Brandon Farmer. Charlotte, NC
Brandon Farmer recently posted the 1,000,000 blog post on the Realtor Blog Network of Active Rain. I’m sure that came as a total surprise for Brandon and I’m sure he was honored by it. Brandon blogs on Active Rain. Active Rain is the worlds largest network of Real Estate bloggers. As I was reading Brandon’s article about being the one to post the 1,000,000 article, he encouraged the reader to check out his Charlotte, NC “Showcase Charlotte” web site. I decided to do just that and Brandon is the latest review of NC Realtors Who Blog.
Brandon has posted 4 blog articles on Active Rain. Brandon obviously understands the power of blogging in today’s real estate market. The requirement to establish relationships with possible clients is at an all time high. A real estate agent can’t possibly establish that personal touch with everyone and that is why an online presence is crucial. How do clients get to know an agent from afar? Easy, start blogging.
Brandon has been in real estate for over 2 years and is a graduate of the University of Virginia. Real Estate is full time for Brandon and he works for Allen Tate in Charlotte, NC. Brandon is jumping feet first into blogging and social networking. Brandon understands the power of both and every real estate agent should be doing the same. If you are a Realtor and you are not using the power that is readily available to you, you will be left behind. Technology will not wait for you. Brandon’s decision to participate in social networking shows me that he is willing to go the extra mile and he is the type of agent that clients should seek to represent them.
Brandon’s Showcase Charlotte web site has a lot of good information for the prospective buyer and seller in the Charlotte, NC real estate market. Standard MLS searches for Charlotte homes, mortgage rates etc. Since this is a review, I would make some recommendations to Brandon. As a possible client, when I land on Brandon’s site I’m looking to buy or sell real estate most likely. As a Realtor, I want this person to stay on my site as long as possible. I feel there are too many outbound links to other sites. Once the client clicks away, chances are, they are gone from the site for good. Most people will Google specific information they are looking for. A Realtor needs to capture the web surfer and hold them.
There is not a blog or a link to Brandon’s blog on the Showcase Charlotte site. Brandon should provide the reader a very visible link to his blog. This is where a client decides to make a call or click away. In my previous article about Active Rain, I have some real concerns for any real estate agent to put all of their blogging eggs in one basket, especially when the terms of service states that you do not own your own content and your account can be terminated at any time for any reason. Active Rain is a wonderful compliment to a Realtor’s blogging efforts but all Realtors should own their own blog and content. Starting your own blog and owning your own content is very easy an inexpensive. This article explains just how easy.
I would recommend that Brandon use Twitter and Facebook to dive further into Social Networking. When a client lands on Brandon’s page a graphic link would a great idea to allow clients to follow Brandon on this social media.
Bottom line: Brandon is making a great effort to build his business in a positive way by using the tools that are available to him. Technology will continue to lead the way and Brandon will be there offering tech services to all of his clients. Brandon is the type of Realtor that you should seek to work with and I’m sure he will be very successful.
Visit Brandon’s Showcase Charlotte.
Copyright 2009 ncrealtorswhoblog.com NC Realtors Who Blog
This entry was written by , posted on March 26, 2009 at 7:17 am, filed under NC Realtors and tagged Active Rain, Allen Tate in Charlotte NC, Brandon Farmer, free wordpress blog setup, hosting account, nc brokers, nc mls, north carolina realtor, north carolina realtors, realtors of nc, realtors who blog, Wordpress Blog. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Free Wordpress Blog Setup
This blog highlights and reviews NC Realtors who write blogs. I have discovered that many Realtors choose different blogging platforms. This is all fine and well but there could be an underlying problem that is easily solved. If you do not own your own domain name and hosting account, you probably do not own your own content. How messed up is that? Keep reading and you will find a solution.
Many Realtors have do not have blogs. Many Realtors have corporate sites that do not include blogs. Many Realtors have blogs on Active Rain. If you fall into one of these categories, your competition is loving it. Owning your own blog and content is a small price to pay for the possible big returns. Did you know that if you blog on Active Rain, you do not own your own content? You may want to read this article.
