COPYRIGHT IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT AGAIN. 

AN ACTIVERAIN ARTICLE TODAY INSPIRED THIS REPUBLISH.

COPYRIGHT CHEAT SHEET 

Do NOT copy and paste content, articles, images (maps), photos from the Internet.

If you didn't write it, don't put it on your web site.

You can NOT avoid copyright infringement by adding a disclaimer.

Content belongs to the writer, not the publisher.  We own the content in our blogs and ActiveRain has said so.

Copying and pasting content written or created by others is copyright infringement.

Content does not have to contain a copyright notice to have copyright protection.

The proper way to use content belonging to another is to publish a "snippet", a few lines, and link to the article.

Content is copyrighted the instant it is written, drawn, scratched or otherwise created.

Publishing an article written by another and giving them "credit" is a violation of their copyright. 

Registering a copyright provides statutory protection. 

Statutory damages for copyright infringement are from $750 to $20,000 for each violation.

Copyright laws protect the creator of the material whether or not the copyright is registered. 

Copyright laws protect the creator of the material whether or not they have a copyright notice on their web page.

Copyright laws protect the creator of the material whether or not they have a warning on their web page.

Copyright laws protect the creator of the material whether or not they block capturing the image or content.

Real estate brokers have a duty to review the web site content of their agents.

Real estate agents and brokers cannot avoid responsibility for copyright infringement by blaming it on the web master or copywriter.

Real estate agents and brokers are fully responsible for every word, image or photograph that is published on the Internet on their web site(s). 

Data is not copyright protected.  However, once data is arranged and published as information, lists, etc. it is copyright protected. 

A Table of Contents, Site Map, Index is copyright protected. 

Demographic data is copyright protected if the writer arranged the data in a particular way. 

Photos on the MLS belong to the original photographer.  If the photo is taken by an agent and published as part of a listing, the photographer owns the photo and has given the MLS a limited copyright.  The photos do not belong to the next agent who gets the expired listing.  If they stay in the MLS system, they can auto-populate by address or Property Tax number.  You may be able to delete your photos from the system.

You can photo the exterior of homes from a public street and publish them on your web site.  The house still belongs to the owner but the photo belongs to you. 

Recorded music is copyrighted. 

If a person permits you to take their photo, they are giving you permission to publish it.  Taking photos of persons in public places is permitted and you can publish them.  Otherwise, we wouldn't have the Paparazzi.

Some "free images and photos" services on the Internet intend their photos and images to be used for personal and educational purposes only.  Check their rules for use.  Many do not permit their content to be used for commercial purposes.

Real estate practice is a commercial purpose.

NOTE:  The above are my opinions and my opinions only.  I have successfully prosecuted and collected damages from 22 copyright violators who copied images from my web sites and used them to compete with me on their web sites.  I own over 100 registered copyrights.  The copyright certificates cost $35 each. 

For reference, SEE:  http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html or consult an attorney.  Mine is very expensive but he gets the job done.  Most of the copyright violators who paid damages to me could have saved a lot of money by paying a modest amount when noticed.  Once they try to avoid or fight, the damages to me is increased becasue I'm paying my attorney and their attorney often just runs up their legal fees.  Eventually, they ALL pay.

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I am creating 2 new Websites.  Step #1 is to make sure that the Site Architecture is correctly designed for SEO.  According to Wikipedia,  "Website architecture is an approach to the design and planning of websites which, like architecture itself, involves technical, aesthetic and functional criteria... this requires particular attention to web content, a business plan, usability, interaction design, information architecture and web design".

     I am reviewing Google's Search Engine Optimization Guide, Yahoo SEO Basics, and several other SEO Guides.

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     SEO has many components - Relevant Back Links, Keyword Density, Content, and more. 

       But the Site Architecture is so important!  A poorly designed site that is hard to navigate, and not properly Linked, will take a hit in Search Rankings.

