Maybe for the same reason that they talk about how they '"treat their clients with the utmost respect and honor them by defending and protecting their interests unlike any other Realtor in the world". To get attention?

REALTORS should use more discretion when answering on Trulia. With that being said, I think that the consumer is smarter than we give them credit for and will pass on an answer that is frivolous or a blatant attempt to get their link on line. Its annoying but nothing to loose sleep over.

Brother can you get a witness!! Probably a zillion of them. My pet peeve is people in other parts of the country chiming in on local Austin issues. They can't possibly know whats going on here. I think they are doing it to rack up points/answers within Truila.
;)

I'd just like to chime in on something here. I'm not a real estate pro - but I do happen to be a technology expert.
This idea that getting thier answer on a trulia messageboard is going to somehow skyrocket one's google ranking is - crackpot at best. It may have an effect on overall weight in terms of real-estate related searches, but ultimately if that person's own website does not mirror the same content, it's really going to do very little.
I think perhaps some people would be best served googling some info on "search engine optimization" to get a better picture of how all that stuff works. It's far more lengthy and complicated then i'm even going to try to explain here.

Hi Paul!

Your question is quite common in many Q&A forums around the net. I just wanted to add to my previous answer below.

In order to help address many of the issues people bring up about Voices, we created a Top 10 List on how to best use Trulia Voices which can help guide you in the right direction.

http://www.truliablog.com/2008/05/09/top-10-tips-on-how-to-b…

Take a look and please add your own suggestions in the comment section.

Thanks for participating in our great real estate community.

