Code of Maryland Regulations › Title 09 - MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR › Subtitle 11 - REAL ESTATE COMMISSION › Chapter 09.11.02 - Code of Ethics › Section 09.11.02.01 - Relations to the Public

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 14, July 12, 2024
A. The
				licensee shall remain informed of matters affecting real estate in the
				community, the State, and the nation.
B. The licensee shall be informed on current
				market conditions in order to be in a position to advise clients as to the fair
				market price.
C. The licensee shall
				protect the public against fraud, misrepresentation, or unethical practices in
				the real estate field. The licensee shall endeavor to eliminate in the
				community any practices which could be damaging to the public or to the dignity
				and integrity of the real estate profession. The licensee shall assist the
				commission charged with regulating the practices of brokers, associate brokers,
				and salespersons in this State.
D.
				The licensee shall make a reasonable effort to ascertain all material facts
				concerning every property for which the licensee accepts the agency, in order
				to fulfill the obligation to avoid error, exaggeration, misrepresentation, or
				concealment of material facts.
E.
				The licensee, acting as agent, may not discriminate in the sale, rental,
				leasing, trading, or transferring of property to any person or group of persons
				in violation of State Government Article, §
									20-402, Annotated
				Code of Maryland.
F. The licensee
				may not be a party to the naming of a false consideration in any
				document.
G. Advertisement.
(1) For the purposes of this regulation,
				"advertisement" means any representation, promotion, or solicitation directed
				to consumers, by any means of communication, for any purpose concerning the
				provision of real estate brokerage services.
(2) The licensee in advertising shall be
				especially careful to present a true picture. A broker may not advertise
				without disclosing the broker's name or the company name as it appears on the
				license. A broker may not permit associate brokers or salespersons to use
				individual names unless the connection with the broker is obvious in the
				advertisement.
(3) Effective
				October 1, 2004, an associate broker or salesperson may not use an individual
				telephone number or email address in an advertisement unless the identified
				telephone number of the broker or branch office manager also appears in the
				advertisement.
(4) Any electronic
				media advertisement shall contain the applicable disclosures set forth in
				§G(2) and (3) of this regulation either:
(a) On the first 25 percent of the main page
				of the electronic media advertisement; or
(b) If the electronic media under
				§G(4)(a) of this regulation has a limitation of 280 characters or fewer,
				on the first 25 percent of a page that is accessible after a single click on a
				hyperlink on the main page of the electronic media advertisement.
(5) Interpretation of "Directly
				Connected" Under Business Occupations and Professions Article, §
										17-547(c),
				Annotated Code of Maryland. The Commission considers a team name to be
				"directly connected" to a brokerage name under Business Occupations and
				Professions Article, §
										17-547(c),
				Annotated Code of Maryland, if:
(a) The word
				"of", "from", "with", or "at" is the only word between the team name and the
				brokerage name; and
(b) No other
				word, symbol, or image is between the team name and the brokerage
				name.