Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

One more reason why real estate will remain crazy for a while...

Oooooookie dokie...
so, then-the FDIC wants to borrow money from banks:

(YouTube - Bloomberg )

I am not an economist, just another blogger-

but hey, I know the banks in my neck of the woods aren't doing so good.

More later.

Not borrowing, I mean-just blogging.

Steve

Saturday, January 3, 2009

A walk on the roof....

...is not something you would do in January.
Well, unless you had to. And were really, really careful.

(ss photo)

Again, I am NOT telling you to literally do this-
but imagine how far you could see-
and who could see you
if you could stand on the roof of all of your listings.
Simple enough idea.
And that is what social networking is all about.
Let's get a ladder!
Anyone. Anywhere. Anything.
Experienced Social Network Building/Content Creation Consulting
for Commerce, Creatives and Citizens
920-691-6030

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Pump it out, clean it up, cry a lot....





...it's not over yet.


It's just moved a bit downstream.

Everyone is going to need help.

Last week I went out to check out where

the sandbags and sand were-this is the sign I saw:

I got out and did what I could.

The rest of the story is here-a long week in the flood!

Let's all pull together.

...It's not over yet.

Steve

Obeoman

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Welcome to the flood...I mean blog...STAY SAFE!

Obeo and I extend our thoughts to all of those who
are injured or hurt, have lost a home, are suffering property damage,
or loss of work because of the flooding catastrophe in Wisconsin,
and other parts of the country.
Gov. Jim Doyle has declared a state of emergency in 30 Wisconsin counties,
and the list is growing.
He has also requested assistance from FEMA.
What began late last week as hard rain will not end soon.
More rain is coming today, Wednesday,
and many rivers have not yet crested.
It will be at least seven to ten days before waters begin to recede.
May all the volunteers and emergency workers stay safe!
Steve
Obeoman

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Happy Blogday!


Happy BLOGDAY!
Real Estate is Crazy is one year old!
When this blog started,
365 days ago today,
it ignored some good advice:
After that post and
-yes-
a few keywords and thousands of readers later -
So thanks for stopping by-
and stop back every now and then.
For a laugh.
To leave a comment or two.
Give some advice,
Or be shamelessly shilled.
But please-
Keep coming back.
Because Real Estate ain't any less crazy than it was a year ago-
and I am looking for a few more rules to break.
Thanks to everyone!
Steve
Obeoman

Monday, January 28, 2008

On your mark, get set- BLOG!










You might have made history!


...as far as I know, our little get-together was the

FIRST EVER REALTOR BLOGGING SEMINAR IN WISCONSIN



Thanks for coming-

Here are the links resources to get you going as promised.



Remember-Be yourself, take small steps, lurk and learn,

and get into the conversation where you are comfortable.
...and have FUN!
(...remember, sometimes blogs are NSFW -
but don't worry about this one!)


http://obeoman.blogspot.com
Real Estate Is Crazy – a crazy real estate blog. Laugh. Learn. Live.


www.activerain.com
On line community of real estate agents.


www.wannanetwork.com
On line community of real estate agents.


www.facebook.com
Social utility


www.myspace.com
Social network


www.friendster.com
Social network


www.blogger.com
Free blog by Google


www.googleanalytics.com
Free analytics to track your blog performance.






www.rsspieces.com
Learn how to blog for real estate-SEO, RSS tips


http://www.stpaulrealestateblog.com/
Teresa Boardmans' real estate blog, linked to her CWB website, her other blog and activerain



Common sense for the new market.


http://www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/
Edgy blogging collaborative, bucks the mainstream


http://blog.sellsiusrealestate.com/
The best blogging hub for Real Estate


www.inman.com
Hard news for Real Estate


www.rismedia.com
New trends for real estate

www.swanepoel.com
Opinion leaders for real estate

LINK TO BLOGGING PPT

Hard Knowledge for Soft Skills

...stop back and let me
know how you are doing!


Blog on,


Steve

Obeoman



Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Why me?-Why now?-Why not?

?


No email.



