Are There More Than 50 People Blogging In Real Estate?
May 10, 2008
Yes, I know that there are blogs everywhere in this so called RE.net, Web 2.0 world, but lately it seems like I am walking down the halls of my high school. There’s the cool kids over by Mr. Hannah’s homeroom. Over there in the smoking lounge can be found the punks who always seem to just be hanging out. In the middle of the cafeteria is where the jocks can be found laughing it up.
By the theater lurking in the dark you’ll find the goths and the freaks, and over there, with the saddle shoes and pony tails next to the gummy floor are the gum-clacking gluehead Heathers all talking at the same time with nobody really saying anything.
Lately I have noticed that the cliques in the real estate blogosphere have become much more pronounced and apparently the Web 2.0 Realtor superdelegates seem to think they are speaking for the rest of the common folk. How sad!
Excuse me if I am wrong, but I thought that blogging in real estate was about buying and selling real estate. When did it become the muse of soda jerks who haven’t any real business and spend night and day writing and finger pointing about all that is not real estate?
Do I care, or for that matter, does anybody really care what this blogger is doing or what that blogger said about this guy or that guy…except if it is regarding a technique or strategy to help one another actually sell real estate?
Think about it for a second…the reason each of us took finger to keyboard to dive into this new world was because we thought it would enhance our business? I for one, call it selfish if you want, only intended to blog to attract eyeballs because eyeballs are important to advertisers and advertisers spend money.
Additionally, in learning how to efficiently blog and write, we created a radio show to help promote it. Now we have progressed to the point that we have taken what we have learned and are beginning our foray into a real estate blog to buy and sell houses.
Never did I decide to get into this because I cared an iota about “Sue” and her idea to change the world, or Fred’s ideas as to what he thinks Hillary should do. I certainly did not start my venture to obtain “great post comments” or have points bestowed.
I began blogging to make money! I want to be successful in buying and selling houses and selling advertising. All of the other smarmy BS is getting a bit old.
Lately it seems that the ‘conversation” on the blogosphere has turned trivial, boring and somewhat spiteful. I don’t wish any person in any endeavor misfortune and I hope that this forum is a way for us ALL to find ways to prosper but I am beginning to have my doubts.
Russell Shaw and I have had our words and I respect what he has to say even if he does not respect what I have to say. I respect the contributions of old schoolers like Jeff Brown even if he thinks that some of what I believe as to the opportunity that new business models hold is the future of real estate. No disrespect, no ill feelings…just dissenting viewpoints.
I recently watched a news show featuring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia. Scalia is an ardent conservative. One of his best friends is Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a staunch liberal by any definition. However, they are the best of friends and hold the utmost respect for each other.
They have battled and have had very heated discussions over many issues that they have been at different ends of the spectrum on in regards to perspective and ideology. Yet, they do not denigrate into mundane writings about the other. Maybe the Re blog world should take a lesson. It’s not about you, it’s about the business of real estate.
Recently we began somewhat of an investigative report that we were going to air. It involved looking up the sales activity of many of the so called noble class of the RE blog world.
After a week of looking into this and having our “moles’ review MLS sales records in various locations it became apparent that many in the blogosphere have had more time to write because they have not had any real sales activity. Many of the Gang of 50 have had less than 10 closed sales this year with a great many having less than 5.
You know who you are and you know the truth about your sales activity this year..or rather the lack thereof. Don’t worry, we’re not going to name any names but suffice it to say quite a few “prominent bloggers” need to concentrate on their real estate business instead of their blogging.
We were going to have a show about this but decided against it because it is now obvious. People are too busy blogging instead of actually selling. Maybe that’s why there are so many posts about everything EXCEPT the purchase and sale of real estate.
Maybe (OMG..I can’t believe I am saying this…) but maybe Russell Shaw is right. Maybe many in the business of real estate should be tending to more of the business of real estate and less in the blogging of opinions and obvious discontent with others.
Forget Redfin and what they are doing. Don’t worry about Bloodhound Unchained and whether or not Odysseus is going to succeed. Yes, Russell Shaw has a new home on agent genius…is any of that going to help you sell or buy a home today?
In this business of blogging I believe that the technology affords us the opportunity to explore new business models and propel the business to new heights. It’s okay if you don’t believe the same and it’s okay if you do agree. What’s more important is that we work together to improve each other’s businesses.