 

 

      I first went to Yahoo's SEO Basics

 

 

 

      Next, it was off to Google, to review their Comprehensive 32-Page

                  Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide

     (Please note, that at the time of this Blog, Google is not mentioning Google+, which is now CRITICAL for Google SEO)

 

 

 

     Then I took a look at SEOMoz "Free Beginner's Guide to SEO".  Those of you who are familiar with SEOMoz know that Rand Fishkin and his company absolutely Dominate software for SEO.

 

 

          Continuing Onward, I visited SEOWikia:

 

     I am reviewing my new Websites to make sure that the Site Architecure is correct, and that all other SEO ingredients are Optimized!

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Fred Griffin, Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker and Social Media Consultant

Meta Keywords Mean Nothing to Google Anymore.

Meta keywords are those keywords that you enter separately as in a WordPress Plug-in or page properties tab on your website.  As in the picture below you may have something similar on your website or blog. If you don't have this on your website you should, because the Title and Description are very valuable but the keywords here don't mean as much anymore. (ActiveRain does not have a place for this because they take your blog title and the first 150 characters of your blog as the description)

Why is this?

Because Google is constantly striving to know what people are really searching for and how they need to be found. By giving a list of keywords that may or may not be in the actual content, it doesn't tell Google you really wrote about the keywords but perhaps just stuffed them in at the last minute to be found for them. This isn't anything new though. According to the Google Blog, "[Several years ago], keyword meta tags quickly became an area where someone could stuff often-irrelevant keywords without typical visitors ever seeing those keywords. Because the keywords meta tag was so often abused, many years ago Google began disregarding the keywords meta tag". And this is from 2009! So you can imagine how much they don't care about them now.

So what does this mean and what are you suppose to do about it?

I haven't used meta keywords in a couple years and it hasn't harmed my sites one bit. Actually it has saved me time. I don't have to enter that long list anymore that means nothing. The most important thing you need to be doing is titling your blog or page accurately, entering a good description and use your keywords naturally throughout the content. Google will pick up those keywords and rank the site for the naturally occurring keywords in the title, description and content of the piece more than anything.

Here is an example: You are a Bozeman Realtor writing about horse property. This is your title: Horse Properties around Bozeman Montana. Your Description should read: Your Bozeman Realtor offers information on buying or selling horse and equestrian properties and real estate around Bozeman Montana. And you should mention Bozeman Horse Properties or Real Estate once for every 100 words or so throughout the piece.

But what about other search engines? Bing, Yahoo, Ask, Etc..?

Several other search engines do still use them but not to the extent that they use to. Remember, Google is the search engine giant and if you can show up there, the other's will fall in line. Should you still enter them for the others? I would say no. Because if you follow the Title/Description/Content rule you will be creating a well-optimized piece anyway that will be ranked and found by folks searching for those long-tail search results.

 

Tammy Emineth is an expert in custom content and original articles for blogs, website, press releases and more. Contact me anytime and feel free to subscribe to this blog to stay up to date on my latest blogs and informative information. Email me or contact me for Real Estate Website Marketing and SEO Content Writing.

The information contained in this blog is believed to be true and correct and while every effort is made to assure that the information is as accurate as possible, the author of this blog, and its comments disclaim any implied warranty or representation about it's accuracy for any particular purpose. All information is copy written and the property of Tammy Emineth.  

I am not referring to loss on the sale price of your home but rather, I am talking about minimizing the chance someone may get injured while viewing your home for sale in Brevard County, Florida (or any other place!).

Before you list your home for sale take a good look around your house from a child's perspective. 

Even if you have no children think about potential buyers who do have children accompanying them as they view homes.  And, although I am no lawyer, you do not want to have something happen to anyone on your property - selling or not!

Do not leave toxic within reach of small hands.  I know you are thinking that the children should be under control at all times but I have witnessed it – they aren’t always!


If you have firearms, secure them with some sort of locking device or better yet, remove them.  I can recall the times I have shown homes and seen rifles propped against the wall in a closet or under the bed.  I don’t know if they were loaded but still, why have them there?

