| First is a classic tale of a story submitted by a Real | | | | due to being "different" which is also "recognizable" |
| Estate Company with multiple offices that had | | | | by nature of not being like everyone else. |
| contracted for a Web Site to be developed. The | | | | My corporate identity and my corporate colors were |
| Web Site development firm was an established | | | | very important to me, and the subject was just not |
| company with good references in the Real Estate | | | | up for discussion. This infuriated him. He did set things |
| industry. The site was developed to the satisfaction | | | | up under my own domain, though'. However, strange |
| of the franchise owners and they sat back | | | | as it may seem, the name I'd picked out all along, |
| anticipating the results. Nine months later with | | | | had just been taken by someone on the outskirts of |
| thousands of supposed "hits" and very few inquiries | | | | my trading area, just weeks before I applied for it. |
| they began to examine the site that had been | | | | Had I gotten it in the first place, I would have it now. |
| designed for them. They found that the site had | | | | I'd used the name in other types of media, and a |
| never been submitted to the search engines and that | | | | huge franchise Realtor decided he would register it, in |
| it was not "keyworded" for the cities that they | | | | case I ever wanted to "BUY" it back from him.A |
| serviced. They had not been getting the detailed log | | | | similar horror show took place with the ISPs --- their |
| reports which they should have and had not had a | | | | servers were continually going down. Had to move |
| search engine performance analysis on the site. | | | | four times before I found a compatible group of |
| When they confronted the Site Developers they | | | | people with whom I could work. AMAZING. Everyone |
| were told that changes in the industry were | | | | wants to argue. Everyone is an expert. They charge |
| responsible for the poor performance and the site | | | | huge set up fees, and people who are not "in the |
| had to be redesigned because of this. Of course this | | | | know", need to really be careful about signing those |
| is ridiculous. As professionals they should have kept | | | | kinds of contracts. Some keep on charging my AMEX |
| up with industry changes. Not only that, they never | | | | cards, sporadically, after months of no charges. |
| did submit the site to the search engines. To date, | | | | Trying to get that rectified is another nightmare. |
| they had already paid more than $75,000 for the site | | | | All I want to do is sell real estate. I have spent the |
| development and administration. They were locked in. | | | | better part of the past year and a half "working" on |
| So, they agreed to pay an additional $5,000. To | | | | the Net. Indeterminable costs in $$$, and much more |
| correct the problems caused by "industry changes". | | | | in nerves. |
| Two and a half months later their redesigned site is | | | | |
| coming up on the search engines. It is still not key | | | | A true horror show, that finally is, in spite of itself, |
| worded for the cities they service and the | | | | finally producing excellent results. Not lots, but I am |
| corrections continue. | | | | good at weeding and feeding. Response time is |
| This story is not a unique one. Today, there are | | | | "everything", as you say on your site. I, for one, |
| middle school students who can develop a Web Site. | | | | believe this is absolutely business on the cutting edge |
| This does not mean they fully understand the | | | | of the future, and we are now, fortunately, |
| Internet and how it works. A Web Site is a key | | | | positioned to take advantage of the way that |
| business element that requires knowledge of the | | | | business will be conducted from here on in. |
| business, sales and marketing and all the facets of | | | | I have made some valuable new contacts in the |
| business management. It also requires a broad-based | | | | industry, we belong to three network communities, |
| knowledge of the workings of the Internet. | | | | and look forward to exceptional success from here |
| The greatest problem that we see is a lack of | | | | on in. Our site was written up in the Canadian Real |
| knowledge on the part of the businessperson who is | | | | Estate News newspaper which is delivered to all real |
| considering a Web Site for his business. Without an | | | | estate offices across Canada. Many Realtors made |
| ability to evaluate the competency of a Web Site | | | | contact as a result of that article, too. |
| Developer the businessperson is at a loss to make a | | | | I was at a meeting for the Real Estate Council of |
| qualified judgment. There are many people who have | | | | Ontario recently, and was informed by the President |
| developed numerous Web Sites but there are few | | | | that he'd just returned from an Air Canada flight, on |
| who have created sites, which produce the intended | | | | which he'd read an article about my web success. |
| results. | | | | Not realizing he'd be seeing me, he didn't keep the |
| From a realtor in Tucson we hear that she has been | | | | article. I am now trying to locate a copy. |
| getting regular inquiries from the Internet and has a | | | | This from Bob Jurgensen in Manassas, VAI average |
| client flying in from Japan. After a year on line and | | | | about 3-5 requests a week for my "free relocation |
| with listings in and her own web site she has a | | | | kits" and about 1 in 10 ever communicates back in |
