Source: http://www.condohouse.com/nophonecalls.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 13:59:40+00:00

Document:
If you don't use telephone filtering devices you're probably also too nice to slam down the phone like you would like to do. Instead, you wait for the one small break in the "pitch" before you politely tell them you are not interested only to hear their many scripted responses to your objections.
I try in my Real Estate dealing to be professional. I can not imagine doctors, attorneys, accountants, or any other PROFESSIONAL calling you to solicit your business! Professionals do not cold call people to solicit business, that's what salespeople do. Professionals build their business by referral.
I am almost always reachable because I answer my own phone. I will answer your phone call (7 am to 9 pm local time) unless I am already on the phone. Your call will not fall into the "voice mail pit".
I do not call anyone who has visited my Web Site and requested information -- unless we've established a relationship or they ask me to call. PERIOD!!
Email is a much more effective means of communication that never interrupts your dinner or leisure time. By the way, I will never sell or give your email address/info to anyone!
I will not spam your Email address. (no more than once a week) E-mail alerts on property for sale may be sent to you at anytime. I have no control when the E-mail alerts will be sent to you.
I designed this Site with the Internet User in mind.
I believe that you are visiting my Site to educate yourself and gather information, not to be "SOLD".
I believe you are (or will be) more knowledgeable about the real estate transaction and you prefer to take a more "hands on" approach to buying/selling your home.
I believe that whether or not you decide to hire me to represent you, you will benefit from the information and services I have provided on this Site which benefits the real estate community as a whole.
Of course, I would love to represent you! Let's face it -- I didn't build this Site to help other agents sell or market more homes! However, I believe in building my business through relationships and referrals, not high-pressure sales tactics.
By submitting your telephone number you are consenting for David Lee Walker to contact you even if your name is on the Federal "Do not call List".
Copyright© 2003 CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.). Permission is granted to C.A.R. members only to reprint and use this material for non-commercial purposes provided credit is given to the C.A.R. Legal Department. Other reproduction or use is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the C.A.R. Legal Department. All rights reserved.
In the real estate industry, ”cold calling” is generally known as the solicitation of new clients and business by telephone, fax, or e-mail. Cold calling by REALTORS® is a legitimate business practice. It can be an effective tool for enhancing your clientele-base in real estate sales, property management, and real estate loan transactions.
REALTORS®, however, who engage in cold calling must comply with various laws, including the recently‑enacted Do‑Not‑Call Implementation Act. This Legal Memorandum provides a general overview of the legal and practical issues concerning cold calling by REALTORS®.
Q 1. What is this new law regarding a do‑not‑call registry?
A. On June 23, 2003, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established new rules prohibiting, among other things, telephone solicitations to people who have registered their residential telephone numbers on a national do‑not‑call registry (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c)(2)). According to the FCC, American consumers strongly object to uninvited and unwanted telemarketing calls. In response to this public pressure, the FCC adopted the do-not-call registry to give consumers the opportunity to decide whether they want to receive telephone solicitations at home.
A “telephone solicitation” is a telephone call that acts as an advertisement. It is defined by the FCC as the initiation of any telephone call or message, unless exempt, “for the purpose of encouraging the purchase or rental of, or investment in, property, goods, or services, which is transmitted to any person” (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(9)).
Under this broad definition of telephone solicitation, REALTORS® engaging in cold calling for new clients or business should, unless exempt, refrain from calling telephone numbers on the do‑not‑call registry. This rule applies to both interstate and intrastate telephone calls.
Q 2. When does this law take effect?
A. The national do‑not‑call registry becomes effective on October 1, 2003. Consumers, however, can currently register their telephone numbers on the do‑not‑call registry. This registry should be available to telemarketers by September 2003.
Q 3. But I thought REALTORS® are exempt from the do‑not‑call requirements -- am I right?
A. No. There are three do‑not‑call laws affecting California practitioners: (1) California law; (2) the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules; and (3) the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules. Unlike the first two laws, the sweeping FCC rules do generally apply to REALTORS® engaged in cold calling.
First, in October 2001, the California legislature enacted a law requiring the establishment of a statewide do‑not‑call list. REALTORS®, however, are generally exempt from this law under the C.A.R.‑sponsored “small business” exception. This small business exception applies to calls made within a 50‑mile radius by either individual businesspersons or small businesses with “no more than five full or part‑time employees or independent contractors” (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17592(e)(5)). Thus, a real estate salesperson is exempt as long as he or she does not personally employ more than five assistants, regardless of how many people are working in that real estate company. For REALTORS® who do not fall within this small business exception, the state do‑not‑call requirements, including other exemptions, are fully set forth at Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17590‑95.
