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Welcome to the First Time Homebuyer Group Now Read the Rules

By
Mortgage and Lending with iBrandPlan.com - Grow your e-Profile & Brand

This is a place for people who specialize in working with first time home buyers to post their articles helpful to those clients. Realtors, Mortgage Professionals, Home Inspectors, Attorneys, Credit Repair Speciailists and more are welcome to join and participate. Articles posted here should have the customer as the audience and not other professionals. There are plenty of groups you can join to blog something for other professionals to read.

We do have one, simple rule against blatant advertising which we want to make clear for all who participate. If you are deemed to be in voilation of this rule, your blog article will be removed and you will receive an email warning and clarification of the rules on advertising. Any second offense we will ask you to leave the group and we DO NOT want that to happen. Here is the rule regarding blatant advertising.

An article that's main "advice" is to contact you or your company is an advertisement and is not acceptable.

Here are a few examples:

"Do you want a Realtor you can trust? Call me....."

"Afraid of getting a bad mortgage loan? Call our company for...."

"Not sure of the market value in your area? Our office can help...."

Instead, answer the questions with good information. If the reader agrees it's good info they will seek you out for more help.

Suggestions for writing great articles:

1) Lists work - top 10 ways to choose a realtor, Top 5 things you should know about....

2) Update and repost an earier article, instead of posting a new blog that has 15 links to all of the great articles you wrote over the last year. Summary blogs are frustrating for many to navigate and they won't click through more than one or two links.

3) Write to the customer. Make the client your audience.

Lastly - the below are examples of blog articles that will be removed from the group. Remember a group is effective if it remains on course. If the scope is too broad (like "Realtors") or the adherence to the theme isn't upheld, then the group loses it's effectiveness.

1) blogs for members only - this is a group for first time homebuyers who are consumers. Members only posts aren't in line with the theme of this group

2) blogs about property listings - while your listing may be great for a first time homebuyer - this is also not in the theme of the group. A listing is not educational and is relevant only to a very small geographic readership.

 

Good luck and please provide any feedback to ken@homeloandfw.com

Show All Comments Sort:
Tom Burris
NMLS# 335055 - Baton Rouge, LA
Texas/Louisiana Mortgage Pro - 13 YRS Experience

doh....

i think you may have your first violator. LOL

I will look thru my posts that I copied over and remove any that are mostly adverts

 

Aug 23, 2007 01:12 PM
Ken Stampe
iBrandPlan.com - Grow your e-Profile & Brand - Dallas, TX
iBrandPlan
yeah, you may consider the refinancing posts in a first time homebuyer forum as well. Sincerely, thanks for being the first joiner and poster.
Aug 23, 2007 04:16 PM
Kory Benken
Keller Williams Realty - Lake Mary, FL
REALTOR, G.R.I.

Ken,

Thanks for the tips. I pretty new to Active Rain and blogging in general.  I'm glad you wrote this!  Thanks for inviting me to your group! I posted my recent blog "Is now the right time to buy?" like you asked.  I think this group is a great idea!

Kory

Aug 24, 2007 05:36 AM
Jacqulyn Richey
Prominent Realty Group - Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas Real Estate
Thanks for the invite Ken. -Charles
Aug 24, 2007 09:54 AM
Tracy Santrock
Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC
Raleigh - Cary Broker
Great idea for a forum.  This will be a great addition to AR.
Sep 07, 2007 12:31 AM
Ken Stampe
iBrandPlan.com - Grow your e-Profile & Brand - Dallas, TX
iBrandPlan
Just a quick note. "Members Only" Posts are going to be removed from the First Time Homebuyer Group. The group is primarily for consumers as the audience. Just ask me if you have any questions.
Sep 10, 2007 06:48 AM
Ken Stampe
iBrandPlan.com - Grow your e-Profile & Brand - Dallas, TX
iBrandPlan

One other note, this group is designed and intended to be educational and informative. Property listings are promoted by Active Rain mainly to grow the localism.com site.

While you may have a home you feel is a great buy for a first time homebuyer, advertising listings will be deleted from the group. Nothing personal, it just isn't in the spirit of the group.

As always, ask me if you have any questions.

Sep 13, 2007 03:32 PM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Hi Ken!  Seems like a great group and informative for Buyers.  We are new to Active Rain, but will do our best to adhere to your guidelines!  Hopefully posting good content soon! 

Mar 21, 2009 01:36 AM
Lori Cain
Own Tulsa - Tulsa, OK
Midtown Tulsa Real Estate Top Producer

Thanks for the clarification. I just joined this group -- I am a member of First Time Buyer, which is a different blog, I guess. At least one article I posted there would be useful here. Can I repost?

Jun 05, 2009 07:25 AM
Will Nesbitt
Nesbitt Realty at Condo Alexandria - Alexandria, VA
Nesbitt Realty is a family-run brokerage.

The best kind of advertisting is blatant advertising. ;^)

Jan 02, 2010 09:47 PM
Roberta Kayne
Dublin & Central Ohio Homes - Dublin, OH
CRS, ABR, SFR, RRS, Realtor, Re/Max Affiliates

Thanks for the tips.  I just posted a Homebuyer Seminar announcement.  Is that considered an advert?

Jan 20, 2010 07:55 AM
Arlene Fisher Blaker
FitzGerald Financial Group - Owings Mills, MD
Arlene Blaker Doing business the RIGHT way

I joined the group 3 minutes ago and I do understand the rules article. It is a fact that First Time Home Buyers are the biggest and most positive niche in the Real Estate Business for new growth.

 

Apr 22, 2014 07:01 AM
Dana Hollish Hill
Hollish Hill Group, JPAR Stellar Living - Bethesda, MD
REALTOR * Broker * Coach

Thanks for spelling that all out right up front. 

Oct 03, 2014 01:52 AM