RealBird Integrates with Street View API

By Reggie · March 29, 2008 · 10 Comments 

Zoltan of RealBird clued me in to Google’s release of their new Street View API Thursday.  Meaning developers can now integrate street view maps with ease. You can bet this API’s popularity will surely explode in real estate websites as buyers will appreciate the convenience of previewing neighborhoods from remote locations.   

Realbird has already begun taking advantage. You may remember we talked about manually embedding these maps. Well not anymore, Zoltan has integrated the new API in with RealBird’s Listing Websites.  

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Three KPIs for Real Estate Websites

By G. Dewald · March 26, 2008 · 14 Comments 

This article is going to be about web data analysis. If those three little words send you running in terror then now might be a good time to close the browser and slowly back away from your computer. If you’re interested in seeing what you can do with some of those web charts and numbers that you’ve set up to auto-email to yourself, then read on. I promise to make it fun and exciting.

Is a KPI like CSI?

I should probably start with something about web metrics. Web metrics are those bits of data like “pageviews” or “unique visitors” or “bounce rate.” Most analytics packages, like Google Analytics, VisiStat and so on have hundreds of these little data chunks.

We don’t all have time to look at all the reports. And many of the reports don’t contain information on which we can act. So one strategy of getting value from the analytics package without spending our day gazing fondly over medium/source performance charts, is to identify a handful of really important metrics.

And that’s pretty much what a KPI is: a really important metric. More completely, a KPI (just an acronym for “key performance indicator”), is a metric that is directly relevant to Read more

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Mapping Done The Right Way in Your Next Single Property Site

By Reggie · January 30, 2008 · 2 Comments 

According to the Internet vs. Traditional Buyers Survey conducted by California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.), mapping technology continues to be one of the highest-rated features used by Internet buyers. Yet when I look around, many real estate Websites are either not leveraging maps at all or using old mapping interfaces to display homes and community info. Now don’t get me wrong, I do understand that this technology can be expensive to deploy. But as a real estate agent you do have options. Why not include the latest mapping on your next single property Website? Check out these two killer features from RealBird and MyMarketWare.

RealBird
Is Google street view available in your area? If so you are going to enjoy the directions from Zoltan over at RealBird. He recently posted on a very simple way to manually embed Google’s street view into your next listing publisher design. This view will give home searchers an up close view of local streets and neighborhoods as if they were driving down the street. Potential buyers can visualize their drive to the freeway or downtown without leaving their chair.

MyMarketWare
Our own NikNik offers MarketSites to real estate agents utilizing the latest in satellite imagery called pictometry. These visually pleasing aerial photos come from Microsoft Live and the give your web audience a surprisingly clear view of the neighborhood. Click your mouse on the satellite image and drag to explore new areas. Zoom in to 20 meters for an extreme and detailed close up. Take a look at backyard conditions, as well as distances to schools and park–you can do it all.

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Ideas For Getting Readers For Your Real Estate Blog: Part 2

By NikNik · November 23, 2007 · 6 Comments 

Besides writing thoughtful, innovative, resourceful and creative real estate blog posts that keep your visitors coming back for more, here are a few more ideas for gaining readership for your blog (view Part 1 of this Idea List) :

6. Build your online networks: at ActiveRain, Facebook, MyBlogLog, LinkedIn and Zolve. Create and maintain a profile, add your weblog address, RSS feed, etc. Although these communities may have different features, all provide blog and blogger exposure by helping you reach out to your colleagues and client sphere—ultimately yielding a readership gain!
7. Put a live link to your blog in your eStationery. Your blog address should be on all your real estate print marketing AND email marketing. So if you have eStationery or an email signature, be sure to make the most of it by including a live link to your blog. I favor custom eStationery headers like the one below. Suggestion: Don’t add more than 2 links as it may begin to trigger spam filters.

8. Participate in blog writing contests: Step up your blog writing game and enter your recent posts in blog writing contests. The Carnival of Real Estate is a great place to start! You may not win but you’ll expose your crafty blog to readers who have not otherwise considered your ramblings a newsworthy source. Who knows if you raise your game enough, Lani Anglin may even award you the coveted Nacho Blogger Award! Note: Enter to win an Odysseus Medal or Black Pearl at your own risk. Apparently, my writing style is not up to par enough to be mentioned in the list of entries.
9. Submit your weblog to online directories: Online directories take website/weblog links that are submitted by the author and categorize them. This strategy is easy because once you have submitted your site, there is little or no additional maintenance required. Usually directory submission is free, but a few do charge for their service or require a reciprocal link. Here are a few good ones to get you started: dmoz, Yahoo directory, Best of the Web.
10. Talk about it! Whether I’m at the grocery store, a holiday party, presenting to clients, or stranded at the airport, my blog seems to work itself into the conversation every time. If you don’t already have a 3 minute elevator speech promoting your blog…work on one, and make sure you have business cards printed with your weblog address. Live it, Blog it, Promote it!

