Janet,

Your exactly right. It makes no sense. But if you read the two following threads in the Message Boards you will see what some of us are doing to attempt to overcome this.

You will also see that over the past few months that I have, due to the very points that you have made here, changed my model and thinking regarding the handshake. I am going to begin implementing this procedure to weed out those that are basically being dishonest about it. It seems to be working because my last attempts to do so have gotten some of the agents that are unfairly abusing the system to come of the woodwork like cockroaches. I have identified a few of them through their responses that they are being dishonest about it. I'm sure they didn't realize it when the responded to me but they all but admitted it.

Here are the links to the main threads I'm speaking of:

http://p2a.point2.com/message_board/view_topic.asp?ParentID=46010&x=26&domain=SAS&searchterm=#LastMessage

http://p2a.point2.com/message_board/view_topic.asp?ParentID=38282&x=62&domain=SAS&searchterm=#LastMessage

But as you will see I am implementing something that I will begin blocking all those agents that are in my Pending Their Approval list systematically and methodically.

I currently have 3338 in my PTA list. And it grows daily. I am sure that many of those are just agents who signed up and don't even use their sites. But I am convinced now that there are just as many that are simply reaping the benefit of having their listings show up at our sites but refuse to give back the same benefit to others.

So, all in all, I think the only way to weed out the dishonest is a concertive effort by "all" members to begin blocking those that after a reasonable period of time or several attempts to contact them and it still isn't done that we simply block them.

They won't get that benefit and they will either comply or be gone.

Janet, I do agree,

It is a little confusing to me too! I have been a member for only about 5 weeks and have noticed that some members choose to block my site for various reasons.

I did send out an email asking these members to please reconsider, but after getting only about a 5% response, I decided to block only those sites that chose to block mine. Now the stats system that did show "Blocked by Them", now shows "Blocked by Me" - kind of a Reciprocal Blocking deal!

Anyway, my concern now is that my daily Stats consistently show that over 600 handshakes are "Pending Their Approval", and I wonder why these members are not using the Handshake on a daily basis like it should be done. I do not leave Handshakes "Pending My Approval" for very long and that seems to help my Point2 site ranking in the Community Category or is it the Marketing Category, or both?

If you are a member reading this, please update your Handshake from Pending to Approved with my web site BestHomeSearch.com. It is currently Ranked #89 in the World and I think a Handshake can only help us both. Thanks!

Jay Rogers

My first post must have been lost in cyper space or something - here's a re-post.

Hello,

I agree with most of what you have written. I have to admit I don't totally understand how the handshake works. I received an e-mail last night from a prospect asking about a couple listings belonging to other agents. One of them read pending their approval, but obviously was still showing up on my site. So I'm assuming when I approved her, her listings will show up on my site, and that currently my listings are not showing up on her site. Based on that assumption, I do block some sites for reasons such as lack of price on their listings, domain names that contain words like "discount", and flat fee companies. I don't want listings on my site without prices. It's a personal thing, and I could always change my mind. I don't want MY listings displayed on web sites that hold themselves and their content, including my listings, as discounted. Flat fee companies is just a personal prejudice that would take too much room and time to write about and would turn into a rant. Also, the last 2 types I block don't seem to have any listings to display on my site. So it's just a matter of the type of site I don't want my listings on.

BUT with that said (written) I block very few. And I too am baffled why 73 agents have blocked my listings, 602 are pending their approval with only 534 completed handshake. The vast majority of my listings have several photos - some the max allowed. The ones that don't have several photos still have some. There's just not a lot of decent shots. I include price and MLS number on all litisngs. Virtual tours on most of them. I remove sold listings. And my site is #5 in the state.

I agree that this is an exceptional tool. It would be nice if more agents participated.

I think many of us are in the same boat. Maybe a lot of agents just do not go in and check their pending approvals.

Jackie, I'm wondering why you block sites just for having no listings to display on your site?  It seems to me that they are perfect candidates to want to display YOUR listings on THEIR site. They may in fact be Buyer's Reps who would love to bring you a buyer!

By the way, your listings WILL appear on others sites unless one of you has blocked the other, I believe. Pending their approval (or yours), your listing should still show on their site, and theirs on yours.

Jay, as far as blocking those who block you goes: what I have found is that people often have just not yet figured out how it works or don't know how they want to work with handshake (as I did not at first). I was initially blocking all those who were out of area. Once I realized that what appears on my site is controlled by my listing page settings, I started unblocking those out of area agents who are in my state. I am now considering that I might also just as well do this for out of state agents. If they want to advertise my listing, I will be happy to send them a referral fee. Also on this topic, I found when I removed those blocks I did have some instant approvals, and also some who came back after I unblocked them and did the same for me.

I am also trying out of area listings on a separate page with a clear statement that inquiries on these will be referred to agents in that area. We'll see.

Some will continue to ignore you - they are free not to participate after all. You can only hope that as people learn more about the benefits, they will get on board. Articles and discussions such as this one started by Janet should help us all understand handshake better!

Beth,

I don't block sites for having no listings. I block sites whose listings don't have prices, flat fee companies, and sites with names like best deal homes and homes for less. I don't want my listings put out as "discount" properties. And I want prices on the listings displayed on my site.

So those sites that haven't approved mine are still displaying my listings? That's good to know. I wasn't sure how that works.

And you're right - I do want someone who only deals with buyers to display my listings. I don't care who sells one of my listings.

I sent a post earlier that still hasn't shown up; is anyone else having that problem? The one showing above was a second try.

Janet,

I have to admit, I'm confused about handshakes myself. For the past week, I've approved over 100 homes, yet those approving mine has not changed. I would love to get it clarified how this works.

I'm somewhat new to this club and don't understand alot. I check my site daily to approve everyone no matter what. As a result my state ranking has went from several thousand to 49 in the state.

I am honored when an agent without listings want's to appear on my site; that same agent may have a qualified buyer. Networking and exposing listings is what this business is all about. I believe truly in the old saying "If you help enough people get what they want you will get everything you want by default."

Hi Jackie,

That makes sense. As for your missing posts, the only time I've had that happen is when the server has gone down briefly. I've learned that if I think a post will be long or hard to reconstruct, I should be writing it in notepad or word and pasting it!

Janet, the difference between showing all idx listings, good bad and the other and your "featured" listings, "my listings" or whatever you want to label the page is how you want to be perceived by visitors to your website.

I prefer my "featured listings" to display rich listings with multiple pics and detailed information. Blocks are primarily agents with contact info, no price, only a couple of pics or out of selling area.

There are lots of agents who sign up for free, post a listing and do nothing further with their website.

I think the handshake concept is good overall, but it needs some overhauling and eagel eyes.  I hadn't paid much attention to it - until recently.  I just went through my hand shake listings, and the pared the list down from 187 listings to 37.  I have found a vast number of listings that have either been sold, or have expired or otherwise withdrawn from the market.  For those agents I put a block on ALL of their listings and no longer accept them in handshake.  For a large number of the remaining handshakes, I found very clearly visible yard signs or some very clearly and easily identifiable logo in their photos.  They too are now banned from handshaking on my site. 1 had poor photos - too dark to see, so I blocked that particular listing.  I now watch daily any and all new listings to check for any violations, and will block those I deem not in compliance.