Comments on: Using Area Listing Sites to Get Real Estate Photography Business http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/ Helping Real Estate Photographers Be Successful Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:19:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Maseratij http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-27778 Maseratij Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:32:28 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-27778 The group at Bostonlofts.com, link provided, have been doing exactly this type of marketing for 10 yrs. In fact after reading these comments I checked into their website and they have done quite well. It had been atleast 4 years since I had been there. They started by taking loft photo shoots for free and presenting them in a different way with quality photography. The site used to be simpler in its approach. It now appears to be a full fledged listing service. I found very little about their photography acumen, which is evident by the featured listings. But photos were pretty much the way they had started. http://bostonlofts.com/Realtors/default.aspx The group at Bostonlofts.com, link provided, have been doing exactly this type of marketing for 10 yrs. In fact after reading these comments I checked into their website and they have done quite well. It had been atleast 4 years since I had been there. They started by taking loft photo shoots for free and presenting them in a different way with quality photography. The site used to be simpler in its approach. It now appears to be a full fledged listing service. I found very little about their photography acumen, which is evident by the featured listings. But photos were pretty much the way they had started.

http://bostonlofts.com/Realtors/default.aspx

]]> By: Daniel Abraham http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-26198 Daniel Abraham Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:49:58 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-26198 Edson: What is vitally important here is maintaining links with your client base, and monitoring their automated listing system. My client agents usually inform me of price changes and listing status changes, but I also monitor realtor.ca for changes from time to time in case they forget. Between the two, it's pretty easy, especially in a smaller location such as mine, where inventory remains small. Attaching a sold image to a thumbnail takes less than one minute, with the site update taking less than 15 seconds, so it is very manageable. On a side note, my local listing site is three months in and already I cannot stress enough how important Google adwords has been for my marketing strategy. Using statistical information generated by adwords, in conjunction with analytics, has made me happily busy, as it has raised many eyebrows during presentations! In addition, one avenue that I am currently exploring is a mortgage calculator on the site sponsored by a local brokerage who works with several agents. The brokerage would like to advertise, and in addition to paying a monthly fee, will cover their affiliate agents costs of hiring me to put their listings on my site. All in all it is a win win situation for everyone and I just thought I would share this potential revenue stream concept for those who are considering local area listing sites - there is a lot of opportunity to branch out. Thanks! Edson: What is vitally important here is maintaining links with your client base, and monitoring their automated listing system. My client agents usually inform me of price changes and listing status changes, but I also monitor realtor.ca for changes from time to time in case they forget. Between the two, it’s pretty easy, especially in a smaller location such as mine, where inventory remains small. Attaching a sold image to a thumbnail takes less than one minute, with the site update taking less than 15 seconds, so it is very manageable.

On a side note, my local listing site is three months in and already I cannot stress enough how important Google adwords has been for my marketing strategy. Using statistical information generated by adwords, in conjunction with analytics, has made me happily busy, as it has raised many eyebrows during presentations! In addition, one avenue that I am currently exploring is a mortgage calculator on the site sponsored by a local brokerage who works with several agents. The brokerage would like to advertise, and in addition to paying a monthly fee, will cover their affiliate agents costs of hiring me to put their listings on my site. All in all it is a win win situation for everyone and I just thought I would share this potential revenue stream concept for those who are considering local area listing sites – there is a lot of opportunity to branch out.

Thanks!

]]> By: Edson http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-26128 Edson Thu, 15 Apr 2010 06:10:52 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-26128 I am taking this article to heart as I create my website now. How tasking is it to manage a website with this type of content? I want to obviously feature homes that I shoot as an added benefit for Agents working with me, BUT how do you manage listings that sell? Do you have to constantly stay on top of the marketplace to see if it has sold so you can mark it as sold or remove it from your listing page? I'm curious as to how you manage this. Thank you! I am taking this article to heart as I create my website now.

How tasking is it to manage a website with this type of content? I want to obviously feature homes that I shoot as an added benefit for Agents working with me, BUT how do you manage listings that sell? Do you have to constantly stay on top of the marketplace to see if it has sold so you can mark it as sold or remove it from your listing page?

I’m curious as to how you manage this. Thank you!

]]> By: » Using Area Listing Sites to Get Real Estate Photography Business – Larry Lohrman (Photography for Real Estate) Photo News Today: News and Pixelosophy – more than 34,000 posts http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-25043 » Using Area Listing Sites to Get Real Estate Photography Business – Larry Lohrman (Photography for Real Estate) Photo News Today: News and Pixelosophy – more than 34,000 posts Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:16:17 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-25043 [...] and Read More: photographyforrealestate.net Technorati Tags: Area Listings,Real Estate [...] [...] and Read More: photographyforrealestate.net Technorati Tags: Area Listings,Real Estate [...]

