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Real Estate The Old Fashioned Way - Life Before Facebook

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Education & Training with Sell with Soul

Since I got ZERO comments on my last installment of the Real Estate the Old Fashioned Way series (pffft!) I took a little break from the series to salve my wounded ego, but I'm back. Let's see if I can redeem myself with today's ramblings on how we Old Fogies managed to sell houses back in the olden days.

So, today's topic is... Facebook. 

First, let it be known that I love Facebook. LOVE it. I'm heavily involved in shelter dog rescue and the rescue world revolves around Facebook. I credit Facebook for singlehandedly saving the lives of hundreds/thousands/maybe even millions of shelter animals and for that, I am eternally grateful. 

But that's a topic for a different day. 

Back in the day (mid-to-late 1990's) the only real online entertainment we had was solitaire. Oh, and Free Cell. So, if you got a little bored during your work day, you could open up a game of online cards and kill a few minutes (or hours) to clear your head. 

 

But you know what *my* Facebook was in the 1990's? Take a guess...

THE MLS!

Yeah, seriously! When I wanted/needed a little break from my work, I would log onto the good old dos-based Multiple Listing Service and see what was new in my world! 

Any new listings in my preferred neighborhood? Oh, did that awesome Victorian go under contract? Any new hot hot hot investment properties for my 10 amateur investors? I wonder if that listing I interviewed for last week went active (since I haven't heard back from them)? 

Yeah, I was an MLS junkie.

And it served me well. Instead of puttering around on Facebook, Instagram or MSN.com, I surfed the MLS, keeping myself up-to-the-minute in touch with my local real estate market. And, a lot of times, I'd see a new listing that looked PERFECT for my first time buyer/investor/out-of-state buyer and be inspired to race right out and preview it. And then to contact my buyer and let them know about it. And then show it to them. And then sell it to them :-)

Real Estate the Old Fashioned Way - the Series
A Series with Soul
Remember the Big Book of Listings?
The Keeper of the MLS  

Turn OFF the GPS 

Face2Face Contracts?

Life Before Facebook

 

 

 

Posted by

It's Here!

 

The More Fun You Have Selling Real Estate, the More Real Estate You Will Sell! 
(True Story)
Order Your Here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments (9)
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Esther Preston
Heartland Realty - Redmond, OR

Thank you for sharing these great post. I'm  a bookmarking these to refer back too

Jun 20, 2016 02:13 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hello Jennifer, the old days, free cell, remember it well.  Not a fan of facebook because I got hack in it so not on it much any more.  Great blog back!

Jun 20, 2016 02:14 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Hi Jennifer - the way we receive information has certainly been transforned in the last twenty years.  The only constant is change.

Jun 20, 2016 05:20 AM
Kaye Swain
Keller Williams Real Estate Roseville CA - Roseville, CA
Your Roseville Real Estate Agent

 

Jun 20, 2016 06:12 AM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

Chuckling as I'm really showing my age when I say I had printed MLS at my disposal ... and printed plat maps, etc. to work with and lug around when I was appraising, Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn.  And yes, you could find my nose buried in them during down times ... studying and just roaming things of interest.  I like Facebook and the ease with which you can share there ... but beyond that, I prefer my old books ...

Gene 

Jun 24, 2016 12:56 AM
John Martelotti
KW Staten Island - Staten Island, NY
Your Staten Island, NY Real Estate Resouce!

It is true, social media is a major distraction for everyone. Facebook can be a huge time sucking device, but put it to the proper use and it can really help your business.

Oct 10, 2016 04:03 AM
Karen McCall
McCall's Real Estate - Bostic, NC

We have a KW agency in our area who is using Facebook like no one I've seen, they are doing it right. They have a huge local following. They're posting Coming Soon Listings and hosting an open house for the public the first Saturday they go live, and they time it to go live the day they list, so they get a great turnout. The last house they listed was under contract in 1 day. Facebook is a fantastic resource for building community. Now I'd like some help with advertising. Every time I try to advertise a listing, it comes back denied. Says it appears I'm trying to publish a real estate listing.... I am open to suggestions. 

Sep 20, 2018 07:42 AM
Bruce Hicks

Did you get any replies on this one? Happy New Year 2019Karen McCall !

Dec 28, 2018 04:33 PM
Bruce Hicks
Best Homes Hawaii - Honolulu, HI
Your Best Hawaii Realtor!

Aloha Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn .  My outlook reminder just had me re-log back in to the Consulting Professional.  It is sad that I am the ONLY one on Oahu and there are only THREE in the state.  But then I only see one in Alaska too.  As for Facebook, I still haven't got the knack to be doing Real Estate on FB, (have 250 friends but they are all 5,000 miles from us), while I have had some success with referrals from AR.  Maybe you could post here at least once a month.

Dec 28, 2018 04:31 PM
Kat Palmiotti
406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR® - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

I look at the MLS on a regular basis - I have also said, hmmm, this might be a great house for such-and-such as a result. And I use Facebook also!

 

Jan 06, 2019 03:22 AM
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