Jeffrey - I don't know about you, but I don't have $11,000 just lying around to pay a fine! I always check the DNC registry, although I know a lot of agents who never do. They just say they're not soliciting when they call, but in the end that's what they're doing. 

Our office firmly believes in the do-not-call registry.  As a homeowner, I know I am disturbed to receive calls for charity and political campaigns - they are exempt from the do-not-call registry - when I am relaxing with my family at home.   I contribute where and when I want to and I understand that political ads are essentially all slanted - I get my news elsewhere.  Regarding FSBO's, you'd think we are totally free to call them since their phone number is in their front yard and online in some instances, but again, my office policy says we may not call if we do not have an interested buyer.  My understanding of that policy is that I do not know if I have an interested buyer unless I know what the property looks like.  It's a valid point.  I could defend it in court.  :)

Boy I would never even think of calling without checking the DNC list.  I just hope them never come up with a DNK (Do Not Knock) registry or a DNSL (Do Not Send Letters) registry.  If they do I'm going to have to get a different job.

Jeffrey, I'm with Susan I don't have an extra $11,000 lying around.

It is not worth taking a chance -- The fines are really big!  Obviously, it is best to call people who want to be called.  The knock on the door may be a safer way to go.

While I am a great supporter of the Do Not Call list I was almost a victim of it. I asked one of my associates to call agents who had advertisements in our market area and tell them we had over 300 investors always looking for deals. Somehow my employee and this Re/Max agent got into a spelling battle over the world ridiculous. It ended up with the agent filing a complaint with the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance and the FCC on a DNC violation. Let me tell you just disputing it cost a ton of time. The DBF in Georgia shook their heads in disgust for the wasted time but somehow that DNC charge is a bit harder to battle. Fortunately I had a copy of the advertisement with the agent's business phone number along with copies of all the email exchanged between these two hotheads. The moral of the story is it doesn't matter if you are violating or not -- if someone files a complaint it's still a major headache.

You can get 6 figures income by calling expired listings. But just try to get business without adopting any forceful selling techniques. Sometime sellers know this rule, they discuss with you commission and other terms and immediately inform their past listing agent.

I am really not into the cold calling.  I have created poscards that I send to FSBO also with expired listings.  This method is hit or miss but it's better than paying $11K

Yes, Door knocking is a much better approach

While there are plenty of people that think I might be overly political... or a charity case, I avoid calling ANYONE for selling.  I don't like it.  I don't expect anyone else to. 

Absolutely 100% Realtors should be included in the DNC list. Why should Realtors be exempt? I actually think that calling expireds should be an ethical violation that NAR needs to introduce. Do you have any idea how many calls an expired listing generates?

I find knocking on doors an easier and better method of building business.  However, when I do use the phone to cold call, I won't make any calls without first checking the Do Not Call Registry.

It is the law therefore it should be obeyed, failure to do so can be costly.  Anyone ignoring the law should check with the people who have been fined.

I HATE being called myself - why should be bothering folks with phone calls you have asked to not be called?  I use mailers and door knocking.

Jeff - I do check the registry: I don't need a headache like that!

Jeff,  We may not be happy about it, but it is now the law.  The DNC registry is not too difficult to use, and with an $11,000 penalty, it is worth the extra time to me.