Using CalBRE or DRE on Marketing Materials

February 19th, 2018 at 8:54 am

Multiple Choice Question: I know we must include our license number on all our marketing materials, including business cards, print ads, social media and even For Sale signs. I also know that CalBRE will revert back to the Department of Real Estate (DRE) starting July 1, 2018. What acronym should accompany my license number in my marketing materials? Pick the best answer:

A. CalBRE or BRE until June 30, 2018, then DRE.
B. CalBRE, BRE, or DRE.
C. RE Lic. #.
D. All of the above. 

Answer: Answer A is a correct answer, and it is what agents are likely to do in practice. But it is not the best answer. As an interesting tidbit, CalBRE never calls itself “BRE” because when they switched from DRE back in 2013, another company called BRE sent them a cease and desist letter to refrain from using the “BRE” acronym.

Answer B is also correct, according to the Real Estate Commissioner Wayne Bell in the newly released Real Estate Bulletin (Winter 2017). CalBRE’s focus is only on the license number, because that’s what the law requires. However, answer B is not the best answer either.

Answer C (or anything similar to it) is also appropriate, according to Commissioner Bell. Answer D is the best answer.

Copyright© 2018 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP). All rights reserved. Any unauthorized reproduction or use of this material is strictly prohibited. This information is believed to be accurate as of February 19, 2018. It is not intended as a substitute for legal advice in individual situations, and is not intended to nor does it create a standard of care for real estate professionals.

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