Special offer
Bob Crane,  Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671 (Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified)

Spam prevention
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

well, I missed that one.... and I think it's absurd that we need to even discuss this; but if we do, then we need to clean up the area....

clean up on aisle Q & A.... unbelievable!!!

Jul 20, 2015 09:40 AM
Rainmaker
5,104,906
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Everyone's idea of a stupid or spammy question will be different. I say if you think it's stupid, don't respond. Move on.... maybe if enough people do that the stupid question askers will stop asking stupid questions!

Jul 20, 2015 08:42 AM
Ambassador
3,344,906
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

I feel the solution is to simply not respond or comment. That said, some will find some questions "stupid" and others may not. Therein lies the issue ... I do not feel it can be regulated unless the rules of engagement are must be real estate related. 

Jul 20, 2015 08:38 AM
Rainmaker
1,895,067
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News

It seems the Q & A section has become a catch all for whatever crosses someone's mind.  I thought that  what Facebook was for.   Perhaps the easiest solution is to take away the points related to posting and answering.  It would be a quick way to find out if anyone still use it.

Jul 20, 2015 09:11 AM
Rainer
166,935
Demarco & Marisa
Remax Kings Realty - Riverside, CA
"The Choice is Clear!"

I was always taught that there is no such thing as a stupid question.... only a stupid answer. Spam definitely is a no-no though.

Jul 20, 2015 09:05 AM
Rainmaker
472,114
JoAnn Moore
The Mortgage Market of Delaware - Georgetown, DE
Home Loans in Delaware

I don't think the "anonymous" people should be allowed to post.  

Jul 20, 2015 09:19 AM
Rainmaker
2,538,633
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Bob. I can almost live with the stupid questions if they get rid of anonymous.

Jul 20, 2015 06:11 PM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Not my call. If it is a question of interest I will comment, otherwise ignore it.

Jul 20, 2015 12:51 PM
Ambassador
5,828,137
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

I have been traveling all day so had very little time on the web.  I guess spam and stupid are in the eye of the beholder.  The easiest solution is to just move on, don't answer it.  A report button would be nice. 

Jul 20, 2015 12:18 PM
Rainmaker
1,435,300
Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert
Richmond, TX

Bob,

 Now I am curious, I know I have had some insulting answers when i ask a question. THe funny thing some of the rude answers were not even correct or did not read my question correctly.

I did answer back to some then I said why waste my time on nasty people.

Jul 20, 2015 09:56 AM
Ambassador
3,164,119
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

cleanup on isle 6, cleanup on isle 6. Frankly I'd like a block button.

Jul 20, 2015 01:56 PM
Rainmaker
2,486,205
Captain Wayne - Rowlett Real Estate School
Rowlett Real Estate School - Panama City, FL
Rowlett Real Estate School / Owner and Instructor

To the best of my recollection, For those who missed the drama, I didn't count but some anonymous person posted  about 40 or 50 (300 to 500 word) spam blogs inside the Question section. The blogs had something to do with movie videos.  For their name, they used random letters like "crv unc" 

I took the time to report each one.  

Jul 20, 2015 01:37 PM
Rainmaker
1,771,867
Noah Seidenberg
Coldwell Banker - Evanston, IL
Chicagoland and Suburbs (800) 858-7917

It is (or was) going to far with the Q&A.

Jul 20, 2015 12:08 PM
Rainmaker
2,817,671
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

LOL I missed that drama as I was out all day.

Unacceptable questions would be spam, etc.  Stupid q's have nothing to do w/ real estate, marketing or this forum...they are off topic. (e.g. coke or pepsi).

Jul 20, 2015 09:35 AM
Rainer
231,224
Mike Rock
Complete Design - Granite Bay, CA
Granite Bay Luxury New Construction...For Less

spam is out.... in fact i want to report some and i don't see a method?

is their a stupid question?

unacceptable?  i always question authority....but there must be some level of decency

Jul 20, 2015 08:35 AM
Rainmaker
680,679
Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert
Zion Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner of Zion Realty ZionRealtyAZ.com

Did Roger D. Mucci take too many pain meds again and wreak havoc on the Q&A section? Kathy Streib I thought you were keeping an eye on him!

Jul 21, 2015 12:37 AM
Rainmaker
4,571,631
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Judge not lest ye be judged.

Jul 20, 2015 11:38 PM
Rainmaker
1,622,432
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

Well, I just answered a question about favorite icecream~ how is that related to real estate?

