Real estate investing as a licensed realtor

[Curtis M.]

I’m a real estate investor in Knoxville, both flips and rentals. I decided recently to become a licensed affiliate broker in the state of Tennessee to have faster access to listings, comps, get in doors, etc.. I’ve always known that if I list my own properties or represent myself in buying or selling, I have to disclose that. No problem.

But as an investor, I maintain several websites as marketing funnels, I have business cards and flyers, run Facebook ads, etc. I don’t have a company logo or anything, it’s more less “I buy houses in Tennessee” type of thing.

As a realtor, I will not be a buyers agent for anyone, nor will I be a listing agent for anyone. Ever. Even initially I’m not going to represent myself on my own transactions. Maybe on down the line. But I have worked out an arrangement with a local realtor who will be drawing up the contracts for me on the buy side, and will list and sell the properties that I’m flipping. I’m not even going to be a part of that process. I Find the property, tell her what I want to pay for it, she does the rest and I just bring the money to closing

I’ve learned recently that if I do go ahead and hang my license with a brokerage, I might have to disclose EVERYWHERE that I am an agent. That makes it kind of difficult to run a Facebook ad back to a landing page. It also takes away from my primary message, which is, I will buy your house fast, for cash, no repairs necessary, etc. etc. 

I don’t really want to put the branding of my chosen brokerage, or my broker license number or anything like that on my website, business cards, lead pages, Facebook ads, printed mail marketing, etc. Before I hang my license somewhere I want to make sure I know what I’m getting myself into and that I won’t hurt my marketing efforts. I don’t mind putting in the disclosures when she goes to sell one of the flip properties, that the owner is also a licensed agent. But in my marketing materials to try to find under the radar houses to buy, I just don’t want to do that.

The rules of each state commission may differ, but those of you who are a realtor and are also investors… Have you had to deal with this? Do you know somebody who invests as a licensed agent, who doesn’t represent buyers or sellers? What did they do? can you see this hurting my marketing efforts or am I overthinking it?

Thanks!