Holly Schwartz (@hollyschwartzoc) is the Marketing Director for Torelli Realty,torellirealty) a boutique real estate company in Orange County, CA. She enjoys dishing up a daily blog about 365 Things To Do In Costa Mesa (“Like” the page on Facebook!) Prior to working at Torelli Realty she worked as a TV producer for the HGTV shows (@House Hunters and House Hunters International.

People love pictures! In real estate seeing pictures of a home is essential. Buyers use them to judge whether or not to go see a home in person. Sellers want to see them to see how their agent is marketing the property. Unfortunately, sometimes house photos just look bad. We’ve all seen bad pictures – ones where the colors are dull, the exposure is too light or too dark, the image is slanted, or the picture is pixilated. Does a bad picture do more harm than good? In some cases, most definitely.

I first heard of Picnik when I was at the Inman News™ Real Estate Connect® Conference in San Francisco this past summer. The samples of pictures that were modified using Picnik impressed me enough to give it a try. I’ve tested it and believe it is definitely worth a whirl because it has some perks that will make the life of many real estate agents/photographers a lot simpler.

• Picnik is free. You do have to sign in and create an account for the basic service, which has suited my purposes just fine. (However there is an option to upgrade if you choose to do so.)

• Picnik is extremely user friendly. All you have to do is upload a photo on their website. Then there are simple options for altering a photo like adjusting the colors and sharpening the image. Literally all it takes is a few clicks to make the adjustments.

• Because Picnik is a web-based platform you can “fix” images from anywhere. This is increasingly important as agents are mobile. It’s no longer necessary to be on a computer that has the editing programs you need because you can access this website on any computer, iPad or Notebook that has an Internet connection.

• One of the best things about Picnik is that it can resize photos for you. This is extremely important. Not only do you want the photo to be shown correctly but some MLS’s require the photo to fit special sizing specifications. With Picnik you can easily make these adjustments. This is also helpful for some social media sites that have size requirements for Gravatars.

Overall I think Picnik provides some terrific functions that real estate agents can use to their advantage. More and more the research is showing that potential homebuyers want to see pictures. In fact the research indicates that homes with the most photos actually get more views online (for instance when you go to Realtor.com the number of photos of each home is emphasized). Why is that? Remember, your first showing is no longer in person – in the majority of all showings it’s actually online. Home buyers are using photos as a screening process to determine if an in-person showing is worth their time.

Picnik is absolutely a winner in my opinion for real estate agents. We know that pictures are important to online house hunters because real estate and the Internet are both visual mediums. So give your audience what they want. Does your audience want drab, visually unattractive photos or will they be more impressed with bright, stimulating images? The choice is clear. Using Picnik is, excuse the pun, a picnic because of the cost-effectiveness and the user-friendly functions. For those real estate agents who are not able to invest in a professional photographer, Picnik is a great way to enhance the quality of your photos.

Are you using Picnik? If not, what tools do you use to modify your images?

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Marty Boardman is a Realtor, real estate investor and instructor in Gilbert, Arizona.  He’s the Chief Financial Officer for Rising Sun Capital Group, LLC, a real estate investment firm that buys and sells distressed real estate in the Phoenix metro area.  He’s also an accredited instructor for the Arizona Academy of Real Estate.  You can read about his successes and failures on his blog, www.freerealestateeducation.com or contact him directly at marty@risingsuncapitalgroup.com.

I know certain things.  For example, I know that I should exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes.  I know that I should eat a balanced diet of lean protein, fruits and vegetables.  I know I shouldn’t drink soda, smoke cigarettes, or drink alcohol excessively.   I also know I shouldn’t speed on the freeway or talk on my cell phone while driving.  I know I should floss my teeth every night before I go to bed and tell my wife that I love her.  So, if I know and accept these things to be fundamental truths then I must do them religiously and without fail right?  Well, if you’re anything like me then the answer is a big fat no!

Why is that?  Most of us know exactly what we need to do to be successful, from our diet to our fitness.  The trouble is following through.  Some experts believe it’s because as a society we are undisciplined.  That’s part of the reason but not the real answer.  I believe it’s because it’s just too darn easy not to be successful.  The consequences are often unrecognizable and far off in the distant future.

As a REALTOR there are things I know in my business too.  I know my listings will sell faster and for more money if they have lots of clean, well-composed, high quality pictures.  I know that potential buyers will most likely find my listing online and will call their REALTOR to see it because of the pictures.  The bottom line is that facts tell and pictures sell.  You probably know that too.  But do your listings show it?

