I recently published a post at GeekEstateBlog.com, entitled Super Bowl XLII, Real Estate and Consumers.  In the post, I started off by describing a rental trend in AZ, in preparation for the Super Bowl. I highlighted it with the story of an acquaintance of mine (a consumer, not an agent) and his attempts at renting his property.  After some attempts on his own, he elected to use real estate technologies commonly used by real estate professionals, like single-property websites and virtual tours as found with his site http://www.PhoenixEventHome.com.

What's the moral of my story?  If Drew D, a consumer who has no formal RE training can utilize RE technologies - agents, brokers, and assistants can embrace them and be successful in the process.  Furthermore, if a non-RE professional utilizes this level of technology, what would their expectations be of their agent?  Interesting questions, what do you think?

There exists a debate (maybe light conversation) on perspectives of "inside" and "outside" blogs. To define what is meant by inside and outside blogs, I'm simply stating that:

-- Inside Blogs - are blogs hosted by real estate professionals where content is for the audience of peers in the real estate industry (agents, brokers, mortgage brokers, technology vendors)...whereas

-- Outside Blogs - are blogs hosted by real estate professionals where content is for the audience of consumers and potential clients.

Does a real estate professional require 2 blogs to best connect with their peers & counterparts and another blog to reach & connect consumers? To best answer that question, I will say "it depends".

What's Happening in the Industry...

What is happening in the real estate, Web 2.0 space are the notable lines being made between inside communication and outside communication.

This is very true of real estate professionals who post articles on their blog and state "Consumers can skip to the next post" or on discussion forums saying "‘Agents only’ or ‘RE professionals only’ or ‘No consumers please’" as found on Trulia Voices Q&A.

ActiveRain currently is driven by "inside" communication (as of today). AR allows Real Estate Professionals to blog about anything. However, much of the content is geared towards professionals talking to other professionals. The majority of content is "inside", where points are assigned to professionals who comment on the "inside" content. Do note, many agents may use an ActiveRain blog for outside communications, linking to their AR blog from their agent website and even marking content for distribution at Localism (AR consumer Q&A site). Limitations to outside communication with today's AR blog is they lack personal branding. Also, comments on AR blogs are driven by other real estate professionals only commenting on "inside" content. ActiveRain is moving towards the development of outside blogs, for an annual fee, as many agents at AR have requested such a service.

RealTown - includes highly customizable blogs that can be used for inside communication with peers, or for use of outside communications with consumers. As this blog platform allows for customization of the look and feel of the blog, it's purpose of inside or outside communications are left to the real estate professional.

Zillow Q&A / Trulia Voices Q&A - Zillow Q&A and Trulia Voices Q&A, following more of a discussion forum format, are "outside" communication venue. Real Estate Professionals can directly communicate with consumers. For some agents, its a reality check on consumers concerns, fears and trepidations in today's market...as its not the same, highly upbeat ("that was a great post") communication as found on "inside" communities such as AR.

Trulia Voices Agent2Agent - Due to requests by real estate professionals, Trulia now has Agent2Agent discussion areas inside Trulia Voices. The importance of community, knowledge-sharing, quick Q&A professionals is commonly desired. In my opinion, such discussion in a discussion forum-like format allows for quicker communication (I.e. "get to the point").

Zolve - has many features that to me, speak to primarily inside communications. With sphere-of-influence, referral features, and its newest "Over Coffee' feature (a Q&A area for real estate professionals), It's primary service is a referral network for real estate professionals. Outside communications are brought forth when real estate professionals elect to "speak" to consumers in their Zolve blog...sometimes using their Zolve blog as their outside blog.

Conclusions

I feel that real estate blogs established by real estate professionals for consumers should remain with majority of content driven for consumers. A small percentage of topics geared towards peers can show breadth & expertise of the real estate professional (in the eyes of the consumer); someone "hip" to not only local real estate industry but having knowledge on the market as a whole. To consumers, this is important. Should real estate professionals strive to have 2 blogs (an inside blog to connect and engage referrals with peers and an outside blog geared towards consumers)? What do you think?

There exists a great sense of urgency amongst real estate schools, boards & associations, brokers, and referral partners alike to add additional educational offerings during the (a) slow off-peak season and (b) declining activity in today’s real estate market.