I recommend that Realtors and anyone running a business have a personal and/or business blog. It just makes sense. Everyone should have a domain name of their choosing, providing it’s available. Have you bought your own name? Have you looked as to whether the name of your business is available? A domain name and web site should be treated as valuable real estate.
I recently found out that I would be a grandfather this summer. I found out just this week that it will be a grandson. My daughter has already determined the name of my Grandson. As soon as I knew the sex of the baby, I purchased the domain name of my Grandson and set up a Wordpress blog. One day, I will gift him this blog with many years of entries. I will write the entire history of his life. What a wonderful gift this will be one day.
Wordpress is the most popular blogging platform on the internet. This blog you are reading is a Wordpress blog. Because I would like to see you and your business succeed, I am making the following offer. If you purchase a domain name and hosting account through my bluehost.com sponsor, I’ll set up your Wordpress blog for free. No catch, no gimmick. You can certainly do it yourself, but If you have never setup a Wordpress blog or feel a little uncomfortable, I’ll get you through it.
Below is a screenshot of a recent blog I set up as an example of what your blog will look like upon setup. Click 480minutes.com for a live preview. This is the standard template used upon setup. Your Wordpress blog can then be fully customized to your desire.
It’s very simple. Use any of my bluehost.com links to buy your domain and hosting account. Forward to me, the e-mail you receive from Bluehost which includes your password information. Forward to info@ncrealtorswhoblog.com. I will set up your blog and include the Wordpress Automatic Upgrade Plugin and also the Wordpress Database Backup Plugin. Upon setup, I will e-mail instructions back to you with directions to access your account and to change your password. Initially, I would probably recommend the 12 month hosting plan. The 12 month plan offers a free domain name and they waive the $30 hosting setup fee. It’s a very simple process I’m offering to my readers. I’m offering this free service to you because my sponsor will pay me a few bucks if you use my link to sign up for a hosting account. That’s it. Get started blogging now on your own domain and own your own content…forever.
Copyright 2009 ncrealtorswhoblog.com NC Realtors Who Blog
This entry was written by , posted on March 18, 2009 at 6:56 pm, filed under Free Blog Setup, NC Realtors, Wordpress Blog and tagged Active Rain, bluehost hosting plan, domain name, free wordpress blog setup, hosting account, realtor blogs, realtors who blog, Wordpress Blog. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Linda Craft. Raleigh Realtor
From Linda’s web site: Linda Craft and Team have structured themselves to deliver unsurpassed service and expertise to their clients. Every person on Linda’s Team has more years of real estate experience than 80 percent of the local Board of Realtors membership. Linda’s Team handles more real estate transactions in a single month than many of the “multi million dollar producers” handle in a year.
Linda Craft has a very impressive web presence that is obvious when you visit her site, lindacraft.com. Linda Craft’s Raleigh, North Carolina’s real estate web site is one of the most impressive sites that I have seen. Her professional web presence shows me her commitment to her career and her clients. One could land on her web site and stay for a very long time. There is a wealth of information about the Real Estate Market in Raleigh, NC. As a possible client, I would certainly appreciate the abundance of information she freely gives. Folks, this is not your cold static web page that so many agents post online from from web site factories. This site was built with you, the client, in mind and the information that one would need to make a decision about buying or selling property.
One of the features of Linda Craft’s site that I liked was her Featured Homes page. You can select homes by a range of prices, including New Construction. Most of the homes I viewed included professional Virtual Tours. If I were listing a home, this would be very important to me as I selected a company to do business with. Linda Craft also features a page with actual video tours. My suggestion here would be to feature more videos on this page and make it more prominent on the home page.
Linda goes all out in her marketing efforts and the promotion of her company. She get’s it. Her company was promoted at a Carolina Hurricanes Hockey game. You can view the video here. Linda also offers the free service of a moving van to her clients. How many companies go above and beyond with this type of customer service?
Linda’s Real Estate Blog goes deeper and gives her readers more in-depth views of Linda and the market she works in. Linda writes an article about the “Stress on families when foreclosure looms”. Once the process starts is not the time to consult with a professional. Contact Linda far ahead of time and she may be able to offer your family help.
