Help...I'm new at this

Hi Kelly!

There are a lot of free sites out there.  Point2 Agent is the one I use - I can email you an invitation (I get points for that :)  Blogging is still new to me but I guess I'll learn by trying! Good luck to you!

Get a website, but make sure you own your (domain) name - KellyMingerink.com. Your Email should be Kelly@kellyMingerink.com You can redirecct your domain to any url you need to. I can't tell you how important this. Check out godaddy.com to buy your domain name and also for hosting.

P2 is a wonderful free site and the knowledge you get from the other agents in the P2 network is amazing. They are always there to help other member better themselves.

Kelly, There are a few good pieces of advice here, but I have actually built my own site from scratch, and from someone who has experience doing this sort of thing, please allow me to introduce a few suggestions of my own. First, there are multitudes of sources for domain name purchasing and most are very similar in price, Yahoo small business usually has specials running for new users, and they also have space for free sites, in addition to yahoo geocities which has various levels of hosting prices and services, including free. However, I wouldn't suggest using free internet hosting as it is usually very restricted in terms of the amount of space you can use, in addition to limited bandwidth (the amount of traffic your site will be allowed), and they all have some sort of advertising that pops up on your visitors which will create a bad impression for your visitors. Unless you only intend to use your site to allow people to see who you are, contact information, etc. and would generally be giving people your web address manually, from your business card, etc. But free hosting is not something I would ever suggest, especiall to a Realtor.
It took me a long time to learn how to build my site, and learn the internet language (html), in addition to learning how to get my site ranked high in the search engines when people search for various real estate topics in my area through search engines. If this is something you are willing to do, more power to you, for sure! But if you want to concentrate more on getting clients, and closing real estate deals I would suggest opting for a paid subscription to a professional real estate website hosting service that allows for some customization, as this will even take some time to get just right. Plus, most good companies that specialize in real estate websites will have the knowledge and means to help you get higher search engine rankings, in addition to customizable templates, and various other services like allowing visitors to search the MLS through your site, etc. This is very important, because if your visitor can't find the information they're looking for on your site then you can bet your bottom dollar they will just move to the next one! And without high search engine rank, how are people going to find you anyway?
One of the best things to do is a few common search queries for real estate in your area using multiple search engines with common queries like: "homes for sale in where ever you're from", "where ever your from real estate", etc., and see who hosts their sites. Especially the sites that come up repeatedly on the first or second page on various search engines! You can usually tell who's hosting these sites by the signature image links at the bottom of the pages. Click on those links and find out a little more about their pricing, etc. You can bet if these agent's sites are ranked high in search engines then they can help you do the same thing. Make sure to find out everything you can about the company before you buy into it because it's going to be a bit pricey, but believe me it's worth it! Because my site is ranked fairly high in most search results for various queries in my area, I've enjoyed plenty of calls from buyers and sellers, and have been able to aquire multiple listings from my site alone. Plus you can write off the costs as business expenses.

I hope this helps you get your foot in the door... Good luck!

Hi, Kelly!  And welcome!  I would chime in and say a website is a good idea, but I think you've already heard that.  You've already started building a presence on the internet though -- you're blogging!  Depending on my topic, I can write about local things and pop up on the first page of Google within a day or two.  This site will really help you to get a foothold online.  The more you use it, the better off you'll be!

Good luck, and if you have any more questions, just ask!

Ditto, ditto, ditto to all of the above.  WELCOME!  A good book to purchase might be "Reality Blogging" for help on that.  But there are some good older posts that you could probably pull up with a "search" for blogs using "posting help" or writing posts, etc.  You'll find all sorts of great stuff if you just take the time to look around.

Wow, I wish I could help,, only been on here a short time myself. Learning as I go,, Good luck and keep us posted as to your progress. If you find some hidden tricks post them and let us all know.

 

Welcome Kelly, I'm a newbie as well and I will tell you, there isn't a nicer, more supportive group around.  There are so many lovely people willing to help you any way they can.  Good luck.

Kelly,

I see that you've gotten a lot of advice about the website question.  I wanted to offer you a little unsolicited advice.  The picture you are using is not appropriate for business.  It looks as though you are not wearing anything.  Unless your target market is nudists (which would be a valid niche if you wanted to work it), you should really get a new photo taken.  Make sure you don't go to Glamor Shots - they are for personal photos, not business ones.   Get a professional to take your photo.  It really pays. 

And even a good photo should be updated every couple of years.  I've got mine scheduled for very soon - just waiting for the results of a bad haircut to wear off. 

Good luck!