My main website is built on a TypePad blog, so I receive their newsletter.  Today they had a great post about how to come up with new blog topics.  I often sit here, staring blankly at my computer screen, willing my fingers to type...I'm sure that lots of you do as well.  If you blog on a regular basis, give yourself a pat on the back...you deserve it!  

If you need some help to replenish your blog topic repitoire, read on...you're like the rest of us :-)

I have just listed their 10 Ways below briefly; however, you really should read the entire article for all the details.

There are many real estate website solution providers out there today.  And of course there's also the option of going with a custom website.  This is an expensive options, but if you can afford it, I say do it - right.  Make sure you take the time to check references and google results for this person or company that says they can build you your dream site.  If all the sites in their portfolio are doing not so well on Google, why would you want them involved with your site?  You wouldn't.  That said, if you cannot afford a custom site, which most agents cannot, I suggest you go with Advanced Access.  I have nothing to gain by recommending them...no affiliate code or anything.  And I know they have had their issues in the past as all growing solut

You’ve got listings, yes you do…you’ve got listings, good for you!!!

Ummm…the market is overflowing with listings right now, and no matter how superior your listings are over anyone else’s listings, they don’t do you any good unless you get them out there! You have to get them out to the people that are buying in your area; you also want to get them out to potential sellers so that they can see how you would handle their listing if they were to sign with you.  You have a sphere of influence, you have a database…why aren’t you using it? 

This is a follow up article to my September 3, 2008 article entitled “It’s That Time Again…”  We’ve all heard the song, The 12 Days of Christmas, and of course this article is just a useful play on that.  Don’t waste one of the biggest marketing opportunities out there, implement as many of my 12 “Ways” as possible to see the maximum outcome and to get 2009 off to a great start!  Here we go…

Not necessarily, they are very different sites.  But the fact is, that in my reading over the weekend, I saw that Craigslist gets more hits than Realtor.com – are all those visitors there to buy real estate?  No.  But many are.  Or they are looking for rentals, or they are potential sellers looking to see what agents are being pro-active in their marketing efforts for when they are ready to sell their home.  The bottom line is that’s a lot of traffic and if you’re not taking advantage of it, I don’t see how you can be doing your best for your clients.  An advantage that Craigslist has over Realtor.com is that Realtor.com only pulls the first picture through the MLS listing fo

Oh, come on…you knew it was only a matter of days before someone started guilting you into thinking about what you are going to do this year for your holiday card and / or gift giving to all your clients.  So, let’s just get it over with – it’s time to start thinking about it, let’s just get it done.

Most real estate agents, teams, brokerages, etc… are at some point going to want to have an online collaboration area where you and your whole team all have access to the same documents, communication threads, contacts, etc... These online collaboration solutions are becoming increasingly popular among a variety of business types as well as busy families. Who can't use more organization and less chaos in their lives? I personally use two of these systems with my own clients, as well as for my own VA business and my family’s investment property business. Below is an extremely brief overview of the main three that I have had the chance to review and use:

REOTrans is a comprehensive system to manage and sell default and REO properties - and its popularity is only increasing. If you haven't signed up to become a member of REOTrans by now, you should be asking yourself if you're missing out on an opportunity for income potential in this tough market.

Always on the lookout for new perspectives, we are today welcoming our newest contributing author, Christine Wade.  As you might imagine, Christine comes to us from the real estate industry--with a twist.  A licensed agent with multiple certifications, Christine will write from the vantage point of a business owner in the industry of real estate virtual assistance.