Here's a round up of RE related links from around the web that you should be reading.
Mike's Corner (Hey it's my blog, it should be first on the list)
Bridging the Gap. Real Estate Blogging Basics
An irreverent Look At Real Estate Blogging
Featured Realtor® Blog - Loco Musings
After a full year, I find another worthy Realtor® Blog To Feature
GeekEstate Blog
Free Data Sources For Your Web Site
An excellent round up of great resources for your blog or site.
Agent Genius
Agents, Legends In Their Own Minds...
I'll have more to say on this issue in an upcoming "Gap" post on Mike's Corner. You won't want to miss it.
Future of Real Estate Marketing
I think HAR.com just got leapfrogged in the world of public facing MLS sites.
Redfin Corporate Blog
Promoting Your Home For Sale on Twitter
A Redfin seller gets her geek on. Check out the link to Guy Kawasaki's guide to Twitter while you're there. Nobody gets more out of Twitter than Guy. Just ask him. No need - I did it for you, listen here.
Late Addition
Matthew Ferrera
The idea of broker reciprocity is a good idea on the surface, and I am not promoting that you abandon your efforts to market the entire database of your listings, however, Matthew makes some really great points in this post. I have always been amazed that agents do not see the importance of creating a quality, public facing presentation in the MLS for their listings. They still seem to be written in agent to agent RealtorSpeak and let's face it, the vast majority of them are crap. Crap photos, terrible copy and overall just really sloppy efforts. It's food for thought that you wouldn't want to pollute your professional marketing materials with someone elses lack of effort. What do you think the solution should be? What alternatives are there? Do you abandon a display of IDX entirely or do you think you should be able to sanitize the listings for your prospects' protection. It's an interesting dilemma.
That's it for now. I'm kinda of trying to get my bearings on what to post here at my AR digs. I'd love it if you could tell me what you would like to hear about in the world of Real Estate marketing, technology and new business models. Lemme Know
Hi Michael, Thanks for being so helpful. Anything aimed at helping those of us who are tech challenged. I notice plenty of advanced stuff but two lines in to it and I am lost !
Thanks for this list -- am off to check it all out, and then I'll be back to you. Thanks!
You bet. I just came across another interesting post that I think is a good topic of discussion for anyone using IDX data display in their own web sites.
Cheers,
MP
Hmm, I think this perception of IDX is a bit skewed. Just because you have IDX listings on your website in no way means you just took poor data or are being forced to use all of it.
Most MLS's offer feeds where you can manage the flow of information and display just what you want to display. Also most MLS's I know allow you to display only a portion of the MLS data so you can just show those 3+ million homes.
Just because all the information is not always perfect, lets not assume the buyers will just get frustrated. Look at the facts on where most first time home buyers begin their home search. If you don't have the inventory you are most likely going to loose the buyer.
The notion of today's buyer does not want to see listings on your website to me is simple a very skewed over generalization. Properly done along with a good website, IDX will bring you buyers. By allowing a small office or agent to have the same inventory as the big franchise next store at least levels the playing field a bit. Couple that will a well designed web site, I know many agents doing very well. In fact most never turn back.
While in some areas this might be different so I cannot speak for every place, I do see IDX working quite nicely in a lot of markets.
I do 100% agree with the last part of this post about open source, however I don't think you will ever see that. But it is not as simple as allowing it to be open source. The MLS follows what the Real Estate Commission sets forth. Under current policies and law you cannot just share ALL information without consent and IDX puts these rules in place for this blanket consent. I am sure open source could so this governing the same type of policies but I suspect the larger franchises would put a stop to that.
Just my take and I am sure their are 100 opinions and I always like to show some alternative views.
Mark,
I think you may be referring to Matthew's post, I'm not sure I gave a view one way or the other that could be skewed. I'm looking for insightful input, and on that you score a 10.
I will say that I stand on my position that, depending on the level to which you brand the aggregate MLS, you run the risk of portraying your marketing acumen at the same level of the agent that failed to include photos or wrote a description that requires a super secret decoder ring available only from your local association gift shop. :)
Anyhow, thanks for the great input!
This is great information. Here's a couple that caught my eye too...
1. About internet video
2. About SEO Changes
3. I recommend MLBroadcast
Amber
Michael,
Public-facing MLS websites are competing with the Brokers that use reciprocity agreements so that their agents get the leads on other Brokers' agents listings, much like the books of times past. But are those Broker Sites ever going to show all Open House Dates? I doubt it.
But many major markets are getting rid of the Weekend Real Estate sections. It's time to cooperate on the next level, i.e. a single-source for Open Houses.