Jul 20, 2015 04:44 PM
Rainmaker
2,781,013
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

One thing we know for sure...whoever is intelligent enough to type and log-in well...That's not stupid. As to whether one should respond? Beware of it takes one to know one dynamics...they are subtle

Jul 20, 2015 11:44 AM
Rainmaker
179,169
Kim Johnson
Signature Realty Inc. - Coral Springs, FL
Selling South Florida

Well damn, we missed all the drama today!! Oh well, tomorrow is another day!

Jul 20, 2015 11:36 AM
Rainmaker
1,239,801
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

100% in agreement. It is up to the adminstrator to block it or keep it based on its policy... S

Jul 20, 2015 11:07 AM
Rainmaker
900,008
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

It's a good question, Bob. I'd like to know the "official" answer. Missed the questions to which you referred.

Jul 20, 2015 10:15 AM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I like your special button idea...but as always stupid and unaceptable will be in the eye of the beholder.

Jul 20, 2015 09:53 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I am not a fan of frivolous questions but others may be. So to each out own and if it something I don't think is appropriate, I have the ability to pass and not comment. I do hope with the new ownership that the parameters will be reigned in.

Jul 20, 2015 09:35 AM
Rainmaker
345,130
Yolanda Hoversten
Self Employed - O'Fallon, IL
Referrals for O’Fallon, IL & the Metro East

Hi, Bob. I missed that question. It's on a case to case basis since we have different opinions on what's acceptable or stupid. We do have the Report ability, so there's that.

Jul 20, 2015 09:17 AM
Rainmaker
443,220
Cindy Davis
SD Home Source Realty - San Diego, CA

There is a report button. I for one used it this morning.

Jul 20, 2015 08:49 AM
Rainmaker
560,647
Ken's Home Team LLC. | 360.609.0226 | Portland, OR & Vancouver, WA Real Estate Team
Ken's Home Team LLC. - Vancouver, WA
- SOLD IS OUR FAVORITE 4 LETTER WORD -

everyone deffinition of unacceptable is different

for me is the topic appropriate?

Jul 20, 2015 10:05 PM
Rainmaker
1,153,794
Kevin J. May
Florida Supreme Realty - Hobe Sound, FL
Serving the Treasure & Paradise Coasts of Florida

With the right buttons we could possibly police ourselves without the necessity of calling reinforcements. The problem I have is that on any given day the unacceptable or "stupid" could make a turn for the acceptable under different circumstances. Anonymity helps this cause.

Jul 20, 2015 08:58 PM
Rainmaker
2,759,812
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

 Good Tuesday morning Bob. Some of the anonymous posts that tout selling products are not on my hot list. These should be evicted.

Jul 20, 2015 07:04 PM
Rainmaker
1,310,972
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

I cannot answer your question “how do you define an unacceptable or stupid question?” I must yield to Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart who wrote in his 1964 description of his test for determining obscenity in a movie…”I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description ["hard-core pornography"], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that.”

Jul 20, 2015 05:13 PM
Rainmaker
323,664
Fred Cope
Reliant Realty in Nashville, TN - Nashville, TN
Looking For Homes With A Smile

Bob, someone left a door open. A few weeks back, we had stray cat going to great lengths trying to get into our garage. She spent at least one un authorized day there. Coaxed her out and tightened security, then last week my wife saw her carring kittens up the hill. Oh how close I came to having a responsibility I did not seek. I understand from a neighbor that Kitty found a home. I have two grandchildren allergic to cats, so nothing personal, but there are times and reasons for pulling the welcome mat. I reported a spam either this morning or yesterday.

You give us something to think about, and thank you!

Jul 20, 2015 01:04 PM
Rainmaker
1,598,452
Valeria Mola
SIB Realty - Miami, Sunny Isles Beach - Sunny Isles Beach, FL
305-607-0709 SIB Realty Condos for Sale and Rent

That would be great. 4 years later - nothing changed.

Jun 28, 2019 07:57 PM
Rainmaker
1,543,225
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

Censorship in AR and spam questions would be stupid.

May 29, 2017 03:53 PM
Rainmaker
282,018
Nancy Robinson Ranked #6 in MI
Century 21 Town and Country - Royal Oak, MI
#11 Century21 Realtor in the US, #16 in the World

All that crap that was put up yesterday was just ridculous!  It read like some psychotic fool was vomitting questons.

Jul 26, 2015 12:18 PM
Rainmaker
260,922
KAREN SANCHEZ
Reputable Realty - Apple Valley, CA
...Marketing your home like no one else will.

