eMong what?
From Business Week's Hot Property blog, it looks like a new FSBO site has launched:
One new advertising-supported site called emongoo.com looks vaguely like google.com and offers free listings by owners. You can post as many as 20 photos of your house for free. You also get a free yard sign.
emongoo has to be the silliest name of any of the new real estate sites that have emerged recently (close second, trulia). I'm not sure who the marketing genius was behind their branding. From their blog:
However emongoo is not an electric mongoose, it can’t be eaten and it isn’t something you find in your child’s diaper. It is a word from the language of internet along the lines of Zillow, Fandango, and Yahoo; and emongoo means real estate.
Yeah. I doubt it.
The site itself is full of eyeshockingly bad color combinations, is terribly laid out and feels cluttered and confusing. The site claims to have received news coverage in Forbes and the Dallas Morning News, but upon closer digging this is no more than a straight reprint of their PRNewswire release. Hardly genuine media coverage, IMO.
Futhermore, Google ads litter the site, which only adds to the mess. They also show up in the strangest places, leading me to believe the motivation behind this site is not to help FSBO's sell their homes, but rather profit off that elusive goldmine that's been dubbed "user-generated content".
Technorati Tags: emongoo, Real Estate Marketing, Real Estate Blogging, Real Estate Blog, Real Estate Blogs, Real Estate, Realty Blogging
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Tim Seymore | May 5, 2006 | Reply
Well I can only say, “what do you have against it?”. emongoo is very easy to use. I am sick of real estate sites that try to sell me mortgage, real estate agents and so on. I agree the google ads are a bit much, but hey when they are free you have to figure they need to make some type of income.
The worst part about your blog is the fact that you didn’t report any of the positive about the site. Like the testimonials on their site:
“I loved using emongoo and think it is a very effective way to sell your home. I sold my property in Arizona just using the 15 day free listing! emongoo.com reminds me of the other “big hitters� in real estate like Zillow.com and others, and I will definitely use your services in the future and tell my friends and family about your website.�
I to use emongoo and have had great success with them. If it is such an awful site, why is it working? Why are people adding thier properties? Have you looked at the speed at which their traffic is increasing?
As for the name, I love it! I bet you had the same thing to say about yahoo, ebay and fandango! But those are just small, powerless silly named companies with bad color schemes.
For a company that just hit the market place less then 6 months ago I would say emongoo is doing pretty good! Only time will tell. Go to http://www.emongoo.com/map and see how fast emongoo is growing.
As you can see I like emongoo, and I love what they are doing. You have a few good points about the google ads and the ‘news’ coverage, but they were in the news and news is news! I mean you found them on businessweek.com!
Joel Hillan | May 5, 2006 | Reply
The fact is emongoo.com and other FSBO sites are a threat to the real estate agent. I am a do-it-your-self kind of guy and I don’t mind doing something myself if it will save me oh….$10,000!
Technology is making realtors obsolete. Sorry, but the horse and buggy had to go sometime, and so will the fossil fuel engine, and…oh yeah, overpriced realtors. I know this makes them bitter and scared.
I haven’t used emongoo.com or any other FSBO website, but I know I will, and I will be called smart by all of my friends.
Picking apart your competition will not make you any better—being innovative is the only way to guarantee that tomorrow you will still be around. So I say God bless all of you FSBO sites and any other technology that is giving power to the people!
realestatemarketing | May 6, 2006 | Reply
Hey – don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against FSBO sites. Just this one.
Claiming to get media coverage from reputable media sites (I’ll give ‘em Businessweek for sure) is false advertising and raises my hackles. I come from a PR background and this is a no-no.
I don’t put any faith at all in testimonials and nor should you. They’re easily falsified:
“The Future of Real Estate Marketing is easily the best blog in the world.” – John D.
So, does that make it true? No. Not even close.
I’m not saying emongoo is a bad idea. I’m just saying that with a dumb name, false advertising, cluttered design and ads plastered all over it, I think they’ll have a hard time competing against the big guys – Google, MSN, Craigslist when it comes down to offering me a way to sell my house.
abe hoffman | May 9, 2006 | Reply
http://www.HomePriceMaps.com
integrates how much homes SOLD for nationwide using the google mapping
technology. Simply select city and state from the city menu and click
search. If you don’t see data for your area simply email
HomePriceMaps@gmail.com with your zipcode and or address and they’ll
update the site with your info and email you within a few days.
Realtors: We are now offering a real-estate mapping package for real estate professionals like yourself which would allow you to map and display your MLS listings and/or real estate listings on the your website. Feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss our technologies and competences.
Milan Cole | May 9, 2006 | Reply
I had to laugh when I read this, because I have to say, eMongoo also seems to be very dedicated to commenting on my blog. I have gotten at least 3 comments singing their praises, and I get the vibe that they are really just self-promotion pieces. Of course, it’s not that I have anything against FSBO sites, or self-promotion for that matter, but it’s a just a matter of doing it in moderation, which only a blog’s owner can ultimately decide
thesaint007 | May 10, 2006 | Reply
man I am hearing a lot about emongoo in blogs this week….I mean the site looks okay…they have some cool things, but every blog I go to has some comment about these guys. (real estate blogs that is). I did a search on them in google and they do have a ton of links. Must of them are on real estate blogs, so at least they are not spamming non-related blogs. I sent the site an email to ask them why they are blogging everyone…I will keep you all posted.
Lindsay Shaw | May 10, 2006 | Reply
Well, atleast their getting the word out. I’ve heard about them and it looks like they have a product worth talking about. They do have a long way to go to perfect everything and I have seen them on many blogs, particularly those dealing with real estate, but you can’t falt them for that. They are also a little short on inventor (properties).
ALittleLeary | Aug 14, 2006 | Reply
All I have to say is I wouldn’t trust the guys at emongoo further than I could throw them. I’ve seen too many of their past dealings.
Tina | Jan 2, 2007 | Reply
I think
flat fee mls is going to shape the future of Real Estate How bout you guys?
Missy | Nov 4, 2007 | Reply
Emongoo is a joke, just like the name
Liz Provo | Feb 12, 2008 | Reply
emongoo and other free listing FSBO websites may initially attract unsuspecting sellers – hey it’s free….but buyers soon understand that these kinds of sites are often promoting outdated listings and overpriced properties of low-motivated sellers. Sellers need to do their homework and CALL other posters before wasting their time advertising anywhere. So many of these kinds of sites make outrageous claims of being “the biggest” “the best” “reaching millions” but generate no calls for their home sellers.