Using Your Blog to Educate Both the Public and Professionals

There is a truism concerning people; We all like to learn and be in the "know". No one wants to be ignorant. Everyone wants to know how to do things right! Concerning real estate, a home buyer doesn't want seller concessions, APR, or first time buyer programs to be confusing. And certainly neither do the professionals that are in the business!

Some people have a passion to share and educate. That is indeed one of my passions. Here is how I use my blog to educate both professionals and the public.

• Professional: I write about things that I feel will help other professionals grow; Effective Blogging: Don't Kill Your Blog Posts by Sharing ALL of Your Thoughts,
• Public: I write about the questions I get most; How to Have a Seller Pay Your Closing Costs While Using a First Time Home Buyer Mortgage Program to Cover Your Down Payment
• Both: I write about current real estate events that are personal to me; Do You Have an October/November Settlement in NJ? Don't Be Caught Off Guard!

First and foremost these blog posts are used to educate. I LOVE this format because I don't really have to give a "sales pitch" to other professionals or to the public; they can just read about what I write and make the decision all on their own. This I've found is one of the best ways to lay the groundwork for a relationship (IMHO). 

If you haven't done it yet, create blog posts that you can use over and over again. One of my most useful series was one on credit:

• Credit Scoring: What Makes Up Your Credit Score? (Part 1 of 6)
• Credit Scoring - Payment History (Part 2 of 6)
• Credit Scoring - Balances (Part 3 of 6)
• Credit Scoring - History (Part 4 of 6)
• Credit Scoring - Mix of Accounts (Part 5 of 6)
• Credit Scoring - Credit Inquiries (Part 6 of 6)

I can't tell you how many people this series has been sent to. There is a large percentage of "lookers" that have low credit scores, and this series really allows those that are motivated to help their situation and to buy in the future. Most people are genuinely grateful, and have found that when they take an hour or so to educate themselves, that the results are generally fabulous.

When someone needs additional explanation or they have very general questions, (or I don't have time to talk), I will send them the links. I will also use these posts when someone e-mails me for information but I can not get back in touch with them. Here are some examples below (along with the above links already mentioned):

• Understanding and Using All of Your First Time Home Buyer Options
• NJ First Time Home Buyer Mortgages and Grants
• Financing and Mortgages with a Credit Score Below 620

I simply follow up later to see what questions they have and to help them understand. More times than not, the blog posts give a great foundation and education and we can move on from there, or at least help them to make an educated decision!

Feel free to contact Steve with any questions (see below)

Steve Kappre is a Mortgage Planner with Treasury Mortgage, a subsidiary of Aurora Financial Group. For more info check out:

• NJ First Time Home Buyer Mortgages, grants, down payment assistance, and more
• NJ Reverse Mortgages
• All aspects of purchase and refinance mortgages, up to and over 100%
• Home renovation loans for refinance or purchase
• Conventional, FHA, USDA, VA, HMFA, PHFA, Police and Fire, Live Where You Work, and more

Contact Steve Kappre directly: 856-419-3561 | Subscribe to Steve's blog via e-mail