Shame on Time Magazine for questioning homeownership on the front cover. Real estate is still the all American Dream!Here’s what I’m hearing today from great sources: It’s challenging to fight people that buy ink by the barrels but we can do our part to share the message.
Interest rates are ridiculously low – large selection – excellent prices – good long term investment – Tax advantages – money is available – pride of ownership.
Be the VOICE for Greater Lansing, Michigan real estate and the rest of the country.
Comments are starting to hit the social media circuts already. Here are a few comments on Facebook and Twitter:
- This is flat out stupid. Homeownership is still the American dream and a good long term investment with many advantages. An overwhelming majority of Americans own a home and a surprisingly large numbers of them are Free and Clear. Shame on Time Magazine.
- Doesn’t surprise me one bit; I have been blogging about this “trend” by intellectuals against housing as the Dream…
- Someone still reads “Time”???
- As an aside…TIME Magazine circulation has dropped by over 30%…as with most MSM they’re losing control…next issue will have Kate Gosselin sharing her insight on Fannie Mae…(Spoiler alert!…She says she likes their chocolate caramels the best!)
Sorry, Time, this is the Digital Age.
“Expect the Best” Mike
Aug 10
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Real Estate Agents and Facebook
Real estate agents, brokers, and other ancillary related businesses will have a rare opportunity on September 16, 2010 at 10 a.m. (EST) when special guest Mike Mueller joins Mike Bowler Sr. on PRETEC to discuss tips, basics and ideas to expand your online reach, make valuable connections, and create new opportunities for your real estate business. Register Today, seating is limited to 100.
Mike is a former Mortgage Banker, Mortgage Broker turned “Tech Geek” who specializes in Social Media Consulting. He is a builder of engaging Custom Facebook Business Pages, blogs and social media engagement plans for his clients.
“Expect the Best” Mike
Posted in Education Realtors Technology social networking by .
This Friday August 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (EST) Real Estate Trends in Social Media 4 Agents & Brokers will be hosted by Mike Bowler Sr. PRETEC, with two dynamic social media gurus to provide you as REALTORS, ideas, tips and professional advice for getting a return on your investment in social media. Limited seating to the first 100 agents and brokers: Register here!
objective evaluation of the market, highlighting the key players and facts of tomorrow.Michael McClure – Professional One @professionalone
Entrepreneur whose primary attributes are creativity, a strong financial background (as a CPA), and an unusually relentless work ethic.
Real estate innovator with a penchant for Social Media:
* Featured panelist at Inman Connect San Francisco, July 13, 2010
* Named one of “50 Most Influential Online” by Inman News, the largest and most widely read real estate news for real estate professionals portal
* Named one of “25 Most Connected Professionals” by Proxio
* Listed as one of “100 Interesting & Influential” by Stefan Swanepoel
* Being ranked #1 in the State of Michigan for all real estate professionals on Twellow.com
* 40,000+ followers on Twitter
Register Right Now! and “Expect the Best”
Posted in Education Training brokers social networking by .
Ethical REALTORS Wanted, Others Need Not Apply. It’s a good Code, that works, but there’s more………. Below is just a small sample of the rules, regulations, codes, standards, and guidelines a REALTOR who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS must follow if they are in good standing with our industry. I could go on with dozens more, however, I think you can see by the list we need to be on top of many, many areas of expertise.Posted in Education Realtors real estate by .
Twitter for real estate agents can be a productive resource and a great marketing tool, if handled properly. Believe me, I’ve learned the hard way by making mistakes, testing what works, what doesn’t work, and how to schedule certain times of the day to get better results.
First let’s look at the profile: Choosing the right profile makes a difference on who you end of following and who may end up following you. I suggest you always have an avatar (photo) and description of who you are or what you do for a living. Using the proper keywords is important in this area, because of the search engines, just like a Blog post would be. Most Tweeters will not follow those who lack these important areas. (Actually Twitter should reject them, but they don’t)
Secondly, let’s look at followers: I made the mistake of using a Twitter tool service at the beginning and ended up with thousands of followers, who I followed back. Now, the reason I say mistake, is that after the social media high wears down, you realize it’s not all about numbers, it’s more about building relationships. Don’t get me wrong, there are some great tools out there to help manage Twitter. When Twitter introduced lists it became much easier to control and focus on my goals with this program.
Links Play a key row: I like Twitter for linking back to articles of interest, my Blog posts and education. You may say, what do mean education? It’s this way, Twitter is a fast paced University on steroids when it comes to learning. I would have to say that next to meeting some really wonderful people on Twitter, (which resulted to in person) that education has been the number two benefit. Have I gotten any business as a result of Twitter? Yes, in more ways than one. As a real estate educator and REALTOR, I have gained business in both areas, as a result of my Twitter connections and I have sent business to some of the best people. So, for you doubters out there, I can tell you that Twitter is one of the better social media tools you have in your arsenal, if managed correctly. REALTORS can get some great Twitter direction and ideas by following @Nik_Nik and requesting a copy of her Twitter for Real Estate Twits.
