HomeAnswerline - Rules & Guidelines

 The Answer Line Rules and Guidelines

By using our discussion group you are agreeing that you have read and will abide by the rules and guidelines detailed below.  So please read them carefully.

Although the administrators and moderators of the Answer Line will attempt to keep all objectionable messages off these boards, it is impossible for us to review all messages.  All messages express the views of the author, and DIG will not be held responsible for their content. The Directors and Officers of DIG, and those they appoint, have the right to remove, edit, move or close any thread for any reason, and to ban any member without warning and need not enter into discussion as to their reasons or justification.

DIG DISCLAIMER
Diversified Investor Group recognizes that many opportunities are presented to its members and guests. As an individual, it is your responsibility to investigate, and verify, the validity of these opportunities and consult with a professional such as your Attorney or Accountant before investing or following the advice given as it is possible to lose money investing in real estate.

DIG neither sponsors nor recommends any offering made to or by its membership or vendors. Diversified Investor Group is not responsible or liable for the performance or offering or the accuracy of any information presented.

What the Answer Line isn't:
Answer Line is not DIG's Help Desk and it is not monitored by the Board
As it does not reach all of DIG's membership, the Answer Line is NOT the place to get your administrative questions about DIG answered. The person responsible for the area you have a question about may either not be a participant, or may not be reading the posts on a regular basis. To get Administrative questions answered, you should use any of the email addresses which DIG has established for just that purpose. Use the following. DIG Contact List or call the DIG office at 215-712-2525.

What the Answer Line isn't - Part II
It is Not a forum for administrative, or policy and procedure questions.
As policy and procedure questions are frequently complicated topics, requiring extensive consultations by the people involved to assure that the question is completely understood, so that a full answer can provided to the question, and unfair to everyone involved to shoot from the hip because someone is impatient for an answer, those discussions on the Answer Line are a non-productive use of time and resources. While we appreciate that everyone wants things to occur instantly in this internet age, as everyone is surely aware, DIG is a volunteer group,  operating out of different locations, and while we do our best, we like everyone have full time commitments to meet outside of DIG. So regrettably, things just take longer than if we were a large scale organization, with a full time staff. Please contact the appropriate area directly. Not following this procedure will assuredly get the topic removed, and the initiator possibly banned.

Answer Line Moderator
The Answer Line moderator can be contacted by sending an email to moderator@digonline.org.

ANSWER LINE RULES

The Answer Line is a great place to post questions and answers, and to have productive discussions. While we may delete anything we find inappropriate, it is rare that such a post is made as our members are well-known to be very helpful to each other. The following are guidelines to follow when posting a message or reply:

1. Purpose of the Forum
The DIG Answer Line is a Real Estate investing forum. It is not set up to address problems you have on your computer, your personal life, your political or religious views, or anything else not directly related to investing in real estate. There are thousand of  places on the internet which are more appropriate. Please take those concerns there. Persistent posts like these may get you banned.

2. Participation Requirements
While we both welcome and encourage your participation, you must be a full-time member of DIG to remain a participant. Non-members, or unidentified participants will get banned from participation at the discretion of the moderators.

3. Identification
Your full name must appear in the post. Anonymous posts are not acceptable and will get you banned from participation at the discretion of the moderators.

Your full name is required somewhere on your emails. DIG works, and the Answer Line works, because of networking. Networking works because we develop a relationship with someone, and because we have learned to rely on the answers to what they are telling us.

As DIG grows it becomes more and more difficult for us to build relationships. As new members join DIG, they don't have any idea who some of the people who post to the Answer Line are. How many people can identify someone from a cryptic email address like MRK66@xyz.com? Or separate the  numerous Jims', or Toms', or Stephanies' based entirely upon the first name?

Along with the members who have subscribed to the Answer Line, DIG  encourages non-members and its Guests to join the Answer Line on a trial  basis so they get an opportunity to learn who we are, and learn about some  of the valuable tools DIG has available to its members, and to see the value of DIG's networking. It's a help for them to see who we are, and when they come to a meeting, put a face to the name. That also works in reverse for us to put a face to the name which asked the questions about Tenants when we meet a Member or a Guest at the meetings.

