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Using Blogs to Build Your Real Estate Related Business

Author: Joshua Dorkin   • URL: http://www.biggerpockets.com/
September 14th, 2006   •  

Blogs can be very effective communication tools for people in all areas of real estate. Real Estate Agents, Lenders, Investors and other professionals in this field can all benefit from blogging. Here’s a few ways to add to your success by blogging.

First, I wanted to mention a few important keys:
- Focus on Your Niche and Your Area
- Be consistent
- Use your expertise to attract locals
- Keep your readers interested

I realize that much of this is obvious, but all 4 points are very important if your real estate blog is to lead you to success.

Real Estate Agents / Realtor Blogging

Why would someone want to read the blog of a real estate agent? Successful agents draw a good chunk of their business from referrals. These agents are out and about in the community, and are seen as experts in the community.

If agents can convey news, trends, demographics to their community or those interested in that community, they will enhance their presence. Their blog becomes a key information source which will become valuable — as a result, this agent will be seen as an expert in the community, whether or not they are the “Top Agent” for the area. One of the best blogs around that that can be emulated is Curbed. This site highlights New York City real estate, trends, news, etc. If there is a building for sale, Curbed will write about it. The site generates interest because it has become the pulse of New York City real estate. Do that in your town/city, and you’re sure to drive business to record levels.

Lender Blogging

Lenders can benefit for the same reasons as real estate agents. The key to blogging as a lender is not boring your audience. There is only so much financial information people can process. If you can filter the information and put it in easy to understand terms, you will benefit your market. Instead of only providing mortgage info, why not go the same route as the real estate agent — give the community focused news about the housing market in their community. You can also provide them with articles that will help them understand how mortgages work, what loans would be best for them, and so on.

Other Real Estate Professionals

What about the local interior designer or contractor? Do you think a blog would work for these guys? YES! These professionals can highlight recent work and projects they’ve worked on. People love to see before and after photos. Share with your market the great work you’ve done and continue to do, and they will call you. Would you rather work with a landscaper who’se work you can see online, and proves his expertise, or the guy in the local phonebook?

Real Estate Investor Blogging

From a business standpoint, I’m not sure how blogging would benefit the average real estate investor. By sharing your exploits, hardships, and successes with a blog, you will benefit other investors. You will give them access to invaluable information which will hopefully help them to avoid problems themselves, and to be more successful. However, how will it help you to find more deals? I think the answer to that is, by sharing your success with others, you draw their confidence. If people see that you do good work and make money, they will be more inclined to work with you.

As you can see, blogging can be beneficial to people in many areas of real estate. Share with us how your blog has helped your business.

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9 Responses to “Using Blogs to Build Your Real Estate Related Business”

  1. Dan | 15/09/06

    Did you see that the domain ehome.com and ehomes.com is for sale (got the story on http://www.realblogging.com) With home sales going down I would guess leads are becoming worth more to agents and as ehome.com is a lead generation system and its a pretty cool URL there will be lots of interest. What are your thought?

  2. Joshua Dorkin | 15/09/06

    Are you asking about my thoughts on lead generation or on the premise of this site getting sold?

  3. Teresa Boardman | 15/09/06

    Love what my blog has done for my business. Just wish I could stay off of it after hours and when I first wake up and all weekend . . .

  4. Joseph Ferrara.sellsius | 16/09/06

    Great advice here. Since blogging can be demanding in terms of time, you correctly point out that it is important to write about your niche and what you are passionate about. It will shine through to your readers. Although it’s OK to emulate, Be yourself. In fact, I would advise that being yourself requires you to be “different”. Dont let others define the genre. Use your local keywords in your copy & links and you will turn up in google & yahoo searches more than your website.
    Blogging has helped us build relationships and show people who we are. We are also building our brand which we will use to promote our members. When we launch people can read our blog and get a real sense of us and whether they want to be part of our new real estate democracy.

    I really like your blog. Continued success.

    aside (hi Teresa)

  5. Real Estate Investing For Real | A BiggerPockets Blog » Blog Archive » Successful Real Estate Blogging Follow Up: St.Paul Real Estate Blog | 16/09/06

    [...] Search:              Subscribe:            Real Estate Investing for Real Blog Home | Blog Archives « Using Blogs to Build Your Real Estate Related Business [...]

  6. Brandi | 18/09/06

    One other point for real estate investor blogging…

    It can also be used as a central posting point for an investor’s deal details. Post it once in your REI blog and refer/link to it in the various communities where you participate. (If the community allows that of course.)

    -Brandi

  7. TimeForBlogging.com » Blog Archive » Blogging Your Way to Financial Success | 19/09/06

    [...] On the blog, Real Estate Investing for Real, I wrote an article Using blogs to build your real estate business, where I outlined several ways professionals in the real estate world could impove business by blogging. I’ve gotten a few emails and comments from people who have actually seen their business grow because of their real estate blogs. [...]

  8. Jim Cronin | 22/10/06

    Always good advice. An additional ‘key’ that seems to build and maintain readership is the element of participation in the continued discussion that is the comments. Real estate as a service should reflect in one’s availability to their audience.

  9. Stan | 3/11/06

    I’ve taken a quick look at your postings, which are very interesting. Lots of material and ideas! Congrats on being so focused!

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