Joe Cline blogs about the pros and cons of online house hunting, and shares his expertise on the subject.

“Do look at several different real estate websites. Although a good listing agent will take the time to list everywhere possible, you may find some properties that are on one site but not on the other.

Don’t start looking for homes until you consider your price range. Work on your budget so you know how much you can afford. Consider getting pre-qualified so you can be absolutely sure how much you can afford.”

House hunting online has become a very powerful tool for potential homebuyers. Just be sure you are using it to its full advantage and try not to get caught up in thinking you can handle the entire process on your own. It’s a great way to start, but the process can be made easier with a professional agent.

Click through now to read Joe Cline’s blog.

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In addition to the Open Houses Nearby button, which uses the GPS feature to navigate users through unfamiliar neighborhoods, the iPhone app also includes a Notes and Ratings feature that gives on-the-go buyers the ability to keep their Realtor up-to-date with their impressions and opinions throughout their home search. Users can also send their friends, family, or agent a link to a property via e-mail, Twitter or Facebook to get feedback from their trusted confidantes.

Joel Burslem, of 1000Watt Consulting, who was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Real Estate bloggers in 2007 and 2008 said upon reviewing the app: “The Realtor.com app is hands down the best real estate search tool on the market right now….I’m usually not this effervescent in my praise. In fact, many have called me a downright cynic at times. But this app is a true joy to use and fulfills the original promise of Realtor.com. It’s all the listings in one place.”

Lifehacker.com says, “This nifty app for the iPhone and iPod touch taps directly into the listings at Realtor.com to give you all kinds of information on nearby homes for sale…. If you’re in the market for a new home, or just want to daydream about what’s out there, then this app is a good start. It’s a handy way to carry around a comprehensive overview of the housing market right in your pocket or purse.”

Download the free Realtor.com iPhone app now, and improve your home search experience.

In addition to the Open Houses Nearby button, which uses the GPS feature to navigate users through unfamiliar neighborhoods, the iPhone app also includes a Notes and Ratings feature that gives on-the-go buyers the ability to keep their Realtor up-to-date with their impressions and opinions throughout their home search. Users can also send their friends, family, or agent a link to a property via e-mail, Twitter or Facebook to get feedback from their trusted confidantes.

Joel Burslem, of 1000Watt Consulting, who was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Real Estate bloggers in 2007 and 2008 said upon reviewing the app: “The Realtor.com app is hands down the best real estate search tool on the market right now….I’m usually not this effervescent in my praise. In fact, many have called me a downright cynic at times. But this app is a true joy to use and fulfills the original promise of Realtor.com. It’s all the listings in one place.”

Lifehacker.com says, “This nifty app for the iPhone and iPod touch taps directly into the listings at Realtor.com to give you all kinds of information on nearby homes for sale…. If you’re in the market for a new home, or just want to daydream about what’s out there, then this app is a good start. It’s a handy way to carry around a comprehensive overview of the housing market right in your pocket or purse.”

Download the free Realtor.com iPhone app now, and improve your home search experience.

Perfect for first-time home buyers looking to find their new home, who may not be familiar with the site or search process, this “behind-the-scenes” open source search technology now empowers visitors with the ability to search properties by using predictive (as-you-type) suggestions, so they can quickly and easily narrow down their search criteria to neighborhoods, streets and exact addresses.

It also features new interactive search options that allow buyers to refine their home search to include certain specifications like price, square footage, and number of rooms, therefore yielding a quicker, easier search experience.

More experienced buyers with a clear and detailed picture of their dream home can tailor a search to only include homes that match what they are looking for. If buyers want a 1,200+ square-foot home in Seattle, WA with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, their search will only yield results that meet that criteria. 

Not only do these upgrades make the search for a home more efficient, they allow buyers the ability to formulate a more comprehensive idea of what they want in a home, and the actual possibility of finding exactly what they have been searching for with just a few clicks.

Click here to view the embedded video.

How can a REALTOR® increase foot traffic to their listings?

By having listings on your website, on Realtor.com, on other websites like Homes and Land Magazine, brochures in the brochure box at all times, advertising in the Homes and Land. Send out brochures to everybody in the neighborhood. The best medium for me has been the Internet. I have information on 43 different sites, and that gets lots of traffic.

Ken Anderson is a REALTOR® with RE/MAX in Fort Collins, CO.

Are you interested in having a qualified REALTOR® answer your questions? Click through to Ask a REALTOR® now.

Are you a REALTOR® who would like who like to answer consumer questions? Click through to become an Ask a REALTOR® participant.

