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