Rudy
Social Media Guru at Trulia

JR- love you dog and reading your responses.
~~~~~~~~~
Thanks, Paul, I guess you're the one person who gave me a thumbs up! LOL!

Wow. You guys are great! I like the one about answering their own question. That's pretty funny & true. JR- love you dog and reading your responses. Bruce: honorable man, articulate, just as an agent should. Mott: short and sweet. Bravo to everyone here.

Paul - have you ever met an agent who is at a loss for words, or doesn't like to add their 2 cents to the mix?? I think some people just like to see their words in print - actually, I am admiring mine right now!

Some people speak because they have something to say; others speak because they have to say something. I guess that says how i feel about the subject.

My favorites are the agents that post a question - then answer it themselves....

See I have a bigger problem with agents who don't seem to know anything about ethics and jump to answer commission questions and questions like "what's the best place to live in ....". And other agents who give advice, legal or financial. Unless the poster who asked the question is your own client, you reallly have no business directing them anywhere but the proper source, be it their atty, accountant, or agent. Oh and "dump your agent!" is another pet peeve.

Paul: Agents who are just starting out are trying to establish themselves. Get some visibility. They have a new job and they are enthusiastic. But, people who are new in any job don't always articulate things as a seasoned professional agent might. I am sure you see this all the time in your real estate business. Everyone has to start somewhere. You did. Give them a little slack.

Yes, I am sure comments over ethics (which new agents have crammed into them when they go through the licensing programs) appear to be "stonewalling". They don't want to appear like they are soliciting someone else’s client -- which is unethical by Realtor standards. And most are not. On the other hand, the referral comment is always intriguing. They know if they can refer a legitimate client to another agent who covers real estate in another area to an agent they know (or can find out about for you), they may get a "referral fee".

But of course, you know all this. And, if new agents were not trying to toot their horns, WE would have more visibility.

It is a complicated world out there.

Do you really think posting a question like this accomplished anything, and/or benefits anyone?

Well Paul
great question,
an answer might be the same reason we have Realtors who should not be in the business ....
lack of experience, lack of knowlege and maybe just lack of professionalism. Hmmm just a thougt to ponder.

April: (My B-day month) Thank you. You got it! I'm the insider! I'll start using that. I'm a Taurus, a bull, with no BS! Best Answer for you!

Red Bank Rocks: "but a call to attention of how poorly he comes across" You are entitled to your opinion, now tell me, when you get fed up with someone yelling a bunch of garbage, are you the person that just sits there and listens? Being a home buyer, you should understand the depth of my question. This thread isn't about how I come across, it's about you, the buyer. April does and she gets it! Hence Best Answer for her. I'm a straight shooter. Not a back stabber. I'll call out other Realtors or "attack" them as you say, and that is because I am a warrior! I live by a code of honor and integrity, it's too bad the same can't be said for all of my associates, just a few. (Deborah, Sylvia, Chris, Partrick, Pam) all of who I have followed on Trulia and emulate in my attempts at articulation. Apparently according to you I have some work to do, good thing I'm a life time learner!

In my world it is survival of the fittest. Every realtor in the world is either an enemy or an allie. Life is too short for BS. Stick to the basics. Keep it simple stupid. All words I live by.

I treat my clients with the utmost respect and I honor them by defending and protecting their interests unlike any other Realtor in the world!

If you still don't get it allow me to put it this way:
Imagine someone is pretending to help lead a blind person across the street (Average Frustrated Agent and unknowing buyer) and starts walking when the light flashes "do not cross". Am I supposed to let the agent lead the blind across a busy street while the sign is flashing? ¡No Créo Yó! (Spanish for I don't think so!) My mother taught me better than that. Not only am I going to yell "STOP!" I'm going to reach out and pull them to safety. I know you would do the same.

TMan:
"Thank you Mr. Paul B. Perez for being honest and forthright ... it's becoming an uncommon trait here. "

Thank you sir. You get it too.

Maricela: ??? Are you one of the realtors I'm talking about or did you just not read the thread throughly?

Good day to all; There is always an answer and if you don't have one direct the public to: http://www.texasrealestate.com; Regarding commission, my reply would be: interview 3 or 4 agents from different companies, ask what services and marketing they anticipate doing to earn your listing and sell your home, plus the length of the listing period. If the service and answers they provide meets with your approval on their asking commission, then you have a great deal on the agent you select.
Have a productive day ;-)

No problem RBR, My wife does not have a sense of humor either.
Thank you for the compliments Sylvia.

Hi Mr., Mrs. or Ms. Red Bank Rocks, can I call you RBR for short?

I respectfully disagree with your suggestion to send a private message as my message applies to the entire industry.

As for degrading my peers, I am far from that and the truth in my observation in very clear & supported. If you can make sense of the message I made example of, please share.

My message did include provision for 'positive criticism', as well advanced with an apology.

"You" have created the tonality for degradation.

It is much more powerful to anticipate change when putting someone on spot.

My name is Chris, now Chirs.................my point exactly and maybe you meant that typo.

Moreso, I fail to understand your use of the word 'creepy'.

