Greetings, Earthling...take me to your Neighbors!

(Photo borrowed from futuro-house.net)

Intergalactic market?

Imagine the cost of the relo!

Actually, it's one of only about a hundred surviving, (give or take a few),

futuristic pre-fab plastic reinforced homes imagined and materialized by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in 1968, mostly for use as a camping retreat or holiday home.

It could be easily transported by helicopter or shipped on a truck, sleeps eight, has a full bathroom and central fireplace, and great views, - depending on where you are dropped off.

And get this - the reason it didn't take off was due to high oil prices in the 70s...

Huh.

With oil prices topping 90.00 a barrel this week,

no doubt it would have an out-of-this-world price tag.

(BTW, I think pink flamingos were invented in

the U.S. in Leominster, Massachusetts-the good ol' USA!)

It's Friday, so watch this Futuro video mix from YouTube and

celebrate the past in the future!

Love Your Neighbor -Pink or Green!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

Let's All Help In California!

(Borrowed from UK Times)

We all know about home, family and what they mean.

Click here to donate to the American Red Cross

And, let's hold them close in our thoughts and prayers -

the victims, the firefighters and their families.

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

3 REAL Reasons to Blog and 10 Wesbsite MUST HAVES-FREE!

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Okay gang - we are all faced with the MONSTER OF TECHNOLOGY-AUUUUUUUUUUGH!

But here are some more great tips on why blogging and social media work and I can give you three real results that my blogging has produced:

-Blogging has gotten me in touch with Realtors and brokers who are too busy to return a phone call. I looked for their blogs and commented then got engaged in their on line conversation, widening my network.

-Blogging has added value to my company's' name as I have on line relationships with opinion leaders, leading bloggers and early tech adopters-allowing them to create buzz for us about what we have coming-interested?

-Most importantly, blogging has created professional relationships for me - especially at Wannanetwork where Obeo will soon be featured for the value we add to the community-and that will continue to grow!

Call me on Jaxtr or wire me back - and get ready for Wisconsin Blogger Meet-Up! You can come to meet and talk with other bloggers about what works for them! Of course, fun is on the agenda as well...

TEN FREE WEBSITE TIPS THAT WORK!

-Be the local expert on the community and how great it is to live there;


-A deep search program, so readers and viewers can get the info they want;


-Interactive Mapping, so visitors can see where they want to be;


-Compelling and relevant visual content -start with the BEST PHOTOS;


-Now, click here for the rest of these FREE website tips from Jonathan Nicholas of Obeo, my boss and Senior VP of marketing and sales.

And

Sell Happy!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

CALLING ALL WISCONSIN BLOGGERS, OR WANNABEBLOGGERS!

...or wannabebloggers!

I am working on a blogger meet-up - date in November to be determined -

-location likely to be in Ft. Atkinson, between Madison and Milwaukee;

-anyone who is currently blogging or wants to learn about blogging;

-Agents, brokers, independents,-ALL ARE WELCOME!

The idea is to get together, talk the blog,

have a nosh and maybe bend an elbow and make a friend or two!

If you are interested, leave a comment or email me directly at

steven.stearns@obeo.com

Let's get together and have some fun!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

Break out , Stand out AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!...

(Photo borrowed from Ontario Archives)

In China, if you are one in a million, there are 1,300 of you.

Today, we are going to talk about why you milk the cow, get the cream and

how this keeps you moooovin' in the market.

Where to start?

Break out!

Of the old marketing habits. Remember, this market moves so fast, you have to ! Take a look at what you are doing and turn it upside down and shake it out!

Review your budget today and put your money where the consumer is: Better put most of it into your website, virtual tours and if you do use print, make sure you have your website featured prominently in your newspaper ad. Eight out of ten buyers are looking online for their home - realign you budget to reflect that reality! Use some of that money to make sure you can get and send email from where you are and capture client information for leads.

Standout!

Redo your biz card: so they are consistent and high quality. CD business cards with your listings on them? A great way to replace the old biz cards - and keep the Internet empowered consumer engaged.

Renew your information, news and industry education: Be an E PRO - run, do not walk to this Realtor designation! Remember, you have to be ready for the on line consumer and they are going to prefer the E Pro because that's basically where they learn, look and live with their information - on line! YOu should be reading Inman News and RISMedia every day - delivered to your email and for FREE!

And again-Get your BLOG on, and join an online community: Get started by reading blogs! Remember, a blog is a conversation you have with the readers. Respond to blogs-anyone who has one is dying for a comment! Join a community like activerain.com or wannanetwork.com - post in the forums, ask questions and learn from your peers. This is the leading edge of the future, and those who choose not to participate in social media do so at their own risk.

NOW, MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Watch this REMAX realtor Powerpoint - all the reasons and everything you need to know is right here!

Well, call me on my jaxtr at the top of the page if you have any questions, and I will get back to you!

Shake it up and have fun!

Obeoman

Want Cream? Milk the Cow !!!

(Free Cash Cow ! - found at istockphotodotcom)

Okay, ReMax North Central and all other Realtors: for the next couple of days, the blog here will offer a summary of great ways to get your marketing program moving - all crazy and most for FREE!

Start out knowing if you want the cream, ya gotta milk the cow:

-8 out of 10 buyers are on line;

-10-12 months-the amount of time people spend looking on line when they are getting ready to move;

-Right now - 2 hours from now-the amount of time the empowered Internet consumer will expect to hear from you, the Realtor when they find you on line.

-Realtors are Number One - with the Internet consumer - 80% of on line consumers will use the first real estate professional they talk to

Be ready for the empowered Internet consumer:

First, get your listings online at Obeo: 1 million visitors a month can't be beat - the first-class on line statistical reporting and photos you can keep using! -And don't forget to link your own website to Obeo for maximum traffic!

