RealTown's RealTalk

What is the most visited real estate web site?

I would argue that it is probably Google. Listings appear in many different places on the Internet today. Some have accurate data. Some have duplicative data, some have few pictures, some have many pictures and virtual tours. Some sites have cool technologies, some are intuitive, and some are just the opposite…and what is intuitive to you, may not be intuitive to me.

My wife Janie and I were helping our youngest daughter Tiffany and her new husband Drew search on the Internet for a condo in San Diego. Where did we search?

I of course went to REALTOR.com, having been at the table when the idea of REALTOR.com was conceptualized, and then spending a few years on the road getting MLSs to send their listing data to REALTOR.com.

Janie, not being saddled with my paradigm, went to Google and searched for real estate in the communities of interest, and she found deeper content than that which I found on REALTOR.com. And then it hit me, how many people are now in the "Google" habit? If you want to find anything today on the Internet, where do you start? I think lots of folks would answer Google.

So, if 80% of all home searches begin on the Internet, how many of those do you think begins on Google? My bet would be lots…and lots more in the future.

Saul

Saul Klein

President/CEO, InternetCrusade

http://InternetCrusade.com

CEO, Point2 Technologies

http://Point2.com

Have you visited RealTown.com recently? RealTown.com, the oldest, largest and most respected online community and network in the real estate industry has been totally redesigned and offers a wealth of information. Go to http://RealTown.com and check it out today!

I've been using Google for many, many years as I like the clean streamlined set-up.

And, when I do searches, I play with a variety of keyword searches:
"keyword or phrase in quotes"
keyword+and+plus+sign
[keyword or phrase]

Does anyone know of any other ways? I'd be interested.

Cordially,Eileen

Reply: Eileen I always use the Internet to locate referral agents in areas where I do not know anyone. Or can not find anyone I want to use from the designations or certifications. I them put in the Realtors in York PA and go from there. I always check their web site to see if the e-mail and direct phone numbers are quickly visible. Then I call them. It has worked for me.
Glory Bee

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A good place to start an agent search would be the e-PRO directory. http://eProNAR.com

Keyword +and +plus +signs -and -minus -signs

Steven Hong, e-PRO Realtor

RE/MAX Associates Plus

Minneapolis, MN

As you can see I am a GAD from Florida and we use two websites to teach consumers how to find houses on the internet. www.realtor.com then put in state, zip code of where you want to look, or county or city. Our Regional MLS has a state hosted website www.home2florida.com that is easy to navigate and can find open houses, etc. the search can be saved and checked on weekly, etc.

Jupiter-Tequesta-Hobe Sound Association of Realtors

Jane C. Pike, Public Policy-Government Affairs Director

901 W. Indiantown Rd, Ste 18

Jupiter, FL 33458

Tel: 561.746.2707 x 112 - Fax: 561-575-9766

Email: jpike@jupiterarea.com

Website: www.jupiterarea.com

Staff Liaison to JTHS Realtor Political Action Committee (RPAC)

Staff Liaison to JTHS Public Policy Committee

Over 2300 Members in Your Association - more than 165000 statewide Florida Association of Realtors®

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, including attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of this email and its attachments. Finally, although we have taken steps to ensure this email and any attachments are free from any virus, in keeping with good computing practice, the recipient should check this email and any attachments to ensure they are actually virus free.

Eileen Wrote:

Can you give us some examples of google searches using minus signs?

For plus signs: Naperville+homes+for+sale
But? for minus signs?

I live in an area called Nokomis, which is a part of Minneapolis. But if you did a search for "Nokomis Homes for Sale" you would get quite a few results for a city called Nokomis, FL. So if you creatively search "Nokomis homes for sale -fl -florida" that removes all the results with "FL" or "florida".

Most consumers would not search in this manner because they wouldn't even know that this exists. But for my searches, I use these to qualify my results.

Steven Hong, e-PRO Realtor

RE/MAX Associates Plus

Minneapolis, MN