ActiveRain Blog Posts: The Top 10 of 2011 - Pro to Consumer Edition

ActiveRain Blog Posts: The Top 10 of 2011 - Pro to Consumer Edition          

We had such a good time at our earlier Pro to Pro awards ceremony, and now it's time for the Pro to Consumer edition.  I hope we don't see any outfit repeats as that would just be the disaster of the year!  Keep it fresh ladies and gents and you're sure to dazzle your fans!

The following 10 posts were not necessarily written in 2011 but they do have the most pageviews from January 1st to December 31st of 2011.  It's important to realize the power that one post can possess for years to come.  Like a Chanel suit...it never goes out of style!

We couldn't get Billy Crystal to host this year as he is busy filming City Slickers 4 so AR will just have to do.  Everyone please be seated, the awards show is about to begin.  Quiet in the back (you know who you are)!

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Top 10 Pro to Consumer pageviews of 2011!

#10) Rounding out the list - Tips to Building the Perfect In-Law Suite Penny Hull of Raleigh, NC

With more and more families living with multiple generations under one roof this information is heavily searched upon.  Tip-toeing through the living room to get to the kitchen so as to not wake grandma must get old and people want to add more space.  Penny talks about everything from budget to resale value. 

#9) Keeping it real with 5 Reasons You May Not Want to Counter that Offer Tni LeBlanc of Santa Maria, CA

Why wouldn't we counter?  The title grabs those curious minds and clearly outlines the 5 reasons.  Bolding, photos and clear paragraphs are a great outline for any post and tend to keep the reader engaged.  Tni knows what she's doing here; catchy title, nice flow of the blog and great information.

#8) Tell us how it is mate VA Condo Approved - No Sweat - Tell You in an Instant Bruce Bourgault of Honolulu, HI

In one instant, Bruce teaches us how to tell if a condo is VA approved or not.  Few tasks are short and sweet in the world of real estate so it's refreshing to find one that is.  Written in 2007, this post continues to receive view after view. 

#7) Sharing the wisdom How to Respond to a Low Offer on Your Home Herb Johnson of Florence, KY

Herb does a wonderful job of playing teacher here.  In order to keep your interested buyers engaged, he reminds us to put aside our emotions and focus on the facts when responding to low offers.  Reminding the owners of the home to focus on the facts is crucial; a tough market makes for emotional sellers.

#6) Give us our kicks The Ultimate Pre-Listing Kit for Home Sellers Jeff Dowler of Carlsbad, CA

This post is for agents and consumers alike.  Not only is Jeff sharing with us his vast knowledge of important pre-listing kit tools but he does it in a way that educates agents as well as sellers.  Now when an agent comes to a listing appointment, the sellers know what to look for in order to find a valuable rep. 

#5) Do the jive BB&T's 100% Financing Cheryl Powell of Concord, NC

The CHIP program was new in 2009 as Cheryl points out.  Loan limitations and requirements are clearly layed out for potential parties.  She even includes links to see if the property is located in a HUD area or not.  Consumers can do the simple math to see if they qualify before getting excited.  I wonder who they're going to use as an agent in Concord after reading this post?

#4) This isn't a bore Living in Wilmington NC: "Coast Home to North Carolina" Ginger Sala of Wilmington, NC

New and soon-to-be residents of Wilmington check this post out often.  Positively layed out are the dining, schools, climate and cultural ways of this city.  Can you say local expert?

#3) We can't wait to see Austin Texas Relocation Package Jason Crouch of Austin, TX

Job opportunities constantly keep people moving and Austin is one of them.  This manuscript if you will, is jam-packed full of information for everything Austin.  Clearly an expert on the subject, Jason freely lets us inside his head and provides new Austiners with imperative information.  Family fun stuff, place to eat, schools...you name it, it's included.  Written in 2008, Jason alerts us that this post is a work in progress and he intends to update it often. 

#2) Keeping it true Short Sale - Sample Hardship Letter Rosemary Brooks of Stockton, CA

With the unfortunate market of some, it's not surprising that a post like this comes in at #2.  Consumers most likely have never written a letter of this kind and scour Google for a good example and in comes Rosemary.  Excellent title, and she's providing exactly what her title promises.  Hopefully her phone rings with interested parties in her area to get the job done!

May I have the envelope please?  *deep breath*  And now, the winner of the most pageviews for Pro to Consumer 2011 is......

Michele Cadogan of Brooklyn, NY with NYC Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finder: Brooklynites Find Out if You Live in an Evacuation Zone!

What a wonderful, time appropriate, hyper local post.  Not only is Michele proving she is the mayor of her city, the go-to-gal for everything Brooklyn but she does it in a way that captures clicks.  Her title promises readers important information.  If you blog about your area, current and timely happenings are sure to get maximum exposure.

Thank you everyone for coming tonight, the talent in this room is just overwhelming!  Big shout out to the tables hooting and hollering for their colleagues!!  Yeah, whoop whoop!!  We have one more awards show coming next week, the Just for Fun edition is sure to bring a smile.  Have a great night, love each other and we'll see you next time!