Area Realtors Sold on Social Media

By Jennifer Shapira

HGTV’s “My First Place.” “VA Cribs” on YouTube. Tweets about the housing market. Facebook posts about a successful closing. Organizing client happy hours. Do these tasks sound like work? For Northern Virginia real estate agents, the answer is a resounding yes.

Social media is changing the way many people and industries do business. Real estate, built on the cornerstone of face-to-face contact, is no exception. While there’s no substitute for an in-person meeting, Facebook and Twitter extend real estate’s digital reach.

Residents of Northern Virginia are technologically savvier than in other parts of the country, says Jill Landsman, communications and media relations director for the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors®. “Lots of people look for homes in lots of different ways, so realtors today have to be versatile. They have to understand that it isn’t just about postcards and the traditional marketing tools anymore,” she says. “Basically they have to analyze where they’re marketing their homes and the levels of sophistication that are needed. And [in] the Metro-D.C. region, which has so many two-income households, we have a highly sophisticated, well-educated citizenry.”

The Changing Face(book) of Real Estate
Social media has truly dictated a new role for real estate agents and how they market themselves. They must work to “stay relevant and competitive,” says Matthew Rathbun, director of professional development for Coldwell Banker Elite in Fredericksburg. Thanks to classes he offers such as: “I’m Sooo Blogging This” and “Let’s Go YouTube’in,” Facebook-phobics can feel more at-ease.

“Today’s real estate consumer is a highly visual buyer or seller,” says Rathbun. “Utilizing video on YouTube or photo sharing on Flickr is a great way to introduce clients, agents and properties or communities to one another. Multimedia is certainly where we need to be in our consumer interaction. Tools like LinkedIn allow the consumer to see what agents may be in their connection list or see the agent’s resume before choosing that professional to help them with their investments.”

The agent of today must also be informed about neighborhoods and serve as market watchdogs, following trends, like foreclosures and mortgage crises. They must also be personable and approachable—online.

Being a good realtor is not just about buying and selling homes. People want to see that their realtors are technology-savvy. That means constantly strategizing about the creative ways of getting the word out to potential clients.

“Social media takes the edge off sales,” says Angie Bresnahan, a realtor with Weichert in Ashburn. “You don’t have to hit people over the head with the fact that you’re an agent. Instead you can trickle information on your Facebook page that positions you as an expert in your field. You can tweet about news stories in your industry and have people weigh in. It’s a non-abrasive way to reach your network and show them that you know your stuff.”

Locally, almost every agent has a Facebook page, whether personal or professional, or sometimes a cautious mix of both. Some have their own fan pages, some maintain the Facebook pages for their brokerages, both of which you can ‘like.’ Realtors often have a presence on LinkedIn, which allows colleagues to recommend each other. Many agents also have profiles on ActiveRain, a realtor-only public website that is part message board, part blog.

Today’s Tools
Ashburn-based Long and Foster realtor Meg Olympia, who started her own YouTube channel “VA Cribs” (modeled after the ritzy “MTV Cribs”), hypes her new releases on Facebook and Twitter. Her videos vary from the tour of a posh Purcellville home to a look at the process of transacting real estate, both providing fun ways to educate people on the field, she says.

The idea grew out of a dinner party conversation a couple of years ago, when the housing market took a hit. Olympia was looking for inventive ways to market herself. And in a world where everyone is on the Internet, she knew she needed more reach. “I wanted to make sure that whatever I was creating, as far as my marketing strategy, I wanted to target people through those means,” she says of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Olympia tells one recent story that points to today’s standards: She says a seller said to her, ‘We have an agent right now and we just feel like she’s a traditionalist. She does an open house and she does a broker’s open, but technology-wise, we can’t even send her an e-mail.’ “Which is amazing, right? What real estate agent isn’t even on email!?”

Suggests You Like It
Alexandria-based RE/MAX real estate agent David Maier has a regular gig on HGTV’s “My First Place.” His most recent episode profiled a couple that bought an Arlington condo; and he will be featured in upcoming episodes of “My First Sale,” featuring a house in Clifton and an Arlington condo.

In addition to promoting his two websites, and developing ideas for HGTV, Maier is also networking on Facebook. “That seems to be the big thing right now,” says Maier. “In the last year, it really seems to have exploded. It just seems like I’m getting constant updates on things like: ‘This realtor has now posted this page and suggested you like it.’”

Maier believes that industry tips like the dos and don’ts of buying foreclosures are helpful items to post, but he supports steering away from making all real estate updates all the time. Most important, he says, be human.