We as an industry need to drop the cryptic use of words and be real in our message. This includes buyers and seller who choose to participate in the forum.

Thanks RBR, looking forward to future melee.

Hi Red Bank Rocks, April and others:

Thank you both for your comments (I hate to admit this, but I did not read every single answer here).

My feeling is that after this thread, PROs and home buyers/sellers alike will see ourselves in some of the posts; reflect, and try to change/improve our ways of conducting business, treating our clients, presenting our professional image, and participating in a forum in a positive way.

I hope that's foremost the most important reason and outcome of this thread, rough waters and all before we reach that point.

So, thank you all for your honest feelings and input. All of us can't agree on everything, but I I am sure we all learned and will continue to learn and improve; at least I wil :-)

Sylvia

Patrick, I did not mean to offend you. I was trying to be funny back and joke with you. It appears that I am not as good at humor as you. I am glad to know that you are a good realtor. Thank you for sharing.
Chirs, I duplicate my comment to you that I said to Paul. I find it creepy and unprofessional that you want to call out and degrade your peers. If you really intended constructive help, you would send a private message to a person and suggest that they make changes.

I have seen answers that are less than worthless. In such event, I opinion that many colleagues are 'chatting' and not putting much thought into their answers.

A majority of what I read is valuable and I further opinion that Trulia has created an excellent forum where the consumer may participate with the professional.

What absolutely bothers me the most is a great lack of grammar, mispellings, and lack of punctuation. For those who consider posting to Trulia as serious business, regardless of your priceless or worthless remarks, it will at least read as written by an educated person. You should consider correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation having equal importance as the message you are trying to convey.

For example:

'Perhaps they feel their comments have value have the right to answer questions. Actually my office is way to busy too determine what others author happy they contribute to a site, I don't care what other agents have too state for their response. I feel they have a right along with everyone else.'

Sorry Lynn911 from Dallas and please consider this positive criticism. However, I don't quite understand what you are saying other than everyone having a right to their own opinion.

I very much enjoy participating on Trulia and am quite active on the site within the State of Oregon. Now that we all have the ability within this forum to reach out beyond state lines, I want to say thank you all for the continued participation. It is inspiring and educating.

Regards, Chris@HouseNow.com

Sylvia......Thank you for a well said statement and I could not have said it better myself.

Patrick and Deborah .... you comments are certainly well founded and appreciated.

I see that Patrick beat me to it. I have known Patrick (via Trulia) for a long time. Althugh I have never worked with him, I do know that he cares a lot and that while he is witty, he impresses as being very resourceful and ingenious in the approaches he takes when dealing with different issues. I am glad he is able to quote Cathy and I am sure we will hear good things back from them about Patrick.

Chris, AKA, Darth Realtor – Thank you for writing. You really don’t have to apologize. I understand and respect your passion and how you will take the whole thing very seriously as this is our profession and livelihood. I only mentioned Tman because I have seen many of his comments; I take the good and ignored the others – sometimes you just can’t change a person’s perception and it’s not worth it. People will know what to believe. So I don’t worry about what others say, but what I do.

April and Red Bank Rocks – Thank you for your kind words, I really appreciate that, a great part of why I enjoy being on Trulia!

Having been on Trulia for a while, I know emotion can fly and feelings can be hurt because everything is so out in the open. But if we can all stop, think before replying, then the forum will truly be beneficial to all.

Thanks!
Sylvia

Red Bank Rocks

"Patrick, You are very funny. Thank you for the entertainment, but I would also like to know if you are a good realtor."

I will let my clients speak for me...
POSTED March 17th, 08 on trulia
http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/First_time_buyer_lo…
"Kathy,
About a month ago, I posted a question on Trulia asking for information on Gilbert, AZ. (I was not looking for an agent when I posted my question) My husband and I are relocating from Wisconsin. Although most who responded gave me some information I was looking for, but Patrick Mahony responded with exactly what I was looking for. We sent a few emails back and forth regarding properties, talked once on the phone and I knew I found an agent I could trust and feel comfortable with. We worked through email for a few weeks reviewing listings, he help us narrow down our search by visiting each property we thought we were interested in, took pictures for us and gave his comments on each home. Some properties he did not even take pictures for us because he knew right away this was not a home we would be interested in, then gave us his reasons. I tusted Patrick even being 2000 miles away. Last week we made a trip to AZ, met Patrick for the first time, toured homes with him and we could not be happier with choosing him as our agent. We were never once pressured. Referrals are important, I did not have one, I took a chance with Patrick and I am glad I did. I am sure there are many good realtors out there, but give him a call, I promise you will not have any regrets. http://www.ITSRealEstateAZ.com
Cathy "

Side note, Cathy, and Husband Jack are returning the first week in May to continue their house hunt.

