Section 4735.16 - Sign on business premises; advertising(A) Every real estate broker licensed under this chapter shall erect or maintain a sign on the business premises plainly stating that the licensee is a real estate broker. If the real estate broker maintains one or more branch offices, the real estate broker shall erect or maintain a sign at each branch office plainly stating that the licensee is a real estate broker.(B)(1) Any licensed real estate broker or salesperson who advertises to buy, sell, exchange, or lease real estate, or to engage in any act regulated by this chapter, with respect to property the licensee does not own, shall be identified in the advertisement by name and indicate the name of the brokerage with which the licensee is affiliated.(2) Any licensed real estate broker or sales person who advertises to sell, exchange, or lease real estate, or to engage in any act regulated by this chapter, with respect to property that the licensee owns, shall be identified in the advertisement by name and indicate that the property is agent owned, and if the property is listed with a real estate brokerage, the advertisement shall also indicate the name of the brokerage with which the property is listed.(3) The name of the brokerage shall be displayed in equal prominence with the name of the salesperson in the advertisement. For purposes of this section, "brokerage" means the name the real estate company or sole broker is doing business as, or if the real estate company or sole broker does not use such a name, the name of the real estate company or sole broker as licensed.(4) A real estate broker who is representing a seller under an exclusive right to sell or lease listing agreement shall not advertise such property to the public as "for sale by owner" or otherwise mislead the public to believe that the seller is not represented by a real estate broker.(5) If any real estate broker or real estate salesperson advertises in a manner other than as provided in this section or the rules adopted under this section, that advertisement is prima-facie evidence of a violation under division (A)(21) of section 4735.18 of the Revised Code. When the superintendent determines that prima-facie evidence of a violation of division (A)(21) of section 4735.18 of the Revised Code or any of the rules adopted thereunder exists, the superintendent may do either of the following:
(a) Initiate disciplinary action under section 4735.051 of the Revised Code for a violation of division (A)(21) of section 4735.18 of the Revised Code, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code;(b) Personally, or by certified mail, serve a citation upon the licensee.(C)(1) Every citation served under this section shall give notice to the licensee of the alleged violation or violations charged and inform the licensee of the opportunity to request a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. The citation also shall contain a statement of a fine of two hundred dollars per violation, not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars per citation. All fines collected pursuant to this section shall be credited to the real estate recovery fund, created in the state treasury under section 4735.12 of the Revised Code.(2) If any licensee is cited three times within twelve consecutive months, the superintendent shall initiate disciplinary action pursuant to section 4735.051 of the Revised Code for any subsequent violation that occurs within the same twelve-month period.(3) If a licensee fails to request a hearing within thirty days of the date of service of the citation, or the licensee and the superintendent fail to reach an alternative agreement, the citation shall become final.(4) Unless otherwise indicated, the licensee named in a final citation must meet all requirements contained in the final citation within thirty days of the effective date of that citation.(5) The superintendent shall suspend automatically a licensee's license if the licensee fails to comply with division (C)(4) of this section.(D) A real estate broker or salesperson obtaining the signature of a party to a listing or other agreement involved in a real estate transaction shall furnish a copy of the listing or other agreement to the party immediately after obtaining the party's signature. Every broker's office shall prominently display in the same immediate area as licenses are displayed a statement that it is illegal to discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, national origin, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, or ancestry in the sale or rental of housing or residential lots, in advertising the sale or rental of housing, in the financing of housing, or in the provision of real estate brokerage services and that blockbusting also is illegal. The statement shall bear the United States department of housing and urban development equal housing logo, shall contain the information that the broker and the broker's salespersons are licensed by the division of real estate and professional licensing and that the division can assist with any consumer complaints or inquiries, and shall explain the provisions of section 4735.12 of the Revised Code. The statement shall provide the division's address and telephone number. The Ohio real estate commission shall provide by rule for the wording and size of the statement. The pamphlet required under section 4735.03 of the Revised Code shall contain the same statement that is required on the statement displayed as provided in this section and shall be made available by real estate brokers and salespersons to their clients. The commission shall provide the wording and size of the pamphlet.Amended by 129th General Assembly, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.Effective Date: 09-22-2000; 10-12-2006; 2007 HB372 03-24-2008 .