For anyone who has been reading my Top 10 lists over the past couple months, I apologize, but there's no funny stuff with this post.   This is a serious post that I've wanted to write for a while, but I knew it would take some time to compile all of the info, links, etc. into one place, so I've been waiting for a quiet weekend to do so.  I hope some of you find it helpful...anything we can do to share information and help each other sell some homes in this market will be beneficial for all of us in the long run...

Most of these websites are ideal for marketing listings, and some are just great places to visit for industry specific news and resources.  As most of us are already aware, the majority of buyers today are searching the web for their next home.  Realtor.com^®  found that 32% of buyers found their home on the internet in 2008, up from only 8% in 2001.¹  I think it's crucial that we utilize these findings to the best of our ability and maximize the exposure of our listings on the web.  Web exposure could be the determining factor when it comes to which agent gets the listing in today's market, or if any agent even gets it...in the case of a FSBO property.  I'm certain each of you has already had at least one seller ask you "Which websites will my home be on?"  So, here I go with my own list of favorites:

1)    www.Realtor.com  - This site is just a given.  MLS listings are automatically uploaded onto this site, which is the first stop for most buyers.  More consumers go to Realtor.com^® than any other real estate website when searching for their next home.²  One of the best investments you can make on this site is in their "Showcase Listing Enhancements" product .  This feature is not free, it must be purchased by you or your broker (the owners of my office have bought this for our agents, and it's greatly appreciated!)  Benefits include: your contact information & portrait on listing's page, multiple lead forms to collect buyer contact information, traffic reports for your sellers, custom headlines & property descriptions, and more.  Here is a full description: http://solutioncenter.realtor.com/Agents/ShowCaseListing.aspx  And here is an example: http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/173-Mary-Ellen-Dr_Charleston_SC_29403_1108465940

2)    www.Postlets.com - This is a free site where you can upload listings and create an "e-flyer" which can then be posted on sites like Craigslist, Facebook, and your own website, utilizing the html code given to you.   Once uploaded to their site, your listings are automatically syndicated to high traffic sites like: Trulia, Zillow, Google Base, and more.  Example: http://www.postlets.com/res/1879760

3)    www.Trulia.com - If your listings haven't already been syndicated to this site via another source (such as Postlets.com), you can do a search for the property and "claim it" as your listing.  You can also add a detailed profile of yourself to the site, which will show up along with your listing in a search. Example: http://www.trulia.com/property/1077229134-1116-Marquis-Rd-Charleston-SC-29405

4)    www.Point2Agent.com - This site offers the first 3 months for free and it's $9.95 for the standard membership thereafter.  Like Postlets.com, his site also syndicates to many other real estate websites once you upload your listings.  Virtual tours, viewing statistics, and your own website are just a few of its features.  Example: http://emilyshapiro.point2agent.com/Listing/ViewListingDetailsAuthenticated.aspx?preview=true&listingid=2968245

5)    www.tweetlister.com - This is my most recent discovery, but I'm pretty sure that it's been available for a while.  If you're on Twitter, you already know that it can be hard to find the time to "tweet" (post status updates) as often as you may like.  This site allows you to enter a listing and set a schedule to have your listing automatically "tweeted" for you once a day, week, month, etc.  Good for people who don't care for tweeting but want to get their listings out there.  Example: http://www.tweetlister.com/listing-detail.aspx?listingID=688e24be-126a-4b50-bdfc-5c0762b8c5b6

6)    www.Facebook.com - While I must admit that facebook can have its share of drama (those of you on here for a while know what I mean), I still think it's a good place to share your listings and other valuable real estate info with other agents and friends.  Personally, I do not have any clients as connections on Facebook (only a couple who are also good friends).  That's a choice each individual has to make themselves though.  I just don't feel comfortable knowing that people I'm connected to can post pretty much anything and everything on here - not sure if I want my clients to read on my profile page that my friend got totally smashed last night and can't remember where she left her car ;-)

7)    www.Realtor.org/realtormag - If you're a Realtor^®, then you are probably already familiar with this site.  It's the web affiliate of REALTOR MAGAZINE^®.  For me, I think the most useful area of this site is the Sales & Marketing section.  It has tons of prospecting tips and ideas, and even has handouts for consumers that you can download and personalize for free.  It's a good way to keep up with industry news, and it features great articles to share with clients.

8)    www.ExpressCopy.com - I haven't used this site in a while because I'm fortunate enough to be part of a company that has its own free marketing department...AgentOwned Realty plug ;-)  However, back in the day, I used this site quite a bit for flyers and postcards and I was always very pleased with the both their quality and their turn around time.  Plus, they have pre-made templates that you can customize to your liking for marketing materials, including door hangers and business cards.

9)    www.hud.gov - The site for The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development...extremely good resource for our industry.  They have valuable information on topics such as the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, forcelosure, and even buying/selling tips.  Here's a good link to help walk 1^st time buyers through the process:  http://www.hud.gov/buying/

10)  Okay, so I lied a little.  This post isn't completely serious.  Here's a link that could help get you through a stressful day in real estate.  Take a 15 minute break and play a game... http://www.freegamesonline.com/

¹ National Association of REALTORS®, Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 2008   

² Media Metrix - Number of unique users on REALTOR.com^® each month of 2007