nikesh parekh: Rentals, Mortgages and New Homes -- Oh My! - 06/16/14 03:58 PM
Dear Rainers,
As many of you have noticed, I have not been very active of ActiveRain since early 2013.  
I say that with great pride actually.  Don't get me wrong - I love ActiveRain!  
Since early 2013, Bob, Kerrie and Kris have been running and managing ActiveRain with help from key people in product and technology at Market Leader like Brad McDaniel, Chris Anderson, and Darrell Sherr.... most importantly, without significant input from me or other executives here at Market Leader.  Instead of focusing on revenue or traffic, ActiveRain has really focused on the development of great community, high quality … (40 comments)

nikesh parekh: SEO Breakdown: How to Diagnose Lost Traffic to Your Blog Post - 12/31/13 03:18 AM
Most bloggers are seeing tremendous changes in traffic to their blog posts due to changes in the Google Algorithm, most recent being the Google Hummingbird update.  Here is a quick SEO analysis of three blog posts on ActiveRain and how traffic has varied dramatically based on the quality of the content.  
On this blog post, The Flooring Girl Debbie Gartner of White Plains, NY asked what she can do to regain lost traffic to some of her FAQ's as she is seeing forums on larger web sites like City-Data.com taking traffic from her web pages.

Caveat: I know no … (50 comments)

nikesh parekh: Blogging Post Hummingbird Do's & Don'ts - 12/30/13 02:18 PM
Blogging & SEO changed dramatically in 2013 due to Google's Hummingbird search algorithm update.  Core changes to Blogging Post Hummingbird Update are critical to driving search traffic.
Kerrie wrote a great blost this morning describing the ActiveRain blog posts with the most comments in 2013.  Based on some of the comments, I started digging into Google Analytics, looking at traffic patterns based on traffic from Google.  
Looking at the most trafficked blog posts in 2013, I saw some extremely interesting trends.  Since many on ActiveRain blog for SEO or traffic from Google, I sorted based on direct entrances from Google, … (43 comments)

nikesh parekh: Feeling Grateful on My 40th Birthday - 12/02/13 02:39 PM
This is the first time, at least in my recollection, when my birthday has fallen so closely to Thanksgiving.  It is only appropriate for me to give thanks on my 40th birthday.  

Here is a short list of some of the blessings that I count on a such a special day in my life.  Thank you everyone for being such an important part of my life.
My wife: She is by far the most important person in my life.  She is the perfect partner and the love of my life.  She keeps me sane and understands all my weirdness.  Thanks … (22 comments)

nikesh parekh: Goodbye Real Estate Classifieds - 11/11/13 01:16 PM
Well, it finally happened.  The real estate section of the Sunday Seattle Times has disappeared.  Good old Section D.  Gone.  Finite-o.  
I, as many people, do enjoy opening up the Sunday newspaper, although I hear this is becoming a shrinking past time.  I always flip through the main section, look at the business section and check out the real estate section, before heading to sports and comics.  
This Sunday, there was no real estate section in the Sunday Seattle Times.  
What?
I flipped through the newspaper frantically looking for it.  I found one real estate article tucked at … (15 comments)

nikesh parekh: Getting to Know Me - 08/15/13 04:05 PM

I am very excited to participate in Debbie Reyonds' What We Have in Common, Getting to Know Each Other Better Contest.

Here goes nothing!
My parents were childhood friends and grew up down the street from each other in Mumbai, India. My father moved to the United States in 1965 to study at Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. My grandfather actually put my mother on a plane to the United States to marry my father, based on communicating with my dad and my father's dad via telegram. My parents had the FIRST Indian wedding in Cleveland, OH in 1968, which was … (18 comments)

nikesh parekh: 4 Shocking Graphs and 8 Steps to Revising Your Real Estate Marketing Strategy - 04/06/13 11:41 PM
4 Shocking Graphs and 8 Steps to Revising Your Real Estate Marketing Strategy
The real estate market is FINALLY improving and it is time to drastically change your real estate marketing strategy. We conducted a survey of 400 consumers who purchased or sold a home in 2004 AND in 2012.  Here are three major trends we uncovered and 8 key strategies to improve your real estate marketing & technologies to take advantage of these changes in the market place:
US real estate market went through an unprecedented downturn from 2008-2012, but technology adoption key growing  The Internet and mobile technology adoption … (32 comments)

