3 Virginia Real Estate Bloggers, 3 Perspectives

March 22, 2006

The Virginia Association of REALTORS® (VAR) published the bi-monthly Commonwealth journal for March/April this week hi-lighting the use of technology in the real estate business: " Here's to high-tech." Three REALTORS® are featured who use blogging as a new medium to reach consumers to help "grow and service" their business. The three blogs are:

• The Roanoke Real Estate Blog by broker Dolores Farmer of Roanoke (Long and Foster)
• Central Virginia Real Estate Blog by agent Jim Duncan of Charlottesville (Century 21), and
• The Northern Virginia Real Estate Guide by agents Merv and Pam Forney of Leesburg (RE/MAX)

The three blogs have three different personalities and focus on different themes. Dolores and her team (she has her agents participate as authors) use their blog as a viable way to market their sellers' homes. Dolores sees blogging appealing to the younger buyers and specialty buyers who are not reached by traditional advertising. Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and Google's blog search make it easier to find relevant content being published by bloggers of all genre. She was skeptical at first but now sees great value in the new medium. (Note: Dolores was not available for the photo shoot. I am sure she would have made the pictures much more appealing.)

Jim Duncan, on the other hand tends to focus on local growth and land management issues. He frequently comments on new development in and around Charlottesville, green issues, transportation, political decisions related to real estate matters and quality of life. His readers also know he has an appreciation for wine. In addition to blogging, he is pod-casting on subjects such as Virginia wine and providing Visual/Audio property tours to promote his clients homes. (Note: Jim is the much younger one on the cover picture.)

Our blog has a major focus on real estate market trends. Why? Because about a year ago real estate bubble talk was driving conversations everywhere about the state of the real estate market. We discovered there was very little meaningful data available to consumers about the real state of the market place. We also discovered that our listing clients were uncertain about selling their properties. We needed information to be able to set realistic expectations on price and length of time to sell. We also comment about the absurdities embedded in this business (including politics) as well as a little humor and wine talk. By the way, we are honored to be included in VAR's feature article.

Three blogs, three personalities and three passions. The attribute we all share is that we turn our professional interests into marketing tools. Technology has and will continue to shape the way people access the information they want and need. All three of us embrace the notion that we are either leaders or followers. We choose to be leaders.

A final comment about blogging to be an effective tool: it is hard work, requires great stamina, often stretches personal creative boundaries, demands free expression, must be honest and first and foremost must come from within. The single most gratifying result is not in any new business that may emanate; it is to know that we are providing valuable information to our readers and following. How do we know? In our case, 0 to over 25,000 page views per month in just one year.

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