I vote for a spam button.   Someone was asking a sports question today.  Which team did you think will win.   I could understand it if it was attached to a market report.

Jul 25, 2015 03:57 PM
Rainer
273,237
Richard Robibero, e-Pro, ABR, SRS
Panorama R.E. Limited - Toronto, ON
Selling Your Home as if it were My Own!

You can have a team of 100 people filtering questions, sorting, etc, but really that's waste of time and even though it's not my money I would not want Active Rain to spend its money on that endeavor.

Questions that offer no value will be ignored much like everything else in life.

Personally I see questions all the time by people thinking they are funny or being "cute" and while I find no use in these questions I see others posting and responding and loving it. I don't have time for it but who am I to say these questions don't deserve to be here.

Jul 22, 2015 11:33 PM
Rainmaker
90,543
Debra Peters
Referral Realty - Manorville, NY
NY Real Estate Salesperson

I don't believe there's ever a stupid question. Pertaining to this site, if is not relevant to Real Estate, then it doesn't belong. I'm not sure if there's a full proof way to prevent spam from popping up on any site. 

 

Jul 21, 2015 06:36 AM
Rainmaker
1,554,867
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

It's very simple - don't feature them.    Change them to a subscription service for those who enjoy writing, reading ans answering questions.  Of course, we do have "Ask An Ambassador

Jul 21, 2015 04:36 AM
Rainmaker
687,136
Hella Mitschke Rothwell
(831) 626-4000 - Honolulu, HI
Hawaii & California Real Estate Broker

I vote for no "anonymous" and only 1 question a day, for example, for others. We do have "serial" Q&Aers who don't ask a new question. Having said that, how do you find answers for "old" questions that might answer yours? But then, it's been fun to ask your own just to see who and what comes back. I like this section overall.

Jul 21, 2015 02:28 AM
Rainer
67,369
Evelyn M Epperson
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Johns Creek, GA
A Tradition Of [Excellence, Trust & Service]

This is in the eye of the beholder.  I have no idea as it is like saying what is weird to some people is normal to others.

Jul 21, 2015 12:39 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

I can't define stupid but I know it when I see it.

So, I must ask, "What value does THIS question bring to the AR community?"

Is it better or worse than 'What flavor ice-cream."

If I were the sheriff, this question would get the ka-boot.

What do you think?

Jul 20, 2015 11:05 PM
Rainmaker
7,835,234
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

I missed the battles. 

Is it stupid to ask if it is time to eliminate the Q&A section and suggest writing the questions in blogs?

Jul 20, 2015 10:57 PM
Rainmaker
1,390,113
Wayne Zuhl
Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ
The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

Did I miss the drama again today?

Geez, you guys have all the fun when I'm not paying attention.

Jul 20, 2015 10:44 PM
Rainmaker
1,725,896
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

First, unless a RE- related poster, access should not be granted. The Q s posted yesterday by that idiot promoting TV programs was over the top unacceptable. It is definitely a subjective call, but some one at AR needs to be on top of it.

Jul 20, 2015 10:39 PM
Rainmaker
657,208
Martin E. Kalisker, Esq.
Natick, MA
Real Estate Law From A Practical Perspective

Spammers are very different than those members who are legitimate participants by all other measures, but don't play by the rules of conduct. I would hate for the AR police to come up with a single solution to both problems, because the source and the fix are very different in my mind.

Jul 20, 2015 01:53 PM
Ambassador
6,392,889
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Though I am not in favor of the frequent spam entries here, I do enjoy an occasional stupid question.  After all this area is really designed to be more of a place to visit than a faq.

A faq place would require a lot more organization than a revolving feed of constant questions like we have here.

So with that in mind, I enjoy learning about who likes BB, or even what our unofficial stats are.

I was not initially in favor of this area, especially when DS came in here with 20 of the most ridiculous questions per day in the inaugural week, totally clogging the system.

But after waiting for months for it to die and go away, this past month, I started playing in this pool, and found it to be kind of fun, even addicting.

I now find myself wasting too much time here, going far beyond the level of available points which are not significant enough to make it worthwhile to begin with. (which is why I find it strange when people complain about people abusing points here)

Yes Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 , you may be right, this may be a stupid question.  And coming from you, one of the most intelligent participants in this game, I do stop to ponder the efficacy of this discussion.

But since I am not in control of this ship, and am not qualified to judge a stupid question or any for that matter, I will leave it to others to decide if a question is stupid, or if it deserves to see the light of day and the answers of my esteemed colleagues here in the rain.

Jul 21, 2015 02:34 AM