No internet.



Limited phone service.



For almost two days at the WRA Winter Convention in Lac du Flambeau, WI.



Diogenes got nothing on me.



After spending the past two days wandering around the conference with my laptop open, looking every bit the beggar I was, I made it to my email. I had been able to make a couple of phone calls during the interim, including one from the front desk at the hotel with Obeo president Glade Jones which disconnected for no reason, so everything was OK.



I was even able to hook up the WRA staff with signals on their laptops, but no signal for Steve.



Interesting what happens when you can't see what is going on. Or read. Or hear.



The bad winter weather goes to worse and your company president misses a connection from Utah on the way to a REMAX agency in Madison, WI event with one of your largest clients, the broker and 120 of his best agents. Glade sent me an email, of course. The weather was bad enough to send him home to Salt Lake City.



I also got an email from Jonathan Nicholas, Obeo sales VP, who was also on his way to Madison-to the same event. When he got there-I know he had planned to be-he wrote me an email that HIS email got stuck in a server in La-La land.



Well, you see, this is why Glade was going to Wisconsin because we hadn't heard from Jonathan, who was out there doing the national-travelling Obeo thing with our other clients.



So far, so good. I managed to get enough of a phone signal to call John Murray, our Madison photographer at the event who told me he had arrived at the event alone.



Okay.



Meanwhile, business continues as usual in the background. WAY-background. Of course , questions I could normally answer, things I would usually do remain undone. It is a darn good thing I set up an out-of-office auto reply. I wonder if it went anywhere, or if anyone read it.

Tours, photographers, later, rental cars , now, uploads, Ruth, when, refunds, Dennis, adjustments, Melynda, hotels, how, return receipts, flights, John, downloads, Kennedy, hot wings, -21 below, why.



Finally, two signal bars on the screen while I am kneeling in the lobby at a coffee table .



It's Bill Gates' world, we just work in it.


Amen.

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

Monday, January 14, 2008

The New Marketplace: Hard Knowledge for Soft Skills


Free and Open to All Wisconsin Realtors:
The New Marketplace: Hard Knowledge for Soft Skills
Blogging, Social Networking and On Line Communities

January 29th, 2008
1:30-3:30 PM
Madison, WI 53711
Find out what they are, where they are and who is in them-(and why you should be, too!)
Learn about blogging: Be the local real estate expert on your community.
Tips on social networks: GenX, GenY and Millenials want you to be their friend.
How to live in an on line community: Sharing and giving away information,
idea farming and e-tiquette.
________________________________________________
Presented by Steven Stearns/Obeo Real Estate Marketing Consultant-Eastern WI
Blogger: “Real Estate is Crazy”
On line community senior member: www.wannanetwork.com
On line community active member: www.activerain.com www.facebook.com
Please call 262-325-8687 or email steven.stearns@obeo.com to RSVP
(Door prizes, refreshments, fun!)
Give me a call and I will see you there!
Steve

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

12 Days of Christmas for Realtors

(Urban Outfitters is selling a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.)
Twelve days of Christmas for Realtors:
12 ARMs a-justing;
11 lovely Listings;
10 Bankers Begging;
9 Leads a-calling;
8 Maids a-cleaning;
7 percent Commission;
6 working Websites;
5 golden Offers;
4 Calling Centers;
3 day Weekend;
2 Points at closing
...and a closing and a sale per week!
Happy Holidays to all - and to all a GREAT NEW YEAR!
Obeoman

Monday, December 3, 2007

Real Estate Video is NOT the consumer choice.

I hope this real estate video works...hope the lighting is ok...it costs a lot...
where does it go?...who is seeing it?...does this really work?


(clipart courtesy of clipartheaven.com)

Sellsius offers up a late serving of turkey with a video from Brian Copeland , a Realtor in Nashville. (His blog, Nashville and Beyond, has decent content and some pretty funny and fun things things to know about the area.)

Even though the market forces have virtual tours as the leading form of RE marketing-over a million buyers a month visit Obeo-once more we have to hear how RE web video is the way to go.

