Seems to be confusion regarding soliciting biz on Austin board

[TexasHorseLady]

Actually, there are rules about that, as well. (I know, because I ran afoul of them early on, not by getting folks to recommend me on the site, but by recommending someone ELSE. Had that post deleted for a violation of the TOS and when I went back and read it, yep, I'd done a no-no. Didn't whine about the rule, because it was my own darned fault for not paying closer attention.) If recommendations are requested, they're supposed to be given privately (and NOT by an agent privately soliciting via DM) - I've seen specific requests by moderators when someone asks for such that any referrals be given via DM.

Being a real estate agent is, in large part, about knowing the rules and following them (because our clients can't be expected to know all of them, given that most of them do a real estate transaction two or three times, over a period of years, in their entire lives). If we can't find out and obey the simple rules of a TOS for an online forum, that doesn't reflect too well on us. If someone is obviously GAMING the rules, that is, if referrals for a particular agent or inspector or whatever start suddenly popping up by a number of other real estate professionals in a short period of time, many or most times with nothing in the post that actually answers the topic of the thread, that's pretty obvious, too. "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" behavior is pretty noticeable (did you REALLY think you were being subtle? I don't think that word means what you think it means, to quote a relatively famous Sicilian ) and it gives all agents on here a bad name when it occurs.

The TOS spells all this out. It's on the front page of the forum section; I had absolutely no problem finding it when I joined City-Data. The main pertinent paragraph to this discussion is:

Real Estate Agents and other businesses will not advertise their services nor solicit business in their posts. Create a free business profile by going to https://www.city-data.com/profiles/add and fill out your forum profile instead. Do not include links to your websites, MLS listings, etc. in your posts. Do not try to push the envelope by attempting to hide your intentions. Do not solicit business by DMs. Show your knowledge about the area and help people and you will get leads naturally. Real estate agents should join the usergroup for them here: https://www.city-data.com/forum/profi...editusergroups. It will set your user title and add an icon next to your name, so you will get free advertising with your posts.

There's a lot more, since there's a lot more to City-Data, but I really recommend that any real estate agent on here go READ THE TOS and then get Real Estate Agent under their name and then be helpful. It really does work - there's absolutely no need to be violating the TOS either publicly or privately (via DMing people to solicit their business), and violating it often enough degrades the forum and its ability for agents in general to attract, not solicit, business, as Austin-Steve so aptly put it.

We're not the "used car salesmen" that some on here would like to represent us as (with apologies to used car salesmen everywhere for using that stereotype - yes, I do know a stereotype when I see one). Let's, please, not make it easier for them to paint us with that brush, okay?

[TexasHorseLady]

After re-reading the TOS, I wish to correct something that I posted upthread.

Recommendations CAN be made under certain circumstances, per the TOS (though a sudden spurt of recommendations for a particular agent/business is still pretty obviously a bunch of people getting together and agreeing to recommend each other or a particular person). The pertinent part of the TOS is:

"Recommendations are allowed for posters that have at least 10 posts. One cannot recommend himself/herself. The only area where recommendations are not permitted is real estate, however general responses, such as "we have many helpful and knowledgeable real estate agents on this forum - just DM them" are fine."

The prohibition against recommendations in real estate is where I got caught recommending an inspector in the Austin forum when someone asked. I did have the 10 posts (obviously put in there to prevent spamming), and still that post was deleted for a violation of the TOS, so that's where my confusion came in.

Just to clear up any confusion I might have created upthread - the problem was not with the TOS but with myself.

[inthecut]

Question..is the TOS open to amendment by users on here? Who created it? Who amends it?
That 10 contact rule sounds so persnickedy...and just too confusing......frankly, if agents are making money and getting leads on here, they ARE using it for networking and business, and are just making it harder for other newbies with all the persinckety minutiae of TOS,
itself seemingly not subject to discussion or amendment by the body of users on here in any way...