]]> By: Edson http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-25000 Edson Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:48:29 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-25000 Great article and information fellas and I think the timing is just right. In years past, during the real estate boom, houses were literally selling just by being listed. Several years ago my parents house sold in three days for four times what they bought it for but today that's definitely not going to happen. My friends think everyone should count their blessings and walk away from the housing industry, but not me. This dramatic decline (or realization) of the RE industry means sellers and agents are putting on their thinking caps for the first time in a while. That's good news to all of us because that reinstates our value to the industry. The truth is, the smart agents and sellers will use this slow market to re-evaluate their archaic marketing and get up to speed with today's standards. Marketing they've managed to turn their back on over the years because of the boom, but not now. The same could be said about a lot of other industries. Great article and information fellas and I think the timing is just right. In years past, during the real estate boom, houses were literally selling just by being listed. Several years ago my parents house sold in three days for four times what they bought it for but today that’s definitely not going to happen. My friends think everyone should count their blessings and walk away from the housing industry, but not me.

This dramatic decline (or realization) of the RE industry means sellers and agents are putting on their thinking caps for the first time in a while. That’s good news to all of us because that reinstates our value to the industry. The truth is, the smart agents and sellers will use this slow market to re-evaluate their archaic marketing and get up to speed with today’s standards. Marketing they’ve managed to turn their back on over the years because of the boom, but not now.

The same could be said about a lot of other industries.

]]> By: Ian Haseltine - Virtual tour provider http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-24941 Ian Haseltine - Virtual tour provider Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:44:45 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-24941 Very cool concept. I like how you point out that it aids in preventing the alienation of agents. We have marketed directly to sellers with mixed success...It is great to see a different approach. Thanks! Very cool concept. I like how you point out that it aids in preventing the alienation of agents. We have marketed directly to sellers with mixed success…It is great to see a different approach.
Thanks!

]]> By: larry http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-24911 larry Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:36:40 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-24911 @Neal- Thanks for the added insights. Wow, I'm impressed... you have #1 Google ranking for the search term "southeast missouri homes for sale" great example. Obviously you've had some practice at this! @Neal- Thanks for the added insights. Wow, I’m impressed… you have #1 Google ranking for the search term “southeast missouri homes for sale” great example. Obviously you’ve had some practice at this!

]]> By: Cape Girardeau MO Real Estate http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-24910 Cape Girardeau MO Real Estate Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:48:04 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-24910 One more quick comment. Many real estate agents are very touchy about FSBO listings. I would advice caution if you wish to advertise that you service that market. Personally we do not service the FSBO market and this has resulted in stronger ties to agents in the area. It has also encouraged many potential FSBO sellers to talk with agents that use our services. Neal McGuire HouseViewOnline One more quick comment. Many real estate agents are very touchy about FSBO listings. I would advice caution if you wish to advertise that you service that market. Personally we do not service the FSBO market and this has resulted in stronger ties to agents in the area. It has also encouraged many potential FSBO sellers to talk with agents that use our services.

Neal McGuire
HouseViewOnline

]]> By: Cape Girardeau MO Real Estate http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-24908 Cape Girardeau MO Real Estate Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:12:41 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-24908 A real estate website is a great method of promoting your work and the worth of professional photography. Having run such a site for over 5 years, I have found it to be very useful. If you can get ranked at the top for several popular local real estate terms, the sellers will contact their agents and request placement on your site. The more listing on your site the better. On IDX feeds: Only Realtors® can get an IDX feed. That means you are a member of the local, state or national Board of Realtors®. All Realtors® are licensed agents but not all licensed agents are Realtors®. However, I do not suggest that you use an IDX feed to display listings our your site. There are many restrictions that come with the feed, you also don't have complete control over what photos are displayed and MLS system tend to do bad things to your nice photos. Building your own database of listing is not hard. Basically all you need is # Bedroom, #Bathroom, price, agent name & contact info, and a description. A real estate website is a great method of promoting your work and the worth of professional photography. Having run such a site for over 5 years, I have found it to be very useful. If you can get ranked at the top for several popular local real estate terms, the sellers will contact their agents and request placement on your site. The more listing on your site the better.

On IDX feeds: Only Realtors® can get an IDX feed. That means you are a member of the local, state or national Board of Realtors®. All Realtors® are licensed agents but not all licensed agents are Realtors®. However, I do not suggest that you use an IDX feed to display listings our your site. There are many restrictions that come with the feed, you also don’t have complete control over what photos are displayed and MLS system tend to do bad things to your nice photos. Building your own database of listing is not hard. Basically all you need is # Bedroom, #Bathroom, price, agent name & contact info, and a description.

]]> By: Daniel Abraham http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/01/31/using-area-listing-sites-to-get-real-estate-photography-business/comment-page-1/#comment-24905 Daniel Abraham Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:47:48 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/?p=4051#comment-24905 One route I have explored which has garnered significant attention in my small town (Prince George has around 100,000 people - including rural) is an advertisement in the 'Real Estate Weekly' which is a paper publication open only to members of the local real estate board. Due to the nature of my business, I am not in direct competition with any agent or agency and am therefore eligible to advertise. This is a great way to advertise both to buyers, who look in the publication for new local listings, as well as agents, who check the publication weekly to ensure that their ads are placed properly. One route I have explored which has garnered significant attention in my small town (Prince George has around 100,000 people – including rural) is an advertisement in the ‘Real Estate Weekly’ which is a paper publication open only to members of the local real estate board. Due to the nature of my business, I am not in direct competition with any agent or agency and am therefore eligible to advertise. This is a great way to advertise both to buyers, who look in the publication for new local listings, as well as agents, who check the publication weekly to ensure that their ads are placed properly.

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