Got a helpful idea you’d like to share…tell me about.

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MyTechOpinion is heading to the New York Connect

By Reggie · November 22, 2007 · 7 Comments 

I’m excited to share with MyTechOpinion – Technology for Real Estate readers that I will be speaking at the Inman Blogger Connect this January in New York. I will be on the panel titled “Marketing Your Blog” on Wednesday January 9th. If you have not already purchased your connect tickets do so now, as the prices go up on 11/24/2007.

Please comment here and let me know if you will be attending.

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Ideas For Getting Readers For Your Real Estate Blog: Part 1

By NikNik · November 4, 2007 · 12 Comments 

Is there a science to getting readers for your blog? Do you have a plan when it comes to gaining readership and blog exposure? Whether you pick and choose your strategies to create a thoughtful plan, or round up every tactic in the book…..there is a method to your madness. We may not go about it the same way, so I’ve decided to collect as many ideas for gaining blog readers as I can find, or stand. Take ‘em, leave ‘em or add to them. I’ll keep the list going as long as I can, and with that, here are the first 5.

1. Add your blog address to your business card & other marketing. Whether you are farming an area, marketing to your sphere, or meeting new potential clients, this is a sure fire way to get the word out. And with the holidays approaching, be sure to have a stack of cards on hand for all those special events.
2. Got RSS? You have an RSS feed on your blog, but are you making good use of it? I suggest downloading an RSS feed image that is obviously recognizable and place it toward the top of your blog so your readers can easily subscribe. Don’t make feed subscription a game of hide and seek. Try Feed Icons or Bittbox for RSS icons and trick out your feed with Feedburner.
3. Custom Widgets: Create a custom widget and place it on your blog for your current readers to download and place on their blogs. Now your content is accessible to people that may not otherwise know what great info you have to offer. To get started creating your custom widget, visit Widgetbox or Spring Widgets.
4. Social Bookmarking & Tagging: Using social bookmarking sites like Digg, del.icio.us and StumbleUpon not only allows users to store, organize, share, and search “bookmarks” of web pages, but there are other benefits to be had. Two possible benefits of social bookmarking are helping a website rank better on search engines, as well as increasing the amount of natural links to the website. And a fabulous benefit of tagging is that you can see how others have tagged their content and see which tags are most important. From here, you can see which tags are most popular, and how to incorporate those tags into your content to become noticeable to the most people. To learn more about Socical Bookmarking, watch this.

5. Comments: If you are truly trying to create community centered around your blog, then you need to participate in the act of creating community. One way to do this is to join the conversations that are happening on other blogs. Visit other real estate focused blogs and make comments on articles you are interested in. Whether you support or disagree, let your voice be heard. The best commentators will take a stance and add upon it with another benefit or helpful resource. Before long, you’ll notice new visitors and comments on your own blog!

These ideas may seem simple and obvious to most, but they are only as good as the user that implements them. Stay tuned for Ideas #6-10 next week.

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Interview: Brian Wilson of the Zolve Real Estate Network

By Reggie · October 29, 2007 · 2 Comments 

Many real estate agents understand establishing an online presence is more important than ever. But not only an online presence…you want to generate some business! That’s why the social network(s) you choose for your real estate business should have strong referral tools built in. One such system is Zolve.com. Recently I cornered Brian Wilson, founder of Zolve, and asked him some questions. Read the interview below.

Q. In your words, what is Zolve?

A. Zolve is a business exchange platform for industry professionals built to simplify the inefficient, time consuming process of referral tracking, its paperwork and locating like minded professionals to work with. It is a marketplace of real estate professionals where people can objectively evaluate and select a local expert in their market.

Q. How do you see Zolve benefiting real estate professionals?

A. Several ways. First and foremost, Zolve’s platform completely systematizes the entire referral process so it can be executed and tracked online. Secondly, the Zolve network will be comprised of members with online profiles and consumer ratings that simplify the process of choosing referral partners. Of high importance, it helps real estate professional to “be found online” which is no small challenge. There needs to be some reasonable alternatives to every web-based real estate professional in a market all competing for the first 10 search results on the search engine. Zolve provides a technology economy of scales that allows members to be found in an objective marketplace.