[TexasHorseLady]

inthecut, you're confused about the purpose of this site. It's not a site for the agents, primarily - it's a site for the people who are relocating and looking for information on places they are planning, or considering, relocating to.

Perhaps if you look at it from that perspective, you'll get why the rules are the way they are. It's not supposed to be a captive audience for real estate agents - that is the antithesis of its purpose and to treat it as such would destroy the forum.

I don't, as you know from our private discussion, think that the TOS should be open to amendment by the users as you seem to do. Thing is, when you joined City-Data, by that very act you agreed to abide by the TOS as it is written. So either you are flying under false colors when you join, or you don't agree and you'll just pretend to agree to them (read: lie) and try to change them once you're on board, or you think the rules shouldn't apply to you or those you consider friends or of a like mind. (Get a lot of that in real estate, as I said, with people who move from one place to another and decide they should, and have the right to, change the new place to be just like the old place. That doesn't fly very well.)

So, no, the TOS should NOT be open to amendments that change it from what it is intended to be to a sales venue for real estate agents. Says a real estate agent who very much likes City-Data as it is, thank you very much.

[austin-steve]

Having been involved in online forums and user groups since the early 1990s, before the "web" was even here, I can say that I appreciate the way CD runs the site.

Other forums are cluttered with signatures, with all sorts of weird stuff, promotions, out of control abusive users, etc. The rules are tight and that's good. It's a site for people to share and contribute what they know, or to ask and learn about what they don't know. It's not a place to come hock services or try to sell stuff. It's not a social site, it's an information site.

As a Realtor, I come on here because it's interesting to hear perspectives about Austin, the various communities, neighborhoods, etc. from non-realtor people who actually live in and experience those areas. I am always learning something new. I can't think of a better way that I can remain as informed as I am about the "pulse" of what people think about Austin, its amenities and its places.

And I can give back by offering what I know or think as well, from a professional perspective. It's a total win/win.

And yes, as a result, I get a DM every now and then asking questions. And yes, some of those turn into business. But that's not really why I'm here. It's just a side benefit of being here. I'd probably come on and answer questions (which is all I do - don't think I've started more than 2 or 3 threads ever) even after I retire, because Austin is a topic that I enjoy.

Steve

PS - if anyone is looking for a good Rea... {just kidding!! just kidding!!}

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

Having been involved in online forums and user groups since the early 1990s, before the "web" was even here, I can say that I appreciate the way CD runs the site.

Other forums are cluttered with signatures, with all sorts of weird stuff, promotions, out of control abusive users, etc. The rules are tight and that's good. It's a site for people to share and contribute what they know, or to ask and learn about what they don't know. It's not a place to come hock services or try to sell stuff. It's not a social site, it's an information site.

As a Realtor, I come on here because it's interesting to hear perspectives about Austin, the various communities, neighborhoods, etc. from non-realtor people who actually live in and experience those areas. I am always learning something new. I can't think of a better way that I can remain as informed as I am about the "pulse" of what people think about Austin, its amenities and its places.

And I can give back by offering what I know or think as well, from a professional perspective. It's a total win/win.

And yes, as a result, I get a DM every now and then asking questions. And yes, some of those turn into business. But that's not really why I'm here. It's just a side benefit of being here. I'd probably come on and answer questions (which is all I do - don't think I've started more than 2 or 3 threads ever) even after I retire, because Austin is a topic that I enjoy.

Steve

PS - if anyone is looking for a good Rea... {just kidding!! just kidding!!}

What Steve said. I'm on here as much for the information I get (and it's a LOT, even though I've lived here forever and a day, it seems) and the people I meet. (Made some good friends that way, just as I have on forums of various kinds dating back to the previous century.)

It's a great place just as it is. Please don't muck it up to make it more of a "let's pounce on potential leads!" place - there's more than enough of those out there for those that need them, though I doubt they have the staying power of City-Data simply because it ISN'T that kind of site.