Second, in December 2002, the FTC ordered the adoption of a national do‑not‑call registry. REALTORS® are also generally exempt from the FTC rules primarily because the rules only apply to interstate telephone calls (i.e., calls made across state lines) (16 C.F.R. § 310.2(cc)). The FTC rules for interstate cold calling are set forth below.
Third, in June 2003, the FCC enacted new do‑not‑call requirements for both interstate and intrastate telemarketing calls. There are certain exemptions to the FCC rules as discussed below. These exemptions, however, are generally inapplicable to REALTORS® who engage in what is commonly understood as cold calling.
Q 4. If, as a REALTOR®, I am exempt from California’s do‑not‑call requirements, why do I have to comply with the federal do‑not‑call rules?
A. According to the FCC, the federal rules set a minimum standard “by operation of general conflict preemption law,” and therefore “supersede all less restrictive state do‑not‑call rules” (Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, CG Docket No. 02‑278, Report and Order, FCC 03‑153). Using this analysis, the California do‑not‑call rules generally exempting REALTORS® are less restrictive than the federal rules to the extent that the federal rules do not have a REALTOR® exemption, and thus, under the FCC’s rationale, California’s REALTORS® are required to comply with the more stringent federal rules.
Q 5. What are the exemptions to the FCC do‑not‑call rules?
Written permission (see Question 6). Established business relationships (see Question 7). Personal relationships (see Question 8). Tax‑exempt nonprofit organizations. Political and religious organizations. Telephone surveyors. 47 C.F.R. §§ 64.1200(c)(2)(ii) and 64.1200(f)(9). This Legal Memorandum does not cover the treatment of tax‑exempt nonprofit and political organizations under the do‑not‑call laws.
Q 6. What is the written permission exception to the do-not-call requirements?
A. The FCC’s do‑not‑call requirements are inapplicable if a telephone call is placed to someone who has given prior express invitation or permission to call. The permission must be evidenced by a written agreement signed by the consumer that states that he or she agrees to be contacted by this caller and includes the telephone number to which the calls may be placed. 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c)(2)(ii).
Q 7. What is the established business relationship exception to the do-not-call requirements?
A purchase or business transaction within the last 18 months; or The consumer’s inquiry or application regarding products or services within the last three months. 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(3). An established business relationship with a particular company does not extend to affiliated companies unless the consumer would reasonably expect them to be included given the nature and type of goods or services offered by the affiliate and the identity of the affiliate (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(3)(ii)). There is no established business relationship if either party previously terminated the relationship (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(3)). Furthermore, a caller must honor the consumer’s request to be placed on the caller’s company‑specific do‑not‑call list (discussed below), even if the parties continue to do business together (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(3)(i)).
Q 8. What is the personal relationship exception to the do-not-call requirements?
A. A “personal relationship” means any family member, friend, or acquaintance of the telemarketer making the call (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(11)).
Q 9. What if my cold calling doesn’t fall within any of these exemptions?
A. REALTORS® may be able to alter some of their current marketing practices to fall within one of the do‑not‑call exemptions. Let’s say, for example, you send out a mass mailer offering a free Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). Given the do‑not‑call rules, you may want to consider asking homeowners to send you a response card providing their telephone numbers and a signed written consent for you to call them. If they respond accordingly, your subsequent calls to them will fall under the written permission exemption. Alternatively, you may want to date stamp the response cards you receive to ensure that you call back within three months to fall under the established business exemption for inquiries.
As another example, you may want to consider using your Open House registry to inform those who register that, by providing you with their telephone numbers and signatures, they are giving you permission to call them. There may be other aspects of your real estate practice that may be changed to fall within one of the do‑not‑call exemptions.
If, however, your method of cold calling cannot be altered to fall within an exemption, you must comply with the FCC requirements beginning October 2003. Although cross‑checking your call list with the do‑not‑call registry may be cumbersome and time‑consuming, your cold calling efforts may ultimately be more effective if you no longer call people who have chosen to go on the do‑not‑call registry. Whether your call list gets shorter or not, the important thing is to make every call count.
Q 10. What about my unlicensed assistant who does cold calling for me?