That doesn’t mean posting “went to the grocery store and got milk today,” but “planning a trip,” is perfectly appropriate, he says. Another suggestion: An identifiable call-out such as “Any suggestions for where to eat?” that inevitably leads to banter among friends and colleagues.

“You have to intermix it with the business stuff. It lets people know that you’re in real estate, but that you have an interesting side.”

Maier is also a fan of placing free ads on craigslist, an online resource that he thinks is often overlooked. He has advertised his services under real estate. And a year ago, he posted an ad for an assistant. “It was unbelievable. Resumes started rolling in an hour after I posted the ad. It was amazing.”

Facebook Fodder
Herndon/Reston Long and Foster agent Leslie Thurman, a self-described extrovert, says her Facebook posts are an extension of her personality: funny, informal, chatty. Staying connected to clients is as important as staying connected to family. One “referral becomes 12 potential referrals,” she says, adding that “60 percent of my clients become my friends on Facebook.”

Facebook is a true networking marketplace, she says. For instance, Thurman might update her status by asking: Who knows a good painter? And within minutes comments trickle in, names get bandied about. And faster than you can click “like” the good painter gets more work. He remembers, returns the favor, and, for example, Thurman sells a house.

Like many real estate agents, Thurman blurs the lines between personal and professional on Facebook, and sees every reason to do so. “You just have to be really smart about it,” she says. A mother of three, she’ll describe daily frustrations and share happy moments. And in an instant, comments will start stacking up.

She’s also been known to host client happy hours—well-attended, chill gatherings that feature good drinks and conversation.

Just Tweet It
Recent Georgia transplant and Reston-based realtor for Coldwell Banker Jessica Swingle embraces social networking big-time. Via her public Facebook and Twitter pages, Swingle makes frequent business-oriented posts about the housing market, as well as blurbs about fun things to do in Reston and Herndon, carving herself into a neighborhood niche and providing fresh content.

Swingle dedicates time on the weekends to connect with locals and take snapshots of community events, and subsequently broadcasts her findings. Her public, work-related Swinvest Facebook page includes a real estate tab that features listings, market trends and school information.

“It gives people a way to check up on me, get a sense of my personality and assess my credibility in a way that is more engaging than [through] a website,” says Swingle. “And it’s just fun.”

Everything is integrated, says Swingle. “My business Facebook page posts get tweeted. So anytime I update something, that platform gets tweeted out and then, for example, when I do a new video on YouTube, I’m going to upload it to Facebook, and then that’s going to feed to Twitter.”

On Twitter she’ll search keywords like “#real estate” or “#real estate Reston Town Center,” then watches the chatter develop.

When it comes to social media, have fun, but be responsible, Swingle advises. “If you polish what you put out there, and put out value-added content consistently, people are going to find you.”

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There’s an App for That
Launched just over a year ago, Coldwell Banker’s free mobile app for the Droid, BlackBerry, iPhone and iPad lets homebuyers start searching for open houses, and sellers to track area home prices from their cars.

While homebuyers are out experiencing the neighborhoods they want to buy in, the app allows them to see what homes are for sale, as well as their price tags. Sellers can comparison shop.

“You don’t have to register, you don’t have to pay, you don’t have to do anything,” says Chris Upham, an Alexandria-based Coldwell Banker real estate agent. To get started, download the app from Coldwell Banker’s website or iTunes. Then, he says, “You just tell it what you [want] to find.”

The app includes all the data from the Multiple Listings Service (MLS), so it provides every listing from every brokerage, including foreclosures and homes for sale by owners, says Upham, “so it’s not just Coldwell Banker’s listings.”

How it works:
“While they’re driving around in their car with their iPhone, the map is scrolling along showing them the listings,” says Upham. When users find one they want to learn more about, “they can click on it, the home pops up, shows a listing, shows the photos, the details and information about the property.” The app also allows users to save their property searches, get alerts when homes come on the market, find open houses and find an agent.

Perhaps the best news: It’s easy to use. If you can use Google maps to find your house, says Upham, you’ll master the app in no time.

Visit the Coldwell Banker website links to download the app for the iPhone, Droid and BlackBerry:
www.coldwellbanker.com/real_estate/mobile

For the iPad:
itunes.apple.com/us/app/coldwell-banker-real-estate/id325309137?mt=8

Learn more, view YouTube video demos:
iPhone: www.youtube.com/watch?v=g94HuyrA-XY&feature=channel
Android: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNp1BkkcJ9Q&feature=channel
Blackberry: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA7NCyFMiCI

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Q&A With Matthew Rathbun
Director of Professional Development, Coldwell Banker Elite in Fredericksburg

Q: How is social media helping agents market themselves?
A: Many agents have found that personal engagement with friends on venues like Facebook Profiles, and then setting up business pages on Facebook’s Fan Pages for real estate consumers, is a great way to separate the two. Most friends don’t want to hear about your job all day, but they might be interested in certain aspects of funny stories.

