ECAR RELTO News - Eastern Connecticut Association of REALTORS

February 5, 2009
Vol. 10 - Is. #21
com
www
.easternctrealtors.
It's A Date
(Association Calendar of Events)
For a complete listing of meetings and events go to
the Members Only page on www.easternctrealtors.com
and click on Calendar”
Upcoming Events To Watch For
February
10 th
R
E
ECAR
L
T
O
® FYI:
R
News
12th
A semi-monthly publication for REALTOR® and Affiliate Members
of the Eastern Connecticut Association of REALTORS®
New Member Orientation
8:30 am—Association Office
ECAR Membership Meeting— "Try it, You'll Like it!"
Holiday Inn, Norwich— 8:30 am
ASSOCIATION OFFICE CLOSED
In observance of President's Day
FEBRUARY 16TH
17th
HOME REVIEW DEADLINE ~ 5:00 pm
19th
ECAR Board of Directors Meeting
9:00 am — Association Office
The Home Review Delivery has expanded its route.
We are now in Moodus, Colchester, Dayville,
Woodstock, Killingly and Thompson to name a few.
Market Yourself and Your Listing for Only $20
In the Featured Properties Section.
Your agent photo will be included with your listing
Call Beth @ 892-2595 for details
Gossip Sheet
NEW MEMBERS – APPROVED JANUARY 15, 2009
Designated REALTORS®
Lawrence Gemma
Lori Hopkins-Cavanaugh
Lincoln Mayo
Kevin Tryon
LarryGemma Realty
Shore Views Real Estate
Lincoln Mayo Real Estate
Tryon Real Estate
AFFILIATES
Hope Toelken
Putnam Bank (Gales Ferry)
PROVISIONAL* NEW MEMBERS
*Applicants for REALTOR® membership are granted provisional membership upon
receipt of their application and payment of dues and fees. Applicants must complete
new member orientation within 60 days of receipt of their application.
REALTORS®
Peter Brown
Christopher Grant
Carolyn Greer
Leigh Helm
Christopher Howard
Nicholas Sapiente
John Powers
Christopher Poulos
Peter Poulos
Diane Schlaff
Heritage PropertiesSPC
CG Real Estate
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Mystic)
Active Appraisal
Weichert, REALTORS®-Suburban Properties
Weichert, REALTORS®-Suburban Properties
William Raveis Real Estate (East Lyme)
Trinity Realty
Trinity Realty
RE/MAX Home Team
MEMBER UPDATES – as of February 2, 2009
AGENCY TRANSFERS
Member
Ronald Bates
Alan Berman
Pam Chappell
Eve Condron
Elaine Curley
Marvin Elbaum
Therese Finch
Judy Garvey
Gary Grimm
Mark Holt
Elizabeth Kalbach
Jill Keith
Roberta Kirchner
New Firm/Office
Former Firm/Office
The Partner Network (Norwich)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
Coldwell Banker Res Brokerage (Niantic)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
Prudential CT Realty (Norwich)
Prudential CT Realty (Mystic/Seaport)
The Allan Agency
Nautilus Realty
RE/MAX Coast and Country
William Raveis RE (Old Saybrook)
Coldwell Banker Res Brokerage (Niantic)
Prudential Connecticut Realty (Norwich)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
Monarch Realty
Monarch Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Monarch Realty
Monarch Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Mystic)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
The Partner Network (East Lyme)
ERA Realty Pros (Niantic)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Monarch Realty
MEMBER UPDATES – as of February 2, 2009
AGENCY TRANSFERS
Tammy Knowles
Linda LaPierre
Kevin Lin
Doris MacLachlan
Sandra Mager
Bess Makris
Janice Massey
Laurieann Messore
Heidi Murphy
Stella Neves-Elbaum
Olin Paige
Viviana Penson-Rodriguez
Jean Phelps
Patricia Reid
Wendy Robbins
Dan Russ
Jon Schachter
Cynthia Schneider
Lena Schriever
Rachel Sposato
Pamela Steinmetz
Terry Thomas
Krystal Wade
Auralee Wells
Donna Wolters
Maureen Williams
Karen Wong
Lisa Wotring
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
Prudential Connecticut Realty (Norwich)
The Partner Network (Niantic)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
ZipRealty, Inc
The Partner Network (Norwich)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
Prudential Connecticut Realty (Mystic/Seaport)
Realty World-Signature Properties
Weichert, REALTORS® - Suburban Properties
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
William Raveis Real Estate (Mystic)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
Browning & Browning Real Estate (Brooklyn)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
William Raveis Real Estate (Mystic)
Prudential Connecticut Realty (Norwich)
Prudential Connecticut Realty (Norwich)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
The Partner Network (Norwich)
ASSOCIATION REINSTATEMENTS
Joseph Garvey
William O’Keefe
Nautilus Realty
Century 21 Allyn-Anchor (Pawcatuck)
ASSOCIATION DELETES
Ronald Anderson
Amanda Ashlaw
Paige Anderson
Peter Baird
Candy Barnes
Judith Bellucci
James Blonshine
Carolanne Brundle
Robert Carocari
Sarah Cenatiempo
Tina Chan
Jacqueline Comeau
Mark Comeau
Michelle Craig
Terry Davis
Connecticut Homestead Realty
Loomis Real Estate
Connecticut Homestead Realty
William Raveis Real Estate (Norwich)
Prudential Connecticut Realty (Norwich)
William Raveis Real Estate (East Lyme)
Infotech Home Inspections
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Prudential Connecticut Realty (Stonington)
ERA Taylor Realty Group
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Hoisington Realty
Hoisington Realty
Diversified Real Estate
William Raveis Real Estate (Norwich)
Gossip Sheet
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Monarch Realty
Monarch Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Monarch Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Prudential Connecticut Realty (East Lyme)
Monarch Realty
Monarch Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Mystic)