nikesh parekh: Another ActiveRain Success Story: My Parents - 03/20/13 03:59 PM
ActiveRain continues to amaze me with the power of the community and Google juice of the blogging platform.  
As someone who spends A LOT of time with real estate agents & real estate brokers, I dread when a relative or my parents ask for real estate advice or a referral for a real estate agent.  "Why?" you ask.  My parents can be very tough customers.  I want any agent or broker to be prepared for the experience.
Last summer, my mother & father decided to relocate from New Jersey to the East Bay of San Francisco.  My sister lives in … (15 comments)

nikesh parekh: FaceBook Graph Search for Real Estate Sneak Peek - 01/25/13 01:58 AM
ActiveRain has early access to the FaceBook Graph Search.  Here is what FaceBook Graph Search means for your real estate business and 3 things you should be doing today to take advantage of the roll-out.
Given the amount of social media engagement here at ActiveRain, the team here at ActiveRain was able to get a sneak peek in the FaceBook Search for Real Estate.  On first look, it is pretty amazing.  Given that consumers are spending as much time on FaceBook as we are spending on Google, the impact to real estate marketing could be significant.
What is FaceBook Search?
On … (39 comments)

nikesh parekh: Advanced Real Estate Blogging Tips to Take Your Blog to 11 - 01/23/13 05:11 AM

Learn four unique content techniques from the preeminent real estate bloggers and writers at the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Curbed.com, and The Real Deal.  (For those of you who did not catch the Spinal Tap reference, watch this clip on taking your blog to 11.)
We at ActiveRain spend a reasonable amount of time coaching and training the real estate industry on the "basics" of real estate blogging: what is SEO, how to write a hyperlocal blog post, how to drive leads, and how to capture leads.  Check out ActiveRain University for social media webinars and tips.
It … (32 comments)

nikesh parekh: Breakdown of Inman Real Estate Connect New York City 2013 - 01/21/13 03:29 PM
   

Breakdown of Inman Real Estate Connect New York City 2013
I just returned from a week in New York City at Inman Real Estate Connect New York City which took place from January 16-18, 2013.  It was good conference with lots of powerful insights.

Key Trends:
General market bullishness from ALL CEO's in the industry Increasing focus on mobile, social/collaboration and design across the board International markets are a big opportunity – foreign buyers looking in the US Young aggressive tech savvy brokers are the new top producers for each company. Investors appear to be a key buying … (20 comments)

nikesh parekh: Hustle, Not Muscle: The Key to Lifelong Success - 12/28/12 02:02 PM
Has anyone with true hustle ever failed?  Have ever you met or known anyone who hustled and did not achieve their goals?  Me neither.
I was recently asked to speak on a panel to MBA's from the University of Utah talking about Seattle, technology and entrepreneurship.  We had a GREAT panel of speakers: Kevin Nakao of MeritShare, WhitePages, RealNetworks; Will O'Brien from Big Fish Games & TrialPay; Edward Yim from ClassifiedAds and Blue Moon Ventures, and Meredith Turner from PitchBook and WhitePages.
Much of the panel was the standard stuff - how did you end up in Seattle, how does Seattle … (20 comments)

nikesh parekh: How You Leave A Sales Presentation is As Important As Your Pitch - 12/14/12 02:17 AM
Five Thoughts on Sales Presentations:
We are in sales.  Period.  Even if you do not know it.  Every day.  All the time. 
No matter what your job or business - whether you are in real estate or not.
We are all in sales, marketing and customer service.  Building long-term relationships with real people is critical to long-term success, regardless if someone bought or sold with you today.  Your reputation is the most important asset you have and it is important that you carefully and thoughfully build your reputation over time.
Sounds basic, right?
As you can imagine, I get a lot of … (55 comments)