A. An unlicensed assistant who cold calls on a REALTOR®’s behalf is subject to the same do‑not‑call rules (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c)(2)). Furthermore, as a general licensing rule, an unlicensed assistant may canvass for general interest in using the services of a real estate broker, but cannot attempt to induce a prospective client to use the services of the broker for a specific property, transaction, or product. For further details, please refer to C.A.R.’s legal memorandum entitled Department of Real Estate Guidelines for Unlicensed Assistants.
Q 11. How does a consumer get on the national do‑not‑call registry?
A. Consumers can now register on‑line at www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1.888.382.1222 (TTY: 1.866.290.4236) from the phone number to be registered. Consumers may register both their residential telephone numbers and cellular phone numbers (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(e)). There is no cost for registration. The do‑not‑call database will be administered by the FTC.
A consumer who registers by August 31, 2003 will receive fewer telemarketing calls by October 1, 2003. After August 31, 2003, telemarketers will have three months to remove newly registered telephone numbers from their call lists.
Q 12. How long does a phone number stay on the do‑not‑call registry?
A. A consumer’s phone number remains on the do‑not‑call registry for five years (unless the consumer decides to take it off the registry). A consumer may re-register every five years. 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c)(2).
Q 13. If I engage in cold calling, what do I have to do to comply with the do‑not‑call requirements?
A. No person or company shall initiate any telephone solicitation to residential consumers whose telephone numbers are on the do‑not‑call registry (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c)(2)). Calls that are made based on or by written permission, established business relationships, or personal relationships are excluded from the definition of “telephone solicitation” (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(9)).
For covered calls, you must access the do‑not‑call database at telemarketing.donotcall.gov (which should be available starting September 1, 2003). You must “scrub” your call list at least once every three months. “Scrubbing” means cross‑checking the do‑not‑call registry with your own call list, and dropping from your call list the telephone numbers of people who have registered. The database will only provide the telephone numbers of registrants, sorted by area codes. Up to five area codes of registered numbers will apparently be provided free of charge to a business. Businesses requesting more than five area codes may be required to pay an annual fee.
According to the FTC, on subsequent visits to telemarketing.donotcall.gov, you will be able to download either a complete update list of telephone numbers from the area codes you have selected or a more limited list showing additions and deletions from when you last downloaded. For more information, go to www.donotcall.gov/FAQ/FAQBusiness.aspx.
Q 14. What if I call someone on the do‑not‑call registry by mistake?
Error: You called someone on the do-not-call registry as a result of error. Written policy: You have a written procedure for complying with the do‑not‑call requirements. Training: You have trained your personnel to comply with the do‑not‑call requirements. Recording: You have maintained and recorded a do‑not‑call list. Accessing: You use a process to prevent telephone solicitations to any telephone number on your do‑not‑call list, which employs a version of the national do‑not‑call registry obtained from the administrator of the registry every three months, and you maintain records documenting this process. Purchasing: You use a process to ensure that you do not use the do‑not‑call database for any purpose other than compliance with state and federal law. You also do not share the cost of accessing the do‑not‑call database with other companies. 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c)(2)(i).
Q 15. What are the rules for cold calling consumers who are not on the do‑not‑call registry?
Do not call before the hour of 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. (local time at the called party’s location) (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c)(1)). Do not disconnect an unanswered call before at least 15 seconds or four rings (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(a)(5)). When you call, you must give: (1) your name; (2) your company’s name; and (3) your telephone number or address at which you may be contacted (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(d)(4)). You must maintain “company‑specific” do‑not‑call procedures (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(d)) (see Question 16). Do not block caller ID (47 C.F.R. § 64.1601(e)(ii)). For caller ID, you must transmit your name and a telephone number for people to use during regular business hours to make do‑not‑call requests (47 C.F.R. § 64.1601(e)(i)). Although the first requirement regarding time‑of‑day does not technically apply to callers with written permission or established business relationships, it is still good practice not to call clients very early in the morning or very late at night. The remaining requirements listed above are applicable as long as you engage in telemarketing, even if you have written permission or an established business relationship. “Telemarketing” is defined as “the initiation of a telephone call or message for the purpose of encouraging the purchase or rental of, or investment in, property, goods, or services, which is transmitted to any person” (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(7)). See Question 17 for additional requirements for interstate cold calling.
Q 16. What are these company‑specific do‑not‑call procedures?
