Brokerages and agents have added a permission statement to the sign-in sheet for your authorization to receive telemarketing from the agent or company for their real estate services. The residential real estate industry was included in legislation in 2003 for the Do-Not-Call registry. To sign up for Do-Not-Call visit:www.donotcall.gov. If you are required to sign in for security reasons at a public open house, and do not want to be contacted by the agent or their brokerage, next to your contact information place the statement Registered Do-Not-Call household, do not contact.

Fast term: The Fair Housing Act: A federal law prohibiting discrimination in the rental and sale of housing based on the real estate consumers color, familiar status, gender, handicap, national origin, and race.

Fast fact: What are the most effective ways to advertise a home for sale? In 2005, when home buyers were asked where they first learned about the house they bought, 36% said real estate agents; 15% indicated yard signs; 5% said newspaper advertisement, 7% said friend/neighbor/relatives, 7% said the builder, 24% responded the Internet, 2% said home book/magazine, 3% knew the seller. (Source: 2005 National Association of REALTORS Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.)

Fast tip. When visiting public open houses inform the agent hosting that your agent has sent you to their open house. If the hosting agent hovers while you are looking around, tell them that the reason your agent didnt accompany you is that you like to be left alone while looking at possible properties to purchase.

Real estate help desk. Dear Mark: Our agent will be having our first public open house in soon. What can we do to help our agent make the best of it? Andy, Des Moines, Iowa

Dear Andy: Buyers want to buy clean homes that are well maintained. Streamline closets, knick-knacks, personal photos, and kitchen counters. Neutralize dated wallpaper, paint and flooring. Make sure your pets are gone and you have picked up after them. Light candles, put on soft music and open curtains and blinds. A plate of snacks and bottled water are a welcome break for weary buyers seeing multiple homes. You might want to hang around, but buyers stay longer and evaluate more freely when they know the seller is not at home. Make sure that enough pre-marketing of the open house is done in advance so buyers and agents can put it on their calendar.