Twitter and the Real Estate Agent

In the world of selling a home online, others have gone before me, and much farther.  Kim Moldofsky set up a blog for the house she is selling, as did Jonathan  Blundell. People have varying degrees of success with that, and I am watching them closely.

But all I’m trying to do right now is find a real estate agent on Twitter.

Back when Stewart and I had just started talking about moving, I tweeted it, of course. And wouldn’t you know, I instantly got about 20 new followers, all of whom had something about real estate in their user name or profile. “Wow, this thing works great!” I thought. But I wasn’t ready to act yet. Now I am. I’ve interviewed two REALTORS – the first was a personal referral, the second was an agent who moves a lot of inventory in my neighborhood (her words, sort of). I thought I’d try to find a third who thrives on the internet the same way I do.

Email is the best way to get in touch with me, followed by direct messages through Twitter. (Facebook works too but I have an unidentified chip on my shoulder about Facebook. That’s an investigation for another blog.) I’m a blogger, and I use the internet for EVERYTHING. Why wouldn’t I want to do business with someone who feels the same way?

twitter_logoWithin the last two weeks, then, I put a call out for REALTORS in my area to get in touch with me. I was actually kind of nervous to do it – I thought I’d be overwhelmed with responses. I waited. And waited, and waited some more.

I got one little tiny bite, and that was through a friend who said “I know a REALTOR, want me to hook you up with her?” My answer? “Only if she contacts me on Twitter.” Yes, it’s starting to sound spiteful and a little bit childish, but hey, sometimes that’s how I roll.

Either I have a very overblown sense of my own reach, or there are very few REALTORS who are paying attention to Twitter in Los Angeles. If it’s the former, well then, I have some work to do. And if it’s the latter, I think that’s a shame. Real estate professionals have so much to gain from using social media tools, and coming late to the Twitter game may mean losing out on opportunities.

I’d love to hear thoughts from this peanut gallery, and get some followers who can help me!  I still haven’t met that third agent.

“In the Nest” Episode 1 – Special Guest: Tara Hunt, Author of The Whuffie Factor

This is Episode 1 of our new video series called “In the Nest” where we interview various personalities both inside and outside the real estate industry. In our first episode, we were privileged enough to secure an interview with Tara Hunt (AKA @missrogue) the night before her keynote at the REALTORS Conference & Expo in San Diego this last weekend.

We had the opportunity to sit down with her and ask her why she was chosen to speak at the conference [...]

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Where Does That Large Agent Commission Go?

As I’ve mentioned, my house is for sale, listed on the MLS via a boutique agency that provides little more for us than the listing. For the investment of a few hundred dollars, we figured it was an approach worth trying. At some point we may list with a typical (or is it best to now say “full service”) agent. But it’s dizzying to think about the amount of money we will pay in commission.

As a buyer, there’s [...]

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Recap of The 2009 REALTORS® Conference & Expo and REBarCamp San Diego

So I’m back from attending RE BarCamp San Diego and the 2009 REALTORS Conference & Expo in sunny San Diego. It was one of the best that I have ever attended from a content standpoint. The sessions were well thought out and the speakers were intelligent, insightful and some were even humorous ( Teresa Boardman AKA @tboard, this is targeted to you).

The Expo was a little smaller than in year’s past and there [...]

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Helpful Agents or Cheesy Marketing Tactics?

Last week Kim Tracy Prince and I touched on the complexities of a buyer or seller’s relationship with their real estate agent. I talked about two agent archetypes, the shark and the therapist. Now I’m adding one more: the passive or aggressive agent. Or maybe the frenemy, someone who claims to support you as they exploit your doubts and insecurities.

You see, my home is currently listed by owner, though it’s on the MLS thanks to one [...]

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Autumn Colors in Western Massachusetts

There is no denying that Western Massachusetts is a beautiful place, especially so during the fall foliage season.  Autumn happens to be my favorite season and I love to take advantage of the cooler, yet still lovely weather to spend time outdoors.

Over the past month I have taken the opportunity to visit three special places in Western Massachusetts that I want to share with you:  Skinner Park in Hadley, Mount Sugarloaf in South Deerfield and Noble View in Russell.

The first [...]

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Greenleaf, ID Has Everything But The Ocean!

Greenleaf has historically been a farming community, and continues to be so, due to the area’s rich, fertile soil.  Incorporated in 1973, it’s a close-knit community governed by a mayor and city council.

City Clerk Lee Belt gave us the skinny on the city and why you’d want to move there.  Caldwell lies 4 miles to the east on Hwy. 19.  It connects to I-84 that runs through Caldwell, a major east/west truck route.  The City of Wilder is to the [...]

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Roost’s 50 RE People You Should Follow on Twitter for November 2009

Can you believe it’s already November? It may be getting cold outside but here at the Roost Blog, we are heating things up with our fifth installment of Roost’s 50 Real Estate People You Should Follow on Twitter. If you are seeing this list for the first time, you need to stop and click the July List, August List, September List and October List first because you will have access to 200 real estate people that [...]

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Clarksville, IN is the “Oldest American Town in the Northwest Territory”

Founded in 1783, Clarksville is known as the “oldest American town in the Northwest Territory.” It was named after General George Rogers Clark, an American Revolutionary War figure. With a population of over 22,000, the town sits sleepily on the Ohio River banks. Just four miles north of the border town of Louisville, Clarksville is home to some amazing artifacts and institutions.

The world’s second-largest timekeeping piece, the Colgate clock, is found right here. It is a [...]

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Your Real Estate Agent: Shark or Therapist?

There are two types of reals estate agents: the shark and the therapist. Which is right for you?

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