Just got my Broker license in Georgia. My partner (silent) is NOT an agent. He flips properties & buys 5-10 homes a month.

He has used a discount Broker for years. He is a family member, and decided to open a company with me, so I could list his homes.

QUESTION: He wants his phone # on signs that will go in front of his homes. Is this legal?

This is not ideal for me IMHO, since we could loose buyer/seller leads. But, this is what he wants. Difficult to argue when him since he is giving me listings on a silver platter & funding the opening of company.

He has been flipping homes for 15 years. 90% of his homes sell within 30 days. He buys at court steps, and then has crews that renovate them.

Can I put his phone # on our company signs?

In advance, appreciate any feedback.

hmmmm, how long have you known this so called silent partner...?

I don't know about Georgia; but in most Jurisdictions, only the Brokerage Name and Phone Number, and that of a Licensee may be on a Listing Sign at the property.

Maybe you have to list all of his properties under an Exclusive Agency Agreement (if you have them in Georgia) . . . . or as OPEN Listings. But that would cost hime quite a bit as far as marketing by other MLS Brokers is concerned.

As an OPEN, or an Exclusive Agency (we call them Abusive Agency), your "Partner" can have his own FSBO Sign right next to yours.

Maybe your Sign could have a Topper that says "Call me if the Owner doesn't Answer"

Give him a copy of the Georgia Real Estate Regulations . . . . he may want to change his mind about owning an Agency that has to comply with the Rules. I don't know what he thought was in this arangement for him . . . . I don't think it will work as planned.

You may be trying to fit a Round Peg in a Square Hole . . . . he may have been operating too long as a free-wheeling Dealer to now have to get with the program. He seems to want it both ways. Being Licensed means you have a New Boss . . . . The State REC.

But I am speaking about things generally . . . . not knowing anything about Georgia.

Thank you for your responses! Thanks Vermont!

Again, he his family.

I do NOT think this is legal. But, nothing is on GREC the state commission site, nor can I find anything that clearly states only Brokerage & number can be on signage. This is my problem. If I can show him, that would nip it in the bud.

I come from FL & certain this is in my text book from school......that was the basic entry level knowledge............

"Being Licensed means you have a New Boss . . . . The State REC." LOVE IT & SO TRUE! Just need to get him to understand that.

520-1-.09 Advertising.
(1) Media. This rule regulates advertising whether done personally by a licensee or
through any media. The term “media” includes, but is not limited to, print,
photographic, broadcast, and computer media including, but not limited to, such
examples as newspapers, magazines, flyers, posters, business cards, billboards, radio,
television, signs (including, but not limited to, office, directional, for sale, for lease, sold,
or vehicle signs), newsletters, and the Internet.

(2) Misleading Advertising. Any advertising that is misleading or inaccurate in any
material fact or in any way misrepresents any property, terms, values, services, or
policies is prohibited. Whenever a licensee becomes aware that a principal with whom
the licensee’s firm has a brokerage engagement is advertising to sell, buy, rent, lease, or
exchange a property in such a manner that is inconsistent with this rule, the licensee must
immediately take steps to stop the advertising until it complies with this rule.

(2.1) Advertising by Affiliated Licensees. All advertising by associate brokers,
salespersons, and community association managers must be under the direct supervision
and in the name of the broker who holds their licenses.

(3) Written Permission to Advertise. A licensee shall not advertise any property for sale,
rent, lease, or exchange unless the licensee has first secured the written permission of the
owner or the owner’s authorized agent. Where such permission is granted, a licensee
advertising property that is listed with another licensee shall clearly and conspicuously
disclose that fact and the name of the listing licensee unless the listing licensee has
expressly agreed to waive those clear and conspicuous disclosures.

(4) Discriminatory Advertising Prohibited. A licensee shall not advertise to sell, buy,
exchange, rent, or lease property when such advertisement is directed at or referred to
persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national
origin. The contents of any advertisement must be confined to information relative to the
property itself, and any advertisement that is directed at or referred to persons of any
particular race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin is
prohibited.

(5) Internet Advertising. Any licensee who advertises any property for sale, rent, lease,
or exchange on the Internet must remove such advertisement within ten days after the
expiration of the listing. Note: See 520-1-.11(3) for requirements for licensees
advertising as principals.

(6) Trade Names and Franchise Names. For purposes of this rule the term trade name
shall include trade mark and service mark; and the term advertising shall include, but is
not limited to, advertising done by others in behalf of the licensee.
(a) Any firm using a trade name or any franchisee in advertising specific properties for
sale in any media clearly and unmistakably include said firm’s name as registered with
the Commission in a manner reasonably calculated to attract the attention of the public.
The firm’s name shall appear adjacent to any specific properties said firm advertises for
sale so that the public may unmistakably identify the firm responsible for the handling of
the listing of the specific property. In advertising a specific property or properties for
sale, for rent, or for exchange, the name of the licensed firm offering the property for
sale, for rent, or for exchange shall appear in equal or greater size, prominence, and
frequency than the name or names of any affiliated licensees or groups of licensees.
(b) Any firm using a trade name or any franchisee shall on any signs, business cards,
contracts, or other documents relating to real estate transactions clearly and unmistakably
include said firm’s name as registered with the Commission.
(c) Any firm using a trade name or any franchisee shall clearly and unmistakably include
said firm’s name as registered with the Commission on office signs.