| regular flow of inquiries from around the country. | | | | any form. Most do provide phone numbers but few |
| We continue to get e-mail from Realtors around the | | | | return calls and I usually get voice mails. (Bob has |
| country. There are many Realtors who are just | | | | stopped sending out the kits to every request, he |
| learning about the Internet and making the | | | | contacts people first now) |
| adjustment from the "snail world". At first it is hard | | | | In spite of this seemingly poor rate of return, I did |
| to get accustomed to the speed of the net. E-mail is | | | | sell 11 homes and almost $2 Million in sales off the |
| transmitted to recipients in a matter of seconds. | | | | Internet in 2005. I tracked my sales last year very |
| People who have been active on the net for a while | | | | carefully because it was all new to me and I wanted |
| come to expect a response from others within 24 | | | | to know what works and what doesn't. |
| hours. One is not surprised when a business responds | | | | My first contact was an Air Traffic Controller from |
| within hours to an e-mail. The businesses that are | | | | Boston moving to this area (Dulles) and we began a |
| seriously "doing business" on the web often respond | | | | dialog. He came down alone and I gave him a tour |
| within an hour. So, for those of us who are just | | | | the day he interviewed for his new job. Then two |
| starting a to market our Realtor services on the | | | | weeks later he returned with his family and we went |
| Internet, this concept of speed is something we | | | | out to do some serious searching. |
| have to adjust to. Those of us who do not make | | | | Right after this family bought, he passed my email |
| this adjustment will fall by the wayside as more | | | | address to another friend in Boston, who visited my |
| aggressive and attentive companies give customers a | | | | site and also requested a relocation kit. Bingo... |
| faster response. | | | | another sale a few weeks later. Between these two |
| Ouch! Three Web Designers and $$$ over 1 1/2 | | | | guys I had a referral from each and that's a total of |
| year | | | | 4 sales in about 3 months. (A new ATC facility |
| Signed up with a web master who had done a nice, | | | | opened at Dulles recently and they had to staff it so |
| clean site for a nearby local Realtor. I did not know | | | | many are coming here from other parts of country.) |
| the right questions to ask, so I signed up with him | | | | That's not all, this year these same two controllers |
| too. He was in the northwest states. Turned out that | | | | have each sent me yet another referral and one is |
| he did "cookie-cutter" sites, and didn't like it at all, | | | | coming in August to "take the tour", the other most |
| when I had too many creative ideas. He was a very | | | | likely in October. So that's a total of 6 sales |
| nice "person" but did not, absolutely did not, want to | | | | (hopefully) in less than two years off basically ONE |
| follow my instructions. Also, he told me I absolutely | | | | HIT on my site. |
| did not need my own domain. | | | | There have been several others, mostly military and |
| After several months of begging, pleading, and | | | | or government employees. Not sure why, but I |
| stamping my feet, because he never made any of | | | | guess they use the I-net daily. Coupled with the fact |
| the requested changes, such as marking listings | | | | this area (DC-Northern VA) is a major gov't area, |
| SOLD, I couldn't deal with it all any more. So, I | | | | keeps them coming I guess. I seem to have the |
| switched to someone else who came recommended. | | | | most success with gov't and military types. |
| Although' his work was good, and delivered on time, | | | | Sacramento Realtor had 15 Million in Internet Sourced |
| he was "extremely" expensive for any tiny little thing | | | | transactions |
| done after the initial site was up and running. Also, he | | | | Dave Vandermyden, of Pacific Coast Realty, is one |
| decided that he had become a "consultant" and took | | | | of the top Realtors on the net. In his second year on |
| it upon himself to "run my life". Made changes to the | | | | the Internet he originated more than 15 million in |
| site without being asked, took it upon himself to | | | | transactions from the Internet. With four websites |
| "alter" my colors -- which are a major part of my | | | | consisting of more than 130 pages he has dominated |
| identity, without consulting with me first, added links | | | | the Sacramento market on the net. His activity |
| to places he thought should be on my site, and on | | | | includes referrals to a network of San Francisco |
| and on it went for several weeks. When I stamped | | | | Realtors that uses to fill the needs of inquiries he |
| my feet, and insisted these things be removed, it | | | | receives for that area. During the first quarter of 99 |
| took weeks to make those changes. | | | | Dave has averaged about 25 inquiries per |
| He also informed me that studies had been done | | | | week.Written for |
| (this has been done in most forms of media for | | | | By James Christensen |
| many years) saying that the only recognizable colours | | | | Real Estate Expert and educator. Our training site |
| on the Net are red, white, and blue. Well, that's | | | | offers a valuable service to individuals looking to get |
| wonderful, but part of my success over 17 years is | | | | into the Real Estate industry. |