If you are considering a Real Estate Company in Raleigh, NC I would recommend that you visit Linda Craft’s site to help you make a decision. Any company that puts so much effort into their web presence tells me that they are serious about earning my business. Almost all real estate searches whether buying or selling, start on the internet now. That’s where you will find Linda Craft.
Visit lindacraft.com
Copyright 2009 ncrealtorswhoblog.com NC Realtors Who Blog
This entry was written by , posted on March 17, 2009 at 9:51 am, filed under NC Realtors and tagged linda craft, nc board of realtors, NC Realtor, new home sales in raleigh nc, raleigh nc, raleigh nc real estate, raleigh realtor. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Active Rain
I think Active Rain is a wonderful site that gives real value to everyone who uses it’s platform to blog. Realtors all over the country use Active Rain to blog. As of this writing, there are over 138,000 members. I’m a member and I have written many blog articles on Active Rain. There are wonderful tools available to Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, Builders, Home Inspectors…you name it. There is a wealth of information available for members as well as the general public. Because of Active Rain, I have listed properties.
If you are a Realtor and you are not on Active Rain, I think you are making a big mistake. If you are a Realtor and you are only on Active Rain, you are making a big mistake. Active Rain should supplement your blogging endeavors, not be the one and only. Practice on Active Rain and perfect your style of blogging. You will be critiqued by other members who read your articles. You will be praised or you could be scolded. It’s a great learning environment.
Own your own blog and your own content! I cannot stress this enough. If you read the terms of service on Active Rain you will understand what I just said. Active Rain owns their site. Active Rain owns all of the content placed on their site. The following statement appears in the terms of service:
ActiveRain also reserves the right to cancel the account of any member it believes may be engaging in infringement of the rights of others, copyright violation, or any inappropriate behavior. We also reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to terminate your access to all or part of the ActiveRain Community for any reason or no reason , or without notice.
Active Rain can terminate your account at anytime for any reason at all. If you have built a significant part of your business on Active Rain and you are terminated, you are in a world of hurt. If you have placed links all over the internet to your Active Rain blog and it disappears, so could part of your business. It appears to me that many, many Realtors use Active Rain as their only blogging platform. They make great claims as to the business they receive from their Active Rain blog. When I look at their personal web sites they list in their profiles, it takes me to a cold corporate site that I have absolutely no reason to read. If this is you, you better have a backup plan.
I will close with the following statement. Active Rain is a wonderful site and if you are a Realtor, you should probably be on it. That’s a personal judgement call. If you do not have your own blog site that you control 100% of the site and content, you are asking for trouble. If you’re a Realtor, you need a separate blog on your own hosting plan on a domain name that you own. Consider it real estate that you own and this piece of real estate can never be foreclosed on unless you say so. By owning your own site, you will gain strength, traffic and page rank with Google and the other search engines. Do you realize how valuable this can be to your business over time? Extremely valuable. It only cost $10 to get started. If I visit your AR Profile page will I find a link to your personal blog? I recommend Wordpress as a blogging platform. This blog you are reading is built on Wordpress. For hosting I recommend BLUEHOST.COM.
Coming soon on NC Realtors Who Blog: A review of the Kodak Zi6 flip camera. Why every Realtor should own a flip camera.
This entry was written by , posted on March 10, 2009 at 9:02 am, filed under NC Realtors and tagged Active Rain, bluehost, nc association of realtors, nc brokers, nc mls, nc mls listings, NC Realtor, NC Realtors, north carolina realtor, north carolina realtors, realtors north carolina, realtors of nc, wordpress. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Vicki Burton. Southport, NC
Vicki’s welcome note on her blog: If you are reading this it means that you have stumbled upon my Southport blog. I hope that whether you are a local or a potential “newcomer,” you’ll find enough fodder to stick around and hopefully get something worthwhile from your mouse clicks. My original intention was for this blog to be all about the Southport and Brunswick County real estate market, but the further I get into it, the more it seems to be taking on a life of its own. I am enjoying the process, so any topic is fair game here….news, happenings, talk around the water cooler, and the people and places that make Brunswick County, NC such a popular destination. My home in Southport has changed a great deal in the 25+ years we’ve lived and worked here. The girls are all about grown now and it seems like the right time to take stock, to speak up, and to get involved in the things that will help preserve this wonderful town we’re lucky enough to call home.
