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1. Company Mission

Gainesville Realty, LLC (the "Brokerage" or "GR") is committed to delivering real estate services with professionalism, transparency, compliance, integrity, competent supervision, and protection of the public. This Manual establishes minimum operating standards for all real estate activities conducted under the Brokerage.

Where this Manual conflicts with controlling law, a binding contract, or a nonwaivable legal duty, the controlling authority governs. The Broker may impose standards that are more protective than minimum legal requirements when lawful.

2. Professional Standards

All brokers, broker associates, sales associates, independent contractors, assistants, employees, and affiliated personnel must:

• Conduct business honestly, ethically, competently, and professionally;
• Comply with Florida law, FREC rules, applicable MLS and association rules, Fair Housing laws, and applicable federal, state, county, and municipal requirements;
• Protect clients' and customers' lawful interests and confidential information;
• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely records;
• Avoid fraud, misrepresentation, concealment, negligence, deceptive conduct, anticompetitive conduct, and the unauthorized practice of law;
• Promptly disclose material compliance, legal, safety, or transaction concerns to the Broker; and
• Protect the Brokerage's licenses, contracts, property, systems, reputation, and legitimate business interests.

3. Receipt, Notice, and Agreement to Brokerage Policies

Access to this Manual and continued affiliation provide notice of the Brokerage's operating rules. Affiliated personnel must comply with this Manual and lawful Broker directives as a condition of affiliation.

The Brokerage may require separate written or electronic acknowledgments, amendments, compensation schedules, or agreements. No website posting, silence, continued affiliation, or automatic-acceptance provision replaces a signature when applicable law or an agreement requires a signed writing.

4. Independent Contractor Status

Unless a separate written agreement expressly provides otherwise, affiliated sales associates and broker associates operate as independent contractors and not as employees. They are responsible for their own taxes, licensing, continuing education, professional dues, transportation, equipment, marketing, insurance, and business expenses except as expressly stated in a signed agreement.

Independent-contractor status does not reduce the Brokerage's lawful supervisory authority or the licensee's duty to comply with this Manual, applicable law, MLS rules, and Broker instructions.

5. Agent Responsibility, Indemnification, and Brokerage Protection

Each affiliated licensee is responsible for the licensee's own acts, omissions, statements, representations, advertisements, disclosures, negotiations, communications, documents, technology use, property access, assistants, vendors, and professional services.

To the fullest extent permitted by law and any signed agreement, an agent whose act or omission causes a claim, fine, loss, deductible, chargeback, investigation, proceeding, or expense may be required to defend, indemnify, reimburse, and hold harmless the Brokerage and its Broker, members, officers, employees, and authorized representatives. This includes losses arising from negligence, willful misconduct, fraud, misrepresentation, unauthorized advertising or media use, Fair Housing or antitrust violations, data-security failures, unauthorized advice, MLS violations, property damage, lockbox misuse, or acts of persons under the agent's control.

No provision shifts to an agent a duty or liability that Florida law does not permit the Brokerage or Broker to disclaim. Contractual indemnification and reimbursement obligations survive termination to the extent provided by law and the applicable signed agreement.

6. Licensing and Compliance

• Maintain an active Florida real estate license in good standing and registered with the Brokerage before conducting licensed activity;
• Complete education, renewal, and licensing requirements before applicable deadlines;
• Immediately notify the Broker of license restrictions, regulatory complaints or investigations, subpoenas, lawsuits, criminal charges relevant to licensure, or disciplinary matters;
• Conduct licensed real estate activity only through the Brokerage while registered with the Brokerage, except as expressly permitted by law;
• Submit requested compliance records promptly; and
• Immediately stop licensed activity if the license becomes inactive, suspended, expired, or otherwise unauthorized.

7. Advertising and Marketing

All advertising must be truthful, accurate, current, properly authorized, and compliant with Florida law, FREC rules, Fair Housing requirements, MLS rules, platform rules, and Broker directives. Brokerage identification must appear whenever required.