I’m not advocating dropping thousands of dollars on an expensive camera and lighting equipment, nor am I suggesting you go back to school and study photography.  However, I do recommend you invest about $500 in a digital camera and learn some basic photography techniques like the rule of thirds.

I recently purchased a Canon G11 digital camera.  Keep in mind I’m no photo geek so I’m not going to bore you with the specs.  What I like about this camera is that it’s high resolution (10 MP), has a built-in wide angle lens (a must for taking pictures of houses) and is excellent in low light.  The Canon G11 is a hybrid between a standard point and shoot and DSLR.  It won’t weigh you down like a big DSLR but it has easy-to-use settings that allow you to switch back and forth between inside and outside shots.

Once you have a good camera it’s time to work on your technique.  For starters, turn off the date stamp feature and don’t ever shoot directly into the sun.  And unless you want to end up on UglyHousePhotos.com, do not to capture your reflection in the mirror while taking that picture of the master bathroom (a little tip here – kneel down below the mirror.)  Leif Swanson a REALTOR and creator of the site, also says you should never take pictures from your car or at night, and never have people or pets in the image.

There you have it.  You now know what you already knew.  What I have written here may not get you to the gym or prevent you from drinking a bottle of wine at dinner but at least you’ll start selling more houses.

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Marty Boardman is a Realtor and real estate investor in Gilbert, Arizona.  He’s the Chief Financial Officer for Rising Sun Capital Group, LLC, a real estate investment firm that buys and sells distressed real estate in the Phoenix metro area.  He’s also an accredited instructor for the Arizona Academy of Real Estate.  You can read about his successes and failures on his blog, www.freerealestateeducation.com or contact him directly at marty@risingsuncapitalgroup.com.

I see dead people.  That’s what Haley Joel Osment’s character said in M. Night Shyamalan’s first box office hit called ‘The Sixth Sense’.  It’s been 11 years since I saw the movie and I still remember that line.  Why is that?  If you’ve never seen the movie I don’t want to spoil it for you but this cinematic masterpiece had one of the most memorable endings of all time.

When I first embarked upon my quest to become a blogger (about 17 months ago) I posted this question on a Linked In question forum:  What is the single most important thing I can do to drive traffic to my blog? The answer may surprise you.  It wasn’t search engine optimization or frequent posting.  Almost everyone agreed that the best way to drive traffic to my blog was to write good content; much like M. Night Shyamalan did when he penned the ‘The Sixth Sense’ script in 1999.  So before I enter the blogosphere I remind myself that every post should:

1. Tell a story.
2. Have a beginning, middle and a memorable ending.
3. Contain me, us, my subject, me, us.

Tell a story

The best way to tell a story is to become a voracious reader.  Read everything from newspapers to blogs to books and even People magazine.  It’s amazing how much context you can give your posts when you incorporate funny stories, insightful anecdotes and timely real-world news.  Since I started blogging I’ve written about autopsies, roller coasters, golf, the Loch Ness Monster, Tiger Woods and Santa Claus.  I’ve managed to do this while keeping with a real estate theme.

Have a beginning, middle and a memorable ending

The other night I read my daughters Mary Poppins.  This story is perfectly constructed and engages the reader from page one.  Best of all, it incorporates a nice moral at the end.

I’m not saying you have to write a cliff hanger every time you blog or be the next Mark Twain.  To begin, share a story – it could be funny or sad – just make it engaging.  If you don’t know a good story then find one (that’s what the internet is for.)  The middle is the easy part; it’s your subject, the meat in the sandwich.  Your ending should evoke emotion (laughter, tears or at the very least an “ah-ha” moment.)  Again, if you can’t find the right words for your ending then go find some.  I love to use www.brainyquote.com whenever I’m stuck.

Contain me, us, my subject, me, us.

I discovered the me, us, my subject, me, us formula by accident.

From 2002-2006, I accumulated over $16 million in real estate assets.  Then suddenly in August of 2007 the music stopped and I didn’t have a chair.  It only took me about 6 months to lose my assets (with emphasis on the first three letters of the word.)  I was forced to stop pretending everything was going well when I traded in my Mercedes Benz for a 95’ Honda Accord.  It then occurred to me that few real estate professionals talk about their failures because it’s bad for business.  Rather than hide from my past I decided to share it with others on my blog.  And you want to know something funny?  By outwardly discussing my successes AND failures online I’ve discovered I can connect with people on a much deeper level.

These days whenever possible I begin a new post by talking about a mistake or shortcoming I have that a broader audience can identify with (the me, us part of the formula.)  I then jump into real estate stuff (my subject) and finish up with how the reader and I can apply the information (me, us.)

