Category Archives: Real Estate

The Wild West of Real Estate: Snake Oil Vendors Hit Portland Agents

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Apparently the “sales team” from a company called Inside Real Estate (normally I’d provide a link here, but it’s against my “no links for sleazy companies” policy) is making the rounds in Portland selling their “blogging services” to agents.

For the low price of $75 a month, plus a small $199 “creation and setup fee”, you get a… Drum roll please… WordPress blog. But wait, wait, wait, there’s more…

For an additional $10 per month they’ll set you up with your very own Twitter account, Facebook account and even an RSS feed!

You thought I was done?  Oh no my friend, oh no.

Don’t have time to write your own content?  No problem, they have a cure for what ails you! For only $27 per month (on top of the $85 you’re already spending), they will provide you with Real Estate related articles for you to publish on your blog.  Presumably the same articles they’re providing every other agent in the Nation who is foolish enough to fall for their sales pitch. Think about that for a second…

So what is it that has me so worked up about this?

Is it a bad product? Nope. WordPress is my platform of choice and what we build for our agents at M Realty (examples). It will do pretty much everything they say it will. No issues there.

Is it the price? Yes. $75 a month for a WordPress blog?  Come on…  The other fees/services are equally ridiculous. Unless you’re getting a top notch IDX home search and contact management system (like HomeQuest) along with that fancy WordPress blog, you should only be paying about $5 a month for hosting. I guess they have to pay their traveling snake oil salesmen somehow, right?

$10 a month for a Twitter/Facebook/RSS feed? Sorry to say, but if you need to pay someone to setup your social media accounts for you, you’re never going to get it. Don’t even try.

$27 for ghost writing? Same deal. This is your blog, you need to create the content that expresses your personality, your attitude, and the way you run your business. Plain and simple.

I think more than anything, I was a little perturbed by the sales tactics these guys were using on the agents. Telling them there are only a limited number of “spaces” available in a market, guaranteeing top placement on Google search results, you know all the usual bullshit sales tactics companies like this would have to use to get people to give up their credit card info and get the sale. When I heard several of the agents in the office fell for it and signed up, all I could do was shake my head.

On behalf of all the honest vendors out there, I apologize that we couldn’t get you more information in time to make a better decision.

It HAS to Start From the Top Down

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Going through some old files yesterday I came across this video I had apparently never published… It’s behind the scenes footage of M Realty’s owner/founder Garron Selliken helping one of our agents (Kevin Levy) create a stop animation project for his Portland Relocation website.

Check out the video. It’s a short one:


Going back and watching this again, two things really jump out at me:

1: We love this stuff. Starting from the top down at M Realty, we love technology and using that technology to sell houses.

2: Working here is fun. This one is pretty much self explanatory. Our agents sell houses, and have fun doing it.

So, chew on this for a bit: What would your broker/manager have said if his/her agent wanted to do a project like this?

Thank You

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Neglected For Sale SignThis post is to say thank you.

To the agent who leaves their rotting sign post, complete with contact info and busted sign rider, leaning against the dilapidated garage on a very busy street in my neighborhood for nearly 2 years now.

Thank you.

To the agent who took the listing on a vacant property, and has failed to keep the yard properly maintained (see: Mow Your Damn Lawn).

Thank you.

To the agent who never fills the flyer box.

Thank you.

To the agent who says “read the comments” and then hangs up on me before I can ask my question.

Thank you.

You see, I’m not technically a licensed agent yet. I’m working on it though. But, before I get my license, I just want to thank each of you I mention above, in advance, for motivating me to strive for more from myself.

So once again, this post is to say thank you. My clients and I will both appreciate it.

365 Things To Do Instead of Plagiarizing Content

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Plagiarism: “the use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work.”

Watch this video, it’ll blow you away… Don’t mind my shaky recording style, I hear it’s all the rage in Europe right now.


I’ve said on Twitter several times that if you’re going to steal someone else’s ideas, at least try to improve on the ideas somehow and make them your own, so that we can all learn from it.  I guess this takes that to a whole ‘nother level!

After poking around on this copycat blog a little more (which has since been taken down), I noticed that there were several posts labeled “Day 1 of 365…” in a couple different areas of Washington County. Apparently the agent is using this as a home for the content of several similar Facebook pages. That explains my confusion as to why the Beaverton/Aloha page linked to a blog with content for Banks.