To encourage networking, and to eliminate Anonymous posts, all posts to the Answer Line MUST contain the FULL name of the person who wrote it. That means that your FULL name must appear in either the FROM line, where it can be contained in the email address itself like WilmaFlintstone@pil.net, or like Wilma Flintstone , or as a Signature to the email - like Wilma Flintstone, or added into the reply header like 'Fred or Wilma Flintstone writes:' or any other method you prefer which has your full name.

You cannot use the Return address, etc. as a device to advertise. For example, you cannot have the return address read something like My Business is contracting name@emaildomain.com, or LawFirmname name@emaildomain.com, or things like name@emaildomain.com (Name of Business).

4. Only DIG events may be posted
Only DIG events may be posted on the Answer Line. That means that regardless of their popularity, events which are not sponsored by DIG cannot be promoted.

5. The Answer Line is NOT the DIG Marketplace
The Answer Line is a discussion group for RE related questions. The DIG Marketplace is DIG's online marketplace used to expose properties, which you have a direct ownership interest in, to the DIG membership.

To visit the DIG Marketplace on the web, click: DIG Marketplace on Yahoo

6. The Answer Line is NOT the DIG Marketplace: Part II
Requests for help locating properties for potential tenants, to fill an empty property, selling properties, or other calls for similar assistance belong on DIG's online marketplace not the Answer Line.

7. Stay on Topic
When posting a new message, give your post an informative subject. Supply relevant details of your problem and your setup to help in identifying a possible solution. When replying to a message, keep to the topic. If your message isn't on topic then it should be a new post, not a reply . If your post is in response to an existing thread, do not start a new one. Please do not waste our space and time with trivial ramblings - show consideration for busy people. Avoid meaningless titles such as "I need help" and the notorious "Me too" response!

8. Always Start a new Post/Message, don't reply to one with a new topic
If you 'reply' to a message and then change the topic to something different and send that to the Answer Line your new topic will get buried underneath/inside the original topic instead of what you intend - that it gets the exposure of a completely new topic. For example if someone isn't interested, or is no longer interested in 'Need a Property Manager' they won't bother reading your new topic because it will be hidden inside the 'Need a Property Manager' topic. To get the exposure you want, what you should be doing is starting off with an entirely new message from scratch (i.e. not hitting reply to create it) and sending that to the Answer Line.

9. Off Topic Threads
If you must post an off topic thread, the Off Topic posts must be preceeded by the characters OT to identify them as such, then people can skip it if they are in a hurry.

10. Thanking people for help received
If several people have contributed help in solving your problem, there is no need to post individual thank-you replies to each of them. Make one reply to the thread, thanking them all. If you edit the Subject line to read "Thanks folks" then people can skip it if they are in a hurry.

11. Do not transmit dangerous material
Do not post information that is deliberately false or misleading or anything that contains software viruses designed to interrupt the function of any other computer or its programs or files and do not attempt in any way to disrupt the Answer Line Service or its server.

12. Avoid Personal Insults or Flames - ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY
We take this so seriously that this is stated in the Answer Line introduction and restated in this rule.

You are welcome to express a bad experience, even mention that they were an 'X' (e.g. Indian Chief), but if you feel that you must extrapolate from that experience to generalize about the profession/race/creed/ or whatever, or to attack someone, some group, or some 'X', you have crossed the line. We do not allow posts that contain name calling.

This is very rare here, though there have been some misunderstandings. To avoid problems, be sure to read over your post before sending it. If you're joking, make it clear so that other members do not take it the wrong way. In other words, just try to be courteous.

Flames are subject to deletion and may get you banned from participation.

13. Do not make Private requests
Please keep your questions and answers on the open boards. We discourage sending or asking for replies via email or Private Message. This defeats the purpose of the Answer Line which is designed to share information as widely as possible.

14. No Bad-mouthing specific Named companies
Be aware that you may be accused of Libel, so be careful. For the same reason any attachments showing examples of problems should be devoid of company references, information or logos.