What are Real Estate Schools Doing Now to Supplement Income?
Schools like the Hogan School of Real Estate in Tucson, AZ (http://www.hoganschool.com/), have implemented creative means to supplement income and keep classrooms active with students. Some efforts include ad-hoc courses on “Short Sales”, “Invest in Foreclosures”, even gift cards to be used through 2008 by prospective students. One can assume these topical courses have been created due to declines in prospective agents not getting a license and existing agents not renewing licenses.

REW Certification offered by Schools, Educators, Coaches, Brokers
Real estate schools, brokers, educational providers, trainers, coaches and other affiliates who share the vision of educating RE professionals in emerging technologies, can join the REW Affiliate Program. Becoming an REW™ Affiliate costs nothing and can be accomplished by simply signing up through NIW’s online affiliate system. Affiliates have access to presentations, sample web pages, sample email blasts, pdf brochures and so much more!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR AFFILIATE PROGRAM

Sellers are facing tough-times and buyers are cautious in buying, due to blows in the lending industry and high prices of homes in select parts of the country. 

There are thoughts today amongst RE industrialists of opportunites for agents, brokers and assistants to "make moves" in the rental space; to supplement or replace income normally generated during steady or "boom" housing markets.   Jessica Swesey of Inman News hints at the idea towards the tail end of the blog post titled A case of accidental landlording.

Many sellers see renting out their home as a short-term, Plan "B" to selling; given needs to relocate and/or act swiftly with 2 or more looming mortgage payments.  Potential Buyers currently residing in apartments are increasingly inclined to rental homes for their Plan "B" instead buying outright; to put their feet-in-the-water to reside in a single-family residence "until the market becomes more stable" to purchase a home.
 

Real Estate Technology & the Rental Market

As various business models arise (keep your eyes peeled at Inman.com) for agents/brokers and assistants to "make moves" in the rental space (rent-to-own, property mgmt), let it be known that real estate technologies, the marketing and "showmanship" of it's use, run parallel in the rental space, having equal importance to the brokerage of real estate. 

Let's run through a few examples where real estate technology has great similaries with (a) rental vs (b) for-sale properties:

(1) Agent Websites

Many of today's vendors of agent/broker websites have specific listing fields in-place for rental properties.  In addition, instead of "list price" one could utilize "rent-per-month".  Many times, agents can add menu and navigational buttons to their website to list only the "For-Rent", or "For-Lease" properties.  So essentially, the core web presence of an agent currently conducting for-sale business, could venture into the for-rent marketspace and not have to engage a new core website.

(2) Online Classifieds / Syndication of Listings

For those real estate professionals who utilize syndication of their listings to various, online real estate classified websites, they will still have the option to send For-Rent listings.  An agent or an assistant should check with their provider (likely their agent website) to inquire about syndication of "For-Rent" listings.  Also, check with online classified websites themselves to see if they currently showcase "For-Rent" listings.

(3) Virtual / Online Tours

Virtual / Video / Online Tours should absolutely exist for rental properties.  An online walk-thru is equally imperative for a prospective renter as it is to a prospective buyer.  Just as the home is staged for great photos and video, these tours are different.  They are different because they have a longer-shelf.  Turn-over in rental properties have a higher frequency than For-Sale properties.  Once these tours are created, they should not be deleted, rather they should be reused the next time the property is for-rent, which could be as early as 1 year (or simply, the term of the lease) 

(4) Single-Property Websites / Online Flyers.

The 123MapleSt.com's are just as equally important to the marketing of a For-Rent property.  As with online tours, single-property websites should have a long shelf life.  Given property management and solicitation of the property for For-Rent, the URL should be renewed annually, and, if posssible, purchased for multiple years. Again, these single-property websites should not be deleted, as they can be used again when the property is available for rent.

(5) Electronic Forms

As with many electronics forms providers, you can define a transaction as "For Lease" as displayed within ZipFormOnline below.

In addition, real estate professionals serious about entering the "For-Rent" marketplace, should inquire with their forms provider about form libraries (as shown below); forms custom and particular to (a) Rentee documents (the owner renting out their home) and (b) documents for the Renter/Leaser if not already inclusive of their member forms library. 

