"Staying Out of Jail" - ActiveRain Community Guidelines Re-Visited

Very good point Rich, I too have read a few posts that make me quiver. As licensed agents it's our obligation to be mindful of what we say and do in public and you can't get much more public than posts on the world wide web.  

Hi fellow Washingtonian!  We are in Vancouver, WA. We just heard an interesting statistic last week, 1 in 56 in California had a Real Estate license in 2007. So with this in mind there maybe some agents out there that mean well but do not fully understand how they are putting themselves at risk. Thanks for taking the time to remind us all.

Patty & Scott Carroll - RE/MAX Equity Group

 

Rich,

Your post makes a lot of sense, and courteously too!!! When I was new on AR, I thrived on the Q&A sections...but then I saw how wide open we were leaving ourselves in expressing opinions we were not entitled to express...it down right scared me away!!! Thanks for the reminder,   Fran

Another great reminder. You have such a polite way of getting your point across. I have read through some of the Q&A section on a few occasions and the word that came to mind several time was "yikes". I don't look at it much anymore. Of course, sometimes I talk (type) too much also. Now, I have a question...Who brews the strongest cup of coffee? I could use another.

I have noticed a lot of this in other forums as well. It blows me away when a Realtor is commenting on laws in other States that are no where near them. It is hard enough to know everything in your own state.

I see that on Trulia regularly.  State laws vary dramatically, even just across a river.

I have long since gone over there to look what's going on ...just for that fact. It is STILL going on in Hawaii....there are answers on specific HAWAII land questions that another state agent is answering!!!!  How can that person say the majority of land is owned by a specific entitity!  (you see why I don't go there?  It really is frustrating to have these know it alls give wrong info!)  There are .....agents from other states putting in "let me refer you to an agent in Hawaii" in the question section. I think that should be done away with. Let the consumer ask questions to an appropriate agent in their state instead of getting half a....  answers and junk.  There's even crap like ...how do I insert my picture and etc. etc.

 

Rich...what can be done about this?  This is soooo not what it was intended for.

When I first joined AR I thought how very weird that someone from another state would be answering in MY state! I always click on just WA and see if I can help and have come across this and thought not only is it very scary for liability issues but I think its rude. I have seen this on other sites as well. Another question I always have "how many agents does it take to tell a seller....." Self promotion gets the best of us some times!

Great advice Rich, now lets hope the bloggers that need that advice... heed it.

Rich,

That was excellent!  I can almost here you talk by the way you write, no nonsense!!!  I have to constantly remind myself when I sit down to write a blog that I am speaking to a wide range of people, so read it over and make sure you are saying things that the GP won't get upset with.

Great advice!!  As for who brews the strongest coffee... no idea.  I'm a tea person so I am therefore not qualified to answer (smile).

Rich-not sure why anyone would bother to do this especially since real estate is local.  I have seen it in several places..

Hi Rich,

I hope the ones who need to see this do, I always wondered why...btw, you sould like a Broker when you tell us what to do! ;)

Rich - another good reminder for all of us! thanks!

Nice Post - hoping that people who need to read this actually do.... well, in my experience the ones who need to change don't bother to read posts like this.  In the Q&A section, I have written "why would an agent who doesn't know my state's laws answer???? - I have even sent them an email.  Bad advice is the last thing a consumer needs!! I would never answer for another area of the country or world, it's just askin for trouble!

Well Rich, I did not even know we had a question and answer area here!  LOL  I am amazed at how much I am missing that is offered in here.

Good morning, Rich.  Being an attorney myself, I tend to agree with you that the genesis for your great posting might have come from your corporate attorneys.  That said, it was a great idea for you to post this to remind everyone of the restrictions required by the Fair Housing Act.  Moreover, and with respect to Active Rain itself, this posting should help it defend itself on the oft chance it ever gets sued by someone with an allegation of violations of the Fair Housing Act. Any forum where properties can be listed for sale is a potential target for advertising-related Fair Housing Act violations (e.g., Craigslist got sued), and this posting makes clear that Active Rain does not permit any advertising that is contrary to the law.

It was also a great reminder that laws vary state-to-state and city-to-city, and what might be permissible in one part of the country might be illegal in another part.  People really do need to be careful in providing legal advice in their comments if they are not familiar with the laws of the locale at issue.  They may unwittingly be giving the wrong advice and stir up some trouble.

 

I couldn't agree with you more on this subject.  Out of state, just don't go there.  I see that happening all the time and it makes my hair stand on end.  Yes, general, non-real estate topics, sure answer away.  

I adhere to CA laws and do not participate in legal advice and caution folks that all my posts are from a CA REALTOR's perspective.