Comments on: The Trend Wave, Grab Your Board

By: Caron Mosey

Caron Mosey — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 12:32:23 +0000

I agree with your premise that “the Trend Wave for standard real estate websites is in sharp decline.” Why shouldn’t it be? With real estate websites costing the real estate agent hard-earned $$ and blogs available for free AND being so popular, it only makes sense for blogs to be the way to go. Those agents who opt for both may reap the rewards.
Caron Mosey http://www.GeneseeCountyHomes.blogger.com

By: Athol kay

Athol kay — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 13:46:11 +0000

LMAO well done Sheriff Cronin. We need a Carnival of Real Estate Comments. 😉

By: Stuart

Stuart — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 22:58:54 +0000

**Editor’s note:
I am leaving the following comment on the Tomato as an illustration of exactly how NOT to participate in the blogosphere. This comment offers no other value to my audience or this article other than to call it out as an example of poor manners, consideration and judgement.
(All URLs have been removed)
**Note ends here.
General Realty Group is your one-stop source for real estate services covering the Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, and the Greater Las Vegas areas. Real estate is one of the most exciting investments one can make, and it should be a fun and rewarding experience.
Here you’ll find everything you’ll need to buy or sell a home, as well as learn about the market value of homes you may own in the area. It is my goal to provide you with superior service at all times, so please tell me more about yourself!
My clients are offered the most successful, professional, and hassle free real estate experience. Your best interest always comes first resulting in 80% of my business coming from past clients and their friends and family. I work very hard to make your real estate transaction as smooth as possible and enjoy meeting and working with people and taking pride in helping all of my clients.
Stuart Sheinfeld
**Editor’s note:
Stuart, if you indeed come back, and see what has been made of your shameless self promotion, I invite you to make comment again. But before you do so, please take 5 minutes and read this article on Successful Commenting:
http://realestatetomato.typepad.com/the_real_estate_tomato/2006/10/the_secret_to_s.html
**End.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 18:57:43 +0000

Teresa,
We couldn’t agree with you more. If you remember a ways back, Jim had an interview with Rory Siems from Active Rain where he was asked what was lacking from today’s real estate websites/blogs.
His answer is where we believe the industry is headed. Focusing on the ‘Post Offer’ side of the online relationship between the Realtor and the client. In the future, a client will be able to log in to your website/blog and follow the process of the Loan/Real Estate Transaction.
Here’s the article: http://realestatetomato.typepad.com/the_real_estate_tomato/2006/08/whats_missing_i.html

By: Athol Kay

Athol Kay — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 16:51:06 +0000

I suspect if you want to be a RE “blogstar” you better get your act together by the end of the year. Ideally by the end of today.
I agree with Todd that blogging is not easy, but right now it’s all easy gains for “market share”. By the end of next year I suspect there will be 20-50x the number of RE bloggers having at it. Good luck getting to the top of that pile without a headstart.
It’s going to be *very* interesting when RE blogs start burying big name brokerages in the search rankings for simple searches like “Real Estate Connecticut”.
Suffice to say… any disagreements I have with Coldwell Banker… are *extremely* polite 😉

By: Greg Swann

Greg Swann — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 16:07:16 +0000

I would be more impressed by weblogging statistics if they accounted for decay. If there are 57 million blogs, at least 52 million of them are DOA. The other thing to remember is that people who come in on the back end of a fad are loosely committed: The pasta maker is parked right next to the fondu set — in the garage.

By: Todd Tarson

Todd Tarson — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:51:00 +0000

Jim, I’m guessing that while the trend will continue to rise… we will see what I consider ‘generic’ blogs make the real impact on numbers.
Blogging is not easy and many will find that out… then will look to third party sources to provide them content.
Many Realtors are simply trying to catch the next wave of whatever the flavor of the day is. Right now it is blogging.
Me, I love blogging and I think it is am important tool in my business moving forward. I’ll continue to offer relavant data about my market but will try to attract readers (whoever they may be and for whatever reason they may read) from every corner of the universe.
I think I have a mission with my blog, but I dont’ think that the masses of realtors that will begin blogging will have any such mission… other than to make more money or to keep up with the Jones’.

By: Todd Tarson

Todd Tarson — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:44:11 +0000

Teresa, check out Relay from the folks at ZipForm. It does exactly what you are looking for I believe.

By: George Carr

George Carr — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:01:36 +0000

I just wanted to make a short comment regarding Teresa Boardman’s comment. My web site provider, http://agent.point2.com/, has recently added Blogs to our web sites. Point2 is one of the leading web site providers for Real Estate Agents and Brokers with oves 100,000 sites. Maybe you should check them out. I have started a Blog but I am new to blogging and I can see from all the Blogs I have read (including this great site) I have a lot to learn. Keep bugging your web provider Teresa. Maybe they will get the message that Blogs are here to stay.

By: teresa boardman

teresa boardman — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:59:35 +0000

I have been asking and suggesting to real estate web site providers that they build a blog into their products for a year now. No one is listening. It is interesting to me that I have been ahead of my vendors for years when it comes to technology, because I respond to how my clients and customers use the internet, but my web site provider does not respond to my suggestions.
The next important step is probably more online transaction mangement and communication systems for the consumter. It would be nice if they could log in and see a closing notice, watch progress on title work, see the appraisal and take a peak at the settlement statement.