I Hope that answers your question RBR, I am not a good Realtor, I am a remarkable Realtor. Case in point. My client was so happy she left a remarkable remark, current also, about a month old.

So is the question really, a fine line between humor and business. There is a very fine line. I have to be very careful not to cross it.

I actually enjoy what I do. Seriously I do.
I have a game plan for everything I do in a real estate transaction.
It is all written down, and I give a copy to my clients so they can follow along. Plan A, Plan B, Plan C.
There is no way I am going to disappoint any of my clients, and they know that.

I am a Real Person, I don`t pretend to be " Mr. Realtor" all serious. ( OK I dress nice ) I am a one man show.
(Even though I really need to hire a transaction coordinator)

I value each of my clients, FOR ME, humor comes with being open and honest.

Good day & Good Luck.

Thank you to Sylvia, April and Red Bank Rocks. I appreciate your comments! BTW, I do think Red Bank Rocks!
Deborah

April,

Don't confuse my passion or straightforwardness for a lack of professionism. My clients don't.

Paul, What does not seem professional is much of what you wrote in this q and a. What seems creepy to me is your need to attack your peers.
Rudy, Please excuse my call out of Paul. It was not meant to be mudslinging but a call to attention of how poorly he comes across. If he listens, I have done him a favor.
April, I agree with much of what you say, but sometimes you miss the mark. I will agree with you that I like to read Sylvia and Deborah, and I track their q and a.
Patrick, You are very funny. Thank you for the entertainment, but I would also like to know if you are a good realtor.

"I, for many reasons, am not a fan of the part-time REALTOR. I think of the time last year when I dealt with a full-time school teacher, part-time REALTOR.

Aside from the obvious problem of being unable to reach him until after 3:30 p.m. each day, his inexperience left him unable to deal with a situation that caused the deal to tank. After the deal fell through, he needed my assistance to fill out the "mutual release form" to deal with the earnest deposit.

I just wanted to tell him to stick to the day job.

Conversely, if somebody has become a part-time REALTOR after 20 years of being a full-time REALTOR, he probably has the requisite skills to succeed at what he is doing! No guarantees though, right?

-My 2 cents

07/15/2007 01:08 AM by Chris Freeman
http://activerain.com/blogsview/144756/Part-Times-Realtors-Who
The thread was Part-Times Realtors: Who Needs Them?

On this thread there have been over 30 comments. All the comments were started by a professional Realtor who wondered why so many Realtors posted "worthless" answers. The same Professional said that some responses were "completely creepy and seems desperate".

It only took me 3 minutes to find your own personal quote slamming a fellow agent for causing a deal to tank that you had to deal with. You wanted to tell him to "stick to his day job". So it caused you a few more hours of work and you may have lost out on a few thousand dollars. But it got you upset.

As a homebuyer and seller a mistake by you or one of your fellow Professionals can cause me to lose tens of thousands of dollars!!! If me saying we as buyers and sellers need someone who "tells it the way it is without a lot of smoke and hot air" makes you A LOT upset, stretch your mind a little and see if you can start to understand just how upset a buyer and seller can be with 10's of thousands of dollars on the line and seeing agents who are
1. "blowing a lot of hot air"
2. "full of smoke"
3. Not experienced but acting like it on this site
4. Looking out for their own interests 1st and then the buyer’s interests 2nd.
4. Not being professionals. (This applies to you Chris) Getting A LOT upset with ANY buyer is the mark of an armature not a professional. In baseball (your Detroit Tigers "professionals" will tell you getting upset by what the fans say is called having "rabbit ears". Nobody here is cussing you out.

Finally, by calling me out specifically when there are over 30 responses seems like you would rather fight the buyer/seller than with your fellow professionals. Your acerbic response was directed at my comments not at Pauls. As a true professional you would work to bring the buyer/seller together with the Realtors not alienate them. Take an example from Deborah and Sylvia. Their answers are almost always awesome!! They are very professional both with the facts they choose to share as well as their "tone".

Remember...before calling the kettle black be sure you’re not a pot. Just to remind you of how you personally feel about your fellow realtors here is what you said on another Realtor site (and no I am not stalking you...I simply googled you and it took less than 5 minutes to find a quote from you to use here.)

Here from the mouth of Chris Freeman..."I for many reasons am not a fan of the part time Realtor"...."his inexperience left him unable to deal with a situation that caused the deal to tank"...."if somebody has become a part-time REALTOR after 20 years of being a full-time REALTOR, he PROBABLY has the requisite skills to succeed at what he is doing! NO GUARANTEES though, right?"....

When I sell a house and when I buy a home I want an agent who is as close to a Guarantee as possible. Having a site like Trulia really helps the consumer in many, many ways. Not the least of those ways is being able to see clearly that not all Realtors are created equal. There is a huge gap between the Great and the average. I don't like to give $18k or more to an average Realtor. I want a great one. Either way, I came to this site to learn and there are many who have been very willing to share and if I can ever return the favor by giving their name out to anyone of my friends who may move to those areas I will. On the other hand...I fully stand by my statement to Paul

"“We need a "hero" on the "inside" who tells it the way it is without a lot of smoke and hot air.” if that makes you A LOT upset maybe you should find another profession.