Re-tweeting or RT is part of the Twitter media that helps develop relationships and shows respect for the content that you have read. In other words, you feel it’s valuable enough to forward on to your followers. I’ve found that most of my friends on Twitter are very tolerant of my re-tweeting when I am providing items of interest and I assume some are not. (Can’t please them all). I usually try to hash tag the tweets to keep them sorted.
There’s much more about twitter for Realtors that can be covered here, however, why get overwhelmed? Check out the above links. Get your FREE Twitter Guide and start Tweeting. If you have questions, feel free to contact me. I’m no expert in this changing game by any means, but I have passion for innovation and Twitter is where it’s at. What do think?
“Expect the Best” Mike
Posted in Technology social networking by .
REALTORS on Facebook Have A Smörgåsbord of Tools – Are You Using Them? Facebook just hit a record membership of 500,000,000 (That’s 500 Million) with over 125,00,000 in the United States. Facebook is not the place to sell, however it’s a great media to share, educate, and inform your friends. Here are a few things to keep in mind when using Facebook:
Your Profile is more on a personal level here than it would be for other medias like LinkedIn or Twitter. You might rotate your photo and be in more of a relaxed dress code. Your profile should still be complete with photo, occupation, hobbies, and former school. I have had more agents tell me about the business they received from former classmates that did not realize they were in the business or had forgotten.
Keep in mind that 50% of our active users log on to Facebook in any given day and have on an average of 130 friends. By sharing good content, building relationships, and commenting on other friends posts you will develop a top of mind awareness that benefits all.
Facebook has more tools than I can discuss here, however the applications are are one area a REALTOR should not overlook. Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube are three that come to mind, however, I would also suggest you setup and RSS on your Blog (You do have a Blog don’t you?) and look seriously at Slide Share for presentations.
Search around Facebook and you will also discover that you can setup your Business Page separately which is a must for REALTORS. Some REALTORS hire someone to do that for them and get a more professional Business Page. (I don’t build them) however, I might suggest you get to know my friend in California, Mike Mueller who does a great job and at a reasonable price. You can Tweet Mike at @MikeMueller (You are on Twitter aren’t you).
Lastly, Facebook has some wonderful Groups you can join to build relationships, share, and get educated on what ever you may be interested in learning. You can even start your own group, make it public or private, and link it to your Wall. (Here’s my PRETEC Group)
I recommend REALTORS start out with Facebook, build a good profile and get involved with your family, friends and peers. Facebook discribes their platform as a place where millions of people keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. Remember, Facebook is for Friends.
Posted in Education Realtors real estate by .
Over 70 million professionals use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas and opportunities online. REALTORS, are you one of them?
LinkedIn offers a wonderful opportunity for REALTORS to complete a FREE profile with their business description, photo, education and much more. This is your resume online. You may be saying, hey, why do I need a resume? Well, it’s this way; you wake up every morning unemployed in this business. Why not provide something that tells clients, customers, contacts and future buyers and sellers what you do for a living? LinkedIn says: Your LinkedIn profile is discoverable through the millions of searches on search engines and on LinkedIn. You are in complete control over what others see on your profile, so leverage this to showcase your skills and talents so the right people and opportunities find you. The recommendations are an important part to also have you satisfied customers write a short review of your service.
The Applications that LinkedIn offers are also great for REALTORS to add a slide show, an RSS Feed of your Blog, and your favorite links. These powerful tools allow you as a real estate agent to place your presentations for buyers, sellers and investors within your profile. The links can extend right to your website for searching properties.
Another feature I like about LinkedIn is the Question and Answer platform that allows you to zero in on real estate and finance questions or just about any other subject you may be interested in. As you build your contacts you will begin to develop relationships by asking and answering questions on LinkedIn. Answers allow you to showcase your knowledge and interests. Any questions and answers you post on LinkedIn will be displayed in your profile should you choose.
Groups are plentiful on LinkedIn and you get invited to join many as you do on other social media sites, like Facebook. There are many real estate groups to share information with other peers in our industry and a great source for building relationships that create future referral business and friendships.
There are many other tools on LinkedIn that you will find helpful to your business, the important one to start with is your profile. The search engines are very generous to LinkedIn also. Feel free to contact me if you have additional questions. By the way, I have a question for you, are we LinkedIn?
“Expect the Best” Mike
Posted in Realtors marketing social networking by .
The National Association of REALTORS has rolled out many initiatives and benefits this past year that I believe will create colaboration, transparency, and an opportunity for all members to contribute to the real estate industry. (If we use them) The benefits of the Right Tools, Right Now initiative and plans for 2010 include the latest research and data available to all members. I am especially excited about the REALTORS Property Resource (RPR) being tested right now and rolled out later this year.
After viewing this excellent clip from NAR Preisdent-Elect Ron Phipps and NAR CEO Dale Stinton, I highly recommend you visit the Realtor.org to take advantage of the FREE tools and educational opportunities. I also recommend you visit the RPR Blog to become acquainted with this program that will help keep you as a REALTOR in the center of the transaction for the future.
Preparing ourselves as REALTORS for this New Game Changing Legacy has now arrived. Are You ready for it?
“Expect the Best” Mike