Vicki Burton has one of the most impressive Realtor blogs that you will find on the internet. Packed with information about Brunswick County, NC. What I like and truly appreciate about Vicki’s blog is that it not all about real estate ALL the time! Vicki understands what a blog is all about. It’s about making a connection with her readers. It’s about useful information about her area. Folks, most Realtor blogs are not blogs at all. You land on their site and it is nothing but a landing page pushing their listings on you. It takes me about half a second to click away. When your reader clicks away, so does your hopes of doing business. When you come to Southport Soundings, you want to stay.
For example, Vicki writes a wonderful article about the surprise snow that fell on Southport. Her article, Southport NC - A Snowy Surprise is a great read because snow does not fall that often in Southport, NC. This article was accompanied by 9 awesome photos. I’m not talking about photos popped on a web page either. These photos are framed and drop shadowed, color corrected…very professional and suitable for framing. I personally know the extra time that it takes to prepare photo’s like this for a web page. Here are examples below.
Vicki blogs on the free Google Blogger platform. Normally, I would not recommend this platform, but I make an exception here. Vicki has used Blogger brilliantly with multiple sites highlighting area developments. There is certainly nothing wrong with Blogger, I usually recommend Wordpress because of the flexibility to do more with your site. She has obviously spent a tremendous amount of time in mastering the platform and her SEO techniques must be paying off in terms of traffic. You can visit Vicki’s Southport, NC real estate sites:
The NC Realtors Who Blog review, would make the following recommendations for Southport Soundings and all of Vicki’s blogs:
- Write more blog posts! The writing is so well done, there needs to be more content posted on a consistent basis. More content would eventually lead to first page Google search results for the terms that Vicki may be targeting.
- I would recommend that all of Vicki’s blogs need at least 10 SEO optimized articles per blog. I would also recommend keyword “ALT” tags on each photo.
The bottom line is Vicki has a wonderful blog and it deserves to be read. Now may be the time to buy property at the NC coast and if you have never been to Southport, NC, you have missed one of Carolina’s greatest little fishing villages. If you visit, you will want to buy a little piece of paradise. Call Vicki Burton to help you. You can reach Vicki at southportsoundings@gmail.com 910-540-0551.
Copyright 2009 ncrealtorswhoblog.com
This entry was written by , posted on March 7, 2009 at 9:54 am, filed under NC Realtors and tagged Brunswick County, NC, NC Realtor, Southport, Southport real estate, Southport Soundings, Vicki Burton. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Todd Long. Lake Norman Realtor
Todd Long has been involved with the Mooresville Century 21 Hecht Realty office since 2003. He started as an agent after realizing his passion for real estate while buying and selling properties for himself several years before obtaining a real estate license. When the opportunity became available to lead the Mooresville office to the next level he looked at the exciting core group of agents available, the outstanding training that had been developed, the power of the CENTURY 21 system and realized what a great opportunity was available.
Sometimes when you read a blog, you can get a real feel about what the author is all about by the style of their writing. Todd’s Lake Norman real estate blog gives me a good feeling. Todd’s background was in sales at Gateway Computer. He realized he wanted to become a licensed agent after buying and selling his own properties. Todd joined Lake Norman Century 21 and took advantage of the training they offered and is now Broker-in-Charge of the office.
While reading Todd’s blog, I came across one of his Video Friday Updates. I like video and I was immediately drawn to play the video. In Todd’s video, he personally covered some of the “Agency” issues that confront real estate agents. Todd sat in front of the camera and spoke freely and easily. It was obvious that he was very comfortable. This is not easy. Not everyone can do what Todd does. This particular video covered a lot of information aimed at Realtors and I can understand that since he is the office Broker-in-Charge.