By the way, you singled me out on another thread a few days ago too. If you were to focus on professionally representing your current clients instead of on me, you very well might sell your current 8 listings that total about $800k. This would make your clients much happier than spending anytime being an amateur agent by bickering with me. It would also put at least $12k in your pocket before taxes. That's a lot more money that I will ever be putting in your pocket.

Rudy and Sylvia, I agree with you and apologize for wandering off topic.

I will say this: I will never be ashamed to be a Realtor.

As with any profession, there are always a few bad apples out there that ruin it for everybody. The “nay-Sayers” are always eager to paint us all with one broad brush when one of us falls.

When other Realtors agree with a response, it is simply affirmation that multiple professionals agree that the advice is valid and worthwhile. Often, these same “nay-Sayers” only seem interested in propagating the idea that “all realtors are bad”.

When I see comments like:
----------------------------------------------------
“We need a "hero" on the "inside" who tells it the way it is without a lot of smoke and hot air.”

I get a little upset. NO, a lot upset

The advice, that I and most of the Realtors provide, is sincere and meant to be helpful. Statement’s, like the one I quoted, suggest the all Realtors in involved in some pandemic conspiracy to defraud the world.

This type of response has and will cause me to write a slightly acerbic response. Being a Realtor is an important part of who I am (I work at least 80 hours a week doing this). This is not just my career, it is my life. If my last comment seemed like I took things a little personally, I did!

Ultimately, the content is what counts. I have gotten phone calls via Trulia because they 'liked' what I wrote, but I have never gotten phone calls because 'Wow, you have the most count' or 'you are the funniest of the whole bunch' or 'I love your short and no content answers'.

The professionals will stay on and do what they do best - provide quality answers and others will come in, give a two sentence irrelevant answers and leave. Smart people will go and read the one they trust most. Remember, consumers are savvy now, and if they are not, after they stay on Trulia, they will be.

When I see something that really bothers me - I will click that little report flag if there are offending/spam/rude answers. If some answers are wrong, I will either email the person on the side or answer with my perspective so others can see. I also have people answer my thread and tell me I am wrong, I appreciate that - still remember Deborah did that for me at my early Trulia career.

Numbers are really irrelevant and I don't know why people spend so much time on it. Like I said people do go in and read the answers. And truth be told, Activerain has number systems also and anybody who is in there should know - there are a lot of irrelevant blogs, comments, but there are also tons of wonderful bloggers and I read their posts, not others.

I actually like Tman, find debating him as challenging and fun; but I do ignore him sometimes. If people read his answers, they will know where he stands, same as Realtors.

I recently sent a private note to another Realtor. Never received reply but noticed changes. I have respect for that.

I think it does bother me is while we are trying to raise the bar as Realtors and this is a national forum, people come in and give incorrect, unethical, unprofessional answers; it not only brings them down, it takes all of us a step back.

But that's what this is about, hopefully weed out the bad, keep the good and care enough to be the best.

Best,
Sylvia

Obviously a controversial thread. Here's my 2 cents....

The need for responsible posting applies to all contributors. While real estate licensees have a professional responsibility, the absence of a licensee is not a free ticket to provide inaccurate and misleading information, while concurrently asserting oneself as an authority. I have seen out of state posters claim great authority at knowing what commission rates are in another area, what marketing strategies work well in that market, and provide advice on how a party to a contract should respond when the poster has no knowledge of the terms of the contract. False representation is irresponsible.

It is not “local” vs. “out of area” that is of concern to me. Local does not guarantee accuracy, thoroughness, or worthwhile advice. I have seen plenty of local Realtors respond to a question with inaccurate or empty advice. In those instances, we should be thankful to the out of area poster who contributed worthwhile content. A concern with “local” is a concern with territorialism. A concern with content, accuracy, and consumer needs being met is a concern with good practices and raising the bar of standards for our profession. There is also a movement toward niche specialties that cover a broader geography. Such will lead to greater efficiency in real estate transactions. Currently, real estate transactions are among the most inefficient business transactions that exist.

"We can't answer that due to ethics." is touchy, but often helpful for consumers. Consumers frequently complain because their Realtor "didn't come straight up and tell them A was a bad area with high crime, or B was an area of X faith." There are many questions on Trulia where consumers ask questions that cannot be answered to the consumer's satisfaction. The consumer complaint is that they received a "fluffy" answer or the Realtor "beat around the bush." As Realtors, we can provide a legally and politically correct answer and remain compliant, but sometimes the consumer walks away from the answer frustrated with the Realtor. When a consumer understands why Realtors are giving answers that direct them to third party sources, it helps bridge the gap of frustration. I support open communication. Many consumers have shared that is was helpful for them to understand the “why’s” behind responses.

