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How REALTORS® Help - Do you like me now?

Last week I attended the New Brunswick Real Estate Association Annual General Meeting where Bob Linney, CREA's communications guru, delivered an outstanding presentation. One item covered the complete redesign of our Canadian Real Estate Association public web site - How REALTORS® Help - www.howrealtorshelp.ca.

Bob explained that a recent survey of Canadian consumers indicates that a youger demographic is now most likely to be buying a home in the next two years. So it was time for a website makeover to make the REALTOR® message more appealing to this younger group of potential homebuyers.

Here is a screen shot of the home page. Please have a look and feel free to comment on this post. It's a public site so if you like it you can include a link to it in your blog or home page. I'm sure Bob will appreciate comments from both sides of the border.

Posted by Larry Estabrooks, Moncton Real Estate on 03/23/2009 03:23 PM

Comments (11)

How REALTORS® Help in the Online Marketing Channel

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11 Comments on How REALTORS® Help - Do you like me now?

MAR

Hi Larry,

I fought for a year to have the "10 questions to ask a REALTOR" removed from the previous site. They were horrible especially the one that said to ask for referrals and ask if any were from the agent's relatives. The communications committee chair told me they were revamping the whole site.

I still have a few issues with the new site but it certainly is an improvement. How do the consumers down your way feel about the revamping of realtor.ca? People here are not happy with it but I think it's a learning curve. I like the mapping for looking for rural properties.

How is your market? Did I hear you are getting more snow or is it just Nova Scotia?

Take care

Jenny

MAR

Hi Jenny,

I'll be posting another market update for my area just after the end of March. In the mean time you can read my February reports here and here. And I like the new realtor.ca. I blogged about the open house feature.

I also submitted a comment on the former ""10 questions to ask a REALTOR".

And I just submitted the comment below to CREA regarding the new "10 questions to ask when hiring a REALTOR®"

Home owners should interview a few potential REALTORS® before deciding on one to sell their home. Here are some smart questions to ask:

1. How long have you been in the business?
A freshly-licensed REALTOR® can do a wonderful job and will have up-to-date training; those in the business longer bring more practical experience to the table.

I sent an email expressing my concerns about the wording of question #1 and a suggestion:

"Freshly licensed"- modifies REALTOR® - is this a trademark issue? Must not one be licensed to use the trademark REALTOR®? Also every year I have a "fresh" license because it expires and I must renew it.
"will have up to date training"- I have been licensed for over 30 years and I am up to date on all my professional training. In fact I have done some training. If a new course is introduced I am among the first to take it. And often before those who are recently licensed. So please don't suggest that licensees who have been in the business longer may not have up-to-date training. Wouldn't it be better to suggest that consumers ask a REALTOR® for a list of their professional credentials and courses? Many REALTORS®, regardless of the number of years they have been licensed, exceed their minimum requirements of professional education.

PS (Yes Jenny a storm snuck in from the Atlantic and it's snowing and blowing from the nor'east as a write this.)

Thanks for your comments Larry on my blog. Its been busy trying to keep all the balls up in the air but blogging has been worthwhile. I will have to check out this site and see what it's all about.

Cheers.

Greg

Having just read over the 10 questions you should ask when hiring a Realtor and I am really amazed that this is coming from CREA of all places. I think I need someone tell me how this document supports the Real Estate Industry. Where did they come up with this?

To be honest, this looks more like something that was written by FSBO company as a marketing piece. I am not impressed. This is the kind of thing we are paying for with CREA dues? There is almost an anti Realtor tone in the questions.

Eg.

2. What is your average list-to-sales-price ratio?
A listing REALTOR® should hold a track record for negotiating sales prices that are very close to list prices.

I can use this to argue the exact opposite point as suggested here. A Realtor who has a track record record for negotiating a sale price that is close to list may well be underpricing homes for sale and only interested in making the sale, not working for the client to get them top dollar.

Who comes up with this stuff?

Greg

Good point Greg. Perhaps you should email your concerns to CREA. The main email address is info@crea.ca.

MAR

This really irritates me as I was told by CREA that I was the only one who "complained" about the 10 questions. I told them that most REALTORS don't look at it, as it is a public site. I am so glad they got rid of it but I also got irritated with the new site and had to close it up for awhile and will revisit. You don't know how many emails and people I talked to about the 10 questions. Laura Leyser, Barb Sukkau, the committee chair (sorry the name escapes me), and kept being told it was being addressed at a meeting.

I talked to OREA President Gerry Weir when we were at NAR in Nov. and he couldn't believe it. He didn't even know about it. He looked into it as I said it had to be pulled. He said he was told the webiste provider would charge an enormous amount of money to make changes?????

Anyway, it's gone but again, it peeves me that I was told I was the only "complainer".

I will dissect the new site and we can discuss but my first impressions were that it was juvenile, not written by a REALTOR and very scattered and unprofessional. I have seen much better consumer sites that have explained Real Estate in a much more clear and concise manner.

I had asked to be on the leadership or communications committee at OREA last year and ended up on Data Sharing! Wonder where I will end up this year. We do what we can do right?

Well Jenny, that's the real value of this ActiveRain online professional community. Allowing REALTORS® to read the opinions of other REALTORS® and exchange ideas. Know you know that you're not the only one with concerns about www.howrealtorshelp.ca .

Perhaps other REALTORS® will take the time to comment with their opinions on www.howrealtorshelp.ca and keep the discussion going.

MAR

I have two issues with two separate questions:

5. What separates you from your competition?
Key phrases to listen for: assertive, available by phone or e-mail, analytical, able to maintain a good sense of humour under trying circumstances.

In my mind we should be sticking together. I realize that we are competing for listings and sales, but this is not an image we should show the public.

8. How much do you charge?
You don't have to ask if the fee or commission is negotiable, since all real estate fees are negotiated.

I realize this statement is true, but it turns our commission into a bargaining chip and we are well worth what we charge - and yet we are being turned into a garage sale item.

Pam, thank you for your input. I encourage you to express your concerns to CREA.

Larry - I find the new TV add a little "different" to say the least Not what I would have expected from CREA.

Kathy - I'm sure Bob said that the TV ad was also designed to appeal to a younger group. Care to offer any comment on the "10 questions to ask when hiring a REALTOR®" portion of the web site?

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