As real estate agents we work with facts, opinions and what we think are facts, but might not be.
The house has four bedrooms. FACT...at least usually...don't get me started on that firetrap in the basement with the small window the listing agent called a bedroom.
Your home should sell for X dollars and in X amount of time. An OPINION (hopefully based on facts, but still just an educated guesstimate).
The HOA fee is $325/year. Was a FACT in 2013 when I wrote the post, today it might be outdated information.
As bloggers we're going to cover an entire gamut of topics. Some purely fact based (local events for instance), some purely opinion (why Zillow/part time agents/dual agency are the worst thing about real estate), and some a bit of a mix (e.g. market reports are based on fact, but then we use those facts to form opinions to inform buyers and sellers of actions we recommend).
A typical blogger will (at least for certain topics) present as the "expert".
With that tag of "expert" comes great responsibility to get our facts right, be it for other Rainers or for the consumer.
If we're off with our facts, consumers are going to notice. For instance that HOA fee being no longer current? I got a call from a resident in that subdivision to let us know. Older posts that tout new construction in a subdivision that has now finished all new construction? Another case where a FACT became outdated.
Our credibility rests on the ability to accurately obtain and present facts. There's little opportunity to put the horse back in the barn once out.
And as far as opinions? That's a minefield in itself if you dare to venture into politics or whether some quarterback in San Francisco should stand up or stay seated during the national anthem.
Me personally, I'm going to stay focused on posts that attract business and not drive it away.
And as readers, we have to operate under "Trust but verify" principles. What might be factually accurate in one area of the country may be TOTALLY wrong for our area of the country. Or the author may have a fundamental flaw in their facts that leads us down the wrong path if we just accept what we're told.
Just remember what Abraham Lincoln said "Everything on the Internet is true!"
Until next Tuesday, just Ask An Ambassador if you need help!
Liz and Bill aka BLiz
Comments(37)