Special offer

ActiveRain Relaunches Question and Answer Site

By
Real Estate Technology with ActiveRain

We are pleased to announce major improvements to the Question & Answer site on ActiveRain!

The Q&A site is a place where real estate agents and other industry pros can ask their colleagues questions that will help them work smarter and live better. ActiveRain is all about community, and this is a great opportunity for people to share what they know.

The new Question & Answer site is a place where you can:

  • Post questions to your peers
  • Vote on the best answers to each question
  • Discover interesting questions that are trending in the community

Why Did We Decide to Invest in this Tool?

Our main focus right now is on driving community engagement. We want you to talk, interact, debate, learn, love, agitate and grow.  We want you to build personal and professional relationships.  Having the ability to quickly ask a question from your phone and get direct feedback from the community seems like a great way to do that.

A New Direction: Only Peer to Peer Questions

One major change to our Q&A site is that we are no longer allowing consumers and others from outside of our community to post a question on the site.

The quality of questions we were seeing from anonymous visitors was quite poor.... free legal advice, Nigerian real estate schemes, sales ploys, etc.  The original hypothesis that our members would get lots of leads by allowing consumer questions simply didn't pan out.

In order to ask a question, a person now must be logged into ActiveRain.

Superheroes, we've got you covered!  There is an "Ask Anonymously" button in case your question is highly sensitive and you want your identity to remain a secret.

Awesome on iPhone and Android

We put a lot of our focus on making the Q&A site work well on your phone. Whether you are looking for interesting questions during a quick bit of down-time or want to ask a new question direct from your phone, we have you covered.  (Yes, it works on good old fashioned computers, too!)

What About All of the Questions on the Last Site?

There were a lot of questions in the old Q&A system. Our community managers spent a good chunk of time reading questions from the past two years and identifying the ones that fit the new "learn from your peers" model.  The best of those questions were saved.

How You Can Help: Ask One, Answer One

Sorry, we kind of stole that one from Tom's Shoes!  During this first couple of weeks, we would be very grateful if you would take the time to help us build up our bank of questions and answers.  Ask one question. Answer one question.

Here are the point incentives we have in place:

  • Ask a Question = 10 points
  • Answer a Question = 25 points
  • Plus, you'll get even more points as other LIKE the questions and answers that you create

In late-December, we'll start featuring your favorite questions on the ActiveRain Home Page and the Daily Drop email.

 

So... get out and their to CONNECT, SHARE, and LEARN with your friends in the community.

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Anna Hatridge
R Gilliam Real Estate LLC - Farmington, MO
Missouri Realtor with R Gilliam Real Estate LLC

Great idea!  I am on my way there now to see what I can learn and maybe contribute.  Thank you.

Nov 20, 2014 02:25 AM
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

I saw this yesterday and posted my first question!  Going back today to see if I can offer any value by answering ... looking forward to this Q&A.

Nov 20, 2014 02:31 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

I think this will be a great tool.  Thanks for adding it and letting us know.

Nov 20, 2014 03:19 AM
Buster Avila
RE/MAX Metro - Saint Petersburg, FL
None

When I click on "Ask a Question" I get a warning page on my browser (Chrome) that I may be geting hacked because the website is not secure (or something like that).  

Also, on a related note, I'm trying to find a broker/agent in Fort Pierce, FL to help with a renter.  And I can't figure out how to find a broker/agent easily on AR.  And that should be easy!  What am I missing? (that would be my question, but I can't ask it)

Nov 20, 2014 03:19 AM
Kerrie La Guardia
ActiveRain, Community Manager - Kirkland, WA
Let it Rain!

Lisa - I would try refreshing your browser or clearing your cookies/history.  This hasn't happened to anyone else that I've heard of and there are many members using the Q&A site.  

Try adding your referral to the Referral Network.  This link can be found on your My Home page, "More to Explore".

Nov 20, 2014 03:27 AM
Jeff&Grace Safrin
F.C.Tucker 1st Team Real Estate - Valparaiso, IN
SpousesSellingHousesTM

Learn something new every day :) Thanks AR

Nov 20, 2014 05:18 AM
Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089
Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI
Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

I wish you success with the new roll out of the Q&A pages.

Nov 20, 2014 06:56 AM
Donna Foerster
HomeSmart Realty Group - Parker, CO
Metro Denver Real Estate Assistant

This is a great idea. I much prefer the peer to peer format. Hopefully you will get the points for answers resolved quickly!

Is there a limit to how many we can ask or answer?

Nov 20, 2014 07:24 AM
Kathleen Luiten
Resort and Second-Home Specialist - Princeville, HI
Kauai Luxury Ocean Home Sales

Good news!

Nov 20, 2014 09:19 AM
Malendaz Coleman
FLAT MLS LISTING SERVICES - Port Charlotte, FL
FLAT FEE MLS LISTING SERVICES - LIST LOW AS $69.00

Adding more value!!!! NICE

Nov 20, 2014 10:54 AM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Sounds like a good idea.

Nov 20, 2014 01:59 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

This is so cool!  I've got to check this out.  I think it's a wonderful ideal.

Nov 22, 2014 08:28 AM
George DeVine
Guaranteed Rate - East Greenwich, RI
Mortgage Banker

 How do I add the "follow me" button on my profile?

Nov 26, 2014 06:01 PM
Liane Thomas, Top Listing Agent
Professional Realty Services® - Corona, CA
Bringing you Home!

Awesome! Thank you for the update and thank you for keeping AR a cut above.

Dec 03, 2014 05:59 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

I like this new approach with one reservation. I've personally thrived with Trulia's Q/A platform primarily because it reaches out to the public. I've garnered almost 150 leads over half of which have converted into some form of business for our company. 

I realize and appreciate what you are saying about spam and scams infiltrating a very credible forum, however, I do wish there was someway this could at some point be achieved. 

I have and will continue to utilize this very special platform as I've already gained tremendously from it. 

Thanks for the heads up update!

Dec 11, 2014 09:21 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

I may have a few questions down the road; however, right now I'm just happy to see this thing!

Dec 23, 2014 01:01 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Truila and their success might have something to teach all of us I'm sure. John DL Arendsen

Dec 23, 2014 01:03 PM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Karen Fiddler, Broker/Realtor 

"I wish that the focus was consumer...in fact if Active Rain can do anything different, it's being more consumer oriented. I know the Google Juice is great for that, but with all the Juice....we could be driving a lot more business to our site from consumers." 

I couldn't agree more. It almost seems kind of pointless to have a Q/A forum and not allow consumers who have very legitimate questions and concerns about RE. 

Especially in light of the fact that they have shut down the Trulia blogging platform and will be deleting the entire blog by the end of January. I'm only assuming that they will also shut down the Q/A.

Don't know where that will leave all the members that have participated on both for so many years. But then that's another subject for another day.

Dec 23, 2014 11:19 PM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

A note:

This is outdated information and points that are rewarded for A&Q have been changed.

Jan 23, 2015 03:46 PM
John Mosier
Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ
Prescott's Patriot Agent 928 533-8142

The Q n A section is a great improvement for the AR community.

Jan 27, 2015 12:37 AM