Q. How do you see Zolve streamlining the referral process?

A. Zolve provides binding referral contracts in an easy to use “referral wizard.” I can send a digital referral agreement in a few minutes and the member on the other end will get an email alert which will allow him/her to accept, decline or discuss it. Once a referral in place, the receiving member is automatically prompted for regular progress reports and all communications between the cooperating members are stored in a permanent transaction log. Zolve also provides members with a host of exclusive online social and marketing tools to handle inbound and outbound referrals and interview requests.

Q. How will Zolve differ from ActiveRain and other social networks?

A. Zolve is a platform built to process referral transactions. That’s its primary function - to serve as a business tool. All of its social features are designed to support the business center within the platform. Active Rain and other social networks work completely the other way. Their business tools are designed to support the social network. We have designed this network so the time spent on it results in business and is thus productive time. Every decision we make in continuing to evolve Zolve and add features answers the question, “How can we directly help the agent on the street grow his/her business?”

Q. What social tools does Zolve provide real estate professionals?

A. They are considerable. To begin with, Zolve is also an online community – a group of like-minded professionals gathered for mutual benefit. Zolve members create a virtual sphere of influence comprised of other members with whom they have or would like to do business. Each receives a personal blog that allows them to leverage their expertise and local market knowledge. We have built this blog and are continuing to improve this blog so that it can be used as a truly consumer-facing tool. In fact, we are currently developing an option that members can have their profile look one way to non-logged in viewers and differently to fellow members. Thus, the agent who has a static website that is not producing business for them could use their Zolve profile both as a network profile page to interact with other professionals and as their consumer facing website/blog. This will enable them to focus their marketing investment and time into one online brand rather than managing several. Zolve also provides a rating and feedback system that will serve to police the activities as it does on eBay, creating an accountability system that helps ensure that the customer willg et the best possible service.

Q. How can a real estate professional expand their sphere through Zolve?

A. They very same way professionals expand their sphere through a network like LinkedIn. At its core, Zolve provides its members with a new source of business by granting members access to inbound referrals from across the country and globe and connecting them with a community of reliable practitioners to whom they can confidently refer business. A big difference in Zolve is that our members grow their sphere visually. We created a Google Map mashup for each of our members that shows visually where they are connected. With one click of a mouse, they can look beyond their own sphere of influence and view their “sphere network” which shows their network’s sphere of influence as well. Thus, a member with 15 members in his/her sphere can now be connected within one degree of association to thousands of people worldwide, graphically.

Q. Is Zolve only for Real Estate agents? Who else should join?

A. Zolve is absolutely not just for agents. We have members who practice in many real estate service areas and actively encourage them to participate in the platform.

If I am real estate professional like a lender or inspector and I generate most of my business by building relationships with REALTORS®, I want to be on a referral network where top professionals from markets across the country are building out their networks.

If I am selling vacation property in St. Thomas, I want to be on a network where real estate professionals who have clients with 1031 funds or 2nd home aspirations can find me as a trusted, proven professional off-shore.

If I am a real estate technology provider, I want to be on a network where real estate professionals who are willing to pay for an online service are actively trying to build their online brand. I could probably fill a need that they are experiencing.

I want Zolve to become the answer to this problem… if my mom in Bloomington, Indiana wants to refinance her home and asks me for help, I would love to be able to go to Zolve and screen the 5-6 lenders on the network for that market and be able to read 3-5 customer and real estate professional feedbacks on each of them to determine who would be the best fit and take the best care of my mom. I would like the fact that the person that we choose for the job would know that when the refinance closes, my mom as the customer and me as the referring member will both rate him/her on objective criteria that will “stick” to him forever. This is a layer of accountability that does not currently exist. As it is now, if this lender takes advantage of mom or does a terrible job, he has lost nothing in terms of future business since I am an out of state REALTOR® who never sends referrals to his market anyway. Zolve solves that problem.

Q. How should an interested party get started?

A. Go right to Zolve.com and sign up for a 30-day free trial. If you like it, then on day 31, you will be charged $34.95 for the whole year. At this membership you can do everything on Zolve to include sending referrals, except receiving referrals. To accept a referral on Zolve, you must upgrade to our regular membership rate of $40 per month or save 20% by prepaying the year.

Q. Why join now?

A. I think for those early adapters who understand the need to use systems to save time, save money, and expose themselves to new opportunities during a slow market, then Zolve can be an important component of their business. Zolve is a solution that enables its users to take part in a global real estate market that they would otherwise never get exposed to. For the cost of one business lunch, you can be found online by real estate professionals across the country looking to do business with someone in your market.

