Pike/Wayne Real Estate

Karen you hit the nail on the head. I think it is a big mistake to put anyone down. Your also right about posting of photos. I continue to see people post photos of things that do not belong to them.

Great point. I didnt read the blog. We keep thing generalists just because of this same issue. Or try.

exactly.        how are things in Pike Co??  I lived in Milford and Matamoras for a bit :)

Karen, I totally agree with you.  There are some days I go to blog about my CRAZY real estate happenings, and then I STOP. 

Very good point!  I think at best if there is something you would like to share with the class then at the very least you should make it a "Members Only" post.  Regardless, use discretion!!!

This is a great reminder.  We tend to get a little to comfortable on this public forum and it could hurt someone.  Granted, you do not have to be a member to read a post.

I changed the title of my blog as I like the new one better! More DRAMATIC!  Ha!

Bill, thank you.  I am so tempted sometimes to write a "juicy blog" because I know it will be a winner - but probably not with the most important people - the clients.

Chip - I too try to generalize.  If I need to blog about something specific to get feedback, I twist the story around so that the main point is the same but nobody will ever recognize the situation, and also so that people reading it will not think I'm exploiting whoever my subject is.  That's a fine line to walk and I don't attempt it very often.

Kara - isn't Milford a pretty town?  My part of Pike County is doing well - we still have buyers and sellers and the trick is getting them to meet in the middle! ha! 

Kim - members only is on a smoke & mirrors safeguard - anyone can become a member and read it.  The only thing is that it won't get indexed in seach engines.  Helpful but not secure.

Karen,

You will find most of my posts in localism where I am marketing my properties so I am very comfortable here......you made excellent points in your post.....fiduciary is a word we cannot lose site of in all conversations offline and online according to our Code of Ethics and the laws of the state in which I work......

Good Point. It could come back and Bite you.

Karen - You make a REALLY good point!  I have been tempted so many times to blog about different things that have happened to me and I just can't.  You never know when or how it might "get out".

Karen, very true, what is written is usually indexed. With certain long tail words, it can stay on the search engines for a long time. Best to change names, locations and disquise it if possible. Never thought about the home stagers photos, that is an eye opener.

Karen, Sooooo true!  Thanks for posting this..I hope everyone learns the same lesson you drive home here.  Have a great day!

Karen, I will always write in general terms. Your next call maybe from a new client. Be smart. Always get permission if your that specific.

Laura - there are so many funny stories I could share, but again, looking through the eyes of a potential client "What if I say or do something stupid and become the subject of her next blog?"

Sara - thanks for the feedback - but again, members only is not really much of a safeguard.

Melody - I think we tend to forget that this is a BUSINESS blog, not a personal one.  Personal blogs allow you more freedom to express yourself - because you're trying to attract READERS, not CUSTOMERS.  Big difference!

Julie/Chapman Realty - I post a lot in localism too (though I haven't posted much of anything lately).

Shaun - and the saddest thing is, you may never know you've been bit, but wonder why you never get any business from your blog!

Leesa, I feel your pain!  Sometimes I hang up the phone and just laugh - thinking "What could I write about this?"  I think I'll save it all for an exclusive tell-all diary after I've retired!

I totally agree with this!  Sometimes I do read posts and wonder how much, if any, of the content is hitting too close to home, so to speak, for some clients.  While blogging may "feel" anonymous, it is anything BUT!

Missy, my first reaction when reading about that poor stager's livid client was that the client should LIGHTEN UP. 

Then I looked around at my house - it's an EYESORE, LOL- and would I want people seeing it in a "Before" state?  Actually, I have done that to myself in the past (read my expose of myself here hee hee)

The difference is - it was MY decision to expose myself like that.  (Plus it was for fun. that actually was one of the most incredible pages I ever made, had  visitors from ALL OVER THE GLOBE! LOL)

Asking permission is key - and then I would also make a disclaimer stating that the story particulars have been changed to protect privacy.

Last but not least, you should appear to be ridiculing the subject of your blog if the subject is your customer or potential customer, or even someone who called you on the phone.  (Had a crazy phone call the other day, that was merely two guys trying to settle a bet!  LOL)

Rule: If you wouldn't say if if the person was in the next room, you shouldn't blog it either.

Karen, well said! Once it hits the Internet, there is no taking it back. I believe it was Shakespeare who said, "Discretion is the better part of valor." It still holds true today.

Good Post!

I just did a post where I showed two homes (only exposing 1/2 of each home so it wasn't so recognizable) side by side.  The whole article was about what to do when you have a neighbor that can't control their environment and it effects  your environment.  I felt it was a legitimate issue to be discusses.  Neither were customers or clients.