Now, I know that @DaleChumbley wasn’t the one that originally came up with the idea for a “365 Things to do in…” page, but like I’ve mentioned before, I think he’s one of a few that is doing it correctly, for the right reasons, and has the commitment to keep doing it. Sure, Dale took someone else’s idea and incorporated some of his own into it, but he didn’t straight up plagiarize the original content on the other pages (and their related sites) before his like this agent did.

So, what are your thoughts on this? Does it piss you off that there are people out there that can’t even think for themselves and are willing to blatantly steal the content you’ve worked so hard on creating? Obviously it does me…

Would you ever work with someone that did something like this?  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below…

Real Estate Marketing of Tomorrow, Today

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I was introduced to a product called StickyBits today (thanks to Brian at 1000Watt) that I think could become a major part of Real Estate marketing plans across the globe very quickly. Of course, I thought the same thing about QR codes back when they were first introduced and they never really took off.  But, I think there’s still potential.

The thing about StickyBits that I think is game changing, is the ability to add “bits” of information to the item you’re tagging.

How do you tag an item?

It’s easy.  You just find any product with a barcode or QR code (or download and create your own barcodes on StickyBits.com) and using the free iPhone or Android app, scan it.  StickyBits then prompts you to add your bits to the scanned item.  Bits can be pictures, video, audio, and text.

StickyBits Bar Code

So how’s this work for Real Estate?

Here’s what I’m thinking…  You create a barcode and build it into your listing flyer and stick it on your sign rider with a simple sentence instructing people to download the StickyBits app and scan the barcode for additional information. Then you scan it (to claim it as yours) and add the following bits:

  • Pictures – above and beyond what you’ve got in the MLS listing. Find the little interesting things about the property, and document them.
  • Video – A quick introduction video. A walkthrough of the home. Run around the backyard. Walk around out in the street. Maybe even a quick neighborhood tour?
  • Floor plans – If you have access to them.  Why not? You can upload PDF’s from the website.
  • Notes of interest – leave notes about the property you think people would find interesting. These can be recorded audio notes, or text based comments.

Check out the quick example I whipped up today showcasing the M Realty office in Portland.

From there, when someone else scans the barcode to get the additional information, you get a notification.  You can even see the persons profile info, unless they choose to make the scan “private”.  What a cool lead capture device!  Strike up a conversation with the person on Twitter or Facebook (StickyBits uses Facebook Connect as their primary login) and see what happens. Plus, anyone who scans your item can also leave bits of their own. Maybe pictures they took, questions about the property, or feedback on your list price. That part could get a little tricky, but if you monitor what is being added and respond appropriately, you’ll be fine.

That’s probably just the tip of the iceberg for all the cool stuff you can use this tool for. In fact, I just ordered some new business cards with a barcode that takes the scanner to “more info about me”. The applications are almost limitless!

So, what do you think? Does this one have “sticking” power?

Real Estate Marketing Tip: Listings on Facebook

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While I’m not a huge fan of marketing your listings on Facebook to begin with, I definitely wouldn’t do it this way:

Marketing Listings on Facebook? Don't do this...

I received this message tonight from a local agent (whom I’ve technically never met), and decided it would make a perfect example of how to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation.  You see, by sending this listing out as a message to all your friends you run the risk of someone leaving a comment that you may not want others to see. What most people don’t realize is that when sending a message out to a group of people, the “reply” button is automatically replaced with a “reply all” button.  Therefore anything someone thinks they’re sending back to you as a private reply instantly gets emailed to everyone else on that list.

Imagine if your client was one of the people in that list (because naturally you want to show them you’re actually marketing their property) and someone sent a message back saying something along the lines of “I toured that dump yesterday, and it smelled like there were dead raccoons under the floorboards”.  Think that may be an embarrassing situation that could have been avoided?