If you’re a REALTOR®, don’t wait to register for REALTOR.com®’s National Blogger Conference Call on December 17 at 11 a.m. PST.  We’ll recap the social media highlights of 2009, which include creating an editorial calendar, establishing SEO optimization, personal branding, and becoming a presence Twitter and Facebook.

Our special guest, Gahlord Dewald, who is the president of Thoughtfaucet, will share valuable insight and educate callers on how to use web analytics to make life easier and better for Realtors and their clients.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions live during a roundtable discussion.

Register now for the Conference Call! We hope you can join us.

New electronics are always a big hit during the holidays. From flat screen TVs to personal music players, this year is sure to have it’s share of high tech gifts- many of which will be too big to fit under the tree. Most of us can’t live without our gadgets. We use them everyday and it shows when we receive our energy bill.

Shannon Aldrich blogs about her love for electronics and how she keeps them from wasting valuable energy:

“All of those fabulous electronics that I absolutely cannot live without are constantly sucking up electricity when plugged in. Anything that is plugged in is probably drawing some small bit of current when we are not looking. And if there is a remote control that goes with that equipment, you are guaranteed that there is electricity being used up while the equipment is waiting for you to turn it on.

Experts estimate that you can save anywhere from 5-10 percent off of your energy bill by getting unplugged. For most of us that translates to $130 dollars in instant savings. A study at Cornell University put the average savings at a whopping $200 per household.”

Being energy conscious is not difficult, as Aldrich points out. She uses power surge strips to keep her electronics from wasting energy while she isn’t using them. Not only does her attitude benefit the planet, but it also saves her a significant amount of money-perhaps enough to buy a tree big enough to fit a new TV under.

Click through to read Shannon Aldrich’s full post.

Sign up for a free Featured Blog on Realtor.com today.

]]> http://www.realtor.com/blogs/2009/11/28/cut-your-energy-costs-not-your-love-for-electronics/feed/ 0 http://www.realtor.com/blogs/2009/11/23/focusing-on-your-real-estate-websites-content/ http://www.realtor.com/blogs/2009/11/23/focusing-on-your-real-estate-websites-content/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:00:54 +0000 realtor.com http://www.realtor.com/blogs/?p=5480

Become a fan of REALTOR.com® today!

Share the latest in real estate news and exclusive Realtor.com info, play the dreamhomes application which allows you to share your five favorite dreamhomes with all of your friends.

Click on categories like beach homes, mountain homes, high rise condos and celebrity homes. You can select your favorite A-listers who currently have their homes listed on Realtor.com, or suggest a new category to add to the dreamhomes application to facebook@realtor.com.

Each home featured links back to the Realtor.com website, so you can get more details about your future dreamhome.

If you are a REALTOR®, don’t forget to check out http://realtor.com/seemylistings/ to add your listings to your fan page.

-Audie Chamberlain, Realtor.com®

The “Introduction to Social Media” session at the National Association of REALTORS® conference in San Diego this past weekend discussed using Facebook as a marketing tool in depth.  Ginger Wilcox, from the Social Media Marketing Institute, explained to REALTORS® the best way to utilize both a personal account on Facebook and a business page.  Wilcox explained that while the constant changes made to Facebook can be challenging, it is important to learn about the site and use it to help with your real estate business. 

Wilcox told Realtors that it is important to remember that their communities are on Facebook, so it is a great way to interact and reach out to clients.  She explained the importance of personalizing all contact sent out to others.  If sending a friend request to someone, Wilcox explained that a personalized message is necessary to include in the request.  She also explained that when sending event invitations such as an open house, customize the people you select to invite rather than sending a mass invite to all of your friends. 

Wilcox said that many Realtors shy away from Facebook because they think it is only used by younger generations, but explained that the 35+ age group is actually the fastest growing group on the Site.  According to Wilcox, a Facebook profile is different from a LinkedIn profile.  She encouraged Realtors to use a picture that is more casual and accurately reflects their personalities. 

If one is looking for a more professional Facebook page, Wilcox suggested a Facebook business page.  On a Realtor business page, it should be all things real estate.  On your Facebook business page it is vital to engage with your community and listen to their requests, establish a reputation, build trust and create a brand.               

Mariana Wagner, from the Wagner iTeam in Colorado,  also offered insight into Facebook during the session.  She explained that posts on Facebook must be short and digestible.  The utilization of bulleted lists also works well in the Facebook community as long and wordy posts do not attract users and are the best way to engage your audience.  She explained to use posts with a call to auction to engage your community in your page.

Wagner also told the audience to utilize the photo section and engage users by posting photos.  She explained that Realtors can upload their blogs to their Facebook through the notes tab.  Finally Wagner discussed different blogging platforms with the audience including REALTOR.com® Featured Blogs.

–Candice Cerro, REALTOR.com®