Random thoughts on art, technology, stuff, and occasionally Real Estate: November 2008

Why Realtor.com needs a (good) Social Media Marketing person

Personally, I think this post should have stimulated a lot more conversation. 

Is this poor guy NAR's new Social Media Manager?

~~~~~~~~~

Via Spencer Rascoff:

The RE Blogosphere has been abuzz with the news that Realtor.org / NAR is looking to fill a "Social Media Manager" position. I guess it's NAR that is looking to fill this position, not Realtor.com (Move Inc), though it's sort of two heads of a two-headed monster, so it's hard to separate them. Dustin Luther, the very well-known and well-respected uber-blogger, used to have this position at Realtor.com but left a year or so ago.

I applaud NAR for realizing the importance of social media, albeit several years later than the rest of us. But here's my advice to NAR, Realtor.com, and everyone else who engages in "social media": when you leave a comment on the web, identify your affiliation! Kudos to Trulia and Homegain for doing this well.

 

Check out these two examples to see what I'm talking about.

Someone named David Claus, who I can only assume is a Realtor.com / Move Inc employee left the following comments.

1) On the Toledo Blade website, on an article about titled "Toledo area fares better than nation in home values" he left this comment:

"If you want to stay on top of the real estate market, visit the new Realtor.com first. They recently announced their listings in the Toledo are now updated every15-minutes, delivering the freshest and most up-to-date information on new homes for sale. Once you register on the site, you can also get automatic email updates about new properties in your favorite neighborhoods. Also, they now have more photos, time stamping (for listing freshness), and better search tools. Check it out [http://neighborhoods.realtor.com/OH/Toledo/Toledo/450392/Summary] --" Posted by David Claus on Fri, Nov 14, 2008, 4:31 pm EST

 

2) Then on the Sarasota Herald Tribune website, on an article titled "Zillow shows how far values have fallen", he left this comment:

"david.claus says... November 17, 2008 12:03:24 pm If you want to stay on top of the real estate market, visit the new Realtor.com first. Once you register, you can also get automatic email updates about new properties in your favorite neighborhoods. Realtor.com just added more photos, time stamping (for listing freshness), and better search tools. Check it out."

 

Now I suppose it's possible that Mr. Claus just is a really big Realtor.com fan. But my suspicion is that he's a Realtor.com / Move Inc. employee who has decided to spam the RE Blogosphere promoting Realtor.com without identifying himself or his affiliation. (This suspicion is supported by the fact that he's listed as a "Move Inc. Senior Writer" on this blog post, even though it says the blog post is authored by "Audie Chamberlain".)

David, this is bad form. If you're going to engage in comment marketing on the web, identify your affiliation.

 

 

 

2 comments • Cheryl Johnson • November 25 2008 05:25AM

This will be the fourth day

In an ongoing effort to keep my Beaujolais Day Resolution of drinking more wine and less beer.... (Sounds like a healthy idea to me) ... (And this will be my fourth day of wine drinking....)

In that effort, I decided to try some wine in an alternative package:

The container is about 6 inches on each side. The label says it is equal to two bottles of wine. Huh? What size bottles, I wonder.

Anyone else drink this stuff?

This is going to be an adventure.

(PS I took the photo myself - it's not hijacked off any company's advertising site..) :-)

10 comments • Cheryl Johnson • November 23 2008 08:15AM

Arroyo Arts Collective: Re-Discovery Weekend


 
Artists represented above:  Martin Waterman, John Byram, Bill Johnson, Kikki Eder
LT Mustardseed, Brian Mallman, Sonio Romero, Rick Swallow, George McClements, Ted Waltz
 
Only 1 more day until the Re-Discovery Tour, the Arroyo Arts Collective's 16th annual showcase of artists' homes and studios in the Northeast L.A. communities of Highland Park , Mt. Washington and Eagle Rock.
 
To maximize your tourgoing experience, you can go by Future Studio today, Saturday, November 22, Noon to 5 p.m. to view representative artwork from some of the 141 artists on the Tour (up from 100 last year). This is a great opportunity to buy your tickets, plan your visits for the next day and  visit Chicken Boy. Future Studio is at 5558 N. Figueroa Street, Highland Park, 90042.
 
Once again, the Re-Discovery Tour details:
WHEN:   Sunday, November 23
WHERE: The Re-Discovery Tour begins at the Lummis Home, 200 East Avenue 43, Los Angeles, 90031 (entrance on Carlota). Gates at the Lummis open at 9:30 a.m. Artists' studios are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 
This is where you pick up your map, decide your route, and either start some serious walking, get on your bicycle, get in your car or get on a shuttle to visit some of the 60+ studios and homes open just for you.
 
We look forward to seeing you.

0 comments • Cheryl Johnson • November 22 2008 06:57AM

Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé

Beaujolais Nouveau is a very mild, light-bodied wine made from Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc grape, better known simply as Gamay.   By French law, Beaujolais Nouveau cannot be released before midnight on the third Thursday in November.

So it follows, that the third Thursday of November has grown into a day of celebration:  The first uncorking of the first wine of the season.

Local French restaurant Cafe Beaujolais in Eagle Rock hosts an annual Beaujolais Noveau celebration that has become a tradition for many residents.

 

More on Beaujolais Day:

Here and Here