My preferred method of marketing listings on Facebook: show or tell something interesting about the home.  Here’s a good example from another local agent:

Facebook Marketing for RealtorsThere’s a couple things going on here.  First, it’s not your typical automated syndication directly from Postlets.com. The agent actually wrote up a blog post of her own about the property and linked back to her blog. She benefits by getting the link and traffic back to her site, which has potential lead capture built into it using a good IDX platform. Visitors may find one of her other listings, or begin using her property search and convert into a lead. You never know…

She also put some thought into the little commentary above the post, letting her friends know what is so interesting about this specific property, and why it’s worth taking a look at. So many times I see things like “check out my new listing” or “open house-sunday-1-3pm”. Those messages aren’t really that compelling.

I think in the end, it comes down to knowing your audience, and figuring out the best possible way to connect with them. Social media is a great way to connect, you’ve just got to put a little more thought into it instead of just blasting your message out to anyone who will listen.

Top 10 iPhone Apps for Real Estate

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I recently shared my thoughts on uses for the iPad in Real Estate.  So, some would say this post could be titled Favorite iPhone and iPad applications for Real Estate. But, even though the iPad in all it’s sexiness can use the same applications, it still lacks a major component for some of these apps to work.  A camera.  So, until the iPad starts shipping with a web cam built in, like suggested here, I’m focusing on the iPhone, specifically the 3GS.

So, without further adieu here they are (random order/links are iTunes links):

ColorChange – $2.99 – Clients say “this room could look great, if the walls were red”.  Whip out your phone, take a picture of the room and show them what it would look like.  While not always perfect, if you take a decent photo, with good color separation to begin with, the results usually turn out just fine.

Dragon Dictation – Free – I am continually impressed by this one.  You speak, it converts your words into text that can then be emailed, sent as a text message, or copied to the clipboard and pasted into other text input fields.

Evernote – Free – Jot down notes, take pictures, or record audio.  Linked up with the desktop application on your Mac or PC, it’s a great tool for when you’re out previewing homes (you do that right?) When you get back to the office, the information is ready and waiting on your office computer.

TrueHDR – $1.99 – Take better pictures with your 3GS.  Allows for combining two pictures, so you can take an image that has light and dark areas, and convert that into something that closely resembles how we see it vs. how the camera sees it.

AutoStitch – ?? – One of my favorite photo applications. Create panoramic images with ease!  AutoStitch lets you take multiple images, which it then stitches together into a single pano image and saves into your photo gallery.  Note* as of today, this app is no longer in the app store on iTunes.  There are other similar apps, but I have not tested them.

Sketches2 – $4.99 – Take a photo, draw or write on it. Circle an item that needs attention.  Draw an arrow showing which direction you’re facing. Send a snapshot of a map, with a note on it.  It’s a great tool for doing these kind of things.

ScanR Business Center – $24.99+ – This is a pretty powerful little app. Scan a document in (as a searchable PDF), then email, print (to a fax) or fax it. The document is then also stored online for retrieval later if needed.  Requires subscription for faxing ($5 month or $30 year).

Navigon MyRegion – $24.99 – Don’t get lost when you’re out touring with clients, get turn by turn GPS navigation with voice announcements.  Note* There are several regions available. Make sure you choose the one you need, or the full version for $80 if you need the whole US.

Yelp – Free – If you’re showing off a home and the client asks “are there any good restaurants in the neighborhood?” you can help, using Yelp. Just click the “nearby” icon, choose the category you’re after, and the map will display the results “nearby”. Funny how that works huh?

Camera – Free – Yep, the standard Camera app that comes pre-loaded on your phone.  Obviously, many of the above application would not work if there were no camera.  But, even without the other apps, the Camera can be an invaluable tool for Real Estate agents.  While not meant for taking listing photos to use in the MLS listings (although many of you do), they are great for other online purposes (think showing something interesting about the home on Facebook or Twitter as a subtle way of showing off your listing).  Plus, the Camera app allows you to take video.  Again an invaluable tool.

So, that pretty much wraps up my top 10 iPhone apps for use in Real Estate. I’m sure there are others that I’m either blatantly missing, or just haven’t gotten around to trying yet.  So, if you have a favorite that isn’t listed here, feel free to leave a comment.

Real Estate Photo Alteration – Now Easier Than Ever!

