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Be Careful with those Tweets Peeps

By Colleen Fischesser Northwest Property Shop

Managing Real Estate Broker with NextHome Experience 17050

July 28, 2009 03:06 AM

I think we all know we need to be careful with online content. But as we fill our days with tweets, status updates, comments and blog posts, it's easy to begin to feel immune to the risks accompanied with having a ubiquitous online presence.

But there's nothing like a good anecdote to remind us of the implications associated with speaking one's mind in cyber space.

I read an article this morning where a Chicago company has sued a woman for a Tweet she posted where she said:

"Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon realty thinks it's okay."

The company, Horizon Realty wasn't too happy with the comment and has accused her of libal and defamation...to the tune of $50,000!

In the words of Hillstreet Blues' St. Phil; "Let's be careful out there"!

(Unless you're going to sue me)

Colleen Fischesser is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Select in Maple Valley, WA. She has been successfully selling and marketing properties all over South King & North Pierce counties since 1990 but specializes in the Maple Valley Washington area. She may be contacted directly at: 425-432-5400

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Terry Miller

Miller Homes Group - Tyler, TX

Miller Homes Group and Tyler Apartment Locator

Ouch.... Always be careful. Free speech sometimes is a costly mistake in cases like that.

Jul 28, 2009 03:11 AM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

I just saw a Tweet about that... I did not click on the link... maybe the restaurant I tweeted something snotty about Sunday will sue me?

I should look to see how snotty I look.

Jul 28, 2009 03:14 AM

Maria Morton

Platinum Realty - Kansas City, MO

Kansas City Real Estate 816-560-3758

Good reminder, Colleen! We do need to watch what we say - big brother is always listening!

Jul 28, 2009 03:15 AM

Patricia Kennedy

RLAH@properties - Washington, DC

Home in the Capital

Thanks for the little reminder of something we should all know and often forget!

Jul 28, 2009 03:17 AM

Colleen Fischesser Northwest Property Shop

NextHome Experience - Chelan, WA

A Tradition of Trust in the Pacific NW since 1990!

Maureen, I think snotty is ok..... you were giving a review. RIGHT? LOL!!

Jul 28, 2009 03:19 AM

Roy Kelley

Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thanks for the reminder. Also need to be careful with personal remarks on Facebook.

Jul 28, 2009 03:22 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Interesting. I would think that the management company had better hope that the tenant hasn't done a test showing mold.

This could be a landmark case. If the tenant has documented the presence of mold and the management company/owner has not remediated, they could be in real trouble.

Sadly, we hear about the beginnings of these things but rarely find out about the outcomes.

Jul 28, 2009 03:22 AM

Colleen Fischesser Northwest Property Shop

NextHome Experience - Chelan, WA

A Tradition of Trust in the Pacific NW since 1990!

Lenn, I agree that it would be nice to hear the outcomes of these things. I think the problem here though lies in her saying "they don't care". Whether she has tests proving there is mold or not, that's a pretty rough blanket statment to make and one which could have significant impact upon a business.

Jul 28, 2009 03:37 AM

Eric Boyd

Red Rooster Property Management, 904-469-6335 - Jacksonville, FL

FL Lic Real Estate Broker / Property Manager

I saw this on the NARPM listserv this morning. Very concerning. One step I've taken is to add my name and my company name to Google Alerts. www.google.com/alerts That's a way to keep me posted when someone posts something online about me or my company. It's just too easy these days to have anonymous folks post random stuff out there.

Jul 28, 2009 03:39 AM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

I looked I said the waitress snapped at me twice during my order... and I tweeted excusssssssssssssssse me.

An apology? No it was snotty....

A waitress in my market who I follow made a comment about Twitter passive aggressive tweeting.... I think Twitter is built for it.

I read the article on Mashable. I believe they will get a lot more bad PR for the lawsuit than the Tweet ever got....

Jul 28, 2009 03:41 AM

Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist

KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA

Probate Real Estate Services

Colleen, we make what we feel is an innocent comment (or not) without realizing the massive exposure it will get. A great reminder to all of us - Thanks!

Jul 28, 2009 03:45 AM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

@tcar wrote about it on NAR... it is on the Chicago Sun Times site... if I may share a link. how Twitter raises the stakes

I forget what Todd Carpenter's title is... NAR Social Media Czar ... He is in Chicago... the alledged moldy apartment is in Chicago....or the lawsuit is filed in Cook County anyway.

Jul 28, 2009 03:59 AM

Chanda Barrick

Keller Williams Indy Metro Northeast - Indianapolis, IN

in referral

I completely agree. I saw a tweet today from a REALTOR that was talking about what her and her husband we doing the night before and the state he left parts of her anatomy in the next day...Of course she didn't put quite as nicely as I did. I just couldn't believe someone in the public eye would actually post things like that for the world to see!

Chanda panda

Jul 28, 2009 05:19 AM

Melina Tomson

Tomson Burnham, llc Licensed in the State of Oregon - Salem, OR

Principal Broker/Owner, M.S.

I can see why they sued. It's not like she said "I've asked my landlord, Horizon Realty to clean the mold three times and they haven't." That is a factual statement. If she has tested for mold or showed the mold to the manager and they did nothing then the suit won't go anywhere. She'd better hope she has some documentation that she told someone the apartment had mold.

Jul 28, 2009 05:49 AM

Debra Cernick

DeShazer Ryan Realty - Libby, MT

I recently read an article about what we PROFESSIONAL allow on our twitter and facebook pages. Is it professional or do we mix it with our friends -- jokes etc.

Jul 29, 2009 05:22 PM

Rene Fabre

ARFCO Media - Renton, WA

Practicing Philosophical Eclectic of the Arts

Colleen: Interesting... I have a simple rule. I do my axe grinding off line. Let it stew for 12-24 hours. If I still feel the same way, then 'maybe' it goes online...

Jul 31, 2009 05:03 AM

Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities

Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Once made, our comments have an amazingly long shelf life on the Internet. It's best not to make off the cuff comments without evaluating what the consequences might be.

Aug 02, 2009 01:12 PM

Janna Scharf

Keller Williams Realty Coeur d'Alene - Coeur d'Alene, ID

Coeur d'Alene Idaho Real Estate Expert

Yikes! I guess this is just like posting online anywhere - if you wouldn't like to see it show up as the headline of tomorrow's newspaper, don't write it!

Aug 11, 2009 01:55 PM