Real estate is crazy:The next 50 years....

(Art from clker.com)

What can you say about
27,000 temporarily abandoned oil wells and
radioactive rabbit poop?

Out of all the noise in the echo chamber: the twits tweeting on twitter,
the anime avatars on facebook
and the veritable slew of bloated blogs and bloggers,
these two items got my attention.

Made me shut up.

And pay attention.

The fact that the next 50 years of my life are ahead of me
kind of underlined things.

So, for the next two weeks that is how I am celebrating my 50th birthday, beginning at 12:00:01 tonight. ...it's not like I had much to say, anyway.

But I am grateful for what I have seen and heard in real life, and here.

TTyL,
Steve
shsworks@sbcglobal.net

Hello, WCRA! Welcome to the Blog!

Hello WCRA Madison, Wisconsin-

...and welcome to the blog!

It was great to see you all today-

Thanks to Kim Lambert, Chariti Gent and Bill Kessler.

And of course, Rebecca Levinson, my friend and Ace Blogger-(see link below.)

(..and thanks for putting up with a slightly cranky computer... :) )

The power of relationship brought this all together

so we could get together today and share ideas.

As promised, the links below will give you plenty of help, ideas and opportunities

to work on your social media and building your social network.

(...remember you can learn a lot about marketing from a dog:

...Bear doesn't let technology or paperwork get him down!)

Links: Click and GROW:

The Cluetrain is THE Train of Thought for Marketing and Social Media

25 Reasons: Social Media Can Help Your Business

400+ Ideas for Blogs, Photos and Social Media Updates

Free Website, Photo Editing and On Line Document Sharing

REALTORS ROCK: 30 Links to Social Media Just for YOU!

FREE Mobile Website

FREE 30 Days of Mobile Marketing-Wisconsin-Based Company!

Rebecca Levinson is a Blogging Goddess.

Get In The Know With Inman-Free Breaking RE News DAILY!

and

The Latest Word on Internet and Mobile Marketing Trends

Read this book by Seth Godin

Call me, wire me or connect-happy to help you out anytime!

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/c7f27d

Twitter: @stevenstearns

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenstearns

NOW What?

NOW what?.....

(SHS photo)

or maybe better still,

Now, what NOW?:

Housing seems to be getting better,

we can enjoy a few more Doritos for the same price,

...and depending on how you look at them...

the major stock markets

are either up-to no good or double-down for the money.

Then there's that whole health insurance thing,

-along with the increase in minimum wage,

coupled with several hundred thousand people

still going out of work each month.

There has to be opportunity in all the chaos;

I have found some for myself, and will be working on it this week.

So now what now may point at where to, sooner or later.

Just so it's forward.

See you out here!

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030

Living in Change

"Everything changes, nothing remains without change." -Gautama Buddha

Like anything else, there are different levels of change:

You can change your socks, what you have for breakfast and your address all in the same day.

Or are those choices, and not really change?

Maybe-just maybe-the difference between choice and change is if we actually do it.

(If is a funny word, too-but let's stick to change today and not sit too long under the Bhodi tree.)

So okay, there you have it: Change.

We are all past the point in our lives and work where changing is negotiable.

In fact, Change has taken on some Darwinistic flavor, and shoves us all back into considering the fear of the unknown.

We have to learn to live in change, not just change when circumstances dictate it for our economic, physical or emotional survival.

Living in change is always moving, always looking forward, watching the horizon come closer, fade-and become invisible at times.

We will sometimes lose our bearings and maybe get lost.

But look at what is happening all around you.

And be a part of it.

Start living in change.

Steve
shsworks@sbcglobal.net
920-691-6030

Preaching to a mute choir.....

You know you can hear...

...so why aren't you singing ?

The housing consumer is dying to hear your song:

"...95% of consumers between the ages of 18 and 44 who bought a home last year used social networking sites at least a few times a week, and a majority used them daily...."

"according to NAR...44% of all buyers use social networking every day."

-from matthewferrara.com

Your audience, your market, is standing in the front row.

They are filling up the seats in the auditorium.

They have their ticket and are standing in line waiting

for the next sold-out performance.

And they are bringing their friends, neighbors and yes-their kids!

So...

Are you going to the show?

Why aren't you on the way to the stage?

Why aren't you singing your lungs out?

...or at least tuning up.

The world is all ears.

And waiting to hear from YOU.

The neighborhood expert.

To sing the praises of the schools, parks, coffee shops, beauty salons,

restaurants, pubs, libraries,

-and that great listing you just grabbed.

Do it.

Don't wait for the fat lady.

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030

REAL ESTATE BROKERS-ARE YOU LISTENING?

...it's really simple:

80 percent of all homebuyers are on line.

Nearly 60 percent of retailers are using facebook.

