm's name and telephone number in said advertisements. 3) Failed to submit said advertising to his Broker for review prior to its posting.

The Salesperson Licensee was required to pay an amount of $300 within 45 days to include a fine of $150 and reimbursement to the Commission for its administrative investigative, and legal costs and expenses in the amount of $150.
Within 60 days, the Salesperson was also required to complete a three-hour course approved by the Commission titled "Practicing Real Estate and Staying Out of Trouble." Reference the Advertising Rules and Regulations below.

bsolutely ust now
520-1-.09 (7) Firm Names and Telephone Numbers in Advertising. In advertising specific real estate for sale, rent, or exchange in any media: (a) Firms must include in the advertisement a name of the firm as registered with the
Commission and a telephone number for the firm, except when complying with lawful restrictions (such as covenants or local governmental ordinances) that forbid the use of the firm' s name on a particular type of sign; (b) The name of the firm advertising the real estate for sale, rent, or exchange shall appear in equal or greater size, prominence, and frequency than the name or names of any affiliated Licensees or groups of Licensees; (c) The firm's telephone number shall appear in equal or greater size, prominence, and frequency than the telephone number of any affiliated Licensee or groups of Licensees, and it must be a number at which the public can reach a broker or a manager of the firm without going through the affiliated Licensee(s) in the advertisement; (d) Whether contained in a logo or standing alone, the name of the firm must be in equal or greater size, prominence, and frequency than the name of any affiliated Licensee or group of Licensees; and (e) A block advertisement in any print media that advertises various listings or a firm and includes the name of the listing agent next to each listing shall be in compliance with this rule if the name of the firm appears only once at the top of the advertisement in equal or greater prominence and print size than any of the listing agent's names. The firm's name may be located in other positions in such block advertisement if the firm name appears clearly larger and more prominently than the name of any other Licensee in the advertisement. 520-1-.09 (5) Internet Advertising. In addition to the unfair trade practices found in O.C.G.A 43-40-25 (b)(1)(2),(11),(12) and (21) or any other requirements found in this Rule, any advertising on the Internet by a Licensee of real estate for sale, rent, lease, or exchange shall disclose the name and telephone number of the Licensee's firm on every viewable we page of a website except as being otherwise provided. (c) Information on a website maintained by a Licensee that is outdated shall be updated or removed from the website within thirty (30) days of the information becoming outdated. 43-40-25 Unfair Trade Practices (b) Licensees shall not engage in any of the following unfair trade practices: (2) Intentionally advertising material which is misleading or inaccurate or which in any way misrepresents any property, terms, values, policies, or services of the business conducted; (12) Offering real estate for sale or lease without the knowledge and consent of the owner or the owner's authorized agent or on terms other than those authorized by the owner or the owner's authorized agent.
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