Michael - it's like a tube of toothpaste, once it's out, it's out for good.

Chris - not knowing the blog you mentioned, I perceive from your comment the way you handled it was helpful and informative, rather than a gossipy tell-all. 

Clint - I hope so too.  

Frank - I believe the approach is what matters - is it handled respectfully and as informative, rather than gushing the gory details thoughtlessly....?

Susan - I really do cringe at some of the things I see.

Karen, Oh I know...I could volunteer to be the subject of before and after...and then you see the results.  Oh gosh I guess I already have, I'm in the contest.  ;-)

No really I agree with this completely and it can be temping to write things and post photos.  Have to be careful.

Karen you are so correct, we must be discreet. There are times I do not use pictures so I do not hurt those. I like examples to help others out not to hurt the victims. Some how we must respect others. No names or addresses should be used. We are hear to help teach and learn and not to hurt others.

Good point. A client is a client is a client.

Karen, I just left a comment on a post before reading this blog.  It was a funny video that was published to the public.  Some would find it offensive and I had to ask the author if he really wanted his clients to associate him with the video?  You are right you need to be aware this is a public forum.

The world is too small. It is OK to have principles and express them and talk about experiences we have in our business but to carelessly identify someone in your discussions in a forum such as this is irresponsible and frankly not necessary.

Beyond the fiduciary responsibility it is being civil. Civility is a lost art in this country and it seems "gotcha" or "ambush" is the way we articulate positions only to antagonize and then it generates hate because "you don't think like I do". It is destructive behavior. I'm sick of it also.

Great post.

Wow, AR Gods, thanks for the feature! 

Karen - I LOVE before/after shots.  I really do, and that's why my first reaction to the stagers client was with annoyance.  I think it might have turned out differently had the blogger asked if she could do it.  In my opinion, the before pictures were not bad at all, nothing remotely like the overturned laundry baskets and dog hair seen in MY house...lol. 

I recently had a client make some profound observations to me in an email, and I asked him if I could use them in a blog - he was thrilled.  (I haven't done it yet but will tell him when I do).

Susan - I think it's all in the presentation.  If it's presented in a way to poke fun or ridicule, I think it's in poor taste for business purposes...but if it's to provide information, done tastefully and with respect (pretend the subject is one of your loved ones) it is okay...

Barry - absolutely.  I don't want to scare someone off from contacting me for fear that I'll make fun of them in a future blog.

Jimmy - thanks for another point!! Yes, sometimes the "funny" items we post in our blogs can certainly give others a poor impression of us.

To my Anonymous Commenter - thank you for the comment.  I do need to clarify that the bloggers in question did not outright identify their clients or their blog subjects - by name or address, and I would hope that any names actually used were made up (I prefer Mr. Buyer / Miss Seller, etc).  However, the people closely involved, neighbors, friends, the person themselves, could certainly figure it out.

Karen - Many of my favorite (and featured) posts are the types that describe difficult or bad clients, but they are never written in a way that they could easily be pinpointed to one specific person.  Locations, prices, etc. are changed to protect the guilty.

Karen - The best stories are the ones we can not tell, and that is the way it should be I think.  I have a long list of "stories" that I could write about, but I probably never will.  Instead I will find a way to someday spin them into....this is what I would do if this happened.  Or this is what a consumer should/could do if X happens.... This allows me to demonstrate my professional ways without divulging info that could cause trust issues.

Karen - Crouch brings up a heck of a point.  Very good post Karen, there's a privacy threshold we can't go above and beyond. 

Practice Safe Blogging!!

Great post, Karen.  I agree that anything said about anyone in print needs to be positive or neutral - negative needs to stay off the page....

At the very least, there shouldn't be any kind of specifics or something that will identify the subject to the community at large.  Doctors discuss cases without ever revealing anything about the patient's identity - it is simply symptoms and solutions. 

Karen, your point should be part of AR guidelines for new members.  Your poing may be simple but not following it can have very negative consequences.  AJ

Jason(both C & S  ) - I think you hit the key - your posts were written in such a way that nobody could ever know who it's about, and I'm sure you presented them in a professional manner (you can still be entertaining too, professional doesn't mean dry) - see Penny Hull's comment a few comments below yours - about doctors discussing cases - providing symptoms and solutions.  Calling your client's property an "eyesore" and stating that her son is a "worthless bum" crosses the line into poor taste, IMHO.

Dawn - Safe blogging!  I love it!! 

