Inman Blog

Cannibalized

matt_carter — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:12:00 -0700

What is Century 21 Real Estate LLC doing now that they've moved out of national television advertising to increase the footprint of their cutting-edge online marketing strategies like social media?

Poking fun at old Century 21 TV ads by highlighting them on the company Facebook page. This hooter starring Vincent Price aired in 1988. Babies born at the time are reaching the legal drinking age this year.

Century 21's Facebook page also directs you to this 1986 ad that shows the pronounced and lingering impact the 1970s had on hairstyles and telephones.

Then there's this 1983 Canadian spot, in which our gold-jacketed hero, working on behalf of a hopeful but cash-strapped young couple, walks the printout of their mortgage amortization table (spit out by a state-of-the-art workstation with a 9-inch screen) over to financing and demands, "We've got to lower those monthly payments." And he does! With hybrid ARMs yet to be invented!

Who do YOU want to see at Blogger's Connect SF '09?

RealEstateZebra — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:23:26 -0700

In case you might have missed it, the schedule for Blogger's Connect SF '09 is up in our Events section. Whether you have attended previous Blogger's Connects, or you are thinking of making this one your first, there is sure to be content you will find exciting and valuable. This year, there will be an opportunity to choose different sessions during Blogger's Connect. So, whether you are new to social media and interested in getting started, or if you have emersed yourself in social media for years, we've got you covered.

Another exiciting feature is the "Live Lab." During this time, we'll break out the laptops and everyone can help eachother by answering questions, working through difficult problems, or just helping however they can. The best part is that it will all be hands-on and on the fly. You'll walk out of the room in better shape than when you walked in. Pretty cool.

One thing you'll notice about the schedule so far is that we haven't slotted any speakers or presenters. This has been done intentionally. To be quite honest, we haven't sent out a single speaker invite to Blogger's Connect-- yet. Before we start inviting folks, I want to hear from you. I want to know who YOU want to see at Blogger's Connect. Take a look at the program, and let me know if you know of someone that would be perfect for leading the discussion on any of the topics. Heck, the person you have in mind could be YOU! That's fine, too.

Then, just send me your suggestions: Daniel@Inman.com

I'll put them all together, we'll discuss them, and then we'll begin inviting presenters. Is there someone you really want to see present a topic at Blogger's Connect, or does one of these topics just jump off the page at you? LET ME KNOW!

The feedback that I heard as a result of my previous post about the Blogger's Connect schedule was extremely helpful, and we were able to integrate some of it in oder to produce this dynamite program. I know you've still got some of that awesome feedback and insight left in the tank, so get to sharing!

Free Webinar: Leverage the Power of Agent Teams

jbernheisel — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:23:33 -0700

Whether you're the leader of an agent team, part of an agent team, or thinking of forming an agent team, you'll love the information we have to share during our FREE "Leveraging the Power of Teams" webinar. Here is just a sample of the things you'll learn:

Learn what makes teams such a powerful selling force
Learn how to overcome growth obstacles and maximize your team's potential
Learn about tools and technology that can make your team more productive in the office and in the field

Daniel Rothamel, Inman News Community Manager and member of a successful agent team, will be there to share his knowledge and experience and answer your questions. If you want to make the most of your agent team, don't miss this webinar!

When?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
10:30 a.m Pacific Time / 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time

How Do I Sign Up?
Registration for the "Leverage the Power of Agent Teams" webinar is FREE and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Space is limited, so sign up quickly!

How much of the real estate industry is broken and just needs to be fixed?

RealEstateZebra — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:37:31 -0700

I came across the following video of a Seth Godin presentation as a result of a post on his blog. The video is about 20 minutes long, but as is the case with Seth Godin, it is worth every minute of your time:

Seth Godin at Gel 2006 from Gel Conference on Vimeo.

This got me to thinking ...

The real estate and mortgage lending industries have received a whole lot of attention recently, mainly for all the wrong reasons. I'm wondering how much of this attention is simply the result of things that are broken and could easily be fixed.

What are the things out there that are broken, and how can we fix them?

And, perhaps more importantly, what things out there really need to be broken?

Inman Photo Contest winners

Glenn_Roberts — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:11:38 -0700

Congratulations to Linda Davis, the winner of the Inman News Photo Contest. Her entry, "Foreclosed in Stonington, Conn." (republished here with permission from Linda Davis) features the entryway of a foreclosed home, which still displays a heart-shaped "Home is where the Heart is" plaque.

Click here to view a ranked list of the top 10 contest entries.

Is there a real estate office in your future?

Inman_News — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:43:05 -0700

An Inman News Case Study, based on a survey of 1,330 real estate professionals, explores the future relevance of real estate offices.

The 32-page study, "Beyond Brick and Mortar: Rethinking the Real Estate Office," analyzes trends in time spent in company offices, home offices, and in the field, including future expectations.