These are just some examples of how real estate technology that you currently use or administer can be effectively used in the renter marketplace once you find a sound business model to work within that space.

Laura Monroe, president & owner of Creative Agent Solutions, conducted an interview with Marc Grayson, President &  Founder of the National Institute of Webographers.

Interview for Virtual Assistants
This interview, conducted in the Real Estate Virtual Assistant Group at Active Rain, examined the applicability of the REW™ certification for the audience of Virtual Assistants. The interview can be found at Laura's ActiveRain Post.

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Learn More About Creative Agent Solutions

Providing "real estate support and virtual assistance for agents and brokers", Creative Agent Solutions can maintain and administer online real estate Marketing, Listing Coordination, and administrative tasks.

-- Input new listings into MLS and manage updates/changes.
-- Enter listings into KWLS (Keller Williams Associates only)
-- Set up & manage showing feedback system
-- Order/Create/Post Virtual Tours
-- Enhance REALTOR.com listings
-- Design a professional color flyer or brochure
-- Create & send Just Listed/Sold Postcards
-- Design flyers, luxury property brochures, postcards, and multi-media presentations
-- Prepare and send newsletters
-- Manage neighborhood websites
-- Customize Point 2 Agent websites
-- Write, create & record IVR recordings (audio tours, hotlines)
-- Design & create print ads approved by you
-- and so much more!

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Learn about VAs...from VAs
For those interested in learning more about Virtual Assistants, or submitting an RFP, please check out the REVA Group (private group where you must ask for permission) at ActiveRain.

It's been noted heavily in real estate news and from real estate bloggers that provision of training by Brokers, especially technology training, from initial to long-term continuous learning, is not only the key to recruitment and retention, but key to create a winning environment. There are two noted articles/blog posts I'd like to reference.

Finding-and Keeping-the Best Agents (05/22/07)

By Maria Patterson

http://www.rismedia.com/wp/2007-05-21/finding-and-keeping-the-best-agents/

Agent Recruitment and Technology (03/09/07)

By Pat Kitano

http://transparentre.com/2007/03/08/agent-recruitment--technology.aspx

There is a huge value-proposition established to recruiting agents with technology training. There exists (1) core technology training on "in-house" technology products that are utilized throughout the company. There is (2) product training particular to technology commonly acquired and used by the member-agents (i.e. vendor visits at broker meetings).

However, there is (3) technology training that speaks to competencies, generalizable to a topic like single-property websites, to create a mindset of aggresive technology adoption. Such training speaks not only to awareness, but to strategies for agents to build a cohesive, unified web presence across technologies and across service providers.

As it may, agents are typically independent contractors, their own entrepreneurs. In everyday employer-employee relationships, perks to: training, career development, educational scholarships for example, are paramount; standing "tall" next to benefits of health care and retirement programs.

Technology training, as with the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) certification provides that value-proposition to current and potential member-agents (recruitment & retention), just like typical employer-employee relationships. Also, the fact that agents are independent contractors means technology adoption cannot be forced, rather encouraged.

Brokers who make the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW™) available to member-agents not only encourage technology adoption, but the Commitment Document speaks to adoption & implementation; as certificants must adopt technology within their first year to remain in "good standing".

For details on how Brokers can make the REW™ Certification to member-agents, please contact us using our contact form, or give us a call at 888.877.0159.

At Inman news today, the article of Some agents find bang with single-property sites, by Jessica Swesey, highlights the buzz around this powerful and premier listing tool of Single-property Websites. National Institute of Webographers has already recognized its value-proposition and currently 1 of the 11 courses (modules) of the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification is focused on the competency of Single-Property Websites.

Powerful & Easy to Create

Single-Property Websites are 1 of the most powerful listing tools on the market, as they are consumer-centric and display the perception of extensive efforts on behalf of the seller (all the while only taking about 15 minutes to create). 

Single-property websites natively speak to repeat and referral business. Inside the training experience for the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification, we highlight tools that speak to an all inclusive web-presence, your consumer facing storefront of web-enabled services.  Single-Property Websites are a must-have in each agent's toolbox.