My reply at Sellsius:

Brian,

Virtual tours are the most widely used form of web RE marketing; this is what the consumer wants because this is where the consumer money is being spent.

Video tours do not work for most listings because:

-Video tours are not aggregated or distributed effectively on the web.
-Video tours lack visual quality: most RE video is poor to average.
-Video tours are not cost effective for most listings.

Obeoman
steven.stearns@obeo.com

Virtual tours are the leading form of marketing properties on the web:
Sellers list with Realtors who sell,and Realtors who sell are using millions-perhaps billions, worldwide - virtual tours to market listings.

Because it is cost and labor intensive, RE web video remains a niche tool for luxury listings, unique locations and as a marketing tool for funny, charismatic or extremely dynamic Relators or agencies.

By the way, keep an eye on the blog here - in the coming weeks, Obeo will be showing you why virtual tours are and will remain the best way to market any property on line or anywhere. How buyers love virtual tours, and sellers love them, too.

Buyers want to own their home when they see it on line.

Obeo will help them do that, and more.


I gotta go sell something!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

Monday, November 12, 2007

Top 12 Real Estate Predictions for 2008




TOP 12 REAL ESTATE PREDICTIONS FOR 2008:

1.) Google corporate jets will feature scrolling AdSense banners on their sides, or tow signs behind them as they fly over beaches.

By the way, you won't need a crystal ball for your sellers

with

Obeo HomeSite and Obeo StyleDesigner.

(Available after January 21st)

2.) Redfin will give away Snoopy Catch-'Em kits to each lister, with free linkbait.

3.) ActiveRain will provide free umbrellas to each Realtor at its site to protect them from getting soaked by falling prices.

4.) Pat Kitano at Transparent RE will move into a new glass headquarters in Pomona, CA. To stimulate the local economy and discourage the proverbial rock throwing, Pat will hire displaced mortgage brokers to police the grounds for any other offending projectiles.

5.) RISMedia’s Annual Leadership Conference will undergo a format change, a cross between Big Brother and Survivor. Hosted by David Hasselhoff, it will only be available by satellite subscription service.

6.) Zillow will use street teams to meme their brand and have street team members carry bells and buckets to enhance cash flow.

7.) The crew at Sellsius, inspired by their successful '08 nationwide blogging tour, will form a Band of Bloggers - like Brian Setzer's, only bigger and more verbose-and go on tour to over 1,500 real estate brokerages, playing at lunchtime in the parking lot.

8.) Inman TV will host a reality series of the Sellsius tour, partnering with Teresa Boardman to vlog and blog the performances.

9.) Trulia Voices, not to be outdone, will go out on a choral tour featuring songs with lyrics based on answers to questions posted at the site. Performance MP3s will be posted free at their site and will also be available as ring tones.

10.) NAR CEO Dale Stinton will go on a consumer-based diet including non-fat technology commodities.

11.) Upstart on line real estate community Wannanetwork will be bought by Donald Trump and leased to AT&T, forming a worldwide network of networks.

12.) Obeo and Krispy-Kreme form a strategic alliance to enhance delivery of its donut-on-a-stick incentive to all eligible-and hungry-Realtors attending their sales presentations.

Obeoair is at NAR this week, so check us out or email me for details!

...what we got, you want!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

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

cartoon from www.weblogcartoons.com

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

Monday, October 22, 2007

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
Let's get together and have some fun!
Obeoman


Thursday, October 18, 2007

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

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

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











Monday, October 8, 2007

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

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

We all need a little magic....

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

Enjoy!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Flipping Your But(t)...



We will get to the above stated sentiment in a moment, but first:


...isn't this Be-Utah-Ful?


When you get out of bed and this is the first thing you see, you know you are pretty close to corporate headquarters in downtown Salt Lake City for our annual-see-me-hug-me-once-a-year-meeting.


The Obeo agenda:


Flipping Your But(t), A Chris Farley look-alike, a Star-Trek murder-mystery, pushing 50-pound ammo cans over the bridge you just built from a piece of rope and two battered pieces of 6-inch wide aluminum over three feet of very cold water or hard concrete or gravel .


