real estate: Google Gets Out of the Real Estate Business
- 01/27/11 05:14 AM
Google has decided to drop its practice of displaying real estate listings through its Google Base classifieds. In short, you won't be able to search on a map for real estate listings. While many real estate professionals feared that a large organization like Google would take over the online real estate market, this merely confirms my feelings: Aggregators and scrapers cannot verify the validity of their real estate data, and therefore cannot provide a reliable or enjoyable real estate experience online.There is a reason that local MLSs get the most web traffic from home buyers--combine the traffic from the millions of local agent/brokerage sites … (3 comments)
real estate: Finding Your Blog's Feed - RSS
- 01/13/10 04:07 AM
Many products I've blogged about require you to have your blog's RSS feed URL. This is just the web address that is the distribution point of your blog's data--the "outbox" for your blog posts. With twitterfeed, feedburner, and many other syndication/RSS feed sites, you'll need to find this URL to duplicate your posts all over the web. Here are a few quick links to help you find your feed: For Activerain, your URL is fairly simple: http://activerain.com/blogs/YOUR-USER-NAME-HERE/rss Don't forget to replace YOUR-USER-NAME-HERE with your actual user name. Others can take a bit of searching, here's a start: For a Wordpress Blog For … (21 comments)
real estate: Auto-feed your Blog/RSS to Twitter and Facebook
- 01/13/10 03:41 AM
If you're looking for an easy way to get your information to multiple sites at once, you may want to try twitterfeed. You can automatically have your blog posts from ActiveRain or any other blog show up on your twitter account, your facebook page, and many other places without ever having to log in.
It's as simple as this: Signup for a twitterfeed account. Find the URL for each of your blogs' RSS feeds. Set up a feed for each of these blogs in twitterfeed, and select where you'd like the information to be duplicated - on Twitter, Facebook, … (16 comments)
I'm not too worried about the real estate industry. Yes, Google has quickly morphed from a darling tech startup to the 800 lb gorilla of media. At a certain point, the shine will wear off and anti-trust lawsuits will flow like coffee for the "we're not Microsoft" company. For now, though, Google has created far more information accessibility for the common user. So far, … (14 comments)
real estate: Twitter Karma - Manage Your Followers on Twitter
- 01/13/10 02:49 AM
Twitter can become overwhelming when you're following large numbers of people, and the most important posts are always buried. When you find yourself tired of "unfollowing" people over and over, it's time for a tool that more easily manages your followers. Twitter Karma allows you to follow/unfollow large numbers of Twitter users at once. I'm not endorsing the product, but it seems to be working well so far. You can view all of your following/followers at once, and check off many different users who aren't useful to you any more and bulk unfollow them. I started following far too many people when … (8 comments)
real estate: Feature your recent blog posts on other web pages with a Feed Widget
- 01/13/10 02:36 AM
I found a few new tools that would be helpful for Realtors in spreading their blog posts around their sites a bit more. Try a Feed Widget. This is basically a small window that you can place on any page of your website that will show your most recent blog posts in a nice, compact, space that's also visually appealling. I'm not endorsing any one product, but this one from Grazr.com is a nice starting point:
It can be placed in a sidebar or anywhere else on your site. This does have the unfortunate ad at the bottom, but hey, … (4 comments)
real estate: Real Estate Blog Signature
- 01/03/10 04:13 PM
So many posts, so little attention paid to the signature (myself included). Help your clients find what they want quickly. Sam DeBord and Brian WiegandSeattleHome.com - Washington State Realty - (206) 658-3225Real Estate Brokers, Realtors, Green Certified Pros
… (8 comments)
real estate: Quotes for 2010 Real Estate
- 12/30/09 03:07 AM
I'm not big on cheesy inspirational quotes, but this short list of straight forward motivators really applies to our work (thanks to John Occhi's post). This is good advice for anyone working in real estate or really any industry that requires self-motivation. If you're self-employed, this means you. Worried about the coming inflation, government spending, job losses, business expenses, higher tax rates, etc? Worrying won't help. Get out there and make some money. Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.~ THOMAS A. EDISON If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.~ JONATHAN WINTERS Most people never … (4 comments)