Does it work?  Yes, most of the time.  Just be memorable because that’s what keeps your readers coming back.  How do you do that?  By helping others learn.  It’s like Andy Rooney once said, “Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives.”

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Guest blogger Tina Merritt is a Realtor® and Real Estate Trainer in Virginia and recipient of NAR’s Realtor Technology Spotlight Award.

A few years ago, my brother and sister-in-law were house hunting and my sister-in-law commented on how much she loved a particular home and how her furniture would fit perfectly in the house.  She proceeded to show me pictures and videos of the home and then, an online floor plan tool that let her place her furniture where she wanted.  When I asked if they were going to make an offer on the property, she remarked, “Probably.  We want to see the house in person though first.”  Yes, she had fallen head over heels for this home and had not even seen it in real life.  Bravo to the listing agent who was able to capture this buyer’s attention by giving the consumer what they wanted.

Buyers search for real estate online.  Buyers want as much information online as you can possibly give them and they don’t want to pay for it nor be required to register for it.  By offering floor plans of your listings online, you are adding ammunition to your arsenal of information for buyers.

Here are a few programs to try out and create floor plans for your property listings:

1. Floorplanner.com. With this program, you enter the dimensions and create the 2-D, 3-D and interactive floor plans yourself using the online tools.  Add your logo and print in hi-res for print marketing pieces.  The interactive floor planner offers a huge library of textures, fencing, and furniture.  Pricing starts at $29/month and you can try the service by creating your first floorplan for free.

2. Diakrit.com. Diakrit is an online tool where you upload a sketch of your floor plan and Diakrit’s designers create 2-D, 3-D, 3-D Special (with light and shadows), furnished or unfurnished renderings per your request.  Turn-around time is next business day.  Prices start at $19.95 per floor plan.  (Disclaimer:  Tina Merritt is an affiliate representative for Diakrit).

3. Sweethome3D.com. A free, open source program that you download and save to your computer.  The user then enters the dimensions of the home and can then view 2-D and 3-D versions of their floor plan.  A limited library is available for furniture placement.

4. Gliffy.com. Gliffy is a free online diagram software where you can create floor plans as well as flow charts and technical drawings.  It also features a “share” tool where you can invite friends to view your creation or blog about it.  Gliffy can also be added to your Google Apps.  Basic accounts are free for up to 5 floor plans and premium accounts start at $5/month.

5. Floorplanonline.com. This program gives you the option of self-service or full-service floor plan creation.  You can choose to sketch the floor plan and take your own pictures, or have someone come out and do it for you, or a combination of both.  You can link your creation to Realtor.com and/or other sites.  Prices start at $59 for a self-service floor plan and $179 for full-service.

Are you using any floorplan technology solutions? Which ones? Any tips?

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Guest Blogger Stephen Pacinelli has delivered presentations to thousands of REALTORS® on the benefits of sales automation, social media, blogging and online marketing. Stephen’s strategies come first hand from some of the best Realtors around the country. Steve co-founded Tech Savvy Agent and helped build it from the ground up to provide the best technology and marketing information to REALTORS® seeking the latest strategies and tools.

Let’s face it, Google pretty much runs the Internet.  It dictates where we go and what we see.  So if I want to play nice with anybody, guess who it’s going to be….Google.

There are 4 indispensable tools that I feel everyone should be implementing in their current business.   These tools are easy to get, and free, simply by going to google.com and signing up for an account on the upper right hand side of the page.  We’re going to start with the most basic, being your profile and touch upon some more advanced tools like, the Keyword Tool, Google Alerts and Analytics.

1. Google Profile

We can’t control what appears on the first page of Google, right?  Wouldn’t it be great to at least know that a hand-typed profile and a nice looking bio created by you, would be guaranteed to appear on the first page?  Well, guess what?  We can do that by simply filling out your Google profile.

After getting your Google account, go to Google.com and click on Google Account Settings.  You will see an empty profile screen on the upper left hand side.  This is where you want to add some information, such as a short bio or other variations of your name.  The information entered onto this screen is guaranteed to show up on the first page of Google (on the bottom) when someone searches for your name.

2. Google Alerts

The next important tool I would recommend is Google Alerts.  The Internet is a wide open space for anyone to say anything.  Do you know what people are saying about you?  You spend a lot of time making sure your reputation is secure off-line.  How about on-line?   Under the Google Account Settings screen, look for the small yellow bell and click on the Alerts link.  Key in your name here but be sure to put it in quotes as shown below, to lock your first name in with your last.  Otherwise, in my case I would get notified of all “Steve’s” or all “Pacinelli’s”.  Answer the next few questions and Google is now set up to send you an alert the second it finds any reference to your name on the Internet.

