Connecting Neigbors? How about Neighbors 101?
Nonstop Neigbors?
Already have neighbors I don't want - Section 8 - You want them?
Haha! No, I'm talking about these companies that set up neighborhood sites and charge you every month...sort of like what we have through P2 but they provide all the localized content.
Just trying to get them to move - lol
Ron,
I have never heard of the companies you mentioned.
Todd,
I hope you didn't mean that ... I have no other words to comment on your reply.
I think I get about 2 of these a month. I did check into connecting neighbors at one point quite some time ago. I don't recall why but I declined. It was just more advertising $$. Another one I checked into recently, again can't recall the name, had no plan as to how they were going to get their website "out there". Through a link on mine? Does that constitute an endorsement from me about their content, over which I have no control?
No thanks.
Never heard of these, but I get advertisements from 10 others just like it. If you want to spend money there is a multitude of sites that will gladly take it from you.
I don't want to spend money on them (especially these stupid companies that charge exhorbitant "SET UP" FEES. But the first company is coming to do a presentation at our office and I always like to be up on what their deal is...it seems the ones who always end up suckered in with high setup fees and long contracts are NEW agents who then can't even afford to STAY in the business.
My pappy always said, fore-warned is fore-armed...
"There's a sucker born every minute...and two to take 'em."
The source of the quote is most likely famous con-man Joseph ("Paper Collar" Joe) Bessimer, not P.T. Barnum.
It seems there is pretty good money to made in RE by selling services to Realtors or at least many people think there is. I get a ton of spam in my e-mail daily.
We just had a marketing rep. at our office that offered this type of website. It was $800.00 to set up and another monthly fee around $50.00-$60.00. Several agents at my office bought this service, one tried to cancel since it is less than 30 days from the time they purchased it, but the money is non-refundable.
I am a new agent, completing my first year this July and I learned quickly that everyone is after my money. Everywhere I turn, someone is offering me the next biggest way to make me successful.
I have to say that I have learned the most from all of you at Point 2. I read these bulletins frequently and try to soak up everything I can.
So, from a rookie, I wouldn't even try those. Just make your own website the next hottest neighborhood site.
One of my colleagues recently bought into Connecting Neighbors. She says that she's had a number of vendors wanting to advertise on the site but she's been very quiet about generating leads Hum... wonder why that is...
Ann Barker
Well, Ann. If she starts coming to work in a Rolls Royce she might be on to something. I can took up to free neighborhood information sites and everyone crunches numbers that paint a picture that is not complete. You want to know what a neighborhood is really like - ask a realtor who lives there.
BTW has anyone seen this web site: www.cyberhomes.com ?
Gregory.
Yes.
Thanks for the heads up. I have received more than my share of new real estate related spam lately.
Hi Ron,
This is very interesting because they are calling me tomorrow from
connecting neighbors to give me the pitch. So I called a few Realtors in my area who had a neighborhood to see what they thought and they said they didn't get any leads and wanted to cancel.
I use to own http://www.bestof.net/naples/ and it worked great for me and I even did a magazine to go with it but the person I bought the website from went out of business...so it was a lot of work for me
and I learned an expensive lesson.
I have been studying these websites to see if I should create a new city guide. I think a city guide is better than a neighborhood guide because you could sell more listings to businesses to pay for it. I love to have advertising that other people pay for if you know what I mean.
I sold listings on the website and in the magazine and the people I sold listings to sent me real estate referrals so it was a win win for all of us. You do need an assistant to help you so you can still sell real estate.
I believe it was connecting neighbors that came to our office a few years ago. The site looked very good and the concept is good to. I believe the owners of that company were past Remax agents. However the cost was a bit much, plus the pressure to secure your neighborhood before someone else got it. They will give you one TG square and if you want more you will need to pay more. So the neighborhood would not be a full city or community. Then you get to name your neighborhood whoohoo. Go to any or all the business' in the neighborhood and see if they want to advertise to help you pay for the site. Send out notices or postcards in your neighborhood to promote it... well you get the picture. I did think about it, but then the cost just turned me off.
Jana