(7) Firm Names and Telephone Numbers in Advertising. In advertising a specific
property or specific properties for sale, for rent, or for exchange in any media:
(a) all firms must include in the advertisement a name of the firm that is 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 licensed firm offering the property for sale, for rent, or for 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 the broker or a manager without going
through the affiliated licensee(s) listed in the advertisement;
(d) whether contained in a logo or standing alone, the name of the firm as registered with
the Commission 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 of a
brokerage 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 brokerage 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
advertisements if the firm name appears clearly larger and more prominently than the
name of any other licensee in the advertisement.

(8) Licensees Advertising as Principals. A licensee shall not advertise to sell, buy,
exchange, rent, or lease property in a manner indicating that the offer to sell, buy,
exchange, rent, or lease such property is being made by a private party not licensed by the
Real Estate Commission.
(a) Every associate broker, salesperson, and community association manager is prohibited
from advertising under the licensee’s own name to buy any property or offering for sale,
rent, or lease any property. All advertising by associate brokers, salespersons, and
community association managers must be under the direct supervision and in the name of
the broker who holds their licenses. However, when a licensee wishes to advertise
property owned by the licensee and which is not under a brokerage engagement with a
broker, the licensee may do so provided:
1. if the licensee’s license is affiliated with a broker, the broker holding the licensee’s
license has been notified in writing of the specific property to be advertised;
2. regardless of whether the licensee’s license is affiliated with a broker or on inactive
status, any advertisement must include either (a) the legend “seller, buyer, landlord,
tenant (select the appropriate name) holds a real estate license” or (b) the legend “Georgia
Real Estate License # (insert licensee’s six digit number; for example, 000001).”
“Georgia Real Estate License” may be abbreviated to “GA R. E. Lic.;” and
3. if the licensee’s license is affiliated with a broker, the broker gives written consent to
advertising the specific property and the advertisement itself.

(9) Licensees Advertising Approved Schools. A licensee shall not advertise that such
licensee offers, sponsors, or conducts Commission approved courses or that such licensee
offers, sponsors, or conducts Commission approved courses in conjunction with an
approved school or other approved organization unless the licensee is approved by the
Commission to offer such courses.
Authority O.C.G.A. Secs. 43-40-2, 43-40-3, 43-40-7, 43-40-12, 43-40-14, 43-40-16, 43-40-19, 43-40-20,
43-40-27, 43- 40-27.1. History. Original Rule entitled “Business Name” adopted as ER. 520-1-0.1-.09. F.
and eff. July 12, 1973. Amended: Permanent Rule entitled “Improper Use of Form Sale Contracts, Etc.
Prohibited” adopted. F. Dec. 7, 1973; eff. Dec. 27, 1973. Repealed: F. May 8, 1981; eff. June 1, 1981, as
specified by the Agency. Amended: New Rule entitled “Application” adopted. F. Nov. 8, 1984; eff. Dec.
1, 1984, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. May 9, 1985; eff. July 1, 1985, as specified by the
Agency. Amended: F. Aug. 11, 1989; eff. Sept. 1, 1989, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. July 16,
1992; eff. Aug. 5, 1992. Amended: F. July 19, 1993; eff. Aug. 8, 1993. Amended: F. July 19, 1994, eff.
Aug. 8, 1994. Amended: F. June 14, 1996; eff. July 4, 1996. Amended: F. Dec. 10, 1999; eff. Dec. 30,
1999. Amended: F. Jan. 23, 2002; eff. July 1, 2002, as specified by the Agency. Repealed: New Rule
entitled “Advertising” adopted. F. Nov. 12, 2003; eff. Dec. 2, 2003. Amended: F. Sept. 21, 2004; eff. Oct.
11, 2004. Amended: F. Dec. 8, 2004; eff. Dec. 28, 2004. Amended: F. Mar. 9, 2005; eff. Mar. 29, 2005.
Amended: F. June 8, 2005; eff. June 28, 2005.

A bigger issue is that you will need to disclose the partnership EVEN if they are a silent partner to the purchaser.

My MLS allows a FSBO owner sign with the owners contact info. in front of the house that is in the MLS listed with a broker.
I asked this question and got a legal review saying it's ok as long as the owner wants it.

Fllagent

Sounds like he intends to turn you into his flunky. If you want the job take it. You don't say what's in it for you so far, are you embarrassed by your arrangement.

Show some stuff, whats he going to do with all the leads? Just keep them in hopes he has a property they want down the road in case he doesn't have a property they want now? that is if they don't buy something else from somebody else in the meantime.

Why not waste those leads, you can't use them right, and he is the boss, and with the big bucks your getting from him you can afford to work under his terms. I think you need a long talk with this greedy jerk, family or not.

I can't speak on the real estate laws of your state. But what I would say is it does seem to be a good opportunity for you to network. Once you start dealing with people you can try to get new business through referrals. Pretty soon, I'd expect that the percentage of business you're generating on your own could rival that which is sent to you via your family member.

Is he trust worthy? Remember when the S**t hits the fan, it is you and your livelyhood on the line.

That said, all of my agents have their name and phone numbers on their signs.