Greg - absolutely.  Negative may make headlines and sell newspapers but is it going to attract real estate clients?

Penny - great comment and excellent point about doctors.

Alan - why thank you - I'm flattered!  :)

Steve - yes, I agree.  I try to find ways to spin a certain situation into a blog as well - the Q & A format is great - maybe a Dear Abby of Real Estate would be fun!

I totally agree with your post -- I think sometimes when blogging people are so interested in 'getting their point across' that they forget they could be hurting their own client in the process!

Karen, I have read some blogs and thought - oh man, if the client reads that what would they say!  Just changing names and some small details most times doesn't help because the client is smarter than that.  The only way I would write about transaction situations is from sales that happened years and years ago unless I have permission from a current client. People have to forget about points and stars when it comes to their blog and sensationalism!

Karen, thanks for the post and reminder.

Karen,  Thanks for the helpful information and advice.  Your comments are right on target but not necessarily immediately obvious.  A good healthy dose of caution is always the best option with information shared online.  It is always dangerous to send emails when you were angry (hold them back for a good cooling off period first), and with blogging we should be even more careful because the  impact is much more far-reaching.

Karen-  You are so right with this post.  I have done a Google search and come up with member only blogs that appear. 

Karen.. Great blog.. I think we all loose sight as to how far "what we say" can go.

Karen you make some great points.  I know I would never air out my clients "dirty laundry" on here, nor anywhere else for that matter.  Some things are better left unsaid.

Karen~ great post.  I agree that we have to be careful not to offend.  I think the best thing to do is to relay the gist of the story will any identifiable details changed.  That would be difficult to do with pictures however!

Karen, Folks, do need to be careful. I for one would never write anything I wouldn't want my customer/clients to see. I actually let all of my sellers know that I may be blogging about them so they best treat me right or I'm going to slam them in public:)

thank you.  I thought it was going to be another post telling me that expressing an opinion about something was going to lose half of my audience...

Instead, you went where you should have... blogging about specific people is dangerous.

Karen, your stuff is right on.  I think we all can get carried away with what happens to us and forget that it can come back and bite us big time.

I contacted another local agent when they posted a negative blog about one of their clients.  It wouldn't have taken much for their client to find the blog and as another agent I could easily find the listing they were talking about and if I had wanted to cause trouble send a copy of the blog to their client. 

Totally true.  There are some things that I would LOVE to write about.  Some pretty hilarious, but for the sake of protecting the innocent stupid and idiotic and in the interests of my fiduciary obligations - I won't. Contgrats on the  feature Karen!

Yes you have to be careful of what you post and the way your portray customers

We have to be very careful what we put in writing. Sometimes it can come back and bite you. You never know what will offend someone.

Karen

Great post. Most of us are new to blogging and the excitement of being a part of something like Active Rain can cloud your judgement and allow you to get in more trouble than you bargained for.

Hi Karen, Very good points in your blog. I agree that we should not be putting our clients down, besides it will hinder the home sale not help it.

great stuff Karen I think we have to be very careful to protect our client especialy witht he largest media network...online

Karen - You hit the nail on the head.  I have seen far too many of those type of post.  When blogging you should alway consider the impact it could have on someone in the marketplace. 

I've found it hard to strike the delicate balance between writing about my clients and fulfilling my fiduciary duties.

You have definately given us some food for thought.  I wrote there aren't no bug on me about some clients who were eaten up by fleas -- and I got their permission!  It was featured and they loved it!  So, it can be a good thing to let you clients know what  you are writing about.

Karen ~ You raise really great points. We never know who is reading our blogs - and with the Internet being what it is today, it's easier than ever to find information. Thanks for the reminder.

Karen I think you make a great point I think we need to be very careful when it comes to advetising our listings specially on what we publish on internet as it stays in there "forever"? I was considering uploading video of the home and this has made me think a lot I think i will still do so but I am going to ask for a waiver of any liabilty arising from the exposure on the net.

Sidney

Pasadena Real Estate | Pasadena Homes For Sale | Pasadena Real Estate Agent

I think you make a very valid point.  It's always smart to think before speaking or blogging.

Karen - This is a great post!  I should re-read this every time I write a post.  You are exactly right.

I agree with you completely. I try to watch what I say more and more. You have to be careful of everything these days. What you say, how you say it, what pictures you use, etc....

Karen,  Excellent post - a good reminder. Discretion is still critical for professionalism, no matter what media - print, verbal, Internet.  People put their trust in me and I take that very seriously. 

