So, you’re looking to generate interest in your business and create leads. Why not share another agent's listings on social media — there’s no harm in that, right? Wrong, there could be quite a bit harm actually, plus a $5,000 fine per listing to be exact.

You need permission to advertise another agent’s listing and photos. Specifically, you need written permission, or the listing should state Yes in the Any Broker Advertise field. If it’s Yes, then you are free to advertise the listing, as long as you’re giving credit to the listing brokerage and ensuring that you’re not changing any of the listing details or portraying the listing as your own.

Be careful, photos you find on the internet or in the MLS are not free. They are actually intellectual property, which means they are protected by copyright law. Photographers have the right to protect their intellectual property and go after Realtors® for infringing on their rights.

The last thing you want is to receive is a copyright infringement lawsuit for using someone’s photos without their permission. That includes using them on your listing, advertising, website, marketing, or social media.

You not only risk a lawsuit when you use photos without permission, it’s also an MLS violation, which carries a $5,000 fine and a potential violation of the Realtor® Code of Ethics. Don’t risk it! Take or purchase the rights to your own photos. For more information on the MLS Rules and Regulations, please visit our website at Rworld.com/compliance.