Todd also posted another Video Friday Update that I viewed. The link took me to another hosting site and I had to leave Todd’s site to view. Once again, Todd is very comfortable speaking into a camera. I like the fact that Todd covers local stories on his blog also. If I found his site from a search engine, the local articles would interest me, especially if I lived far away but was considering a move to the Lake Norman, NC area.
Todd provides a corporate MLS link that allows his readers to search for listings for many communities around the Lake Norman area. This is usually a standard for Realtors Who Blog. There are also property tour videos such as this one highlighting a beautiful Lake Norman Waterfront Property Although I couldn’t find it specifically stated, this video would make me believe that if I list my property with Todd, one the services he may provide would be a video property tour. Looking for a digital camera? A lot of real estate agents are constantly on the lookout for great digital cameras and Todd provides a personal review of his Panasonic Digital Camera.
Since this is a NC Realtors Who Blog review, here are my own personal thoughts after reviewing Todd’s Blog.
- I would recommend Todd move his blog to his own hosted Wordpress site. The free Wordpress sites are fine but you simply do not own your site and the content.
- Embed all of his videos on his site. Don’t make your reader link out and leave your site.
- More videos and more client focused videos. Todd is good in front of a camera and what better way for a distant client to get to know you.
- Join Twitter and place a big bold link on the blog. Todd seems like the kind of guy I would like to follow.
I recommend Todd Long and his blog if you are looking for property north of Charlotte, NC. When a Realtor takes time to blog and pour his heart out for the public to view, you can bet he cares for his co-workers and his clients. Being his office BIC, his blog shows me leadership and dedication.
You can reach Todd at 704-664-3165 or tlong@c21hecht.com.
This entry was written by , posted on March 5, 2009 at 8:44 am, filed under NC Realtors and tagged Century 21, Lake Norman, lake norman real estate, lake norman real estate blog, NC, real estate video, Todd Long. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Craig Rutman. Raleigh Realtor
Craig Rutman is a North Carolina Residential Real Estate Specialist that can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in the Raleigh - Cary – Apex Metro area; or any place else in the country by connecting you with a relocation professional in your destination of choice.
Over the past year, I’ve read many articles on Craig’s Blog. Craig has a great style of writing and he really mixes up his material and that is one thing that I really like. I’m not in favor of a Real Estate blogger who continually pushes their listed property to their readers. You do not have to worry about that with Craig. He touches all bases of the market and even get’s a little silly at times. He recently wrote an article titled “Worthless Wednesday - What the Cluck? Here is the photo he used to accompany his article. How can you not read an article with a title and picture like that?
Craig has been actively blogging for a couple of years now. He has a very good knowledge of the market and that is evident by reading his articles. Craig lays it out straight what he and his team are prepared to do for their clients.
10 Ways The Rutman Jandura Team Can Help You
* The Rutman Jandura Team will help you to know the market- Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, Craig and Linda are the ones you can turn to for information on home values, neighborhoods, taxes, zoning, schools, and more.
* If you’re looking for a home, The Rutman Jandura Team will ease the lengthy process of searching for a home. With our custom tailored search based on your needs, you will receive information on new listings the day they hit the market. Imagine the advantage you’ll have knowing about a home for sale before it’s advertised to the public!
* Of course The Rutman Jandura Team will help you with all the details! Craig and Linda handle many time-consuming tasks that are a part of the real estate transaction process- from searching for a home to arranging the inspections to completing all the paperwork. Both buyers and sellers are kept informed while free from stress.
* If you’re looking to sell your home, The Rutman Jandura Team can help you set the price- Craig and Linda know the current real estate market and will help you set a realistic selling price
* The Rutman Jandura Team will help you advertise more efficiently. When you’re a seller, Craig and Linda handle and pay for all marketing efforts for your home, from advertising in the newspaper, to placing a sign in front of your home, to putting your home on the Internet.
* For sellers, The Rutman Jandura Team will help you add sales appeal. Craig and Linda know how to add the extra appeal to your home at little cost that will generate interest. The proper staging of a home will help to insure a quicker sale.
* The Rutman Jandura Team will help you at your closing. We will work closely with your attorney to make sure all the necessary paperwork is completed. Of course, we’ll accompany you to the closing or, if you’re the seller, even attend in your place, and help you with all the paperwork beforehand.