Second, distribute your tours on free sites using postlets : create a flyer with your great Obeo photos and spread the word about your listings at these other key sites for FREE:

backpage.com
craigslist
edgeio
Google Base
HotPads
LiveDeal
Oodle
Propsmart
Trulia
Vast

Third, start blogging and be the neighborhood expert: for free at blogger.com .

Blogging is how you tell your buyers about where you live, the fun you have there, who else lives there, where they can live around where you are and why they should buy a home there. Blogging is a conversation - so talk to these people in your blog like neighbors over the fence about what is going on where you live - after all, they will be your neighbors.

Fourth, get in an online community and get engaged : like activerain or wannanetwork. You'll find other Realtors at these sites, ideas for your blog and better yet, buyers and sellers looking for information from Realtors!

Get another bucket-this one is full - and check back tomorrow and the day after for more FREE marketing tools and ways to make the market happen for YOU!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

NO CRAZY-BAD PICTURES, PUH-LEASE!

Sellers hate them!

Buyers like them even less...

So, why do bad real estate pictures end up on the web when they drive sellers to the brink of hysteria and buyers to nausea, and onto the next mediocre batch of images?

Why are there are millions of bad RE photos populating sites that pretend they are actually attracting buyers with good pictures?

Probably because most people think

the picture is "good enough".

Now, think about that statement.

Then, think about really adding value for clients.

What makes a great RE photo?

(Please, let's not argue about good photos- this is your house we are selling!)

Great RE photos must be technically excellent,

with clear, sharp, crisply focus, not tilted, properly exposed with even lighting and no backflash.

Great RE photos highlight the key feature(s) of the room for the buyer, whether it is a bay window, stone fireplace, fantastic decorating and staging or an awesome view.

Great RE photos invite the buyer into the home,

are composed and taken from an angle the room would normally be viewed at.

Who makes a great RE photo, one that makes the Seller smile and the Buyer stick to the on line tour ?

If you don't know who, just call us at Obeo.

We will go out of our way to do it right-

because that's what it takes to make the Sellers smile

and the Buyers buy!

Stay focused!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

RE-ally RICH!: Chinese RE Developer Tops in Billionaire Boom !

From just over the dateline and into tomorrow:

Yang Huiyan (right) and her (LUCKY!) husband at their wedding.

(photo borrowed from the Mangalorean)

...she is worth 16.2 billion and is an OSU grad-

not a bad start for someone who is only 26.

Once more, real estate is Number 1!

and speaking of rich chicks- no sexism intended - if you work for REMAX in Wisconsin, you can get an edge on your RE earnings by going to the:

Rich Chicks: Financial Planning for Women

session at the REMAX North Central gathering

in Brookfield, WI Oct. 16th.

This is just one of over 15 breakout sessions with great ideas for powerful listing presentations, balancing your life and blogging for your business.

Of course, if you can't make up your mind, here is an easy choice:

Technology: Cash Cow or Mad Cow

Obeos' Jonathan Nicholas will be speaking at lunch.

(a star with REMAX, now on our team helping all Realtors)

Jonathan will be there at North Central to make sure you know how to:

meet the consumer expectations, capture the clients,

and help you:

find out where all this technology is taking us !

All for now - pass the steak sauce, please...

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

Real Estate is still Number 1!

...a total no-brainer and a great idea to share with everyone!

Anyway, on with the Monday Mashup:

REAL ESTATE IS STILL KING:
Nice little piece from the Birmingham Business Journal - according to a survey by the Guidant Financial Group, the majority of those folks holding money and looking towards their retirement saw real estate as a secure and worthy investment - despite the obvious market issues right now.

There are always peaks and valleys, but if you connect all the high points, the curve still goes up. Tell that to your lookie-loos on Sunday!

...c'mon, get your blog on - watch this:
And since we are all counting on the value of homes, why not add to your value as an agent by being more 2.0? Get started by watching Eric Hersman of Realty Thoughts at Inman TV. Blogging, social networking, being in online communities for Realtors, like Wannanetwork or activerain - all can lead to offline connections that can help you grow your sales. Eight out of ten consumers are online - where are you on that "X"?

...still on the fence? Don't think that all this webby stuff will work for you? :
Better read the Reno Realty Blog by Diane Cohn - she dishes on what is up with real estate in her neck of the woods, how the professional Realtors won't starve and says her blog is helping - so they are spreading the word with blogging classes.

As for me, I am working on a blogger meet-up sometime in the next three weeks for bloggers in Madison and Milwaukee- if you wanna come, just call me or drop me a line!

Obeoman
steven.stearns@obeo.com

Google ranks top snack for Realtors

Click here to see Google rank the top snack for Realtors

-coming in at #1 out of 1,830,000!

...but what would office meetings be without donuts, anyway?

(Less sweet, I think...)

...but if Realtors like donuts this much,

...BUYERS LOVE PHOTOS!

1,000 pictures are worth 1,000 leads-sink your teeth into this over at RIS Media.

The fact: as long as they are good photos, make sure:

as many photos of your listing on line as possible.

(This is where Obeo comes in, obviously.)

and in other sweet news, uberblogger Teresa Boardman is at the top of a list of 25 most influential bloggers in 2007 at Inman News.

And deservedly so - she is a "real" blogger who is not afraid to share what she knows about her community and real estate. She is open and receptive to other bloggers and their ideas. And she has a great sense of humor, too.

The list reads like a Whos' Who of Blogging with too many names to drop

- here, anyway.

Laugh and sell !

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

We all need a little magic....

...maybe this video explains the current real estate market!

Enjoy!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com