3. Google Analytics

Everyone has a website these days.  But it seems as if only a small amount of agents are truly harnessing the power of their on-line presence.  To do this, you need to have an understanding of your consumer and know what they liked most as well as what they didn’t like or did not find beneficial from your website.  Google Analytics to the rescue!  This tool will compile and save data about your visitors on your site including location, time spent, pages visited, their entry page and exit page as well as a myriad of other statistics that will give you better insight to cater towards their needs.  Google Analytics will work on almost any website and most reputable website providers will have a custom box to enter in the code that Google supplies.  Simply find the Google Analytics button under the same Google Account Settings screen I referenced earlier.

4. Google Keyword Tool

In this blog post, we definitely saved the best for last.  Knowing what your target audience is searching for on the internet can give you a competitive advantage in trying to meet the needs of this fickle group.  Since Google knows where everyone is going, it keeps detailed information about what people are searching for on the Internet.  This fantastic feature is the Google Keyword Tool.  Any tech savvy agent that is looking for a good domain name, has a website or enjoys blogging will find this tool invaluable.  The easiest way to take advantage of this free tool, is to Google “Google Keyword Tool”.  The first entry to pop up is what you are looking for.  Type a phrase into the space and instantly see the amount of searches completed for that phrase.   This is a component that has limitless use, since knowledge is power in understanding consumer behavior in the real estate industry.

I hope you find these four tools as useful as we all do at Tech Savvy Agent. What are some other free tools are you using in your business?

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Are you a great blogger and writer? Do you love real estate technology and innovation? Are you a big fan of this blog and enjoy the content? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, I invite you to apply to be a Guest Blogger for FOREM.

We are looking for a few great writers to write guest articles from time to time.

As many of you know, FOREM is one of the oldest and most respected real estate blogs – started by the awesome and super-talented Joel Burslem in 2006.

If you are interested, please email me at katie (at) inman (dot) com with the following info:

• Name, Title, Company
• 1-2 paragraphs: tell me a little about yourself, your expertise in real estate tech & social media, and why we should choose you?
• 3-5 links of examples of your writing

I am looking for a small handful of the best of the best! Looking forward to seeing the results!

Written by: Katie Lance, Marketing Manager, Inman News

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A big shout out to Chris Bubny at Realty Blogging for a nice post about this blog. Realty Blogging brings together a number of experts in the real estate industry and features some great expert perspectives. Check them out.

Technorati Tags: Real Estate Marketing, Real Estate Blogging, Real Estate Blog, Real Estate Blogs, Real Estate

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Dustin Luther and Russ Cofano were in Portland last week giving a talk to Realtors about blogging. As I’ve said before, I think all real estate professionals should look to blogging and I’m happy these guys were here promoting the cause. Dustin helps run Rain City Blog, which in my estimation, is probably one of the best Real Estate-focused blogs in the country. Sounds like the talk was a huge success, I wish I could have been there.

Technorati Tags: Blogging Advice, portland, real estate, seminars, bloginar, Real Estate Marketing, Real Estate Blogging, Real Estate Blog, Real Estate Blogs, Real Estate, Realty Blogging

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Half-hearted congratulations should be extended to the National Association of Realtors for their online blog NAR in the News. They've dived headlong into the blogosphere and while it's not a big splash, it certainly goes further than a lot of other corporate blogs. Kudos that RSS feeds are easily subscribable and that popular newsreaders are supported. More importantly, trackbacks and comments (moderated) are enabled so that at least one of the posts has some lively debate growing.

I say half-hearted only in that after a good sprinting start, the site seems to already be wheezing and slowing down. Weeks go by since it's initial flurry of activity with not so much as a whisper… then an update yesterday that's nearly patronizing in its brevity.

I was hoping when NAR in the News launched it would be more than just a reactive tool for NAR's PR department to add their counter-spin to the public record. Here was a great opportunity to be proactive and take their message directly to consumers. They could promote their value in a transparent forum in such a way that allowed spirited discussion on the merits of their position. Sure, they'd have a bias, but at least their side of the story was out there.

Unfortunately, it seems that after only a few weeks, the blog seems to have been relegated to the sidelines, meriting only a brief update until the next crisis hits. Becoming, sadly, another missed opportunity.

Technorati Tags: nar, Real Estate Marketing, Real Estate Blogging, Real Estate Blog, Real Estate Blogs, Real Estate, Realty Blogging

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