Written Policy: You must have a written policy, available on demand, for maintaining a company‑specific do‑not‑call list. Training: Your personnel engaged in any aspect of telemarketing must be informed and trained in the existence and use of the do‑not‑call list. Recording: For any residential telephone subscriber who requests not to be called, that person’s name, if provided, and telephone number must be placed on a company‑specific do‑not‑call list at the time the request is made. You must honor this do‑not‑call request within a reasonable time, not to exceed 30 days. Identification: When you call someone who is not on the do‑not‑call registry, you must provide the called party with: (1) your individual name; (2) your company’s name; and (3) your telephone number or address at which you may be contacted. The telephone number provided cannot be a 900 number or any other number for which charges exceed local or long distance transmission charges. Affiliates: Unless someone requests otherwise, a consumer’s do‑not‑call request applies to the particular business entity making the call, and not affiliated entities unless the consumer reasonably would expect them to be included given the identification of the caller and the product being advertised. Maintenance of do‑not‑call lists: You must maintain a record of the do‑not‑call requests, and honor it for five years. 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(d). Based on the above language, it would be prudent in most situations for the do‑not‑call list to be maintained by a real estate company as a whole, not just the individual salesperson working for that company, even though the independent contractor salesperson is conducting the cold calling.
Q 17. What about interstate cold calling?
A. REALTORS® engaged in interstate telemarketing must not only comply with the FCC rules outlined above, but also the FTC rules as discussed below. Many REALTORS®, however, fall under a limited exemption to the FTC rules for “[t]elephone calls in which the sale of goods or services . . . is not completed, and payment or authorization of payment is not required, until after a face‑to‑face [sales] presentation” by the REALTOR® (16 C.F.R. § 310.6(b)(3)).
Use threats, intimidation, or profane or obscene language (16 C.F.R. § 310.4(a)(1)). Call to annoy, abuse, or harass (16 C.F.R. § 310.4(b)(1)(i)). Interfere with someone’s right to place his or her name on a do‑not‑call list (16 C.F.R. § 310.4(b)(1)(ii)). Block caller ID (effective January 24, 2004) (16 C.F.R. § 310.4(a)(7)). Remaining applicable FTC requirements are substantially similar to the FCC rules outlined above (16 C.F.R. §§ 310.4(b) and (c)). For purposes of the FTC rules, “telemarketing” is defined as “a plan, program, or campaign which is conducted to induce the purchase of goods or services or a charitable contribution, by use of one or more telephones and which involves more than one interstate telephone call” (16 C.F.R. 310.2(cc)). For REALTORS® who do not conduct face‑to‑face sales presentations, the FTC requirements are fully set forth at 16 C.F.R. § 310.1-310.9.
Q 18. What about automated telephone equipment, such as autodialers or prerecorded messages?
A. An autodialer (or “automatic telephone dialing system") refers to equipment that can generate and dial telephone numbers randomly or sequentially (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(1)). Autodialers are generally used for placing artificial (computerized) or prerecorded messages. There are various laws governing the use of autodialers and artificial or prerecorded messages, as fully set forth at 47 U.S.C. § 227 and 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200 (federal law) and California Public Utilities Code §§ 2871-2875.5 and California Civil Code § 1770(a)(22)(A) (state law). Most notably, telemarketers using predictive dialers must now ensure that they do not abandon more than three percent of all calls made over a 30‑day period. A call is considered “abandoned” if it is not connected to a live sales representative within two seconds of the called person’s completed greeting. 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(a)(6). These rules should reduce the instances when a consumer answers the phone, only to hear dead air or a hang-up.
Q 19. What about faxes?
A. No person or company is allowed to use a fax machine, computer, or other device to send, either interstate or intrastate, an unsolicited advertisement to a telephone facsimile machine (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(a)(3)). An “unsolicited advertisement” is any material advertising the commercial availability or quality of any property, goods, or services that is transmitted to any person without that person’s prior express invitation or permission (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(f)(10)). Such permission must be evidenced by a signed, written statement that includes the fax number to which the advertisement is sent (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(a)(3)(i)).
Date and time it is sent; Name of person or company sending the message; and Telephone number of the sending machine or of such person or company. 47 C.F.R. § 68.318(d). The FCC also prohibits the use of any technology to dial any telephone number for the purpose of determining whether that line is a fax or voice line (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(a)(7)). There are also rules involving facsimile broadcasters (i.e., a person or entity that, for a fee, transmits fax messages on behalf of others) set forth at 47 C.F.R. §§ 64.1200(a)(3)(ii) and 68.318(d).