This policy applies to websites, domains, social media, email, text messages, signs, flyers, business cards, videos, online profiles, paid advertising, listing descriptions, MLS remarks, direct mail, AI-generated marketing, and all other public communications.

The Broker may require prior approval, correction, suspension, or removal of advertising. Use of the Brokerage's name, logo, telephone numbers, domains, listings, data, or reputation without authorization is prohibited.

8. Photography, Video, and Media

Agents may not use third-party photographs, videos, renderings, floor plans, graphics, screenshots, logos, music, virtual tours, drone media, illustrations, or other protected content unless the exact use is supported by documented ownership, assignment, permission, or licensing rights and is approved when required by the Broker.

Prohibited sources include images or media copied from search engines, consumer portals, MLS displays not authorized for reuse, builder or competing brokerage websites, social media, prior listings, photographers' portfolios, or any source for which lawful reuse rights cannot be documented.

Agents must retain releases, licenses, photographer agreements, owner authorizations, invoices, and other evidence of rights. Unauthorized media must be removed immediately upon instruction.

9. Social Media

Real-estate-related social-media activity is advertising. Agents must not publish misleading claims, discriminatory content, confidential information, unauthorized media, undisclosed paid endorsements, fabricated reviews, materially deceptive alterations of property images, or personal opinions represented as official Brokerage positions.

Agents remain responsible for business content posted through personal accounts when the content promotes licensed services or Brokerage listings.

10. Listings and Seller Representation

Before marketing a property, the Brokerage must possess an effective listing agreement or other lawful written authorization. Agents must verify material listing information, obtain required disclosures, document marketing and media authorization, follow MLS deadlines, and immediately report title issues, disputes, unusual terms, legal threats, or significant risks.

No listing, coming-soon promotion, sign, photograph, video, or other public marketing may be published without required authorization.

11. Buyer Representation

Agents must provide required brokerage-relationship disclosures, use Brokerage-approved buyer agreements where required, disclose known material facts as required by law, present offers promptly and objectively, protect confidential information, avoid undisclosed conflicts, and comply with policies concerning showings, compensation, concessions, and written agreements.

No agent may promise that a seller, listing broker, or other party will pay the buyer-broker's compensation unless that obligation is established in an applicable written agreement.

12. Transaction Management

Every transaction file must contain all applicable contracts, addenda, disclosures, brokerage-relationship documents, compensation agreements, escrow records, inspection-related documents, condominium or association documents, notices, closing statements, material correspondence, and Brokerage compliance forms.

Documents must be submitted within deadlines established by law, MLS rules, contract, or Broker directive. An incomplete or noncompliant file may delay commission processing to the extent permitted by law and the applicable compensation agreement.

13. Escrow

Agents must immediately deliver entrusted funds to the Broker or authorized escrow holder and promptly report deposits, missed deadlines, returned funds, conflicting demands, disputes, suspected fraud, or other escrow concerns.

Agents may not retain, commingle, disburse, redirect, or independently instruct the release of transaction funds except as expressly permitted by law and authorized by the Broker or lawful escrow holder.

14. Fair Housing and Equal Professional Service

Discrimination, steering, discriminatory advertising, discriminatory screening, retaliation, harassment, and unequal professional service are prohibited. Agents must comply with federal, state, and applicable local protected-class requirements.

Agents may not use coded language, selective marketing, demographic preferences, protected-class assumptions, or AI tools in a manner that unlawfully discriminates. Suspected Fair Housing issues must be reported to the Broker immediately.

15. Confidentiality, Privacy, and Data Protection

Agents must protect client financial information, identification records, negotiations, transaction records, access instructions, alarm and gate codes, lockbox data, passwords, Brokerage records, lead data, and proprietary systems. Information may be accessed or disclosed only for authorized business purposes.

Sensitive information should not be placed into unapproved AI systems, consumer applications, or third-party services when doing so could expose confidential or protected information.

16. Communications

Business communications must be professional, accurate, timely, and preserved when relevant to a transaction, compliance review, compensation issue, or dispute.