And think about your furniture layout and lighting.  Maybe you should leave more lights on? 

And think about the calm dog of yours who is friendly and only barks!

And do not forget about the exterior...any holes or low areas in the lawn?  What about the garden hose on the ground?

Risk reduction and management is a key component of any business.  Selling your home is a business transaction you are part of.

I have heard many times "It is not if you will get sued but when!"

Protect yourself by managing risk exposure.  Sure, they may sue your real estate agent but they may sue you as well... besides no one needs to get injured when it is preventable!

Gary L. Waters PLLC, Florida licensed real estate agent, Century 21 Baytree Realty, Rockledge, Florida serving Florida's Space Coast including the cities and communities of Melbourne, Viera, Rockledge, Suntree, Merritt Island, Cocoa Beach and the surrounding region.

 

 

 

 

Read my blogs Florida Homes for Sale,  Moving to Brevard County, Florida, and  Brevard County Florida Real Estate Information.

 

HUD's annual snapshot of American housing is an important tool for researchers to learn about housing stock and households, but it also reveals a lot about housing culture.

The 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS) shows, that despite two recessions in a decade, Americans are living larger than they were 37 years ago. Homes today have more square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms, air conditioning and other amenities, but smaller lot sizes than previous generations. The differences burgeon in newer homes built after 2007.

Interestingly, the median age of ‘the American home’ is 36 years, built in 1973, the same year the AHS began. Here are a few findings:

• Sixty-eight percent of U.S. homes are owner-occupied. Twenty-nine percent of homes are urban, 51% are suburban, and 20% are rural.

• The median size of an occupied home is 1,800 square feet, compared to 1,610 in 1985, (the earliest year this information was collected, says HUD). Owner-occupied homes tend to be larger than renter-occupied homes.

• Median lot size for single-family homes is 0.27 acres, compared to .36 acres in 1973.

• Most homes (53 percent) in 2009 boast six or more rooms. In 1973, only 39 percent of homes had that many.

• Less than half of homes (48%) had three or more bedrooms in 1973, but by 2009, 64% did.
Only 19% of homes had two or more bathrooms in 1973, while more than half of homes (51%) have them in 2009.

• Window unit air-conditioners were more popular in 1973 (30%) compared to 17% of homes with central heat and air. In 2009, 65% of U.S. homes have central air-conditioning and another 21 percent have window units.

• Newer homes (post-2007) are a median of 2,300 square feet with six or more rooms ( 65%.) Eighty percent have three or more bedrooms, and 89% have two or more bathrooms. Newer homes are also more likely to have amenities such as garage, fireplace, two or more living areas and a separate dining room.

                             

Anthony Stokes Pereira (845) 624-8100 Ext. 188

Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty

I can help you with every aspect of buying or selling your home because I'm experienced, because I am a Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty Real Estate Professional . . . and because I care.

As your Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty Sales Professional, I will provide you with the information you need to make an educated decision.

The relationship between a home buyer or seller and their agent is based on trust, shared goals and understanding. I strive to continually improve and to do this I listen and take the needs and wants into consideration.

For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation- just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.

Anthony Stokes Pereira Office: (845) 624-8100 Ext:168 Cell: (845) 538-7021 Fax: (845) 624-7137 anthony.stokespereira@randrealty.com www.anthonystokespereira.com

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate - Rand Realty, founded in 1984, is the No. 1 real estate brokerage in the Greater Hudson Valley with 25 offices serving Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess counties. Rand has more than 800 sales associates, as well as a commercial real estate company (Rand Commercial Services), mortgage company (Rand Mortgage), title company (Hudson Abstract Services) and insurance agency (The Hudson Group Insurance Agency). The company’s Web sites are: randrealty.com, randcommercial.com, randmortgage.com, www.hudsonabstract.com and www.hudson-group.com. Rand Realty is also on Facebook and Twitter. Anthony Stokes Pereira web site www.anthonystokespereira.com . Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Anthony Stokes Pereira