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Curiouser and Curiouser – Down the Internet Rabbit Hole

By
Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty of California, Inc. CA DRE #01490977

Curiouser and Curiouser

~ Down the Internet Rabbit Hole We Go ~

 

Is there anyone who hasn’t read Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?” Probably not too many of us.

 

Or perhaps you’ve seen one of the movie versions.

 

Have you been down the Internet rabbit hole? My bet is you have…on many occasions, like me. I know when it’s happening but sometimes it’s hard to stop it from occurring, despite my best intentions. Do you find that, too, sometimes?!

 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - from Pixabay 

 

The Internet, confound it, offers us plentiful opportunities to venture down the rabbit hole, for hours if we aren’t careful...taking us away from other business or personal stuff we intended, or needed, to do. That simple client question, for example, can become something much more. Oh, what we can find down that rabbit hole!

 

And it seems to happen all too easily if we aren’t watchful and maintain control.

 

You know what I mean…admit it!

 

You start to do some research, or even get on your MLS for a quick home search, and before you know it one website leads to another link, that leads to another question and website, and another link, and another website, and then a video, and...

 

Before you know it human curiosity has taken over, and 30 minutes later, or worse, you realize you have ventured far afield from where you thought you were going. Or had planned to. And all because of the Internet.

 

It’s both a curse and an asset.

 

No question the Internet is an amazing place for research and learning. Granted, some of what’s out there is suspect, or contradictory, or downright untruthful. But there’s no doubt we all search on Google (or pick your search engine of choice) frequently for all manner of things.

 

How often does a day pass without you touching the Internet at least once? Very few I bet.

 

It’s not just in our real estate business lives but on the personal side of things, too. The allure of the Internet is always there, at our fingertips on our phones, beckoning us to just enter a keyword or phrase and then click…or use Siri, or our voices to do the searching for us.

 

Perhaps it’s the ease of access that makes it hard to resist. After all, a quick question won’t take long, right?!

 

But along comes the White Rabbit and before you know it down that hole you go, without even thinking about it, just like Alice did.

 

No doubt some people are better at resisting diving down that rabbit hole than others. Or escaping before getting sucked in too far and losing sight of the original reason for getting on the Internet in the first place. And realizing how much time has actually passed.

 

There’s no question the Internet can be a huge time suck if we’re not careful. The wealth of information that’s available, the unknowns that lie ahead with just a simple click, and our innate curiosity can lead us to spend more time in the Internet world than we ever intended.  

 

That may or may not be a good thing, depending on your perspective, what you discover down the hole, and the time invested.

 

OUR REAL ESTATE WEBSITES

Consider our real estate websites, for example. Isn’t part of the intent to capture someone’s eye, lure them in, and keep them there for a while as they click away happily, learning as they go. Checking out our listings, looking at videos, reading about our services and success stories, touring our communities, spending time on our IDX, and more. A rabbit hole hopefully worth visiting and one specifically designed to keep someone there for a while.

 

I have no guilt about that, do you?

 

OUR BLOGGING

A well-done blog post can lure someone down a rabbit hole as well, can’t it? Internal links opening new windows to hopefully keep readers from leaving our blog. A link to our real estate website. Internal links to other relevant posts we’ve written.

 

We create a rabbit hole of sorts by generating enough interest so the reader clicks to read more about what we have to say about real estate, our communities and related issues.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

And who hasn’t popped down the social media rabbit hole multiple times – Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest  – with the intent of having “just a quick look” at what our friends are doing and saying, or reading our notifications. You know exactly what I mean. The reality of time passing, and our awareness of it, are often at odds while in the Rabbit Hole. It’s an alternate universe of sorts there, where time gets distorted.

 

WHAT WE’VE GAINED AND LOST

With the Internet we have gained a truly amazing resource and communication vehicle we can hold in our hands. It enables us to conduct our real estate business and to communicate in ways never imagined years ago – there are both pros and cons to this.

 

Perhaps what we have lost, or can lose, is a sense of control if we don’t watch carefully, and focus on our use of time. Rabbit holes beckon us constantly, and an occasional dive down one is not necessarily bad. But it’s important to keep control of our time and avoid distractions, in business and our personal lives. Time is precious, and too much of it spent in rabbit holes isn't productive.

 

This is an entry in the January 2022 Challenge hosted by Gary Frimann and Kathleen Daniels.