Q 20. What about e‑mails?
Insert “ADV:” as the first four characters of the subject line of the e‑mail message. Establish a toll‑free telephone number or valid sender‑operated return e‑mail address for recipients to use to notify the sender not to send any further unsolicited e‑mails. Inform recipients that they can use the toll‑free number or return e‑mail address to notify the sender not to send any further unsolicited e‑mails. This statement must be the first text in the body of the message and it must be the same size as the majority of the text of the message. Honor any notification by a recipient not to send any further unsolicited e‑mails. Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17538.4. These rules only apply to persons or companies conducting business in California who use service providers or equipment located in California to send unsolicited e‑mail documents to California residents (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17538.4(a) and (d)). These rules do not apply if the sender and recipient have an existing business or personal relationship, or if the recipient requested or expressly consented to the e‑mail (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17538.4(e)).
Q 21. What about text messaging?
A. Under California law, no person or company shall transmit or cause to be transmitted a text message advertisement to a cellular telephone or pager (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17538.41(a)). This rule applies to persons or companies conducting business in California transmitting to a telephone number assigned to a California resident (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17538.41(a) and (b)). If there is an existing relationship, then this rule does not apply to the business transmitting the text message, but only if the subscriber is offered an option not to receive text messages from that business (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17538.41(c)). This rule does not apply to affiliates of a business with an existing relationship with the subscriber, but only if the subscriber has given consent to receive text messages from affiliates (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17538.41(d)).
Q 22. What happens if someone violates these laws?
A. Violations of the do‑not‑call requirements may be enforced by the issuance of citations or fines by the FTC, the FCC, or state law enforcement agencies (see Question 23), and by court order in a civil lawsuit brought by the consumer whose rights have been violated (see Question 24).
Q 23. What does governmental enforcement of do‑not‑call violations entail?
Consumer’s name, address, and daytime phone number. Telephone number involved in the complaint. As much specific information about the complaint as possible, including the identity of the telemarketer or company that called. The FCC and FTC may issue citations or fines, but they will not resolve individual consumer problems. The FTC may enter complaints into Consumer Sentinel, an online database accessible by civil and criminal law enforcement agencies, including the California Attorney General.
Failure to comply with the FCC rules could result in, among other things, a fine up to $11,000 for each violation or each day of a continuing violation, except that the amount assessed for any continuing violation shall not exceed a total of $87,500 for any single act or failure to act (47 C.F.R. § 1.80(b)). For the FTC rules, the civil penalty is $11,000 for each violation (15 U.S.C. 45 (m)(1) and 16 C.F.R. § 1.98).
Q 24. What is a consumer’s private right of action?
A. In addition to possible action taken by governmental agencies, consumers may file civil lawsuits in state court for violations of the federal rules. Consumers may seek to recover actual monetary loss or $500 in damages for each violation, whichever is greater, and an injunction prohibiting further violations. If the court finds that the violator willfully or knowingly violated these rules, the court may award treble damages. 47 U.S.C. §§ 227(b)(3) and (c)(5).
For certain violations, such as sending an unsolicited fax or wrongfully using an autodialer, a consumer’s cause of action arises as soon as the caller violates the rules (47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(3)). For other violations, including violations of telephone solicitation guidelines, a consumer’s cause of action does not arise until he or she has received more than one telephone call within any 12‑month period by or on behalf of the same company (47 U.S.C. § 447(c)(5)).
Q 25. Where can I find the various laws on cold calling?
A. Federal law is found at 47 U.S.C § 227; 15 U.S.C. §§ 6101-6108; 16 C.F.R. §§ 310.1-310.9; 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200; and 47 C.F.R. § 68.318. California law can be found at California Business and Professions Code §§ 17511‑17511.13, 17538.4, 17538.41, and 17590-95; California Public Utilities Code §§ 2871‑2875.5; and California Civil Code § 1770(a)(22).
Q 26. Where can I get more information?
A. This memorandum is just one of the many legal publications and services offered by C.A.R. to its members. For a complete listing of C.A.R.’s legal products and services, please visit C.A.R. Online at www.car.org .
------------------------------------------------------------ The information contained herein is believed accurate as of July 16, 2003. It is intended to provide general answers to general questions and is not intended as a substitute for individual legal advice. Advice in specific situations may differ depending upon a wide variety of factors. Therefore, readers with specific legal questions should seek the advice of an attorney.

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