October 18th - 2008

WIRED OFFICE: REALTOR® voices on the social scene

Real estate is such a relationship-based business that it’s no wonder REALTORS® across North America are embracing social networking.

Real estate is such a relationship-based business that it’s no wonder REALTORS® across North America are embracing social networking.
 
Social networks are basically Web communities that people join, usually free of charge. There they can post profiles, create blogs and invite other members to network with them. Although MySpace and Facebook are the best-known of these sites, real estate and profession focused sites are popping up all over. Here are a few of the most popular:
 
Active Rain
ActiveRain, launched in 2006, now has over 100,000 members. Within the ActiveRain online community, real estate professionals from the United States and Canada, network, interact, share knowledge, and develop their businesses online. Members can create a free, immediate Internet presence that is quickly indexed and ranked by search engines. ActiveRain is constantly growing, which translates to a larger network to share ideas and create out-of-area referrals. The site's blogs and forums are also free avenues of communication, allowing members to increase visibility with home buyers and sellers and other professionals. Members can e-mail one another, participate in each other’s blogs and add photos of listings or information. www.activerain.com
 
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is an online network of more than 25 million professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries. When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. You can add more connections by inviting contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you. Through the network members can find potential clients, service providers, subject experts, and partners who come recommended. LinkedIn is free to join, but also offers paid accounts that provide more tools for finding and reaching people, whether or not they are in your network. www.linkedin.com
 
My OREA Community
The popular online forum offered by the OREA Real Estate College has been enhanced and re-launched as My OREA Community. It is a secure site which is open to students and members of OREA and is only accessible through My Portfolio. When they first visit the site users will be required to register with a username and valid E-mail address and agree to the terms and conditions. Although phase one of the launch focuses mainly on the Real Estate College and student users, plans are to enhance the online community with blogs, audio podcasts, videocasts and group discussions relevant to all OREA members. The goal is to provide practical tools REALTORS® can use in their daily businesses as well as knowledge they can share with clients.
 
RealEstateVoices
RealEstateVoices is a real estate social news site designed to help you discover the most interesting articles of the day, as voted and suggested by fellow users. www.realestatevoices.com
 
RealTown
RealTown is one of the oldest and most respected communities in the real estate industry, with its development dating back to 1995. Over the years, real estate professionals have contributed nearly one million posts to the RealTalk Listserv and other associated listservs hosted by InternetCrusade. Real estate professionals will find resources and networking on RealTown.com and can follow and contribute to online conversations in RealTown’s real estate forums. www.realtown.com
 
Wanna Network
With almost 17,000 members and growing, Wanna Network bills itself as a fun environment to network with other real estate professionals. The site allows members to create a profile and blog as well as forums, an advertising section and a listing section. www.wannanetwork.com
 
Zolve
Zolve is an online real estate referral network and business exchange that connects real estate practitioners and service providers across the country and around the globe. www.zolve.com
 
Social networking sites can be a valuable resource for REALTORS® who want to learn more about growing their businesses. These sites can never take away from the value of good old-fashioned face-to-face networking. The do, however, offer another dimension to your marketing strategy. But before you join an online community, do your research and check out several options. Setting up a profile, blogging and participating in online forums can be very time consuming. Be sure to focus your efforts where they will give you the most return on investment.
 
If you are new to blogging, check out these Web sites for tips and advice on how to set up and maintain your blog: www.blogger.com, www.realestatetomato.com, www.wordpress.com.
 

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RECO decision: Talk to member, not his client Ontario REALTORS®embrace technology for business

For more information contact

Ontario Real Estate Association

Jean-Adrien Delicano

Manager, Media Relations

JeanAdrienD@orea.com

416-445-9910 ext. 246

Ontario Real Estate Association
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The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.

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