The study also explores changes in staff size and office size, and examines whether the relevance of the office relates to the size of the office, company type, location or other factors. There is a thorough discussion of specific types of tools and services that company offices provide, and how agents vs. brokers view the importance of each. The report is available for purchase at the Inman.com store (study including charts and detailed survey results).

Put real estate technology to the test

Inman_News — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:40:27 -0700

Inman News is launching a new feature: Real Estate Product Reviews.

Would you like to be part of a team of real estate professionals that reviews and rates new real estate technologies, tools and services?

We want to hear from you.

Join a Product Review Team

Tell us, in one paragraph, about your real estate qualifications, experience using various relevant technologies, and why you would be interested in participating as a review team member or review team leader. Include your contact information and send your response to future@inman.com.

As a member of the review team you will be asked to review a product, technology or service, selected from a list.

After a trial period you will be asked to rate the product on a numeric scale and to provide detailed commentary to support your rating.

The benefit to you: The opportunity to get free trials of some of the leading technologies for real estate agents and brokers; and the exposure from having your comments and ratings published at Inman.com.

Tell us which products you'd like to see tested

Inman News is also seeking your suggestions on new real estate technologies, products and services that you'd like to see put to the test by a review team of working real estate professionals.

Send us the name of the company, technology, product and service, and a one-paragraph description to future@inman.com.

Introducing the Special SUNDAY Edition of our Real Estate Headlines.

jbernheisel — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:12:20 -0700

That's right! Start watching your inbox on Sunday mornings for the special SUNDAY edition of Inman News!

Whether you've got some free time before an open house, or you're still in your pajamas in your own living room, grab a cup of coffee and get caught up on the latest industry news.

Any thoughts, ideas, or feedback that you may have please let us know in the comments below. Oh, and thanks for making us your number one choice for Real Estate news.

Inman Photo Contest Top-10: You decide

Inman_News — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:17:37 -0700

VOTE NOW: There were 38 qualifying entries in the Inman News photo contest (view entries).

Participate in this Inman Poll to narrow the list down to the top 10 (sign in to your Inman.com account to vote). A panel of three judges will select the winner of a $200 Amazon.com gift card (click here for more details).

Loof Network: another real estate social network

RealEstateZebra — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:00:00 -0700

Facebook. MySpace. Flickr. Twitter. Loof Network.

Loof Network?

That's right, there is another new social network on the block -- The Loof Network.

Still in private beta, the Loof Network promises to be "a one-stop source for real estate professionals to hang their social-media shingle," according to a recent press release. I know what you are probably thinking: "Do we really need another social network?" According to Loof, the answer is an emphatic "YES!"

The developers at Loof Network say they feel strongly about their chances for success, addressing social-media saturation in their press release: "We know that real estate professionals have a lot of options when it comes to social networks. We also know that none of these options gives them everything they want, all in one place. There is no No. 1 out there in the social networking market. We aim to be No. 1."

As far as a feature list goes, it would appear that Loof Network (not to be confused with Loof.com) plans to integrate all of the features found on disparate social networks into one platform specifically for real estate professionals: "Your Loof Network homepage will allow you to upload and share pictures, connect with friends, send private messages and even promote your listings as a means of generating referral business."

One of the more interesting aspects of the Loof plan seems to be the awareness of the perception of real estate professionals on social networks: "We are very aware of the frustration that real estate professionals experience when they try to promote themselves and their business on social networks. The public often misunderstands the nature of the real estate professional as a sales professional, and this misunderstanding leads to discomfort amongst real estate professionals. We want to offer an environment where the real estate professional can feel comfortable making pitches and selling whenever the opportunity presents itself."

As far-fetched as the idea might sound, it reportedly already has financial backing and promotional support from a worldwide trade organization, the League of International Real Property Agents (based in Poisson d'avril, France, and also known as "Ligue Internationale des Agents Immobiliers"). The board of directors for LIRPA released a statement in conjunction with the Loof Network press release that read, in part, "LIRPA is proud to partner with Loof in order to bring to the international community of real estate professionals this valuable tool. Real estate professionals who have yet to discover the power of social networking, and those who have experienced it first hand, will now have a place where they can congregate productively."

The press release makes no mention of any business plan or plan for revenue generation, other than to say, "After the private beta period is over, we will, of course, make membership in the Loof Network completely free to any real estate professional who wants to join. We expect membership to grow exponentially, at which time we will explore revenue opportunities."

Time will tell if the Loof Network can succeed in what is already a very crowded market for social-media tools. If it does, perhaps this time next year, we will all be asking each other, "Hey, just Loof me," or, "are you a-Loof?"

And as funny as the LIRPA-Loof network might sound, it kinda has a ring to it, especially when you roll it backwards ...

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