For those who tend to procrastinate, I say put off your procrastinations. Get started now. Build your profile and send some referrals whether they be customers across state lines or to the lender you are already using in your market. The advantage is that you and your network can begin earning valuable ratings & feedback that will translate into business you would have not otherwise have in the future. Take advantage of our offers to elevate your current network online and to build a new book of business.

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Google’s New Presentation Technology for Real Estate

By NikNik · September 18, 2007 · 6 Comments 

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17 Single Property Website Solutions for Real Estate

By Reggie · September 18, 2007 · 10 Comments 

With real estate agents looking for more exposure online, the single property website technology has exploded. I have listed 17 Single Property Websites Solutions for your real estate business.

1. Agencylogic
   
2. Classified Flyer Ads
   
3. Individual Listings
   
4. iPropertyWebsites
   
5. ListingDomains
   
6. Listing Producer
   
7. Listing Producer Pro
8. MyMarketWare *Post Updated.
9. PropBlogs
   
10. Property Address Website
    
11. RealBird
    
12. Realivent
    
13. RealtyGear
    
14. Single Property Sites
15. Single Property Website
16. Spotlight Single Property Websites
17. Ubertor *Post Updated.
    
18. UniqueHomeSites
    
19. vFlyer

Do you know of any single property website technologies not listed? Please let us know.

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PSD2HTML for Coding Your Real Estate Blog Design

By Reggie · September 15, 2007 · Leave a Comment 

Do you have a design for your real estate website but need someone to code it? Of course you don’t want just anyone; you need someone that truly understands markup languages and search engine optimization (SEO) technology. If so, PSD2HTML might be a good answer for your needs. They will take your website design and create markup that looks exactly the same. With PSD2HTML you can ask them to pay special attention to site compatibility, dynamic HTML, CSS, and markup options. You can also specify your blog or content manager platform such as Blogger, Drupal, Movable Type, Joomla, Pligg, Typo3, and WordPress. PSD2HTML promotes an “8 working hour turnaround for the first page of the order”. Take a look at a few of their examples here.

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Real Estate Bloggers: Increase Your RSS Subscribers with Facebook

By NikNik · September 12, 2007 · 6 Comments 

If you are a member of Facebook, you have most likely been hugged, poked, or even superpoked by now. With over 2000 applications available on Facebook, it can be a daunting task to uncover the ones actually worthy of installing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for fun and interesting…and covet my iLike Music Expert status. But recently I’ve taken advantage of a fairly new application that real estate bloggers may enjoy and benefit from. The Blog Friends application allows you to share your blog and feed with your Facebook friends, and your friends’ friends.

With Blog Friends, you can:

1. Track blog posts made by friends—on topics that interest you
2. Display those blog posts on your profile page
3. Increase your network of friends with additional blog exposure
4. Increase your RSS feed count with RSS feed icons on Facebook

So real estate agents, if you are already on Facebook, this seems like a win-win application to take advantage of now! Viral marketing techniques are often criticized and the word “viral” alone calls out for hand sanitizer. That’s why I prefer the term “spiral”. Spiders work quickly and efficiently when making their webs, so why shouldn’t bloggers do the same. If a spider can utilize the wind to effectively to carry its adhesive thread…then its only fitting to make Facebook’s technology work for real estate bloggers. So consider installing the Blog Friends application and let the wind carry your thread.

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A Touch of Mapping Technology for your Prelisting Package

By Reggie · September 5, 2007 · 5 Comments 

Are you using your past real estate sales to effectively market yourself in your prelisting and listing presentations? I have a cool mapping technology that will help you create a dramatic visual representation of your past successes. Microsoft Streets and Trips is a powerful software for creating mashups of your sold properties. It’s actually easier than you might think. Purchase Microsoft Streets and Trips 2008 here.

Start by gathering a list of the real estate you have sold over your career. Get the list into Excel, keeping the street name, city, state and zip in separate columns. (If you have sold homes more than once, you can create two separate lists and color the icons a different color.)

Now to import the real estate sales, start by opening Microsoft Streets and Trips.

1. On the menu bar, click Data and then Import Data Wizard.
2. Next you need to assign each column from the excel file to a part of the address.
3. Select from the Data Type pull down to choose.
4. Once you’re done, click Finish.

If everything went according to plans you will now have the sold real estate all plotted on the screen in front of you. To finalize you may want to change the icons. Go back to the menu bar and select Data and then click Data Set Properties. In the middle of the new window you can change the Symbol or create a custom one. Now simply move the map to a region you would like to highlight and zoom in accordingly. You are now ready to print.

TIP: Print the map out on glossy paper for maximum appeal.

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