15. No Spam, Blatant Advertising or Soliciting
  a. Personal Concerns/Political points of view/etc.
The DIG Answer Line is a Real Estate investing forum. It is not set up to address problems you have on your computer, your personal life, your political or religious views, or anything else not directly related to investing in real estate. There are thousand of  places on the internet which are more appropriate. Please take those concerns there. Persistent posts like these may get you banned.

  b. Advertising
This is rare here as well. Just don't post an advertisement or offer a service for compensation.

You can NOT place your urls, your businees, etc. in your signature.

You can NOT use your email return address as a advertising promotion.

Things likeThis is my business "myemail.address@somedomain.com"   are not allowed.

You cannot use the Return address, etc. as a device to advertise. For example, you cannot have the return address read something like My Business is contracting name@emaildomain.com, or LawFirmname name@emaildomain.com, or things like name@emaildomain.com (Name of Business) or anything like nameTypeofOccupation@emaildomain.com or nameProfessionaldesignation@emaildomain.com. The highlighted parts of the return address in the examples are considered advertising.

Professional designations are considered advertising. eg Esq, CBI, CPA, CFP, etc. and are not permitted.

You can recommend sites that may help people (your own included) - but only if it answers or helps to answer a question that has been asked within the topic in which you are posting. Spam will be deleted. Ignoring this rule will get you banned from participation.

To anticipate the next question, here's the answer we give to everyone each time. If someone makes it a habit, or answers every question, or includes in, or follows every question with a "I'm a Butcher, a Baker, a Candlestick Maker (or whatever)" it is advertising.

Replying to a question with this kind of information isn't forbidden, if it is a legitimate reply to a question and is not an unsolicited "use me!, use me!" promo or footer or something like that which didn't have anything to do with the conversation.

We were asked what's the difference between a legitimate post and 'Pimping?"

Unsolicited referrals are considered advertising.

We didn't post the following on the Answer Line, but it pretty well sums up the sentiment of the participants  (and ours):

 * This list is NOT for making your services from related businesses available to other investors either.  That's why we have a corporate vendor program.  You PAY to market yourself to our membership.

 * This list is NOT for soliciting future buyers for your wholesale business, nor for finding other investors who will flip you deals for a finders fee.

 * This list is NOT for posting properties that you want to sell, rent, buy, lease-option, or anything else - either for yourself, your family, your friends, your tenants, or your dog!

  c. SPAM
Posting of SPAM may get you banned.

16. Recommendations which state "...and is a DIG member"
First, without confirming the supposition with the DIG office, the statement that "someone was/is a DIG" member may no longer be true. Individuals alow their membrship to drop for any number of reasons.

Next, the recommendations which state "...is a DIG member" also imply something which has no basis - they imply that DIG membership bears some special caveat. And since this keeps coming up, we must again restate what should be obvious:

While DIG does its best to ferret out the bad apples, the fact that someone is a "DIG member" has no more bearing on a recommendation than the fact that someone has brown hair or even isn't a DIG member. It's far more important that, someone says "I personally have had good experiences working with them" than anything else.

The Board of Directors can assure you that more than one former DIG member has strayed from the path, violated DIG's Code of Ethics and are no longer DIG members as a result. You need to do you own due diligence.

17. Requests for Financial Partners or Soliciting Deals
Requests for financial partners, or making or soliciting deals, are NOT permitted on the Answer Line. The policy is that whomever initiates the request will get removed from participation - there is no second warning.

Regardless of how it would turn out, DIG can not afford the risks involved in a failed financial transaction which was facilitated by the Answer Line. It would only take one person who had a deal fall apart, or lost money, and doesn't understand the phrase 'personal responsibility,' to involve DIG in their nightmare.

Unfortunately, with more than a thousand members, if even 1/10 of 1 of the membership were slimeballs - and there's no suggestion that anyone on the Answer Line is - there would be at least one person out there causing problems. The board can attest that our percentages are higher. Would you want to be their next target? DIG doesn't want you to be either.

18. Requests for Financial Partners or Soliciting Deals: Part II
Note that DIG Disclaims any responsibility for the information in this paragraph, but has repeatedly been asked to provide this link.

Take note: This is NOT a DIG sponsored forum.

Solicitation for partners and private funding (as well as advertising) is allowed and regularly posted on the Yahoo group: DVIO 

We repeat: This is NOT a DIG forum. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.

