Fact or fiction? If you use your social media accounts for real estate business, the Texas Real Estate Commission requires you to have a link from those accounts to the Consumer Protection Notice and the Information About Brokerage Services notice.

Fact. TREC requires you to provide a link to the Consumer Protection Notice and a completed Information About Brokerage Services notice in a readily noticeable place on the homepage of your business websites. The term “business website” means a website—including social media—that is accessible to the public, has content controlled by the license holder, and has information about the license holder’s real estate business. For social media accounts, the links may be located on the account’s profile or on a separate page or website through a direct link from the social media platform or profile.

Consumer Protection Notice links labeled “Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice” must be in at least 10-point font, but if the link is shortened to read “TREC Consumer Protection Notice,” then it must be in 12-point font. Likewise, links to a completed Information About Brokerage Services notice labeled “Texas Real Estate Commission Information About Brokerage Services” must be in at least 10-point font, but if the link is shortened to read “TREC Information About Brokerage Services,” it must be in 12-point font.

Note: TREC amended the Consumer Protection Notice effective February 1. Be sure to link to the most up-to-date version. After February 1, the latest version will include a statement about licensed inspectors being required to maintain errors and omissions insurance to cover losses arising from the performance of a real estate inspection in a negligent or incompetent manner.