Social media rules for realtors: what applies to your posts.

Your posts are advertising

When you post a listing, promote your services, or share a market update with your contact information, regulators generally treat it as advertising. That includes Instagram posts, Reels, TikToks, Facebook posts and ads, LinkedIn updates, Google Business Profile posts and stories that disappear in a day. The format doesn't change the rules.

Personal posts about your weekend may not be advertising, but the line blurs quickly if your profile is your business. The safe assumption is that anything on an account people associate with your real estate business should meet advertising standards.

Fair Housing

The federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to make, print or publish any notice, statement or advertisement about the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates a preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin. Many states and localities add more protected classes, such as source of income, age, sexual orientation or gender identity.

In practice, that means describing the property, not the people you imagine living there. "Three bedrooms and a fenced yard" is a description. "Perfect for a young family" suggests a preference based on familial status. Be careful with words about neighborhoods, too. Avoid characterizing an area's residents, safety or schools; point people to official sources instead. HUD publishes guidance on advertising, and your state's fair housing agency is a good resource. Our guide to Fair Housing in listing descriptions has examples.

Ad targeting

Paid ads raise an extra issue: who sees them. Platforms have changed their tools after fair housing complaints. Meta, for example, now requires housing ads to run in a special category that limits targeting options like age and ZIP code. Use the housing category when you advertise listings or real estate services, and don't try to work around it by excluding audiences. Targeting can be discriminatory even when the ad text is not.

License law and brokerage disclosure

State real estate license laws generally require advertising by licensees to identify the brokerage, and many have specific rules about how prominently the brokerage name must appear and whether your license status must be stated. Some states also have rules for team names and for advertising on social media profiles specifically.

Your brokerage will also have its own policies, often stricter than the state's. Before you post, know: what disclosure your state requires, how your brokerage wants it shown, and whether it needs to appear on every post or on your profile. Check your state real estate commission's website and your brokerage's policy manual.

The NAR Code of Ethics

If you're a REALTOR, a member of the National Association of REALTORS, the Code of Ethics applies to your advertising. Article 12 requires REALTORS to be honest and truthful in their real estate communications and to present a true picture in their advertising and other representations. Standard of Practice 12-5 requires disclosing the name of your firm in a reasonable and readily apparent manner when you advertise real estate services or listed property in any medium.

Practically, that means no exaggerated claims, no implying you sold a listing you didn't, and clear identification of your firm. NAR publishes the full Code and interpretations on its website.

Reviews and testimonials

Sharing client reviews is powerful and regulated. The Federal Trade Commission's rules prohibit fake reviews and testimonials, including reviews written by people who aren't real clients, and restrict buying reviews or offering incentives conditioned on positive reviews. Only share real reviews from real clients, with their permission, and don't edit them in ways that change their meaning.

Platforms have their own review policies too. For example, Google doesn't allow offering incentives for reviews or selectively asking only happy clients. Ask everyone, offer nothing in return, and our Google reviews guide explains a process that stays within the rules.

Photos, music and copyright

Listing photos are usually owned by the photographer and licensed to the agent or brokerage for marketing that listing. Before using photos on social media, check your license terms and your MLS rules, which often restrict using photos after a listing expires or by another agent. Never use another agent's listing photos without permission.

Music is copyrighted too. Use the licensed music libraries built into each platform for business accounts, and be aware that some popular tracks aren't licensed for business use. Images from search engines are not free to use.

Clients' privacy and consent

Get written permission before posting a client's name, photo, story or home. Many clients are happy to share their closing photo; some are not, and some have good reasons for privacy. Never post an address or interior photos of an occupied home without the owner's permission, and be careful about showing personal items, family photos or anything that reveals where valuables are kept.

If you move conversations from social media to text messages, consent rules apply. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act and state laws regulate marketing texts. Get clear consent before adding someone to text campaigns, and honor opt-outs right away.

Drones, videos and other people's property

Aerial footage is popular in real estate marketing and has its own rules. Anyone flying a drone for business purposes in the US needs an FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate and must follow airspace rules, including authorization near airports and restricted areas. Hiring a certified pilot is the simple way to stay compliant. Be mindful of neighbors' privacy, too: avoid lingering over nearby yards or windows.

A pre-post checklist

• Is the brokerage disclosure included as required?
• Does the post describe the property, not people?
• Are all facts and numbers accurate and sourced?
• Are photos real, licensed for this use, and is virtual staging labeled?
• Do I have permission to show any client, home or face?
• Is any review real, permissioned and unedited?
• For paid ads, is it in the housing category?

How KONAH helps

The KONAH AI Social Media Manager checks every draft for risky Fair Housing wording, missing brokerage disclosure, lending claims and numbers that aren't in your notes, and each flag must be reviewed before you can approve the post. Listing posts use your real delivered photos. Nothing posts without your tap, and approvals are logged. The checks help you catch issues; you remain responsible for what you post. It's $49.99 a month after a free 14-day trial.