19. No Posting of Copyrighted and/or Illegal Material
This basically speaks for itself. If you post an article, be sure it is your own. If you wish to reference a copyrighted item, use a link to the original instead. We are in no way responsible for the content you provide or the links you include, illegal or otherwise and we reserve the right to disclose information about our members to the proper  authorities in the case of copyright infringement or any illegal activity.

20. Avoid Cross-Posting
Cross-Posting is the posting of the same (or nearly the same) message on more than one board (ie. posting the same message on both the Word and the Access boards). To avoid this, choose the one board which is most appropriate and post your message there. Any message cross-posted is subject to deletion from any or all boards on which it has been posted.

21. No Chain Letters
However worthy the cause, Chain Letters and Petitions are not allowed. Posts containing them will be immediately deleted.

22. Do not Flood the Answer Line
"Flooding" the boards is posting numerous questions of a similar nature under different topics in a short period of time . These topics may be locked or deleted at the discretion of the board Moderator.

23. Do not Make Demands of other Members or Moderators
Everyone answering questions on the Answer Line donates his/her time for free to help people. Demanding help within a certain time frame is not acceptable. We will try to help you but we are not responsible for deadlines that are not met, projects that are not finished, or any other problems that may occur whether your question was answered or not. Demands may be locked or deleted at the discretion of the moderators.

24. Topics Specifically Prohibited
Political, religious, etc. opinions are not permitted.

We do not allow posts that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-orientated, hateful or threatening, of a political, religious or racial nature, or in violation of the law. Avoid outraged commentaries on sensational topics. We do not allow posts that contain name calling.

Nor do we allow classified ads of any sort.  This is an information exchange forum, not a product exchange.  If you want to purchase or sell something, you should visit sites which are specifically setup for those transactions.

The Answer Line is meant to be a place for friendly conversation. In order to keep it that way, messages which fit the above will be deleted, as will any that contain links to such material, at the discretion of the moderators. And the initiators may be banned should it become a continuing problem.

We recognize that your political point of view is important to you. However, the Answer Line is a forum for specific Real Estate related questions and answers. And while politics may impact everything we do and those views deserve expression, that expression needs to be taken somewhere other than the Answer Line.

That does not prevent discussions of upcoming legislation related to Real Estate, local zoning, etc. all of which may impact us as investors directly, and asking for advice is OK, and if you have challenged an ordinace or law and want additional support, or would like to report your results, that would be a legitimate post.  Or if you are looking for advice on how to contest some decision that would be a legitimate post as well.

25. Requests for Personal Information
Here's what you CAN do:
Ask "Could Gary Altoonian (or whomever) please contact me, or if he is not on the Answer Line could anyone who knows him ask him to contact me?."

Here's what you CAN'T do:
The following kind of question is not allowed.
"Does anyone have (insert name here) email address or phone number?"

Regardless of the intent, here's the policy on this kind of blind request -Don't!

If the request is rephrased 'Could (whomever) contact me' then it's perfectly OK. But no one should EVER be forwarding personal contact information about someone else without their permission. Note the keyword 'personal.' And note that it doesn't prevent asking for referrals to Doctors, Lawyers. or Indian Chiefs... who are in the public domain, which goes on here frequently.

Rationale:
There are at least two known instances of stalking within the DIG community. One of the individuals had a severe enough problem that he moved his family completely out of state. The other spent years hiding from an ex-husband. DIG will not become an accidental facilitator of anything like that by permitting blind requests or encouraging responses. And no one in the DIG community should facilitate it either.

26.  Rules Violations
Violations of these rules will result in a one time warning. The second instance will get you removed from the Answer Line for 30 days. Subsequent violations will result in longer or permanent removal.

27. Read the FAQ  Before Posting
These have the answers to many common questions about the Answer Line and checking them first may save you having to ask at all.

28. To Subscribe to the Digest
The Digest is a summarized list of the postings to the Answer Line for a particular day. To subscribe send an email to:
digonline-digest-subscribe@pil.net

29. Rules Summarized

30. Modification Of Terms And Conditions
DIG reserves the right to modify these Rules from time to time without notice.
You should check them regularly.