Here is one of the bridges, supported by a lot of trust:





Every day we are each faced with challenges we choose by choice:


Being on this fence – actually any fence – right now is probably more dangerous than waiting in line to summit Everest. You might get comfortable,


...or just get used to the pain in your butt.

Who can afford to be on the fence? Get off it or over it. Fall off it if you have to.

The grass is greener on the other side, anyway.


The Obeo crew spent Friday doing just that by building bridges – crummy ones, with bent and battered pieces of metal, frayed ropes and high hopes they would take us over the obstacles in the Leadership Reaction Course at a Utah National Guard camp just outside Salt Lake City.
But we didn't do it alone – we did it with each other and with a lot of discussion – some of it just a little edgy, all of it pointing the way through.




That's all the market is right now. Something to get over.


So: team up with others in your brokerage. Pool your talent. Hold your commissions. Be a team.


Change the way you think about the market. Be an expert on neighborhood information. The listings are out there. You can win them.


Commit to a marketing program where you know the buyers are – on line. Tell your sellers you won't take a listing if it ain't going on line, with a lead capture tool and then price it right.


Let your knowledge guide your behavior, and keep refreshing that knowledge.


So Flip Your But(t)!

Example:


“I could sell these places,


but



...the buyers won't move on price and the surplus inventory keeps growing.”


(Now flip it:)


"The buyers won't move on price and the surplus inventory keeps on growing,


but


if I show them where they buyers are, put their listing there and tell them we are going to look at the numbers in a couple weeks, I know I can sell it."


Now, did that hurt? Feel better?

Good - see you at the Wisconsin Realtors Association get-together !


I gotta go..

Steve

steven.stearns@obeo.com




Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Sexy Crazy Photo of Statistics for Real Estate Marketing !


While the header here may have you chuckling: I never really liked math until I had an algebra teacher tell me statistics are like bikinis: what they reveal is interesting. The inspiration for this post came from the crew at Sellsius !
Obeo can - and does - the job twice as good as our closest competitor.
...and that is something you can take through the fan and to the bank!
I gotta go...call me!
Obeoman
steven.stearns@obeo.com


Monday, September 17, 2007

Realtors are going through the fan...

Teresa Boardman seemed a little crabby when I stopped by recently at her blog.
But not without reason.
She says Realtors need buyers, not a kick in the teeth from their licensing organizations or the boards that support Realtors, but still say there is an excess of Realtors walking around.
Needless to say, the market is giving Realtors, brokers, buyers, sellers and associated professionals - all of us - a push toward the fan.
(See photo below.)
(Photo borrowed from foureyesjokeshop.com )
Well, there ain't nothing like social networking to pull you through the fan.

While this current market situation reflects the survival of the fittest-those that throw the biggest fit survive.
My home forum, http://www.wannanetwork.com/, is looking at gathering as many of their over 11,000+ members as they can at the National Association of Realtors convention this November- so follow the link and join up, even if you can't get to Vegas. I am hoping to be there early, myself.
So, what is going to happen as we go through the fan together?

Well, the reality of transparent information , a flattening marketplace and the competition they generate will thin out any labor force- including Realtors.
Okay, there are many other forces at work here and this may be an oversimplification, but the fact is the shakeout is here for Realtors and everyone who works with or for them.
Keeping it short and simple: no one wants to eat their young.
In the thick of this you have to look way ahead and see what is already emerging: Realtors need buyers, buyers are online, online companies like Zill-Ow are serving those buyers and the FSBOS are serving them too, -up to 20% or better in one of my core markets.
Ramping up education and keeping an eye on standards could be one trend worth shouting about. And that is a good thing for the profession of Realtors and housing consumers alike.
Realtors who are serious are all experts at some things.
It seems that Realtors may become experts on what to know,
not how to sell or to whom.
But hey, I'm just turning on the roller grill with you...
Pass the ketchup, please....
Obeoman