Winfield Realty Group
ERA Realty Pros (Niantic)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Monarch Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
William Raveis Real Estate (East Lyme)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Monarch Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Prudential Connecticut Realty (South Woodstock)
Monarch Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Monarch Realty
ERA Taylor Realty Group
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Monarch Realty
Monarch Realty
Gossip Sheet
ASSOCIATION DELETES
Continued
Maria Chumpitazi
Rachel Fogel
Tim Frederick
Susan Gebo
Tor Hansen
James Helm
Melissa Hoyt
Melissa Jenkins
Deanna Johnson
Mark Kydd
Helen Larson
Pauline Lemieux
Elizabeth Lewis
Bai Lin
Jon Lussier
Shawn Meaike
William Morowski
Donna Murphy
Lynn Olson
Stacey Parker
Guy Patalano
Monique Plante
Heather Poole
Andre Prada
Susan Raffetto
Lawrence Rampellini
Nicole Reschny
David Shaw
Kathie Shupuleski
Cesar Sierra
Penny Smyth
Karen Sousa
Julie Stewart
Donald Stroich
William Taylor
Linda Talmadge
Paul Tingle
Erin Van Horn
Nancy Wilkie
Karen Woodruff
Kinga Wulczynska
RE/MAX Property Consultants
William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Prudential Connecticut Realty (Norwich)
Ideal Real Estate
Johnston & Associates Real Estate
Active Appraisal
Taber Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
RE/MAX Coast & Country
Prudential Connecticut Realty (East Lyme)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Niantic)
Pine Knoll Real Estate
William Raveis Real Estate (East Lyme))
William Raveis Real Estate (East Lyme)
Weichert, REALTORS® - Suburban Properties
William Raveis Real Estate (Norwich)
Pine Knoll Real Estate
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Connecticut Homestead Realty
Prudential Connecticut Realty (East Lyme)
ERA Taylor Realty Group
Weichert, REALTORS® - Suburban Properties
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Lott Realty
Randall, REALTORS (Mystic)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Stonington)
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Norwich)
Loomis Real Estate
Intergrated Realty
Cassabria Realty
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Mystic)
ERA Taylor Realty Group
Connecticut Homestead Realty
William Raveis Real Estate (East Lyme)
ERA Taylor Realty Group
William Raveis Real Estate (Mystic)
The Partner Network (Dayville)
Connecticut Homestead Realty
Prudential Connecticut Realty (Mystic Seaport)
Heritage Properties
Connecticut Homestead Realty
Case Interpretations of the Code of Ethics
or
How would you vote?
Article 16
REALTORS® shall be honest and truthful in their real estate communications and shall present a true picture in their advertising, marketing, and other representations. REALTORS® shall ensure that their status as real estate professionals is readily
apparent in their advertising, marketing, and other representations, and that the recipients of all real estate communications are, or have been, notified that those communications are from a real estate professional.
Registration of Domain Names Based on Competitors’ Firms’ Names
Case Interpretation 12-22 by the NAR Professional Standards Committee
REALTOR® X was the principal broker of a small but growing real estate brokerage firm. REALTOR® X was
constantly on the lookout for new and innovative ways to distinguish her firm from the competition and to increase its
market share. Rather than simply relying on tried and true methods, REALTOR® X sought and often followed the
advice of education, marketing and technology consultants.
Based on the advice of her technology expert, REALTOR® X created and registered domain names for her firm, for
the licensees affiliated with her, and for herself. A somewhat more troubling recommendation was that she register
domain names mirroring the names of the real estate brokerage firms in her area with the largest market shares. When
she questioned the consultant, he responded, “There’s no reason why not. Everyone does it. It’s just competition—and
aggressive marketing.”
When REALTOR® A tried to register a domain name for his firm ABC REALTORS®, he learned that domain name
had already been registered by REALTOR® X. Doing further research, he learned the names of several other large
companies in the area had also been registered as domain names by REALTOR® X. REALTOR® A filed an ethics
complaint with the local association of REALTORS® charging REALTOR® X with violating Article 12 of the Code of
Ethics as interpreted by Standard of Practice 12-12.
At the hearing, REALTOR® X defended her actions noting that Article 12 requires REALTORS® to “present a true
picture in their advertising, marketing, and other representations.” She pointed out that she had never used the registered
domain name mirroring the name of REALTOR® A’s firm, or those based on the names of other local firms. Since she
had not used the domain names, she couldn’t see how she had violated Article 12.
How would you vote?
The hearing panel did not agree with REALTOR® X’s reasoning. The panel based its decision that REALTOR® A had
violated Article 12 on the wording of Standard of Practice 12-12 which bars REALTORS® from registering URLs or
domain names which, if used, would present less than a true picture. The panel also noted that the very act of registering
a URL or domain name which, if used, would present an untrue picture is all that is required to violate Article 12, as
interpreted by Standard of Practice 12-12.