Agents must immediately notify the Broker of complaints, threats, demands, subpoenas, attorney communications, Fair Housing concerns, media inquiries, data breaches, suspected fraud, and circumstances reasonably likely to expose the Brokerage or public to material risk.

17. Office Conduct

Harassment, discrimination, intimidation, violence, threats, retaliation, theft, misuse of Brokerage property, disruption, and unprofessional conduct are prohibited. Agents must respect staff, affiliated licensees, clients, customers, vendors, cooperating parties, and the public.

18. Ethics and Professional Conduct

Agents must avoid dishonest conduct, misrepresentation, concealment, undisclosed conflicts of interest, improper inducements, fee manipulation, anticompetitive conduct, and improper interference with another licensee's lawful relationship.

Where an agent is subject to REALTOR® membership obligations or another professional code, those duties apply in addition to this Manual.

19. Broker Approval and Supervision

The Broker may review, approve, reject, remove, correct, or require revision of advertisements, transaction documents, proposed nonstandard contract language, public communications, business practices, and technology uses involving the Brokerage.

Agents must provide requested information and cooperate with supervision, audits, investigations, legal review, file review, and corrective measures. Agents may not bind the Brokerage to an obligation outside their authority.

20. Violations and Corrective Action

Depending on severity and applicable agreements, corrective action may include education, written warning, required correction, removal of advertising, restriction of systems or marketing privileges, reassignment of Brokerage leads, reimbursement obligations, suspension of internal privileges, termination of affiliation, reporting to authorities, and other lawful remedies.

Serious conduct may result in immediate termination. Nothing in this section authorizes a remedy prohibited by law or a binding agreement.

21. Manual Updates

The Brokerage may amend this Manual prospectively. Updated versions may be distributed electronically or posted in a designated agent portal or website. Agents are responsible for reviewing notices and updates.

A separate signed acknowledgment or amendment will be obtained whenever legally required or deemed appropriate by the Broker.

22. Final Compliance Acknowledgment

Affiliation with Gainesville Realty, LLC requires compliance with the Brokerage's lawful operating policies. Continued affiliation may evidence notice of policies but does not replace a signature where law or an applicable agreement requires one.

Failure to comply may result in lawful corrective action, termination, reimbursement, indemnification, or other remedies authorized by a signed agreement and applicable law.

23. Commission Policy and Commission Protection

Agent compensation is governed by Florida law, the applicable Independent Contractor Agreement, written compensation schedules, transaction-specific agreements, and this Manual.

Unless a written agreement provides otherwise, no agent compensation is payable until the transaction has closed and funded or the Brokerage has otherwise become legally entitled to retain the commission; the Brokerage has received cleared funds; the agent has submitted a complete and compliant file; required disbursement authorization has been obtained; and lawful deductions, referral obligations, chargebacks, or other amounts authorized by a signed agreement have been calculated.

The Brokerage may deduct or offset only amounts permitted by law and an applicable written agreement. This Manual does not independently create a forfeiture of legally earned compensation.

24. Brokerage Leads and Lead Attribution

Leads generated, received, assigned, or produced through the Brokerage's name, listings, telephone numbers, websites, domains, advertising, databases, social-media accounts, signs, staff, or other Brokerage resources are Brokerage Leads and remain Brokerage business opportunities.

Agents must promptly preserve the source and history of Brokerage Leads and may not conceal, delete, divert, transfer, or falsely characterize a lead to avoid Brokerage compensation or oversight.

Compensation on Brokerage Leads is governed by the agent's signed Independent Contractor Agreement, compensation schedule, or transaction-specific written agreement. No fixed split is created by this Manual unless expressly incorporated into a signed compensation agreement.

The Broker determines lead attribution in good faith based on source records, communications, showing records, transaction history, and applicable written agreements.

