Real Estate Policy Manual Development & Examples

If you aren't operating your brokerage with a detailed policy manual, you are increasing your risk level considerably. You cannot expect your associates to act the way you want unless you make the rules, goals and procedures clear to them.

This detailed collection of sample real estate brokerage office policy manual documents will help you to get a policy manual in place. You'll find that your business will run more smoothly and with less stress for all, once you've implemented an understandable set of policies and procedures.

An actual small brokerage policy manual is used here. However, laws change, states differ and brokerages are different as well. So, take this information as a guideline and starting point, not as a final draft. You must run all your policy manual drafts past your attorney before they are published and distributed. For your convenience, some of this text will be applicable, so I've set the files up with the company name in brackets, so that you can use a "search and replace" function to enter your brokerage name.

Policy Manual Introduction

Chapter 1
• Mutual Benefit & Ethics
• Associate Affiliation Requirements
• Business Expenses
• Dispute Resolution
• Independent Contractor Status

Chapter 2

• Discrimination
• General Office
• Computer & Internet
• Office Contact & Substance Abuse
• Legal and Tax Advice
• Broker Contact & Confidentiality
• Office Duty & Sales Meetings
• Safety & Vacation
• Signs & More
• Document Control
• Personal Assistants
• Agency Policy

Chapter 3

• Ad Media & Costs
• State Rules
• Fair Housing & Ads

Chapter 4

• Commissions & Fee Rates
• Commission Modifications & Referrals
• Commission Agreements & Disputes