This answer applies 3 methods from the guide, led by one.
Measure the relationship, not applause
Move relevant responses into a one-to-one conversation only with permission, then measure useful follow-through.
- 1Answer genuine responses before asking for anything.
- 2Ask permission before moving into direct contact or recording a lead.
- 3Track useful conversations, qualified needs, follow-through and time spent.
- 4Choose one improvement from your own small baseline.
Hold when: Reach and likes do not prove business value. Check advertising disclosures, privacy and current local requirements before publishing.
Read it in Broker Brain →Choose a useful territory
Work at the intersection of audience questions, actual knowledge and a service you can deliver.
Read it in Broker Brain →Explain the consequence, not the jargon
Say what is known, what is uncertain, what changes for the client and what happens next.
Read it in Broker Brain →Who sets the rules
Three sources matter for most agents. The Real Estate Agents Act 2008 sets what every advert must show. The Real Estate Agents Act (Professional Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2012, which the Real Estate Authority calls the code of conduct, set how licensees must behave. And the Fair Trading Act 1986 applies to everyone in trade, agents included.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Your agency's compliance manager or your branch manager is the first person to ask about a specific advert, and the REA's own guidance is linked below.
What every advert must show
Section 121 of the Act requires the agency's name, the fact that it is licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008, and the business name if it trades under a different one. The REA's guidance says this applies to signage, adverts, websites, social media and business documents, and that ‘REA Act’ or ‘REAA 2008’ may be used as the short form.
Describe yourself accurately too. The REA's guidance says a licensed salesperson may say “I am a licensed salesperson”, but not “I am a licensed real estate agent”.
Advertise only what the vendor authorised
Under rule 9.6 of the code, you must not market a property, including on a website or with a sign, unless the vendor has authorised it through an agency agreement. Under rule 10.9, you must not advertise it on terms different from those the vendor authorised.
The REA's guidance recommends getting the vendor's sign-off on all advertising, with your supervisor checking it before it goes out. When the listing ends unsold, all marketing stops: physical, printed and online. When it sells, update the marketing to show it.
Price indications must be true
Rule 9.4 says a licensee must not mislead buyers about the vendor's price expectations. The REA's guidance spells out what that means for a price range: the lower figure must be an amount the vendor would seriously consider accepting. Find out the vendor's expectations before advertising, and do not rely on a rateable value that does not reflect the market.
If the vendor would not accept anything under a figure, advertising below it to draw enquiries is misleading, however common the practice feels.
No misleading claims, photos or omissions
Rule 6.4 says a licensee must not mislead a customer or client, give false information, or withhold information that should by law or in fairness be provided. The Fair Trading Act adds that every claim needs reasonable grounds at the time you make it, whether or not it turns out to be true. The REA's guidance notes fines of up to $200,000 for licensees and $600,000 for agencies under the Fair Trading Act.
The guide's ‘Explain the consequence, not the jargon’ method is a good test: separate fact from interpretation, and never simplify away a material risk. Obvious puffery that no reasonable person would take literally may be acceptable, but it is a risk and adds nothing a buyer can use.
- 01Every figure, such as floor area, section size, rates or rent, comes from a document you can produce, with its date.
- 02Photos show the property as it is. Do not remove permanent features, hide damage or make rooms look bigger; label staged or edited images clearly.
- 03Aerial photos with boundary lines say the lines are only indicative, as the REA's guidance suggests.
- 04AI-written copy is checked line by line. The REA's guidance on generative AI says an error made by the tool is not a defence.
Social posts are adverts too
A listing reel, a ‘just sold’ post or a website page is advertising, and the same rules apply. The guide's ‘Measure the relationship, not applause’ method includes a boundary worth keeping: check advertising disclosures, privacy and current local requirements before publishing.
Market commentary is safer when it is sourced and dated: name where a sales figure came from and when, and say what you do not know. If a post names a property, it needs the vendor's authority and the same care as the Trade Me listing.
What gets in the way
Avoiding market updates altogether in case the Real Estate Authority objects.
Post commentary that is sourced and dated, show your agency and its licence statement, and treat any post about a listing as an advert.
Posting a chart of median prices with no source or date to look expert.
One figure that changes a buyer's or vendor's decision, with its source and date, and what it does not tell them.
Publishing AI-written listing copy without checking every claim.
Give the tool only checked facts, then check every figure and feature against its source before it is published.
Advertising a price range below what the vendor will accept to draw more interest.
Agree the vendor's expectations first and make the lower figure one they would seriously consider.
Questions agents ask next
Do I need ‘Licensed REAA 2008’ on my social media?
Your posts and profiles count as advertising, so they should show your agency's name and that it is licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008. The REA accepts ‘REAA 2008’ as the short form.
Can I advertise a property before the agency agreement is signed?
No. Rule 9.6 of the code says you must not market a property, including online or with a sign, unless the vendor has authorised it through an agency agreement.
Is ‘buyers over $X’ allowed?
Only if the vendor would seriously consider an offer at that figure. Rule 9.4 says you must not mislead buyers about the vendor's price expectations.
Can I use virtually staged photos?
Photos must not mislead. Staging that shows how a room could look, clearly labelled, is very different from removing a permanent feature or hiding damage, which misleads buyers.
Who enforces these rules?
The Real Estate Authority handles complaints about licensees under the Act and the code of conduct, and the Commerce Commission enforces the Fair Trading Act.