Dan Homan

Identity theft is on the rise and, sadly, most folks only find out that their identity has been hacked when they need credit for a big ticket item like a car or a home. Even if you can repair your credit, there is often a period of hardship. While identity protection is great, but as the old addage goes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Most of us are aware by now of the many internet scams going around . . . I hope no one hads sent the off $3,000 by wire to pay the legal fees for a multi million dollar inheritance from some relitive you have never heard of, in some country where you have no known heritage in the first place. Even more fundamental in protecting your privacy is protecting your PIN numbers to access your assets and credit.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution ran an article on protecting your PIN and access to your assets. Here is the link: http://www.ajc.com/news/americans-pins-at-risk-558371.html

Today's Star banner had a great article on home sales in Florida.

It seems that in addition to being a great place to live, Ocala had the greatest gain in home sales in the state in May, as well as the lowest home prices in all of Florida! This makes Ocala a great place to buy, or if you need to, to sell.

Read the full article here for yourself: http://www.ocala.com/article/20100623/ARTICLES/100629892/1402/NEWS?Title=Ocala-has-highest-gain-in-home-sales-in-state

And hey if you are looking to buy or sell don't forget to call me!

Dan Homan, Realtor(R)

Coldwell Banker Ellison Realty

352-209-4042

Just a quick question.The popular site Trulia offers free ads, but only for licensed Real Estate Professionals. Yet there are numerous feeds they receive where they just list the name of the website that it came from, not the broker's name. I did not know that "postlets.com" was a licensed real estate broker! This is a no no under the Code of Ethics and State Law. Why aren't brokers and agents being more careful with their advertising?

I noticed one listing I clicked on and the broker was shown as "coldwellbanker.com" not a registered broker. I could however click back through the feed from coldwellbanker.com to the Coldwell Banker website, and then back to the actual brokerage information that by state law and the code of ethics should be included on all Internet advertising including the ad I originally selected on the public search page of Trulia.com.

I know that these ethical and legal violations are throughout Truliabut the biggest violator of the COE and state law is by Coldwell Banker Corporate which requires Realtor(R) membership of its brokers and agents, yet has no problem putting these Brokers and agents at risk.

I also find it patently unfair that Trulia runs blind ads for agents, but will not accept ads from FSOB sellers. This smacks of anti-trust and racketeering. Is Trulia a broker acting in a brokerage capacity? If they are just an advertising co they are doing the same thing the DOJ is going after NAR for - limiting the market place and anti-trust violations. Shame. Shame.

This is an illustration of brokers and agents not taking ownership of their listings. By sending these feeds out to Truia Coldwell Banker who is large enough that they should know better, is thumbing its nose at the law and at its brokers and agents. Brokers and agents need to stand up to these corporate criminals and gang leaders - or since this is a planned corporate policy and this type of advertising is not legal - can we call it organized crime?

People can and do sell their homes on their own all the time - without the help of a broker or salesperson. It is not fair exclude them from the advertising market while at the same time violating state law and being unethical.

Bottom Line: Just because Internet advertising is cheap and easy dosen't mean it does not have to be legal and ethical.