nikesh parekh: Birthday Musings: #39 - 12/03/12 02:35 PM
Thanks to everyone for their kind words and well wishes on my 39th birthday.  Many of you out there are thinking, "This guy is just a baby."  Others are thinking, "I can't believe he is that old."  
Yes, that is because 39 is smack in the middle of middle age.  
I had a great birthday this weekend and today with my family friends.  On Saturday, we went to Black Bottle Bellevue and then went to see the "Life of Pi" in 3-D.  Stunning movie.  I definitely recommend it.  I thought it dragged a little in the middle, but it … (10 comments)

nikesh parekh: How Taxes & the Fiscal Cliff Are Driving Start-Up M&A - 12/01/12 03:11 PM
I wrote a guest blog post on the Seattle tech blog Geekwire about how the potential increase in taxes in driving more start-up M&A.  After the re-election of President Obama, there has been a rush of company and stock sales since taxes on capital gains are likely to go up in 2013.   The long-term capital gains rate is likely to go up 5% and wealthy individuals will be paying an additional 3.8% as part of the affordable care act.  If an entrepreneur has created value or has a significant long-term capital gain, many are looking to cash out in 2012, … (7 comments)

nikesh parekh: Boston ActiveRain MeetUp: Patch.com, Leads, and Expireds - Oh My! - 11/26/12 07:45 AM
Boston ActiveRain MeetUp: Patch.com, Leads, and Expireds

September took me to Boston for the Council of MLS's (CMLS) conference.  CMLS is the largest meeting of MLS executives in the country.  With all the excitement over listing syndication with Zillow and Trulia, it was a good meeting to attend and learn how the MLS industry is thinking about these new companies in the real estate industry.

Whenever and wherever I travel, I try to organize an ActiveRain MeetUp.   I learn a lot from the members of ActiveRain on what is working and what isn't working on ActiveRain and in … (13 comments)

nikesh parekh: Stop Budgeting and Start Planning - 11/04/12 11:51 AM
It's that time of year again: BUDGETING
Executives and business managers around the world are TRAPPED in conference rooms trying to create plans and budgets for the upcoming year.  And then they need to revise and rationalize their budgets after review by the CFO.  And then they need to revise and rationalize their budgets again after review by the CEO.  
Rinse and repeat.  Rinse and repeat.
Why are all "budgeting" processes largely a waste of time?  Finance teams and executive team need to think about continuous strategic planning, instead of budgeting. 
What do I mean?  
The current budgeting exercise … (2 comments)

nikesh parekh: Shocking SEO Revelations from the 2012 Exit Realty Convention - 10/27/12 11:03 AM
Exit Realty's VP of Technology Jeff Lobb asked me to reveal shocking SEO revelations and speak on "The State of SEO" panel at the Exit Realty Annual Convention this year at the Gaylord Opryland Convention in Nashville, TN.  It was GREAT conference.  I have a lot of respect for the Exit Realty management.  They have a very different style from other real estate franchises.  I was tasked to speak on a panel focused on major SEO changes with Seth Price from Placester and Luke Brookhart from Onjax, two smart guys working for interesting companies providing IDX web sites for agents and … (32 comments)

nikesh parekh: Adventures in Internet Real Estate: Where in the World is Nikesh Parekh? - 10/26/12 12:46 PM
The Allman Brothers said it best with "Lord, Nikesh was born a travelin' man!"  
Since mid-August, I have been in traveling almost every week for work, trying to host ActiveRain MeetUps with members of ActiveRain wherever I go.  The good news is that I have learned a tremendous amount from members of ActiveRain and have earned more than 22k frequent flier miles in the process.  
The bad news is that they are all on different airlines and you can't buy anything with frequent flier miles anymore!
I live in Seattle, WA, but have been to San Antonio, TX, New Jersey, … (14 comments)

nikesh parekh: ActiveRain MeetUp in Boston - 9/27 at 8am in Copley Square, Boston, MA - 09/20/12 05:34 AM
UPDATED: ActiveRain MeetUp in Boston - 9/27 at 8am in Copley Square in Boston
I will be travelling to Boston from Seattle for the CMLS Conference and I would love to meet up with any 'Rainers in the Boston area who can make an early breakfast.   Just like the ActiveRain MeetUp in San Antionio, I want to meet 'Rainers to talk about what is working and not working in real estate.  These MeetUp's make me and ActiveRain smarter about what is working and what is not working in real estate marketing and technology.  
Going back to Boston will be … (23 comments)