Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates Comparison

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Good afternoon,
I'm wondering if there's an editor that can look at these two sites: http://www.frankhardy.com/ and http://www.virginiaestates.com/

because I believe a thorough review of both sites will clearly show that they are not mirror sites, and while sharing the same name through a franchise agreement, the two companies are separate in every sense, web site, street address, owner and assets.

The Virginia Estates site is much more comprehensive, inlcluding its own listings database with 1000's of properties.

Is there any way to get the Virginia Estates.com site listed in the Charlottesville Va Real Estate Directory in the ODP?

Thank you, sincerely,
Sean C. Corso
 
H

hutcheson

Curlie Meta
Joined
Mar 23, 2002
Messages
19,136
Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates Compar

Short answer: Almost certainly not. On the net, "Franchise" is almost invariably a euphemism for one of either doorway domain spam, vanity domain spam, affiliate spam, or MLM spam. There is no economic justification for it -- one website can serve the whole world -- so we see it as a blatant violation of that bit in the guidelines that say "do not submit related sites". Also note that THAT specific bit is the ONLY bit in the whole submitter's guidelines that contains a threat to violators, and consider how seriously we must take it.
 
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Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

I'm sorry but each physical office has its own agents and separate income, different ownership... I can send you the legal paperwork, with all due respect, this is not spam.

In the same Charlottesville directory that we request a listing, DMOZ lists back-to-back (see below) entries for Century 21, which legally operates under a franchise agreement, just by use of the name.

Under your rule, you couldn't list McDonalds in the business section for two different locations, but under different ownership, in the same city.

<
http://www.dmoz.org/Regional/North_America/United_States/Virginia/Localities/C/Charlottesville/Business_and_Economy/Real_Estate/
>

# CENTURY 21 Albemarle Properties, Inc. - Full service real estate brokerage serving the Charlottesville area.
# CENTURY 21 Manley Associates, Inc. - Includes homes for sale, real estate services, company profile, and career opportunities.
 
thehelper

thehelper

Member
Joined
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Messages
4,996
Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

Sorry, but the Real Estate section has its own guidelines. McDonalds is not Real Estate so the same rules do not apply.
 
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Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

That's all fine and good, but it still doesn't answer why various real estate sections of the ODP list multiple franchise corporations in the same section, and this is the very reason why we can't get listed???

thank you!
 
thehelper

thehelper

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Messages
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Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

Some probably have slipped through the cracks.
 
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Franchises

I'm sorry but you're reply doesn't hold because in this section of the directory: http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Real_Estate/Agents_and_Agencies/

it lists the following:
# Century 21 Real Estate Corporation - Agency with franchised offices throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. Find local offices and agents, search listings, or view mortgage rates.

Then if you look in the Charlottesville Real Estate section of the directory there are two listings for two franchise locations.

Doesn't seem to follow with what you said...

thank you
 
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Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

I'm sure things slip through the cracks, but our business is sorely affected by the ability of our competitors to do what we can't... That's what I don't get about DMOZ - the inconsistency! Can't the editor of that section do something about it.
 
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Cause for Concern

I understand that the system isn't perfect, no one can get everything absolutely correct, but I really believe if someone takes a good look at both sites, you'll see that they are separate companies and that I am not Spamming; the truth is that the sites are vastly different because we are two separate companies.

Thank you!
 
thehelper

thehelper

Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2002
Messages
4,996
Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

We try to be consistent but sometimes due to the lack of editors we cannot get to all the categories we want to. I am sorry that it effects your business but to be quite honest - I really don't care. We are doing our best.
 

Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

ODP makes or breaks nobody's business unless their business model depends entirely on an ODP listing. What real estate business would make that mistake?
 
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Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

I didn't use the terms makes or breaks, but when your competitors are some place you are not, then it affects your business. I'm not here to disrespect anyone, but just pounding out a blanket reply that isn't even based in fact is a waste of all of our time and effort.

Besides, if you are not in ODP, then you also miss out on hundreds of other directories, including AOL, which derive their content directly from DMOZ. So it's not just ODP, but more specifically are competitors are in literally hundreds of directories that we can't get listed in ...
 
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Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

I appreciate your frankness and taking the time to reply. My only concern is bringing the inconsistencies to the forefront so that it'll be a better service for everyone, especially because the rule regarding 'franchise' is basically bogus [see above]. Now I'm just trying to get Robert Keating to understand why the franchise rule should be scrutinized. Good luck with that, right?!
 
X

xixtas01

Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2003
Messages
624
Re: Frank Hardy Realty and Virginia Estates

All this talk about franchises and mirrors may have only served to distract from the basic question here: "Are both sites listable?" The answer is "maybe". But not because of the legal intricacies of some franchise agreement.

As I understand it, it's possible for both an agent and the agency s/he represents to be listed in most real estate categories. The virginiaestates.com site *may* be listable as an agent site for Richard Walden if that agent is not otherwise listed.

The site has been added back to the unreviewed queue and is awaiting review there.
 
R

rickwalden

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Jun 25, 2004
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M

motsa

Curlie Admin
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
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Actually, it's been less than 5 months. Come back in early August.
 
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rickwalden

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Jun 25, 2004
Messages
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Early August

Sounds good, it's early August and I wanted to touch base. Our site now includes thousands of additional listings for Charlottesville and Richmond property listings as well as property listings for Wintergreen, Virginia.
 
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rickwalden

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2004
Messages
8
Status Update

Hello and good day to all DMOZ editors,
thought we ought to touch base and see if there is any progress in getting virginiaestates.com listed in the DMOZ.

thank you kindly,
Richard Walden, Owner/Agent
http://www.virginiaestates.com
 
spectregunner

spectregunner

Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Messages
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I see nothing in the editor notes indicating that it has been touched (edited/moved/deleted) since your last status check.

See you on or after March 1.
 
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