Good point. We are new to the AR community and I can see how cetain things can offend if people are writing about current situations that can be seen online.  Thus, being professional offline and ONLINE is the buzzword.  Thanks for your post

I don't think many people realize that clients are now doing searches on the internet before hiring someone and that their blog or some comment on a message board somewhere may come back to haunt them.  Here is a good example, I also useLinkedin to network and it has a Q&A section.  There was an agent on their not too long ago who posted a questionabout home inspections and if other agents typically have their clients present for them.  She felt that having clients around was a "buzz kill' (her words not mine) and found it easier to go thru the process without them and then just go over the report with them later.

So basically she admitted on a public forum that she cared more about her deals falling through because of a home inspection than looking out for her clients best interest.  I nicely pointed out that the inspection was for the clients benefit not hers which she didn't appreciate.  Now maybe her comments were true, but they would have been better suited to a discussion over lunch with her agent friends than over a public forum.  I wonder how many potential clients she lost?

Not only will she possibly lose business because of that, Terri, it is very possible that a consumer may read that and think that ALL agents are more concerned about their deals than anything else!

Karen, it's just like our mothers always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." 

Hi Karen,

Very pertinent post. Thank you. I appreciate the use of fiduciary and REALTOR as the close. I wish more agents and more of the media would talk about agency relationships instead of commissions/fees and how "bad" the market is - as if we were all in the same market.

Thanks again.

Ken Jansen

KenJansen@TopPRoducer.com

www.KCSMartMove.com

Great post, thanks for sharing the story, I'd like to be there when the neighbor hears about the post.

Have A Great Day

Karen - Excellent post! A funny footnote... when I was on match.com, a woman I was supposed to meet said she knew we wouldn't be a fit after reading my blog!

Discretion is the key here.  First of all, I have never written anything about any of my clients/customers on the internet or anywhere else for that matter.  That's just plain stupid.

Janie

Always consider whether your mother would approve of what you posted in a blog.  The old adage "if you can't say something nice..." holds true here too.  Remember, blogging is forever.

This is so true not only in print through blogs but also in our offices.  I witnessed a phone call today while I was in the waiting area at a doctor's office. I know that this type of call could be happening in real estate offices as well.  The receptionist was on the phone with a patient. The front desk area was not enclosed with glass and the counters were low so it was as if she was sitting right with us. As she spoke to the client her eyes were rolling, she was looking at the clock and talking somewhat abruptly to the patient.  It gets better...when she hung up the phone she said loudly to her co-workers, "oh my God, how many times do you have to explain things to people before they get it! Some people are so stupid"

Well my closing thought was... I wonder what she says about me when she hangs up from a call I've made to my doctor's office???  We need to occasioinally sit in the waiting area of our offices and just listen as if we were a client waiting for us. What are our clients hearing? Office gossip? Details of sales going wrong? How good or bad are the front staff people in your office. Take some time to sit down and just listen and look as if you were a client. Hopefully we will all hear good things not the frustration of the receptionist in my doctor's office today.  Remember first impressions. These calls could be affecting our business more than the economy.  Keep your ears and eyes open.

Karen, so true.  Like most of our mommas told us, "If you can't say anything nice..."  Have to plead guilty to being kind of a smart a-- at times and that can come off really badly.  I worry more about some potential client just taking something I say or write the wrong way.  Have made a vow (after yesterday when I fell for it) to avoid politics online.  That's better suited to yelling at the TV and with your friends and family.  Thanks.

Common Sense 101. Thanks for this post. You have made some great points.

I try to be very careful and admit I have thought about putting photos of houses we have staged before and after - but lingering in the back of my mind is "You really need to get permission to post those photos." Must be Lenn Harley Effect :)

Karen,

If you do not want to see it on the evening news, DO NOT blog/comment about it.

Thanks for the reminder,

Ann

I'm surprised the stager did not have her/his client sign a release. All my clients do. Before and afters belong to me...but I have them sign it so they are aware both before and afters can and may be used.

The stager didn't do anything wrong. Even without the waver. The majority of clients including potentials know it could happen.

It just goes to show you can't make all the people happy all the time.

WOW Karen: I guess I've never read any blog posts like those on AR.  It's hard to believe that a "Realtor" would be so reckless with their client's proprietary information.  Honestly... WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

Ah, so true.  What a great reminder to WATCH WHAT WE SAY!

Thanks.

blog postst and comment are eternal, it is wise to think b4 you blog

chris

Great post Karen!!  Sad that you actually have to tell lsome this to begin with!

Always, always, always, always, ALWAYS . . . . ask first!  They may be fine with it if you write about them.  They may even feel a little proud . . .bor goodness sake . . .ask first if you can write about their house or put up before and after pictures.

