What is a 'blind ad,' and why do state rules generally prohibit it?

A blind ad is advertising by a licensee that fails to disclose that a licensed brokerage is behind it — for example, an ad that looks like a for-sale-by-owner listing or omits the brokerage name. State rules generally prohibit blind ads because they can mislead consumers into thinking they are dealing with a private party rather than a licensed professional operating under a broker. Most states require that advertising identify the brokerage. This applies across media, including online and social platforms. The specifics of what must appear vary by state, but the prohibition on blind ads and the requirement to identify the responsible brokerage are consistent state broker-portion advertising rules.