For Your Current & Potential Clients

Single-property websites are very easy to implement on behalf of sellers. They strongly support word-of-mouth / viral marketing since the URL can be readily emailed to all friends and family within the client's social circle. After the sales transaction, the website becomes a useful part of your portfolio, as you can email previously used single-property websites to new potential clients to let them know what's in-store for them.

Compliments Print & Direct Marketing

Being that the URL is commonly the street address, the URL can be used to compliment print (i.e. newspapers) and direct marketing compaigns (just-listed cards). For buyers perusing a neighborhood, they can also be utilized on sign-riders, considering space on these outlets can be at a premium.

The Inman News article, as referenced above, highlights Christopher Thiemet, a St. Louis Realtor with Circa Properties who runs "weekly advertisements in print publications and includes the property Web site domain." He also "includes the site URLs on property signs, riders and brochures". Previously, I have also had the priveledge of discussing single-property websites on the Real Estate Tomato blog, as possibly one of the most powerful listing tools. 

Experience & Engage

Candidates of the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification, learn the value-proposition and how to best use single property websites, for both residential and commercial real estate. Inside our sandbox of technologies, candidates can create a single-property website using their own AgencyLogic Powersite™ account, provided to all candidates of the certification program.

National Institute of Webographers recently visited John Hall & Associates office in Paradise Valley, Arizona (a suburb of Phoenix) for a talk with many esteemed agents about the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification.  Besides great conversation about today's real estate technology, we noticed many things during our visit just in observation; soaking in the environment of this well-respected firm.

Agents were busy.  Within the office we saw great amounts of hustle and bustle.  Agents utilizing floor time to get on the phone, deal with transactional documentation with ZipForm®, checking their all-in-one PDA, and many side bar conversations about looming house inspections, coordinating with Escrow companies, scheduling open houses, etc, etc, etc.

One can imagine that many efforts performed by today's real estate agent go unnoticed, are undervalued, and are possibly underappreciated by clients...many efforts the client never sees!

Your full web presence (agent website, single-property websites, virtual tours, online transaction mgmt, etc) is tangible; many visible elements that clients and potential clients can get their 5-senses around.  It is a clear sign of the all-inclusive services you can provide...and today's consumer expects it.  It speaks to repeat and referral business.  Visible efforts online can be comprehended in-terms of the value you bring, moreso than traditional efforts that are behind-the-scenes.

The REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification looks to aggresively demonstrate that your web presence is like a portfolio; detailing every service you bring to the table.  It's a visible sign of all your efforts, bringing value to what is commonly undervalued.

There exist many real estate agents who are hungry to implement real estate technology to better their business as independent contractors, their own entrepreneurs.  However, there remain many real estate professionals who know they need to take the technology "leap", but certain factors keep them from proceeding forward.

Such factors were noted some time ago in 2005 by the National Institute of Webographers, given an important study from the Center for REALTOR(R) Technology.  The 2005 Technology Efficiency Study, dated February 23, 2005, highlighted 4 main factors of why there may be technology resistance:

1. Age Gap. The study implies that many customers are younger than agents. This rift has caused a “technology-gap”.
2. Intimidation. Several agents in the study say that technology intimidates them.
3. Awareness. Respondents in the study said they were not aware of technologies that support real estate activities.
4. Assistants. Many agents have hired tech-savvy assistants due to the agent’s lack of technical knowledge.

Webographers.com Solution

The training experience provided at Webographers.com for the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER (tm) certification not only provides real estate professionals an overview of existing real estate technologies, business strategy in their usage, but allows them to “play” with such technologies.

Today marks the Grand Opening of our corporate blog, brought forth through the efforts of Blogging Systems Group. Not only has Blogging Systems established the Webographers corporate blog, but will act as a corporate sponsor for our upcoming short course on Blogs.  See the press release about this strategic partnership.

As the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification is rooted on real estate technologies, teaching their value proposition and how they "work", I'd like to use our first post to discuss how this blog was "spawned". There were many "stages" within Blogging Systems to get this blog off the ground. The process was very iterative, "manufactured" through a process like a well-oiled machine of designers, developers and quality assurance personnel at Blogging Systems.

Besides the gathering of requirements from Webographers of the desired look and branding, we have asked Richard Nacht, CEO & Founder of Blogging Systems to give more insight on the "behind-the-scenes" operations on what it took to make this happen.