Here is another thought, don't write about something you wouldn't want them to read!

I am baffled how some people just do not have any common sense.

I think anything said or written is bound to offend someone. The problem with the internet is that what you write is there for everyone to see.

Yes, I have read some blogs that raised my eyebrow, so I am sure there can be some "offended" people caught up in the world of blogging.

My key ingredient is always DISCRETION, in my blogging just as it is in my life.

Debbie

My online motto is that if I would not say something on a billboard in our community, I should not say it online.  You never know who is reading!

I've said it before.  We should do everything in our lives as if anybody could be watching, reading, listening.  Because, somebody is.  Wouldn't that make all our lives more peaceful and clean?  So, keep negative comments to yourself or vent to a totally trusted best friends, so your public self will always be the good, kind professional person, you know your are.

Hi Karen, I'm right there with Marian (above)!   Also, I've wondered about how far does one go? Does any prospective client really care that your little boy lost his tooth on the way to pick up your dog at the groomers?

WOW - I'm surprised that this blog is getting so much attention even now - thanks! :)

RE: personal information & how much/what to share - I think it all depends on the context and how you share it.  If you can weave it in to the subject at hand in an entertaining, amusing, and useful way (i.e. to illustrate a point) then go for it.  If you're just posting random updates about your day, then use Twitter.  ;)

Aloha Karen!

Your blog's title caught our attention & just noticed you wrote this WAY BACK in May of 2008!! And here we are at the very end of December, almost bringing in a new year! You couldn't have made this excellent point any clearer! People don't realize how 'exposing' the Internet is, we all need to be cautious; great post!

Pederson Properties,

Ouch be careful what you say and even more careful what you put in print.

I'm happy you addressed this issue; I am new to Active Rain and wondered if blogging could negatively influence an agent's image.  I think this is a perfect example of how that could happen.  Having good character goes a long way!

Karen, you make some excellent points.  I too am a new blogger and need the friendly reminder.

Tis is why companies are so touchy about their employees blogging.

Karen, I'm new to the blogging thing, so on several occasions, I question myself before I post anything.

The best advice is to keep blog posts informative.  And if you want to post some personal level entries, make sure that they are positive in nature and very upbeat.  I just read another blog (not on Activerain) where the agent has posted numerous entries where they are ranting about their customers, in general.  No specific names are mentioned, but they go on and on about the stupid questions they ask and/or the "idiotic" (the other agent's word, not mine) criteria they use to dtermine the houses they want to look at.

Makes one wonder what visitors to that blog think and will they ever call that agent?

Great post.  Sometimes it is hard to remember but assume everything you put online will be read by EVERYONE!

Ouch! Great examples! I see the same problems with some of the comments people leave. And you're right. We do need to be careful what we post online.

Very well said!! It is nice to know that some people are conciderate of thier clients feelings. Hold on tight to those morals.

Excellent points. Sometimes a line is crossed when the blogger feels the need to entertain or amuse.

Hi Karen, Just joined AR and read this blog.  Glad it's still going!  After reading, I quickly checked our website Before & After Page to make sure we didn't have property addresses listed.  Then I felt ok for a minute and just figured I'd get your thoughts on our specific business.

We are a real estate investing company and have done quite a few "Buy, Rehab & Resells" over the last 5 years.  We have a Before & After photo album of our rehab projects.  Everyone who views it raves about it and has never raised the question of privacy, inappropriateness, etc.  We list the pictures with the Neighborhood & zip code (no address).  Some of the "Before" pics do show the house as it was with our Seller's items still in the property prior to their moving out.

We've never had a problem with this, but that's not to say that the potential isn't there.  We always tell our Sellers what we plan to do with the property and they are welcome to come see it upon completion.  We've only had one family do that and they were quite pleased that their family home had been renovated...seemed almost to relieve them of some guilt they were feeling because they couldn't afford to take care of it the way they wanted.

But going forward, I think we will make it a practice to not post pics of our initial visit to the property, but rather pics after they have moved out.  But many times our Sellers leave behind quite a bit of stuff that we have to clear out ourselves.  Do you think that's okay to post or should we wait to take pics after all items have been removed?  Thanks for any feedback from you or anyone else still keeping up with this blog!

Shannon, I think you'll be 100% fine as long as your seller has given you permission to do so.  Most people probably won't be offended if their home gets a before/after feature - but it's always best to ask.

Hi Karen, yes I agree and will make it a specific point to do so in the future.  Probably something to put on my BUY Closing Checklist.  Thanks!