These tools have also helped real estate brokers research and recruit the most knowledgeable and professional individuals. Those agents who are embracing new technologies are meeting the consumer where they are. Too often the industry has tried to tell consumers how to buy and sell real estate. With so many consumers online giving us feedback, it’s clear that agents who listen to consumers will be the most successful in the future.

Q: Who do you teach?
A: As the director of professional development for Coldwell Banker Elite, a brokerage of about 175 agents and five offices in Fredericksburg, I work with agents almost daily on their social media engagement. I also teach for many REALTOR® Associations in Maryland and Virginia. I’m frequently hired by various companies and franchises to teach classes. I maintain an active blog about the practice of real estate, risk reduction, business planning, tools and technology at www.TheAgentTrainer.com.

Q: Why is it important for real estate agents to learn these new skills?
A: The simple answer is that the nature of what we do is highly personal. Agents sometimes play the role of advisor, counselor and friend for our clients. We hear and talk about more than just buying or selling their home. There are so many life issues associated with real estate that you have to be willing [to] engage your clients in life and not just 9-5. It’s important for REALTORS® to speak the same language as their clients, and that language is rapidly evolving into online social relationships. Additionally, we know that the client is looking online. It’s hard to argue that an agent is doing the best job promoting their client’s needs if they aren’t able to use social media tools like YouTube to promote the seller’s property.

Social Media Advice From David Maier, RE/MAX:
• Be human.
• Don’t just talk about houses.
• Stay up-to-date.
• Have a sense of humor.
• Post frequently so that people remember you.
• Be informative, but have fun.
• Updates should be a mix of personal and business.
• If it’s too business-focused, people will lose interest.

Social Media Tips for Real Estate Professionals, From Jessica Swingle, Coldwell Banker:
1. It’s not about 123 Main Street. Posting your listings on your Facebook page is great, but the key to social media success is to engage with your fans in a way that is truly interactive. Think conversation instead of listing promotion. Just as you would when attending a networking event or friend’s party, make the discussion about more than real estate or a particular property.

2. Find your voice. Leave formal industry jargon to other forms of marketing and approach social media as you would an in-person conversation. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and let your personality shine.

3. Add your own content. Create and contribute your own content, such as photos, video, community news, or commentary on local events in addition to third-party content. This will help position you as a local resource in addition to being a real estate expert.

4. Stay active. If a potential client finds you through social media and discovers you’ve been inactive for a month, chances are you will lose social media credibility. Don’t have the time to post on Facebook or Twitter every day? Use a social media tool such as HootSuite or TweetDeck to schedule your updates in advance.

5. Have fun. Of course, it’s important to be professional, but that doesn’t have to translate to boring. Be inspirational, informative, thought-provoking and, yes, entertaining! Give your followers a reason to stay engaged for the long haul.

Top Real Estate Search Engines (From Jessica Swingle):
While the top search engine sites can be useful for consumers to start their real estate search, the best way to obtain up-to-date and accurate information is still the Multiple Listings Service (MLS), accessible through a real estate agent.

1. Trulia.com
2. Zillow.com
3. HotPads.com
4. Listingbook.com
5. Realtytrac.com
6. Yahoo (realestate.yahoo.com)

Top Real Estate Blogs (From Jessica Swingle):
1. Bigger Pockets
2. Real Estate Relativity
3. Inman News
4. BloodHound Blog
5. Tom’s Blog
6. Dakno Marketing
7. 4realzstrategies

Chris Upham, Coldwell Banker:
Every single buyer has three things in common:
1. They’re going to make the decision that’s right for them.
2. That is when the timing is right for them.
3. That is also when they feel like they’ve seen all their options.

Jill Landsman at NVAR:
From the National Association of Realtors Northern Virginia 2009 Buyers and Sellers Research Report:
Northern Virginia:
• 87 percent of customers who are looking for a home will use the Internet to search for a home.
• Northern Virginia’s median income, based on those who bought homes in last year and were surveyed, was $116,800; so we really are well above the median when it comes to everything in this area: salaries and cost of living.
• Median age to buy a home was about 34.

US/Nationally
• 76 percent use the Internet in other parts of the country.
• Median income is $75,500.
• Median age to buy home is about 37.

Social Media/Networking Tools:
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Foursquare
• Flickr
• Picasa
• craigslist
• Yelp
• ActiveRain is real estate-specific, but publicly accessible