This article is part of our Real Estate & Property Management Marketing Guide: how buyers, sellers, owners and tenants find you online, what the housing ad rules allow, and how to choose the right help. Want to know where your site stands? Get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours.
Most agents benefit from having both: a profile on the brokerage site and a personal website you control. The brokerage page gives you credibility and the firm's search visibility. Your own site gives you a brand, content and leads that move with you if you change firms.
But "your own website" doesn't mean "your own rules." In most states, an agent's site is still advertising for the brokerage, and it must say so. This guide compares the two options, covers who owns what, and walks through California's advertising rules as an example of what state regulators can require.
It is part of our Real Estate and Property Management Marketing Guide. Rules vary by state, so confirm with your broker of record and your state regulator before you launch.
Key Takeaways
- A brokerage profile page is fast and free to you, but the brokerage controls the page, the domain and usually the leads.
- A personal site lets you build a brand and local content that stay with you, but it takes time and budget.
- Agent websites are still regulated advertising; NAR's Code requires REALTORS® to show their firm's name and state of licensure on their sites.
- In California, for example, an agent's own website counts as "first point of contact" material and must show the agent's license number and responsible broker's name.
- Settle ownership of the domain, content and lead data in writing before you build.
What each site does well
The brokerage profile page
Your firm's site probably gives you a profile page with a photo, bio, contact form and your listings. It costs you little and it sits on a domain that may already rank well.
The trade-offs:
- Limited control. You can't usually add neighborhood guides, a blog or custom pages.
- Shared spotlight. Visitors can browse to other agents with one click.
- It ends when you leave. If you change brokerages, the page and the search equity it built stay behind.
Your personal website
A personal site is your brand's home base. You choose the design, write the content and decide how leads are handled.
The trade-offs:
- Time and cost. Someone has to build it, host it and keep it current.
- A new domain starts from zero. It takes consistent content and local SEO to earn visibility.
- Compliance is on you and your broker. You still need broker approval and the right disclosures.
| Brokerage profile | Personal website | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup effort | Low | Medium to high |
| Brand control | Limited | Full, within broker and state rules |
| Content (guides, blog) | Usually not allowed | Yes |
| Moves with you | No | Yes, if you own the domain |
| IDX search | Usually included | Through your broker and MLS |
| Lead routing | Set by the brokerage | Set by you, per broker policy |
Who owns what
Before you build, get clear answers to three questions. They matter most on the day you change firms.
- Who owns the domain? Register it in your own name, with your own login, if your brokerage agreement allows. A domain held by a vendor or the brokerage may not transfer.
- Who owns the content? Your bio, photos and neighborhood guides should be yours. Check your independent contractor agreement.
- Who owns the leads? Many brokerages have policies on leads that come in through company tools. Your IDX feed may also come through the brokerage. RESO notes that access to MLS data is gained through local MLSs under each MLS's data use and licensing policies, and the MLS participant is usually your broker. Our guide to IDX explains how feeds work.
Disclosure rules: what your site must show
Your personal site is still real estate advertising. Two layers of rules usually apply.
NAR's Code of Ethics (for REALTORS®)
The 2026 NAR Code of Ethics has two standards that apply directly:
- Standard of Practice 12-5 bars advertising real estate services or listed property in any medium without disclosing the firm's name "in a reasonable and readily apparent manner."
- Standard of Practice 12-9 says websites of REALTORS® affiliated with a firm must disclose the firm's name and the licensee's state or states of licensure.
The same Code bars deceptively using metatags, keywords or other devices to divert web traffic (Standard of Practice 12-10). That matters if you're tempted to use another firm's name in your SEO.
State rules: California as an example
State regulators set their own advertising rules. California's are a useful example because the Department of Real Estate publishes them in plain language. These points come from the DRE's Real Estate Advertising Guidelines (RE 27), checked 29 October 2026. They apply in California only.
Your website counts. The DRE lists "websites owned, controlled, and/or maintained by the soliciting real estate licensee" as solicitation materials intended to be the first point of contact with consumers.
What to show. For first point of contact materials, a California licensee must disclose at least their real estate license identification number and the responsible broker's licensed name, plus an NMLS number if they are a mortgage loan originator.
More than one agent. If more than one licensee is named, each one's license number must appear. The responsible broker's license number does not have to appear if its name, logo or trademark is shown with the agents' names and numbers.
Readable size. In written ads, the license number can't be in type smaller than the smallest type used in the ad.
Team names. A team name must include the surname of at least one team member and the word "team," "group" or "associates." It can't use words like "broker" or "real estate brokerage" that suggest an independent brokerage. Team ads must show the team name, the surname and license number of at least one member, and the responsible broker's name.
Keep it current. The DRE warns that long-lasting ads such as Internet websites can outlive the conditions they describe, including name or brokerage changes.
Other states have different rules. Don't copy California's format into another state without checking your own regulator's requirements.
How to decide
Use these questions to choose your path:
- How long will you stay in this market? A personal site pays off over years, not weeks.
- Will you publish local content? If you'll write neighborhood guides and market notes, you need a site that lets you. See neighborhood and community pages.
- Is your brand bigger than your firm's in your niche? Luxury, relocation and language-specific agents often fit this. That is a judgment call, not a rule.
- Does your broker allow it? Get written approval and a list of required disclosures.
- Are you building a team? Team names add rules; see our article on building a website for a real estate team.
A common middle path: keep the brokerage profile, build a focused personal site, and link the two. That gives buyers and sellers a way to verify you while you build a brand of your own.
What a good personal site includes
At minimum: a clear bio, service-area pages, IDX search, reviews, contact options and the disclosures above. Our Real Estate Agent Website Must-Haves article has the full checklist. Brokers planning a firm-wide approach may find How Brokers Can Leverage Local Real Estate SEO useful.
Next step
If you're leaning toward a personal site, the next question is what it should cost and include. Start with Real Estate Agent Website Must-Haves, then get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours of your current brokerage page or site.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have my own website if I work under a brokerage?
In most cases yes, with your broker's approval. Your site is still advertising for licensed services, so it needs the disclosures your state and your brokerage require, including the brokerage name.
Do I have to put my license number on my website?
It depends on your state. In California, the DRE treats a licensee's own website as first point of contact material, which requires the license number and the responsible broker's name. Check your own state's rules.
What happens to my website if I change brokerages?
If you own the domain and content, the site moves with you. You'll need to update the brokerage name, disclosures, IDX feed and any listings right away, since outdated broker information can mislead consumers.
Should I use my team name or my own name for the domain?
Either can work. If you use a team name, check your state's team-name rules first. In California, for example, a team name must include a member's surname and "team," "group" or "associates."
Is a single-property or landing page enough?
It can support a specific listing or campaign, but it doesn't build a lasting brand or rank for local searches. Most agents who want steady inbound leads need a full site with service-area content.