Myspace is coming to TV with the help of Intel and Yahoo.

ONLY 7-10 percent of all Realtors are engaged

in social media

and social networking.

...'nuff said.

Steven Stearns

Anyone.Anywhere.Anything.

Experienced Social Network Building/Content Creation Consulting

For Commerce, Creatives and Citizens

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030
Google Searches:

Steven Stearns

crazy real estate

Obeoman
http://realestateisreallycrazy.blogspot.com/

http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenstearns

Featured CNN IReport Superstar: Midwest Flooding-June 2008

Blog/Photos and Interviews on CNN National and CNN Headline News

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!

Steven Stearns
http://realestateisreallycrazy.blogspot.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenstearns

Anyone. Anywhere. Anything.

Experienced Social Network Building/Content Creation Consulting

for Commerce, Creatives and Citizens

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030

THE Incredible Embeddable Tour for Your Social Networks

Hey!

I have a new address on the web-just click and bookmark below!

Steve Stearns

Anyone. Anywhere. Anything.

Experienced Social Network Building

Content Creation for Commerce, Creatives and Citizens

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030

http://realestateisreallycrazy.blogspot.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenstearns

See you there!

Steven

(Click on the pic to see it in action at Activerain!)

Obeo Adds Social Media Feature to HomeSite Product Toolbox Users can share, embed, link and e-mail HomeSite virtual tours with others

(SALT LAKE CITY, Utah) – Obeo, a leading provider of full-service residential real estate online marketing products in North America, has added a new social media feature for users of its HomeSite product.
Obeo HomeSite is a unique online marketing tool created with the customer in mind. Potential buyers can view the home through photos and panoramas, click and drag furniture onto an interactive floor plan and "virtually" customize the home, creating an engaging, personalized experience.
The new social media feature added to the HomeSite Tools section allows users to add their HomeSite virtual tour to dozens of social media Web sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn or MySpace. They can also share and bookmark it through StumbleUpon, Digg or Delicious, some of the latest social media bookmarking Web sites.
"This new social media feature allows Obeo clients to promote their listings like never before," said Andy Evans, Founder and Director of Product Strategy. "With just a few clicks, our client's listings are instantly promoted to friends, family and thousands of potential buyers on the Web who are looking for a new home."
Users also have the ability to send their HomeSite virtual tour via e-mail as well as link to the tour from their personal/company Web site or MLS system, customizing the settings to have the link appear and function in whatever way desired.
Embedding the HomeSite tour right into a Web page or blog is also offered, making it appear as if the tour is running right on the Web site rather than linking out to another site or launching in a pop-up window. Most people are familiar with this concept because of YouTube videos. The HomeSite tour can be set to automatically play as a slide show and adjusted to fit into the user screen space available directly within the blog or website it is posted within.
The new social media feature is another additional tool to engage consumers and real estate professionals alike. As a part of Obeo's included services, when a home is listed on Obeo HomeSite, the listing is automatically syndicated to many of the top listing services, including Yahoo! Real Estate, Zillow, Trulia and Google Base Real Estate, giving the listing maximum exposure.
With offerings such as the social media feature, along with virtual tours, customized printing and professional photography, Obeo is paving the way in customizing the world of real estate for its consumers.

About Obeo:

Since its inception in 1999 and its evolution from 360 House to Obeo in 2004, the Salt Lake City, Utah-based company has become the largest preferred supplier of full-service residential real estate online marketing products in the United States and Canada. The Latin word for "to go to" or "to encompass," Obeo provides REALTORS®, homebuilders, land developers and property managers with customized online marketing solutions and offline sales tools. To find out more, go to www.Obeo.com.

Have fun and grow your business with it, gang!

Steve

Obeoman

262-325-8687

Obeo National: 800-729-6236

My boss says real estate agents are all farmers...

Yes, it's true.

Do you believe it?

You should.

RE agents are farmers-

or they should be soon!

This agent is consumer-centered.

This agent knows the value of their relationships-

through the entire home ownership cycle;

A lifetime realtionship with their client.

This agent is the value added, and understands

the need for totally free, available information.

This agent doesn't wear overalls, or chew a plug

but does cover it all, is plugged in and socially networked!

Welcome to planting time!

Steve

This is a test...

(Test pattern found in Google image search)

...of the current real estate market.

It is only a test.

The market has done this before, and will do it again.

If this were a complete disaster,

we would all be in a lot worse shape.

True, there are those in tough times.

They should call their banker, communicate with them

and work with them.

Realtors experiencing distress

should take a hard look at their marketing program:

prepare to get your listings on line,

join social networks,

and begin blogging immediately.

This is only a test.

If it were a complete disaster,

you would not be reading this blog.

Hang in there, gang!

Steve

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

5528 McKee Road

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”

http://obeoman.blogspot.com

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