Website Best Practices for Real Estate Associations in 2022, Part 3: Compliance and Standards

This article is the third post in this series. Make sure you check out part 1: website design best practices for real estate associations and part 2: navigation best practices for real estate associations.

One very important topic we often discuss with real estate associations before undergoing a website redesign is compliance and standards. Since there are a lot of questions around this topic, we wanted to share more about it in this best practices series. Please know that these are only recommendations and you should always consult with your in-house counsel or attorney for anything legal-related. These are just some helpful tips to get you started.

Let’s discuss the following four compliance and standards best practices for your real estate association website.

Table of contents:

• NAR Core Standards Criteria 
• Google & Search Engines
• General Website Compliance 
• Disability Compliance (ADA)

NAR Core Standards Criteria

Adhering to the Core Standards Criteria set forth by the National Association of REALTORS® shows a great demonstration of compliance for your real estate association and protects your members. 

According to the NAR’s Technology Code of Ethics for Local Associations, every association must have an interactive website, utilize email and/or member communications, and can interact with members in remote work environments such as Zoom, Skype, WebEx, etc.

Make sure your association also includes the following items on your website.

• Statements of Professional Standards Policy
• Ethics, Arbitration, and Mediation Forms
• Access to state & local advocacy
• Promotes member programs, products, and services

Google & Search Engines

It’s paramount that your real estate association website meets all the standards to appear in Google and other search engines. [Read up on some SEO best practices here.] While we could go in-depth here, we’ll keep things short and simple. Here are some of the most important Google and search engine best-practice standards. 

• Get set up on Search Console to optimize your search appearance on Google 
• Tie Search Console to Google Analytics to get unique insights and data
• Create organic content on your web pages and in blog articles
• Utilize Google My Business as a free and easy tool to promote your association on Google 

General Website Compliance

The following general website compliance best practices are defined to safeguard anyone trying to take advantage of your association.  

Cookie Policy

Showcasing a cookie policy on your website tells users what cookies are active on your site, what data will be tracked, and keeps your consumers and members up to speed to what they’re agreeing to by using your website. It is extremely important to be transparent with how your association intends to use consumers' data since users have a right to protect their data privacy.

DMCA/Copyright Notice

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) informs any user, company, or website provider that they are using content or materials infringing on a copyright. Ensuring your real estate association has a DMCA Notice, Intellectual Property Rights, or Copyright Notice will protect the content and materials on your website.

You can find examples of this by visiting the sites of Pensacola Association of REALTORS® and Greater Bergen REALTORS®.

Privacy/Website User Agreement

If someone at your real estate association is writing an online privacy policy, don’t just use any example off the internet. You must make sure the privacy policy clearly states your site’s data collection and use. Essentially, you want to explain what people agree to by using your website and how your association uses that information. 

The University of California Berkeley shared a great framework example to help you get started when it comes to drafting up a privacy statement. 

Some other good examples of privacy policies can be found on Greater Nashville REALTORS®, Columbus REALTORS®, and the Hattiesburg Area Association of REALTORS® websites.

Disability Compliance (ADA)

ADA compliance is a big topic with real estate associations. One of the reasons is that being ADA compliant isn’t static; it’s ever-changing, and you need to keep it top-of-mind when it comes to your site. Here’s why...

Your content is constantly evolving and changing, so it’s paramount to make sure that your website is written with compliant code (which it should be). As you add new content and insert new images, be sure to tag them with meta descriptions so anyone using a screen reader can effectively read your site. Some other best practices include:

• Incorporating an ADA widget and easy to embed onto your site
• Including an accessibility statement on your homepage and in your footer menu
• Creating an accessibility web page with content that shares your policy statement, and contact information if someone has questions or issues

To learn more about ADA best practices, visit Website Accessibility Under Title II of the ADA.

Check out the following real estate association websites that include ADA widgets and/or accessibility pages and statements: Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association, Monmouth Ocean Regional REALTORS®, and Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS®.

There are ways you can safeguard your association to ensure it’s not a target for any compliance shortfalls. We hope that this series has provided your real estate association with as many gold nuggets and usable insights as possible. Doing all of these things will help you put your best foot forward. If you’re interested in incorporating any of these compliance and standards recommendations onto your real estate association’s website, be sure to reach out to us and someone from our team will be in contact with you. 

Here are some other articles you might enjoy reading:

Best Real Estate Association Website: Rhode Island Association of REALTORS®

The Best Real Estate Association Websites of 2021

New Website Launch: Cape Fear REALTORS®