real estate: REBar Bellevue - Quick thoughts on the day
- 10/06/09 09:51 AM
Rebar mini camp in Bellevue was good half day of information. There were some very informative attendees, good topics, an overall educational camp. I can see how these last a full day easily. We could have had quite a few more sessions. I've heard more discussion lately of "levels" of classes needing to be offered. Some discussions get bogged down in beginner minutiae, which is great for those just learning to use the technologies. There aer a handful of real estate pros in these same sessions that could really pow-wow into a smaller group and discuss the higher-level issues they're working … (2 comments)
real estate: Luxury Foreclosure Sales - Million-Dollar-Plus Bank-Owned Homes Sold in Seattle, 2009
- 10/02/09 01:55 PM
Foreclosures aren't always boarded-up windows, stained carpets, and concrete-filled toilets. These bank-owned properties are high-end luxury homes that have sold in the Greater Seattle metro this year for over $1 million. Not too shabby for "distressed" properties. Kirkland - Holmes Point$1,500,000This lakeview home has 6000 sq ft of living space, was built in 2007. It has a boat slip, a theatre, and an elevator. I wonder if any bank executives spent a weekend here "researching" the property. Seattle - Magnolia$1,350,000This 6 bedroom, 4.5 bath house took just one week on the market to sell. The new owners got a 4700 sq ft new … (1 comments)
real estate: REBar Camps - Technology Education from Real Estate Pros - Bellevue is Next
- 10/01/09 03:34 AM
REBar camps are the latest in real estate technology training/education. The one-day "anti-conferences" and half-day mini-camps are free events, attended and staffed by technology-minded real estate pros discussing the cutting edge trends that affect our ability to market, sell, connect, and communicate with our clients and customers.
The next REBar in the Northwest is in Bellevue, on October 6 from 9-12 am. I missed the full day REBar in Seattle last month (clients don't wait), and I heard from those involved that it was well worth it. This isn't a day of listening to salesmen hawk their wares, it's really a meeting of the … (0 comments)
real estate: Russell Investments Moves to Seattle, Purchases WAMU Center Commercial Real Estate
- 09/10/09 04:00 PM
The newest company to join the Seattle skyline is Russell Investments, formerly of Tacoma, WA. Known for it's industry-standard Russell 1000 and Russell 2000 indexes, the company is well known by investors and institutions across the country. They manage around $150 billion in funds and assets for large institutions and conglomerates. One of Russell's biggest factors in the decision to move was the availability of inexpensive commercial real estate in downtown Seattle. The WAMU center, assessed for $300 million, was sold by Chase to Russell for just $115 million. The building has been largely empty since Chase took over WAMU operations, … (0 comments)
real estate: Seattle Foreclosure Listings Not Increasing on the MLS
- 09/08/09 03:17 PM
Bank-owned homes for sale on the NWMLS in the Seattle area haven't shown a significant change during the summer of 2009. Since June, there have been just about 200 bank-owned homes listed for sale in Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and Shoreline. The numbers for August and the beginning of September have remained very similar. This doesn't mean that there aren't an increased number of Seattle foreclosures. Most numbers point to more foreclosures this year than last. We're probably just seeing a delay in these properties coming to market. Banks are not well equipped to list and sell homes, and they take much … (0 comments)
real estate: Buyer's Market? Not Necessarily If You're A First Time Home Buyer
- 08/28/09 02:42 AM
It's getting a little bit harder for first time buyers to get a real deal on Seattle homes these days. If my personal anecdotes relate at all to the general real estate market in Seattle, there's a real floor being created in prices for entry-level homes. My first time buyer clients are finding that buying a home isn't as easy as making a low-ball offer and waiting for the transaction to close. In the last few weeks: Buyer 1 tried to purchase 2 new construction condos in University District ($200k) and lost out on both to full price offers the same weekend. This developer doesn't … (2 comments)
