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Does anyone use MySpace?

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Mortgage and Lending with The best place EVER!
So who amongst the Rainers here use MySpace to promote their business?  And have you gotten any real business?  I have a page there and I have labeled it about my business.  However I've never gotten any business from it and was thinking I should delete everything about mortgages from it.  I have a pretty interesting circle of friends and they sometimes leave comments that are slightly less than professional.  I do like the comments because of my twisted sense of humor, but I don't want people to think negatively of me because of their comments.  Hmmmm..... what to do what to do??

Comments (18)

Marc Blasi
Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Hi Tony-

I started a MySpace page too - but I stopped.

While it may be fun in a strictly personal, social sense - I've heard that it can kill you professionally.

Be careful!

May 11, 2007 02:01 PM
Rahil Pirani
Pirani Marketing Group - Rockford, IL

Hey Tony,

Though I too have a myspace page, I keep it out of my business life.  Though there any many people on myspace, demographically speaking, the site is aimed at users between 14 & 22.  A Majority of their users seem to be high schoolers and still in college.  

I don't think MySpace is truly aimed at adults.... but that's just my opinion. 

May 11, 2007 02:06 PM
Christina Williams. REALTOR® TN property search & local insights
First Realty Company - Crossville, TN

I started a my-space to keep in touch with a few family/friends who started using it as a different way of communication I assume. I labeled my site as marketing. I have not received any leads as of yet. but if you keep it simple and business orientated I don't see how it could be of any harm.

 

May 11, 2007 02:16 PM
Elizabeth Ruvo
Watson Realty Corp. - Ormond Beach, FL
BA, CRB

I agree with Rahil.  MySpace is for not for adults or for business.  The only adults there are the perverts and the parents trying to find out what their kids are doing.  If the parents see you there, they might get the wrong idea - hence, Marc's comment that it can kill you professionally.

What to do? Remove yourself from MySpace and spend your time on professional sites like ActiveRain.

May 11, 2007 02:17 PM
Tony D. Howell
The best place EVER! - Wilmington, NC

Marc....yeah, that's what I'm worried about  *sigh*

Rahil...I disagree about the target age range.  I see pages all the time of people 30+.  While there are a lot of kids on there, there are plenty of adults that use it all the time.  The reason I even posted this blog is because I found a local realtor on there who is 40+.  However, she does keep it private...I wonder what she's hiding on there?  LOL

May 11, 2007 02:20 PM
Larry Bettag
Cherry Creek Mortgage Illinois Residential Mortgage License LMB #0005759 Cherry Creek Mortgage NMLS #: 3001 - Saint Charles, IL
Vice-President of National Production
I started myspace as well....kicked it to the curb....
May 11, 2007 02:51 PM
Bill Somerset
Re/Max Realty Group - Dover, NH
ABR, e-PRO - Realtor - NH Real Estate Agent
I too got rid of my page.  You have to remember everything out there is visible to the public. 
May 11, 2007 03:02 PM
Jacqulyn Richey
Prominent Realty Group - Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas Real Estate

I've thought about putting up a page for Jacqui there, but the site overall doesn't seem all that....professional to say the least. Its more like a giant college dorm and I think there are other social networking sites that would be more of a benefit than myspace. I've had more contacts through http://claimid.com/jacqulynrichey and http://usrealtors.ning.com/profile/lasvegasrealestate Kids haven't invaded these sites and the focus is more professional IMO. -Charles

May 11, 2007 03:11 PM
Dan Lesher
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty - Fredericksburg, VA
SVP, Associate Broker, CRB, CRS, gCertified
After look at your myspace it looks like you and your friends have a little too much fun to be using the site to generate business:)
May 11, 2007 03:15 PM
Roger Stensland
Keller Williams Realty Puget Sound - Maple Valley, WA
Let's Move!
I have looked at My Space and don't care for it even a little.  I haven't given any thought to using if for real estate, though.  It could be OK for that.
May 11, 2007 04:21 PM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon
I use my space, but his never gotten me any business.
May 21, 2007 05:39 PM
Ann Guy
NA - Allentown, PA
Tony-I do have a myspace account. I have gotten a few inquiries about loans, but nothing came of it. However, I do remind everyone that I do mortgages because I know most of "my friends" personally (they are family, friends....
May 22, 2007 07:31 AM
Tony D. Howell
The best place EVER! - Wilmington, NC
Thanks Ann...good point.  I decided to make it private anyway.  Anyone on my list is a personal friend or a family member.  I will keep something about mortgages on it in case one of them ever has a question.  I found out my first cousin went to LendingTree.com and applied online last week.  They quoted her something like 7.0% with an APR of like 9.89%.  She has no idea of what any of that means and thought it sounded like a good deal.  I would LOVE to see a GFE on that quote!  She FINALLY remembered that I do loans and gave me a shot.  I'm getting her done at 6.0% with a 6.09% APR.  Those damn internet companies...trying to rape her in fees.  ughhhhhh!
May 22, 2007 10:00 AM
Eddie Bigness
Keller Williams Realty - Walnut Creek, CA

I am a Realtor and have had the same thing happen. Some of my friend post some things clients should not be seeing. There is a place to post home for sale, but most people will not be on myspace looking for a loan or search for a house.

 Eddie Bigness

May 22, 2007 10:41 AM
Jane E. Haas
Jane Haas Photography - Davenport, FL
My space is not for perverts or overprotective parents! lol  What kind of people did you add????  I have 102 friends on my page and get questions regarding real estate from people all the time, advertise my open houses, virtual tours, add advice to my blogs.... I use it as a marketing tool!
ANY type of marketing, if done wrong, can kill you professionally! 
Check out my page:  http://myspace.com/janehaas
Everyone on my page is in their 30's and 40s and no, they are not perverts and not many of them have kids - I know  90% of them!  lol  Don't be an assumer!
May 22, 2007 11:10 AM
Jane E. Haas
Jane Haas Photography - Davenport, FL
By the way, you can simply select the option to approve all comments that are posted so that no embarrassing comments suddenlly appear.  That is what i've done.
May 22, 2007 11:47 AM
Joe Long
Waterstone Mortgage - Madison, WI
Purchase Perfect
I have a myspace and I have the same fears.  However, any comments I recieve that are less than savory I immediately delete.  I have also made contact with several old friends through MySpace.  If my friends on there were that out of control I would immediately delete the page but I have been fine so far.
May 26, 2007 06:45 AM
Carolyn Dubrofsky
Charleston Your Home - Mount Pleasant, SC
I also have a myspace page, and I agree with Jane Haas. I have over 73 friends and as far as I know none of them are perverts (but who really knows nowadays). As in life you learn to choose your friends carefully. I always check out each friend request personally, and don't accept the ones that are not appropriate. As far as comments are concerned I treat them just like I do on my personal blog, I have set my Wordpress settings so that I must approve each comment before it's posted. This works out fine for me because I am working on my computer a lot, and I get an alert once a comment has been made. Myspace is just another tool in my marketing arsenal to connect with the GenX, GenY and Millennials.
May 26, 2007 11:56 AM