How is RatePlug’s co-marketing compliance different?

Co-marketing programs are a shared advertising agreement between agents and lenders to collaborate on promotional efforts for a co-branded offer. In a co-marketing partnership, both companies promote a piece of content or product, and share the results of that promotion. Co-marketing campaigns are designed to deliver more leads, buzz, and awareness, with less work.

The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act requires that costs associated with co-marketing must be split proportionally between the agent and lender. This means that if the lender has 25% of available space allocated to its branding and messaging, it can pay only 25% of the cost. The common belief is that all co-marketing can be split 50/50 across the board, but the reality is that each co-marketing party must pay its proportional share of costs, so designing your co-marketing piece accordingly will eliminate the need for changes later.

Is RatePlug a Compliant Real Estate Co-Marketing Program?

RatePlug is the leading real estate agent co-marketing and mortgage marketing platform. It is the only MLS integrated technology co-marketing platform that connects agents, home buyers, and loan originators. Because the technology provides realtors and their connected mortgage lenders with technology that empowers home buying, RatePlug creates and maintains the connection necessary for LOs to position themselves above the average originator in the market.

With RatePlug’s co-marketing platform, lenders can help their best agents with co-marketing programs and closings, showcasing their rates on their open house flyers directly on the MLS—and in doing so, remain fully compliant. RatePlug even includes a property flyer system for even more agent support.

Unlike Zillow, RatePlug stores all mortgage-related communications for 10 years past the date that the communication was made available to the consumer, above the minimum regulatory requirement.

RatePlug has enlisted the services of the nation’s leading compliance experts to validate RatePlug’s adherence to all regulatory guidelines and requirements.

RatePlug’s co-marketing technology continues to grow its market footprint across the Country, supporting over 700,000 agents in over 60 of the largest MLS organizations. Our list of participating banks, credit unions and lending companies now exceeds 800 entities. Each of these lending companies has evaluated and approved the RatePlug Program as compliant.