 And MORE, with pics by PAT BARR

6 comments • Cheryl Johnson • November 21 2008 06:06AM

Creating an Online Policy and Procedure Manual

I also posted this on Bloodhound Blog, here. 

And since I need plenty of input, I am posting it here on Active Rain, too

A question for other small independent brokerage owners and managers:

I have almost completed the online version policy and procedure manual for my smallish, independent brokerage office.  It's been a lot of work.  Who knew?  I ended up using a WordPress platform, since I didn't have the energy to learn all the ins and outs of designing around the wiki format.  (I had some conversations on Bloodhound a while back about setting the manual up as a wiki.)

Here's the question:  Can the online version completely replace a printed version?  Do you add a paragraph to your agent's contracts stating they have read the online manual (yeah, right) and they agree to comply with the policies and procedures?

Creating a printed version kinda defeats the purpose, though I suppose I could install one of those "Turn-Your-Blog-into-a-Book" plugins.

Thoughts, suggestions, anyone?

20 comments • Cheryl Johnson • November 19 2008 08:11AM

Ever Wondered About WordPress?

I'm echoing what Brian said.

If you wanna play around with the WordPress interface within the confines of a real estate industry community, this is a great idea.

Be aware that as a WordPress Multi User blog community, only the community admin can upload themes and plugins (same as a WordPress.com site).

But I'm enjoying seeing just what I can do within those limits.  :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Via Brian Brady- America's #1 Mortgage Broker:

Have you ever wondered hoew to set up "an outside blog" on a Wordpress platform?  Greg Swann makes it really easy with a free wordpress blog (hosted on a really strong platform):

Say hello to BloodhoundBlog.net, free WordPress Multi-user weblogs for real estate professionals.

We talked about doing this in Orlando, at The scenius on Swallow Hill Road. Where we started was with the idea of WordPress blogs for the CyberProfessionals to practice on.

We saw that the right system could serve the same function for any novice bloggers — including all of the folks on Active Rain looking to make the leap to WordPress weblogging.

And BloodhoundBlog.net can also be a space for BloodhoundBlog Unchained instructors to help their students get their homework together before coming to Phoenix.

Is this your last word in real estate weblogging? It can be, but that strikes me as a poor idea. What we’re offering is a free weblogging platform where real estate professionals can learn and grow, ultimately to go off and set up their own WordPress.org weblogs.

And you had better know this is an Unchained weblogging world: You can import content from a host of blogging platforms, and everything you do on BloodhoundBlog.net is easily exported when you’re ready to move on.

If you want to go ahead and get started, just go to BloodhoundBlog.net and set up a new blog. It’s fast, easy and fun.

Still here? Who should set up a BloodhoundBlog.net weblog?

Get all the answers here

 

 

1 comment • Cheryl Johnson • November 18 2008 07:39AM

Streamlined Modification Program

Regardless of your personal opinion about bail-outs and loan modifications (You might want to smack people who used their McMansions as ATMs machines and flippers who figured new toilets and counters equalled a $60,000 increase in value....) But  Regardless of your personal feelings....

You are going to have folks calling your office, and walking into your office wanting to talk about the new Streamlined Modification Program that kicks off December 15.

Here's one useful link I found  ( http://www.hopenow.com/upload/press_release/files/SMP%20Release%20Final.pdf )  It's a PDF from the HOPE NOW website with a pretty concise explanation, and even a flow chart...

7 comments • Cheryl Johnson • November 17 2008 08:51AM

Bail Me Out, Please.

This was posted on the local blog L A Eastside by edie.  (Yep, Northeast Los Angeles is very fortunate to be home to many edgy, local bloggers.)

I have to share it, its too good to pass up:

Dear Federal Government,
I would like to join the troubled asset relief program. My trouble is I ain't got no assets but I do have some debt I would like relief from as would the millions of low income people in this country and all the people who are losing their jobs................

Sincerely,
Broke in Los Angeles

1 comment • Cheryl Johnson • November 14 2008 08:42AM

Ever wonder why the printer doesn't work?

12 comments • Cheryl Johnson • November 12 2008 07:29PM

In today's Los Angeles Times: How I bought a foreclosured home

This article in today's Los Angeles times titled "How I bought a foreclosed home"

( http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cover9-2008nov09,0,2623620.story )

seems to me to be a a fairly realistic description of a typical buyer's experience in today's market in Southern California.

Well, let's hope the part about the  broker who had recently come off of suspension by the Real Estate Department was ~not~ typical....

But sentences like these sure rang true:

"There's usually good reason many foreclosed houses languish with no buyers. They may be badly damaged or situated in places that seemed attractive only in the frenzy of a real estate bubble. ¶ The foreclosure inventory is loaded with properties far from job centers, stripped or even vandalized by previous owners or in abandoned developments with no parks, schools or even neighbors nearby. ¶ As a result, finding a decent house amid the wreckage of the real estate crash can be a long, tedious process...."

Comments, anyone?

3 comments • Cheryl Johnson • November 09 2008 03:14PM