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How to Keep the Big Dogs of Real Estate Off Your Turf

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Charlemagne International Properties BRE# 01147470

I thumbed through the latest edition of Distinctive Homes today.  In case you're not in the real estate trenches every day, that is the one glossy real estate magazine in Southern California that survived the credit collapse and housing tumble we are navigating our way through. Others folded, or are struggling to survive on the shrinking advertising dollar of the belt-tightening real estate agent.

So who is spending the big bucks for the glossy spreads?  In a nutshell, it is the Big Dog Agents.  As real estate companies close their doors and agents fall away, Big Dog Agents are seeking new territory and new clients.  Are yours up for grabs?

 

One of the Big Dogs (nice guy) in my area has twelve, yes 12, pages in the magazine I received today.  How do I compete with his big guns and deep pockets, not to mention a never ending supply of multimillion dollar listings?  I don't. I do something completely different, and I'm doing it right now.  Yep, I blog, and it works.

 

I do not have proof, but in my experience blogging reaches more consumers than a pricey local real estate magazine. This conclusion is based on thousands of dollars wasted on full page color ads that produced very few calls and closed sales.  My blog is never out of print, always in circulation and available 24/7/365.  No trip to the local market or real estate office needed. 

 

 I decided a long time ago pulling up my blog online at a listing presentation was more powerful than pulling an out-of-date magazine from my tote bag.  So Big Dogs, keep buying ad space and I'll keep blogging.  There are many paths to success and happiness, and more than one way to play the game of real estate and win.

 

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.


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Comments (52)

Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Heather - Good for you---my advertising budget is about one-tenth of what it was before I began blogging.  Besides, it's greener--saves trees and money!

Jul 23, 2009 01:36 PM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

June - You're on to something and the statistics say it's the smart place to be.

Jul 23, 2009 01:38 PM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Gail - So very true--a new client stunned me with all the facts she knows about my work (and life).

Jul 23, 2009 01:40 PM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Missy - I'm with you---statistics prove it is the place to be.

Jul 23, 2009 01:41 PM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Robert - We're in agreement.

Jul 23, 2009 01:42 PM
Todd & Devona Garrigus
Garrigus Real Estate - Beaumont, CA
Broker / REALTORS®

Norma,

I am new to ActiveRain, and newer to blogging, but what I've read and seen proves it to me. I've just started, and have already seen results.

Jul 23, 2009 06:11 PM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Brad - While the market is slow I've been busy amassing content and building blogs of value to consumers.  Lots of work for sure, but much easier for consumers to access than old print ads now in a landfill or recycling bin.

Jul 23, 2009 11:57 PM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Tere - Smart girl!  I hope your brother takes your advice.

Jul 23, 2009 11:59 PM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Jay - Thanks.  Like you, I no longer need to hold a newspaper in my hands.  It's so much easier to read it online---no more trips to the recycling bin with a cumbersome stack of newspapers.

Jul 24, 2009 12:06 AM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Mark - I feel so much "greener" knowing I no longer make a monthly contribution to the local landfill with all pricey paper ads!

Jul 24, 2009 12:12 AM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Michael - Link my blogs to my website, post fresh content and let Google take the wheel.

Jul 24, 2009 12:14 AM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Bill - I've learned an expensive lesson or two myself.

Jul 24, 2009 12:17 AM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Gene - Often the status of a property can change while we're waiting for a magazine to go to press and hit the racks.  I like to tell sellers I'll have their home advertised nationwide within one hour of taking the listing.

Jul 24, 2009 12:21 AM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Diane - It simply makes sense to be where the buyers are shopping--no matter what you're selling.

Jul 24, 2009 12:25 AM
Sam DeBord
SeattleHome.com -Coldwell Banker Danforth - Seattle, WA
Seattle Real Estate Broker

Print media is woefully overpriced.  There's a reason newspapers can't make their budgets any more.

Jul 24, 2009 05:38 AM
Dora & Vincent Kwok
HomeSmart Real Estate - Chandler, AZ
CNE - Chandler, Arizona Real Estate

With more and more sellers and buyers using looking on the internet for their real estate agent/consultant, blogging and other other online tactics make sense.

Jul 24, 2009 06:00 PM
Dora & Vincent Kwok
HomeSmart Real Estate - Chandler, AZ
CNE - Chandler, Arizona Real Estate

With more and more sellers and buyers using looking on the internet for their real estate agent/consultant, blogging and other other online tactics make sense.

Jul 24, 2009 06:00 PM
Carol Riley
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New Mexico Properties - Albuquerque, NM

Look at the numbers of newspapers that closing their doors every day. The real estate magazines are fun to look at the pretty pictures, but most serious consumers are doing their research on the web more than picking up the magazines. Blogging is where the world is at right now. How fast our world is changing!

Carol Riley, Albuquerque,NM, Huntington Real Estate

Jul 25, 2009 03:05 PM
Mark Velasco
West Shores Realty - Whittier, CA
Top Producing Broker Associate

Done well, Blogging can be more important that the glossy magazines. Thanks for sharing Norma

Aug 15, 2009 06:56 PM
John Novak
Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV
Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate

Great insights on the flexibility and value of blogging, Norma. It's definitely a great way to level the playing field.

Aug 15, 2009 07:03 PM