Well Melani I will explain. We are using a community listserv and it is not necessary to identify yourself as anything other than "Melani". The state RE law requires you to identify yourself if you are entering into a sales related transaction. If you are publishing advise on the listserv, all you need to do is mention you are a licensee, you are also required to give a consumer notice when having any substantive conversation about real estate. The PA real estate law also requires the employing brokers name appear in larger font than the advertising agent, that includes e-mail signatures.
I am all for supporting local businesses, contractors, RE agents etc., one of the assets of this listserv are the connections made between users. I do not agree with using the listserv as a "craigslist" advertising opportunity with signatures that include links to your websites and boastful wording. I also don't like referrals posted to the list with commentary about how wonderful or how bad a contractor is when the contractors are not subscribed to defend themselves as in the case the other day of Walt Walden. You can always just post the information to the list or directly to the person asking. There are other local real estate agents who are subscribed who don't post with advertising signatures the way you do, such as Chris O'Donnell and Linda Amsterdam just to name two. Melani, I really dont buy the "if I'm busy" excuse, you can create a signature just for this listserv, you can create a yahoo account just for this listserv. I believe you find it very helpful to your business to use the listserv in this way, every message you send is another free ad and opportunity to introduce yourself as an authority to an ever growing population. I think you should stay away from any conversation on the listserv, which you feel is remotely against any laws associated with your real estate license obligations, particularly anything resembling "blockbusting". In the end, we are not publicizing "fear", we are just trying to find ways of protecting ourselves with information and action. Lets see how any people want to do something about reducing the incidents of crime in our community. S > In a message dated 4/29/07 8:22:39 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> Let me be a witness, yes Melani, you have given a tremendous amount of time >> to our community, >> however, beyond many of us, you benefit in a very different way due to the >> fact you âsellâ >> this community for a living..and judging from you advertised sales success, >> to the tune of many >> $$$$$$$. Enlightened self interest? Penn doesnât have the market cornered >> on that one! >> > Sharrieff, what is this supposed to mean? Many folks in this neighborhood > hire their neighbors, or buy one anothers' local products or services. We > have locally owned restaurants which are generous with their community > contributions - but then community people come to eat in their restaurants. > We have > contractor neighbors who get involved in community projects - but then, > neighbors know about them and may choose them to build a new porch, sand a > floor, or > paint a house. We have attorney neighbors who offer advice - but also gain > clients from neighborhood networking. I'm hardly alone in working in the > neighborhood where I live. This is supposed to be a GOOD thing. Surely you > don't prefer out-of-the-area agents coming in, and then taking their real > estate > sales commissions elsewhere, rather than spending their money in the > neighborhood where it was earned? > >> In a message dated 4/29/07 8:22:39 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> Irrational fear? I think not. Look around youâ¦look at our city, look at >> the >> incidents of crime in our >> community over the last two years. Is it really wise to create the spin >> which says âitâs really not >> too bad, it is not as bad as Center City?â Is it wise to ignore the >> stickers, banners and vandalism >> and blame it all on âfrat-boysâ and âtrack-starsâ? >> >> > In a message dated 4/29/07 3:26:36 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> Fear is not good for sales right? Well the lack of fear will get you >> killed! >> Heads up? >> > Actually, if a real estate licensee is publicizing fear because of change - > i.e., "the neighborhood is changing; you should be worried" - then that person > is doing a highly illegal thing - it's called blockbusting. Perhaps you > hadn't thought about it from that point of view. > > In a message dated 4/29/07 8:22:39 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> Melaniâ¦I noticed you removed the âsalesâ signature from your e-mail >> post >> when you replied. >> If you want me to be truthful..than I will. I wish all the âsales >> peopleâ >> who have invaded this >> âcommunity discussion listservâ would save all your âsalesâ for >> when your >> not on this list!! .. >> > This has come up before, Sharrieff, and it's one of the few things Liz > Campion and I have publicly agreed on: PA laws are pretty strict about real > estate > licensees identifying themselves in written material, so that they don't take > advantage of PA consumers. If I'm writing anything remotely connected with > the real estate business, I make a point to include my signature so there can > be no question. I don't need to include the part about my sales, but it's an > automatic signature, and if I'm busy, I often forget to remove it. Sorry > about the sales part, but the ID part has to stay. > > Melani > > > Melani Lamond, Associate Broker > Urban & Bye, Realtor > 3529 Lancaster Ave. > Philadelphia, PA 19104 > cell phone 215-356-7266 > office phone 215-222-4800, ext. 113 > office fax 215-222-1101 > > > ************************************** > See what's free > at http://www.aol.com. > ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