Posted by

Jeff Dowler, CRS
Certified Residential Specialist / Realtor®


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Comments (23)

Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Jeff Dowler, CRS if you look up "rabbit hole" you may likely find my name and photo. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. 

The best ones for me are when I am researching. The deeper I go the better my end product. 

There are times when I am "killing time" by taking a break and playing on social media. 

Thank you for participating in the January 2022 challenge. I enjoyed reading your post. 

Jan 11, 2022 01:24 PM
Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

Hi Jeff Dowler, CRS - What a wonderful take on this challenge. I agree completely with Ron and Alexandra Seigel.  You are so right...it is a curse and a blessing at the same time.  You may have noticed that I don't spend a lot of time on FB or Instagram or other social media.  Otherwise, I do go down that "Rabbit Hole".  Most of the time I am looking for properties for buyers and that is where I spend my internet time. 

Jan 11, 2022 01:26 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Thank you Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist 

Many of us are guilty! Good research takes time, and that's usually time well spent. So often the rabbit holes are wasted time.

Jeff

Jan 11, 2022 01:59 PM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Jeff I have been down that hole more times than I care to admit.  It is a hole that sneaks up on you!!!

Jan 11, 2022 02:22 PM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist

Sneaks up and then chases us George Souto 

Jan 11, 2022 04:30 PM
Ray Henson
eXp Realty of California, Inc. (lic. #01878277) - Elk Grove, CA
Realtor

Sometimes, I am sucked down the rabbit hole and am pulled back out by one of my clients.  Hopefully, they did not notice that I went astray.  Great post!

Jan 11, 2022 03:00 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Ha ha George Souto  You and me both. 

It can be tough to escape, can't it?!

Jeff

Jan 11, 2022 04:38 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Thank you Sheri Sperry - MCNE® 

I have cut back on social media some because it just becomes too much time.

Jeff

Jan 11, 2022 04:40 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Raymond Henson, eXp Realty 

No doubt it happens to them as well from time to time. Nice to be rescued, though, right?

Jeff

Jan 11, 2022 04:43 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Well done Jeff!  I love exploring the internet and I cannot tell you how many times I've been down that hole. In fact, I've been down there so many times that I have an escape ladder with my name on it. 

Jan 11, 2022 07:06 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Ha ha Kathy Streib 

That's great - that way you don't have to hunt around for the right ladder, or the right door as Alice did.

Jeff

Jan 11, 2022 07:46 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Jeff - I admit to Internet rabbit hole adventures.  In fact, there are some who say I may even embrace them.  I feel I don't do it with reckless abandon in spite of "talk" to the contrary.  🤣

Jan 12, 2022 03:42 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Good morning Jeff -  down the rabbit hole is a great description of the Internet.  If we are not disciplined, we can venue from one site to the other.  On the other hand this has help us reach more potential clients.

Jan 12, 2022 03:53 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

What a great analogy, Jeff... I think everyone of us at some point went down that rabbit hole. Always felt the biggest time such was social media and I spend as little time there as possible, as a result.

Jan 12, 2022 05:01 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

Such a great entry to the challenge!  I have definitely gone down quite a few rabbit holes myself, haha.

Jan 12, 2022 05:07 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

You are absolutely right. It's so easy to get sucked down an Internet rabbit hole - we have to be strict with ourselves regarding how much time we will allow (if any) for the rabbit hole excursions.

Jan 12, 2022 05:09 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Michael Jacobs  They certainly CAN be enjoyable, with some good learning - perhaps that's the appeal.

Jeff

Jan 12, 2022 08:10 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Grant Schneider 

Being disciplined is certainly important. It's a challenge sometimes. 

Jeff

Jan 12, 2022 08:15 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Nina Hollander, Broker  Thank you!

I think social media can really do a number on our time if we are not careful.

Jeff

Jan 12, 2022 08:16 AM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Jeff Dowler, CRS Just like Alice I think you know that logic doesn't always work and there are days we all fall down that rabbit hole . There are also days that the sun shines and we are ultra productive One of my favorite days is Tuesdays when I get to  Zoom with many of my favorite AR friends on the Internet chat some and learn something special too . To me that is MAGICAL :-) 

Jan 12, 2022 04:55 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Hannah Williams 

I agree with all you said. The Zoom meetings are wonderful, even if we can't be there every week.

Jeff

Jan 12, 2022 08:03 PM