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The act of using Photoshop for “touching up” photos of your listings is nothing new to most people that have been around for a while.  Ethical? Unethical? Maybe both, depending on the person.  Personally, I don’t have a problem with adjusting the lighting, but anything beyond that I believe is questionable.  If there’s something you don’t want to be in the picture, move it.  If you can’t, and it’s pertinent to the condition of the house (think holes in sheetrock) then it probably needs to stay in the picture to show a fair representation of the property.

So, with that being said, check out this new feature of Photoshop CS5 called “Content Aware Fill”:

I was an intern at a photo restoration company back in 1995, when Photoshop came on like 20 floppy disks, and the computers could barely run it with their 12mb of RAM. I would have KILLED for a tool like this. The hours upon hours it would have saved me…

Fast forward 15 years to today. It’s now easier than ever to alter photos. In fact, it’s so easy a REALTOR can do it! :) If they have access to Photoshop CS5. That doesn’t mean that they SHOULD do it, but I have a feeling there may be some people that abuse this feature.

Your thoughts?

Favorite WordPress Plugins for Real Estate

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While I was up in Seattle for Real Estate BarCamp this last week, I was asked to facilitate a couple WordPress sessions.  I thoroughly enjoyed helping everyone in the beginner session figure out what the difference between .com and .org is, along with some of the other basics of WordPress. But what really got me going was the advanced session where we got into the real good stuff like URL structures, hosting issues, and my favorite topic du jour “WordPress plugins for Real Estate blogs”.

So, here are my personal favorite plugins, and the ones that were mentioned in my session:

TubePress Pro – Pulls video in from YouTube. Settings allow you to choose to pull videos by username, tags, playlists, etc.  Many options to configure the look and layout of the videos. An example can be seen right here on my blog’s video page and sidebar.

NextGen Gallery – Basic image gallery plugin using images you upload. Plenty of display options including slideshow, and sidebar widgets.  An example, with some really cool pictures, can be seen on the NW Portland Blog.

Tabs Slides – This plugin rocks, especially if you take the time to set it up properly.  It basically allows you to create tabbed content in the middle of your posts or pages.  Great for taking a ton of content and breaking it up into manageable chunks.  Here’s an example on one of our community neighborhood sites, the Portland Octopus (tabs are under the colorful image).

HomeQuest’s IDX Plugin –  What’s the point of having a blog, if you don’t have a home search with lead capture and client manager built into the back end?  HomeQuest’s IDX plugin gives it to you. Plus, the ability to geocode your blog posts directly onto a map alongside listings from your MLS.  Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Full disclosure – I work for HomeQuest and I very briefly mentioned this in the session.  I didn’t want to be accused of pitching my own product!

Using these four plugins, you can build a pretty killer WordPress Real Estate site.

Some other plugins that were mentioned that are worth looking into: ScribeSEO, WordPress Database Backup, and BuddyPress.

If you have any plugins that you’ve used that you think are worth mentioning, feel free to leave a comment below.  I’d love to hear what others have found.

Oh, and if you want to learn a bunch more WordPress stuff like this?  Attend Real Estate WordCamp, coming to Denver April 12th. If you see me roaming the halls looking for a Coke machine, say hello!

Definition of a Successful Real Estate BarCamp

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I joked the other day about my definition of a successful REBarCamp being one that is in close proximity to a Coke vending machine. Mostly because I was on the prowl for my early morning Coke, which is what gives me the kick start I need in the mornings. Yeah, some people drink coffee, I drink a 32 oz coke.

Anyway, on my way home from Seattle, I realized something. I actually had a really good time at #REBCSEA.  This was like my 9th Real Estate BarCamp.  The last couple I have been to have been pretty “meh” as far as I was concerned.

So, what made this one so different for me?

After thinking about it for a good long while, I came to the conclusion that it was because I was able to lead a couple discussions. I thought back to the RE BarCamps that I had enjoyed the most, and they all had one thing in common. I participated in the discussion in one way or another.  Whether it was me out in the crowd asking questions, or me up in front leading the discussion, I realized that sharing knowledge or insight was what gave ME the most value.  Not sure anyone else got value, but then again this blog is all about me.

So, one final thought for you to chew on.  Next time you’re attending an event, no matter how many you’ve been to in the past, try participating a little more in the discussions.  You’d be amazed at what might come out of it.

Until I have my next thought… I’m out.