* The Rutman Jandura Team brings buyers and sellers together. Craig and Linda ultimately help both parties finding the best homes in an affordable price range for qualified, serious buyers.
* The Rutman Jandura Team lets you live your life. As Realtors, Craig and Linda are full time professionals who have the expertise to get the job done right.
Here is one of Craig and fellow Realtor, Linda Jandura’s testimonials:
Craig & Linda,
We are now pretty much settled into our first home. We owe it all to you, for your patience, expertise, commitment to your professionalism in making it all happen. You worked with both of our busy schedules. You put all your confidence and trust into us. Your attention to all the details of contract negotiation, the inspection process all led to a successful transaction from start to finish. We are forever grateful for everything you did for us, from the business of real estate to the personal attention you gave. Without your help we would not be here.Thanks again,
Matt & Brittany
I’m sure you will be impressed. If I were looking for real estate in the Raleigh, NC area, I would give Craig a call.
Visit Craigs Blog. Also visit Craig’s company site, Just NC Homes
This entry was written by , posted on March 4, 2009 at 2:50 pm, filed under NC Realtors and tagged Cary NC Real Estate, Craig Rutman, Raleigh Real Estate, Raleigh real estate blogs. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Bee Realty Waxhaw, NC
Bee Realty is located in Historic Downtown Waxhaw, NC. Lori Bee, Broker-in-Charge and owner, strives to make the process of selling, buying or building a new home easier and more efficient by utilizing the latest technology, professionalism, and information resources specifically about new and exclusive homes market in the Charlotte area. Whether you are a residential home owner wishing to sell, or a buyer preparing to build or buy, or a builder in need of our new home marketing skills, she can help you with her proven knowledge of the industry and internet marketing expertise. Also, being a local boutique realty company, she will tend to your real estate needs with the same care we’d expect for our own family.
One of the things that I really like about Lori, is that she fully utilizes “Social Media” and technology in her business. This is very helpful for her clients. She is always working behind the scenes in ways that one can only call innovative.
Lori stays on top of business and with her clients with her iPhone. Is your Realtor using smart phone technology? Can your Realtor respond to your e-mails quickly? Can your Realtor send a picture or video from the field?
Lori is also very popular on Twitter. I’m sure you have heard of Twitter haven’t you? Here is Lori’s Twitter page.
Lori is licensed in both, North Carolina & South Carolina. She’s a mother of 2, homeschooler, farmer, internet addict, lover of all things horses,dogs, and wine, and just an all around fun person who is full of life, that loves her rural hometown, just south of Metro Charlotte.
Lori also publishes the Waxhaw Blog, Life in a North Carolina, All American Town. She recently wrote a piece about How Banks are destroying the American Builder. This is a must read and it comes from Lori’s heart.
Lori Bee currently serves as Secretary of the Union County REALTOR Asssociation, with a Dual Membership in the Charlotte Regional REALTORS Association, where she also serves on their Legislative/RPAC Committee. Lori is also quite active in the North Carolina Association of REALTORS, currently serving as Chairman of the Information Technology committee (2009).
Visit Bee Realty.
This entry was written by , posted on March 3, 2009 at 6:54 pm, filed under NC Realtors and tagged bee realty, lori bee, waxhaw nc. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
NC Realtors Who Blog
N. C. Realtors Who Blog has officially launched. The aim of this blog is to highlight, perhaps unsurprisingly, Realtors Who Blog. That might seem easy to the uninitiated but, in reality, it’s a little harder. NC Realtors Who Blog will seek to help promote professional Realtors, the ones who get their hands dirty online and write their own blogs with a heavy emphasis on the client and helpful services.
As introductory explanations go this one has been pretty simple. Hopefully the whole concept of a blog like this is perfectly self explanatory. All that remains is for me to open the email gates and invite blog submissions from any Realtors who maintain a blog. To submit your blog simply email me at info@ncrealtorswhoblog.com. Please include a high resolution photograph and graphics if possible.
This entry was written by , posted on at 8:38 am, filed under NC Realtors and tagged NC Realtors. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.