Tell me what kind of reaction your clients are having to the media doom and gloom, tell me what works with certain lenders and what doesn’t with others, fill me in on what certain asset managers are doing and how they are handling their REO inventory, what marketing is working for you and what isn’t….who cares if you found a new hand creme or widget that displays an animated character on your blog?
Help me sell! Help each other sell! Let’s work to improve each other’s business. Here’s another interesting tidbit. How about us all actually utilizing blogs to speak to consumers. There’s a novel concept. Speaking directly to the people who may want to buy or sell real estate.
Many of us have blogs with high traffic. Many of the blogs with somewhat high traffic have the same Gang of 50 or so commenting.
I turned off commenting on our real estate sales blog. Not interested in hearing comments from bloggers..I want contact with consumers and it’s working. If bloggers want to comment they can do so here. My real estate blog is for the consumer. I am in it to sell real estate not make friends with bloggers.
Maybe it’s Saturday and I need more sleep, but this blogging thing is becoming all too boring and uninteresting. I mean we are talking about real estate aren’t we. It’s not the sexiest business on the planet. Not like we’re running a race car around a track at 200 miles per hour or anything. We’re trying to buy and sell homes.
At least some of us are.
Anybody got any ideas as to how I can attract more qualified buyers to the South Florida area when mortgages are becoming harder and harder to obtain?
Now that’s a comment or blog post that would actually be interesting to read!
[…] bloggers..I want contact with consumers and it’s working. If bloggers want to comment they can do so here. My real estate blog is for the consumer. I am in it to sell real estate not make friends with […]
You are so right. Many of the posts I read are just pissing contests and honestly, i could care less - it kinda of reminds me of junior high school. I also wonder how many homes these self-styled blog masters actually sell. I have been in the real estate business 30 years and I am busy helping clients buy and sell homes. I have started a blog recently to keep learning new skills and keep up with technological advances and also because it is fun. The pissing contests are not funor as your rightly point out, germane to the business we are in which is real estate SALES not blogging.
“After a week of looking into this and having our “moles’ review MLS sales records in various locations it became apparent that many in the blogosphere have had more time to write because they have not had any real sales activity. Many of the Gang of 50 have had less than 10 closed sales this year with a great many having less than 5.”
Barry - hopefully your “moles” reviewed more than MLS records. MANY real estate transactions are not recorded in the MLS. New home sales, pre-build sales, many many land transactions, referrals, cash transactions, FSBO sides, purchase (or sale) on non-listed property, etc — none of which you could find reviewing MLS records. In fact, there is a significant portion of real estate business that unless you have moles in the IRS willing to break federal law, you’ll never be aware of.
That being said, there are certainly many real estate practitioners, bloggers and non-bloggers alike, that have struggled of late. Some are trying very hard, some not-so-much.
When it comes to “proving” business success, another fallacy often attempted is to count the number of listings an agent has (I’m not saying you or your moles did this — but many people do). In this market — at least in mine — the number of listings an agent is carrying is not a measure of success. I could go out tomorrow and get 5 or 10 “listings”. All I have to do is find one of tens of hundreds of over-priced expired listings with unreasonable and uneducated sellers and I could “list” their home — at an unreasonable and uneducated price — which will never sell.
I turn down more listings than I carry. I see no point in listing a home that can’t be sold. Some will “buy” listings just to plant a sign in a yard, hoping to hook and reel in some unsuspecting buyer.
I think there are far more efficient ways to get buyer clients. Real buyers with real money ready to buy real property.
The “mole thing” isn’t the focus..No Jay..I know what a closed sale is and what an active listing is..like I said on Bllodhound..no names need ever be mentioned..that’s not the point.
I would NEVER also determine success based upon a listing. That would be foolish.
Well, I am proud to say I have no sales this year, or any year if that matters. I am like you Barry, I love real estate and learned about it as I write about it.
What I am doing though is starting to work with agents in developing a web presence. It is a win win for all.
But one point is absolutely true, I am still amazed at those writing about the national real estate picture when there business is selling homes. They should be writing like crazy to those who buy and sell homes in there home town, not the nation at large.
Dead on Tom..we are launching a laser focused local blog just for buying and selling right here in town..it’s what business is all about.
[…] Radio USA.We started the show with a couple of Barry C blog posts. In the first one, titled “Are There More Than 50 People Blogging In Real Estate?“, we discuss the direction of the real estate blogosphere in general and talk about the […]
[…] Radio USA.We started the show with a couple of Barry C blog posts. In the first one, titled “Are There More Than 50 People Blogging In Real Estate?“, we discuss the direction of the real estate blogosphere in general and talk about the […]