Real Estate Agent, Brokerage and Mortgage Blogs

Because of the overwhelming number of real estate blog submissions we received and the fact that we wanted to play dress up with the Carnival, we turned your regular carnival into a real estate blog pageant.  Our panel of judges battled it out to come up with one overall winner and only 5 runners up.   That's right, we're awarding tiaras, those sash-y thingies and a whole lot of runny mascara to the winner of this blog pageant!  So, only the 6 most gorgeous, tight, toned and  talented blogs need be mentioned here... The competition was tough and packed full of the types of posts I think Real Estate Blogs should be publishing- posts for CONSUMERS not for other professionals. So, without further ado… here she is... Miss Real Estate Blog USA...  (FYI: we expect teary eyed beauty queen speeches from our winners.)

Winner:

Larry Cragan: He Called It The Skyhook Theory. How About Skyhook Theory For Buyers?

Deep Thoughts by Larry Cragan… This is a truly great example of a CONSUMER and REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL targeted post. The incomparable Mr. Cragan uses a high level concept, the Skyhook Theory, to delve into the age old Realtor motivation- are you in it for the money or are you in it to serve your clients. He uses analogies to show how the full service real estate professional is a cut above the rest and clearly exemplifies real estate models that simply need, dare I say, beg for criticism. As a web company, you may find it odd that we are firmly in Larry’s corner when he says “you can’t completely buy and sell homes online.”  My husband and I buy property regularly, and while we look online, we always use a professional and first class, full service Realtor. There is no substitute! Well said, Larry. Make the most of your crown!

First Runner Up

Larry Walker: Unarmed Robbery- Broker Style

Does Larry Walker ever write a bad post, a fluff piece, something less than great? The answer to that question is “no.” This post is no exception. It is a personal journey of a recent experience with a buyer almost taken advantage of by a listing broker on a HUD-1 deal. Does Larry stop at the human interest piece? Of course not, he takes it to the next level by educating buyers on how to avoid that kind of swindling broker.  We liked the post because the writing style was very down to earth, easy to understand and really demonstrated Larry's commitment to his clients.  There is no better way to tell your readers how caring and great a Realtor you are than by showing them what you have done for your previous clients with specific examples.

Second Runner Up

The House Chick Blog’s: Top Ten Things to Know about Tucson Real Estate - A/C and Evaporative Coolers

This seemingly bland topic was very educational, well written and a must read for home owners and buyers in the Tucson area where “swamp coolers” are prevalent. This post, was my personal favorite. I could tell when each of the staff was reading this post as I would see them licking or considering licking their hand to perform the “science” project included in the article.  Just read it, it's a great example of a tutorial post that makes learning fun.

Third Runner Up

Posh’d: Let’s Have a Chat

Because of the geekiness of our business and staff this was an overwhelming contender for the throne. It  is a great post on how you can web 2.0 your blog or website with social tools like IMs and chat modules like Meebo and Plugoo. Me love me some Meebo… you can always find an RSS Pieces team member logged into Meebo on our site during normal business hours. It’s been a great tool for us in connecting with our clients, potential clients and people that just have something to say to us. I highly recommend any real estate professional with a blog hop on the Meebo band wagon. Oh yeah, if you haven't been to Posh'd yet... you need to check it out- all the hottest real estate blogs are listed there.  It's like a cssbeauty site just for real estate.

Fourth Runner Up

Lisa Dunn: The Real Payoff in Working with Seniors

I loved this article because it actually spoke to two markets- CONSUMERS and REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS. Now, ain’t that a kick in the head, one post, two markets. All the judges liked how Lisa showed how far she will go to help seniors and that while she may not make a whole lot of coin off of helping seniors , the payoff is in referrals. What that really says to consumers is that she goes the extra mile for her senior clients and they are so happy with her service and loyal to her, that they feel comfortable recommending her to their loved ones and friends. Now, isn’t that the type of professional we all want to work with?

Fifth Runner Up

David Edwards: Ridiculous Article on MSN Today… Why More People Should Rent

Oh David, thank you for this post. I have read this republished, re-constituted, re-animated and ridiculous article trotted out by everyone from the New York Times to MSN and each Tom, Dick and Harry affiliate newspaper from Boston to Boise. In this post, David responds to an MSN article about how renting is better than buying right now. He rightly points out the over generalizations of the market, inaccuracies and outright uneducated quotes found throughout the MSN article. I personally found this to be perfect and timely piece for the wary consumer concerned about current market conditions and those contemplating their first home purchase.

Meet the Judges:

John, President

Mary, Blogging Evangelist

Brian, Systems Analyst

Jeremy, Web Developer

David, Web Designer

Robin, Web Designer

Jessica, Technical Support

Bea, Marketing Assistant

Charles, Web Designer Intern

Special Thanks to Drew for giving us the opportunity to host the Carnival this week.

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