I’m going to be in NYC for Inman Connect, so blogging will be light this week. I sat on a similar panel last fall in San Francisco and am privileged and honored to speak again.
The panel is titled “Blogging, a Fresh Take on Client Prospecting” with Pat Kitano, Johnathan Butler and Frances Flynn Thorsen.
The best part of going to Inman is the chance to connect and reconnect with others in the real estate world.
My secret for “getting clients” through blogging? There is neither a secret nor a guarantee. Be consistent, honest, transparent and provide the best local real estate information.
Readers – what do you look for in real estate/Realtor blogs? Is there anything in particular that would cause you to contact a Realtor because of his or her blog?
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Look forward to finally meeting you Jim! in 48 hours…
Ditto! We go back three years. There was a great group of bloggers in San Francisco … New York should be fertile ground for some terrific real estate blogging this week. The Inman meetings are a great place for consciousness raising on many levels for many people.
Looking forward to reconnecting with you, Jim.
I think the medium of a blog lends itself to honesty, candor, and trustworthiness, which are qualities I want in a Realtor. In an industry with a LOT of shills, slackers and slimeballs, only the passionate and hardworking will take the time to write a blog.
Work ethic makes all the difference when you’re trying to help someone sell or buy a house. To sell my home this past summer, I chose a blogger in Northern Va (Merv Forney) because I got to know him through his blog and came to admire his integrity. Merv did not disappoint: he got a contract on my home in 2 months. I joke that my house was the only one in Loudoun County to sell this past October, but it’s not far from the truth.
Merv recommended Jim, so I started reading RealCentralVa. I was immediately impressed by the fact that Jim’s blog encompasses local issues and politics as well as real estate.
I just cannot see the typical real estate agent maintaining a blog for more than a few weeks when all he has to say is crap like “now’s a great time to buy,” and “real estate is a great investment.”
When I imply most Realtors are dishonest, I don’t mean they’re outright liars: I just think most cannot overcome the self-interest of getting a commission to think about what’s best for the client. They err on the side of getting a commission. That was my experience buying a home in Northern Va.