Which statement best describes the standard for truth in real estate advertising?

• A. Advertising must be truthful.
• B. Advertising must be not misleading.
• C. Advertising must be truthful, not misleading, and comply with applicable federal and state laws.
• D. Disclosures are optional.

Answer: (C)

In real estate advertising, information must be accurate, presented in a way that does not mislead consumers, and must comply with all applicable federal and state laws. Truthful means the factual claims about the property, price, terms, and features can be supported. Not misleading means you can’t omit important details or present something in a way that creates a false impression, even if each statement could be true on its own. Compliance with federal and state laws ties the ad to rules like truth-in-advertising standards, fair housing protections, and license-law advertising requirements. This combination best reflects the standard because it covers accuracy, consumer protection, and legal compliance. Disclosures aren’t optional by law, so a claim that disclosures are optional isn’t correct.