One area that we have seen multiple times in TCPAWorld is complaints against parties offering to buy a consumers home.
Well, we have spotted an interesting trend in some state legislatures where bills are being introduced to rein those practices in.
In Tennessee, there is a bill which limits the number of times a developer or someone working on behalf of a developer can contact a homeowner.
In Pennsylvania, a similar bill has been introduced, but the unique factor in that bill is that the Secretary of the Commonwealth must designate a certain geographic region as a “homeowner cease and desist zone”. How long until all of Pennsylvania is a “homeowner cease and desist zone”?
Indiana’s bill is slightly different because it prohibits a telephone solicitor who is NOT a licensed real estate broker from making more than “one unsolicited home purchase inquiry to the same consumer in a single year.”
Typically, when you see multiple states addressing the same or similar issues, there is some model language being used and there are similarities between the states. However, this seems to be different bills and different use cases. Which suggests that these grew somewhat organically in the states.
The other interesting thing is some of the most active lobbyists in state politics are realtors and developers.
So, it will be very interesting to watch as the bills progress to see if there is any traction.