real estate: Seattle Home Sales Rise Again in July
- 08/06/09 05:32 AM
According to the latest stats from the NWMLS, home sales in the Seattle area are continuing their summer rebound. Based on the number of calls I'm getting from Seattle buyers who are looking to use the $8000 first time home buyer tax credit before the November expiration, I'd imagine this rally will last later into the fall than the usual cyclical summer real estate surge. Total real estate sales in King County were are their highest point in two years, while pending sales were up over 10% in King and Snohomish Counties. While prices in Seattle are still down about 13% compared … (0 comments)
real estate: Add a "Call Me Now" Button to Your ActiveRain Blog - Google Voice Widget
- 08/01/09 08:10 AM
Last week I wrote a post on Google Voice for real estate professionals, how to sign up, and its features/uses. I recently added the Google Voice widget to my ActiveRain blog, and it's easy to set up once you have an account (thanks to Bob Southard in GA for the inspiration). There's one permanently on my sidebar (to the right) and one in this post (below). **If you can't see the widgets, they sometimes load slowly. For reliability, I'd recommend placing them in your sidebar over directly in a post**
You need a Google Voice account first, apply for an invitation at voice.google.com. Set up … (67 comments)
real estate: When will the foreclosure numbers match the bank-owned homes/REO numbers in Seattle?
- 07/29/09 05:42 PM
The number of Seattle bank-owned homes listed on the NWMLS has remained fairly steady throughout the month of June. Even though we have been hearing about total foreclosure numbers rising, the numbers of those homes that are being released on the market by the banks haven't reacted quite yet. At the start of of June, there were around 100 bank-owned homes in Seattle on the MLS, and about 180 total bank-owned homes when Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and Shoreline are included. As we reach the end of June, the numbers are virtually the same, with just a handful of new foreclosed homes on … (0 comments)
real estate: Wallingford condos under $300k - Affordable Seattle homes
- 07/29/09 01:53 AM
The Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle is comprised mainly of single family homes. There are a few pockets of condos, mostly built around the South end of the neighborhood near Lake Union. The majority of Wallingford condos are South of N 40th Street, and close to Gasworks Park, although there have been a few new construction condos built near the business and entertainment center of Wallingford, N 45th Street.
Although prices for condos in Wallingford remain fairly high, there are a handful of good buys for first time buyers or people looking for a bargain in this well-known neighborhood. As of today, … (0 comments)
real estate: Wallingford, Seattle's Most Affordable Homes For Sale
- 07/28/09 03:55 AM
The Wallingford neighborhood of Northwest Seattle is known as being fairly expensive, but there are some houses that have come on the market recently that ease that label. While most Wallingford homes start around $600,000, there are a few houses for sale that are under $550k and worth looking into. Wallingford, seattle There are a couple of townhomes listed at just under $400,000 right now, and both are fairly new construction, good-looking homes. Wallingford doesn't have a lot of townhomes or condos in general, so this is a good first buy to get into the neighborhood without breaking the bank. The … (0 comments)
real estate: Lake Union Views in Seattle - Lowest-Priced Homes
- 07/24/09 09:02 AM
Some of the best water view homes in Seattle are those around Lake Union. From the north end homes looking at the downtown skyline, to Capitol hill's view of Queen Anne and vice-versa, there's a great mix of serene waterfront and bustling city life in the same view. There are a handful of Lake Union view homes available now under $400k, which is fairly affordable considering the neighborhoods that surround the lake. In North Capitol Hill, there's a small 2/1 house at about 1000 square feet. It looks to be a rehab project, but with the location and views, it's a … (0 comments)
Google has decided to drop its practice of displaying real estate listings through its Google Base classifieds. In short, you won't be able to search on a map for real estate listings. While many real estate professionals feared that a large organization like Google would take over the online real estate market, this merely confirms my feelings:
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