25. Dispute Resolution, Mediation, and Arbitration

Internal disputes should first be submitted promptly to the Broker in writing with supporting documents. The parties must follow any mediation, arbitration, venue, governing-law, attorney-fee, or dispute-resolution provision contained in the applicable Independent Contractor Agreement or other signed agreement.

This Manual does not independently waive any right to court, jury trial, arbitration, or statutory remedy unless that waiver is contained in an enforceable signed agreement.

26. Nonsolicitation and Protection of Brokerage Relationships

Agents may not misuse confidential Brokerage data, proprietary lead records, nonpublic transaction information, passwords, systems, or trade information to divert Brokerage business or interfere with existing Brokerage relationships.

Any post-affiliation nonsolicitation, confidentiality, ownership, or restrictive covenant is governed by the applicable signed agreement and Florida law. This Manual does not create a post-termination restrictive covenant by itself.

27. Artificial Intelligence and Technology Use

AI may assist with drafting, summarization, organization, research, marketing concepts, and administrative work, but the licensee remains responsible for the final work product.

Agents must independently verify AI-generated factual statements, calculations, contract summaries, dates, legal descriptions, financial figures, disclosures, MLS data, and representations before use. AI output may not be treated as legal, tax, accounting, engineering, inspection, appraisal, title, insurance, or other licensed professional advice.

Agents may not upload confidential, personally identifiable, financial, access-control, or transaction information to an AI service unless the service and use have been authorized by the Brokerage and appropriate safeguards are in place. Materially altered or AI-generated property imagery must not misrepresent actual property condition.

28. Wire-Fraud Prevention

Agents must treat wiring instructions and changes to payment instructions as high-risk. Agents may not rely solely on email, text message, or an attachment to authenticate new or changed wiring instructions.

Before transmitting or acting on sensitive payment instructions, agents must use an independently verified telephone number or other Brokerage-approved verification procedure. Suspected wire fraud, account compromise, phishing, or impersonation must be reported immediately to the Broker and affected settlement professionals.

29. Open Houses, Showings, and Property Access

Agents must comply with seller instructions, showing requirements, MLS rules, lockbox rules, safety procedures, occupancy restrictions, and property-access limitations.

Keys, lockbox codes, gate codes, alarm codes, and access credentials are confidential and may not be shared with unauthorized persons. Agents must secure property after access and promptly report damage, safety hazards, unauthorized entry, lost keys, or security incidents.

30. Technology, MLS Access, and Cybersecurity

MLS credentials, transaction platforms, email accounts, electronic-signature systems, lockbox credentials, and Brokerage systems are individual credentials and may not be shared except where expressly authorized.

Agents must use reasonable security practices, including strong unique passwords, multifactor authentication where available, software updates, phishing awareness, secure handling of devices, and prompt reporting of suspected compromise.

Upon termination or request, Brokerage-controlled accounts, records, credentials, devices, and data must be returned or access discontinued as directed.

31. MLS Fines, Regulatory Penalties, and Financial Responsibility

To the fullest extent permitted by law and applicable signed agreements, agents are responsible for MLS fines, association penalties, lockbox charges, advertising penalties, copyright claims, municipal violations, Fair Housing violations, chargebacks, deductibles, and other losses caused by their acts or omissions.

Reimbursement obligations survive termination when provided by law or an applicable signed agreement.

32. Electronic Records and Signatures

Electronic signatures, electronic acknowledgments, and electronic records may be used when the parties have agreed to conduct the transaction electronically and applicable law recognizes the method used.

The Brokerage may require authentication, proof of delivery, an audit trail, or a separate signed agreement. Mere website availability, silence, or continued affiliation does not substitute for a signature when a signed writing is legally required.

33. Broker's Final Operational Authority

Subject to applicable law and binding written agreements, the Broker retains final operational and supervisory authority over the Brokerage's transactions, advertising, systems, compliance, lead assignment, policy interpretation, file approval, risk management, and commission processing.

Nothing in this section authorizes arbitrary withholding of legally earned compensation or overrides nonwaivable legal rights.

34. Final Brokerage Protection Statement