Referring a consumer to their own agent is not unprofessional. It’s a combination of liability limitation, respect for an existing relationship, or the validation for the need and value of a representative Realtor. Trulia provides a forum for general information, but most all consumers are best served by Realtor who is their fiduciary agent. Even when the RE Pro and the consumer are in the same backyard, with general information on the question, only a general answer response can be provided. This referral to seek their own agent, is analogous to the attorney, investment professional, doctor, dentist, etc., hosting a call in program on the radio (local or syndicated), providing general feedback and suggesting the caller seek a professional who will become familiar with all relevant facts and details and then be better able to meet their needs.

“I can refer you to an agent” can indeed sound desperate when it is obvious that the solicitation is void of specific contacts in the destination geography. When the poster has a direct contact in a given area, the offer to make that specific referral is a win for both agents and the consumer. Empty solicitations do reflect poorly on our profession. It gains a one half second nod as I see those posts as self-defeating.

Petty complaints give rise to the image of a Realtor. I am a strong advocate of raising the bar for entry and increasing the requirements for maintaining a license. While I can’t write the rules for licensing, if I did, we would probably lose half of our licensees. My expectations run high. And, my expectations also include that we, as professionals, not focus on trivial complaints or pet peeves.

Deborah Madey - Real Estate Broker
Peninsula Realty Group - New Jersey

Hi Paul!

Thanks for your question. We value everyone's opinion and contributions. As with any online or offline group or community, it may take some time for a new member to learn the culture. Having said that, it's all about adding value to the conversation. If you have some knowledge, opinions or personal experiences you'd like to share, then by all means do. But, they should try to stick to the topic at hand.

I too see people mention that out of state agents shouldn't contribute to a thread within another state. In some instances this may apply. But, just because you're from that state does not automagically mean you have all the right answers. Someone from out of state may have lived/worked in that state or neighborhood before or they just may be more experienced than you and actually have something of value to add. So let's respect everyones right to join the conversation. If you have a better answer then the next person, then say it. A consumer can form their own opinions about what information they find valuable. Focus on what "you" can add to the conversation.

Will everyone give perfect answers all the time? Nope. We're all human. So let's keep our community positive shall we?

Peace,

Rudy
Social Media Guru at Trulia

P.S.Funny list Patrick!

How about this.

Trulia is like a T.V. show. If you like it, stay ( and leave it on.) If you don't, shut it off.(leave, and take T-man with you). He doesn't seem to like the site either! :)

**..Some Realtors post answers on here that are obviously wrong and unfounded, and I think the consumer should be alerted to that..**


Thank you Mr. Paul B. Perez for being honest and forthright ... it's becoming an uncommon trait here.

-

Paul, are you freakin kidding me... I don't need your help in writing my post! Im only on this board to help other agents generate more biz for themselves, I answer Q&A from buyers and sellers to help them. although, I have referred one person where my second home is, I do agree with some other agents posts that say let me refer you etc.. sometimes gets a little odd, hell I don't even post my web site!! But to each his own, I choose to come back and post when I have time... It's a choice, so deal with it or move on!!
agent- Leanne

This is so true! I think some are just trying to get to the top of the "most number of answers" list...and this confuses some regular people out there....especially when someone from San Fransisco is trying to explain flooding in the flatlands.

The desperation behind a cubicle and all the ethics is really disturbing also...for one lives ethics...you do not talk about it....and it shows with the answers.

Paul,

Keep this up and you are going to develop a "cult" following among buyers and sellers on this site. We need a "hero" on the "inside" who tells it the way it is without a lot of smoke and hot air. Patricks post was funny but my oh my it sure had the ring of truth to it. Of course you are going to get thumbs down though. I'm just surprised you only have 4. What's better though is that you have FIVE thumbs up on your question. There are very, very few questions that have that many thumbs up. Hope you continue keeping it honest. It sure provided a breath of fresh air in here.

Leanne, the proper response to the can I get a witness ? is "I testify" or "Amen".

I'm not trying to 1 up you, but I'd though you would like to know.

Trish: Explain your taking aim theory?

I ask because I refer to it as "calling them out". Some Realtors post answers on here that are obviously wrong and unfounded, and I think the consumer should be alerted to that. After all, people will believe anything that is written. Of course on the other hand, this isn't grade school, and I would hope that folks who can operate a computer to post on Trulia will at least have the right mind to distinguish the BS from the truth!

On another note, Who went up this list and thumbs downed just about everyone? Do people really think my question is a bad one that should not have been brought up? Really, apathy is lethal whoever you are!

HAPPY FRIDAY FELLOW PRO'S!

great answer patrick.... trish I'll be your witness!!
agent-leanne

OR what is worse is a Real Estate Pro taking aim at another, just to make their answer look better!

Can I Get A Witnesss?

Patrick,


Oh, extremely funny ..l.o.l.. (as I blow my morning coffee into the screen..)

Also ~ Extremely true .. (as he cleans the screen off....)


good job .. ;^)))

-

Patrick!!!

too funny!!! TU

Awesome Top Ten List!!!! You can be the next Dave Letterman.

Why do so many Realtors on Trulia post answers that are worthless?

10. My license is good for another four years.
9. I was asked to leave Activerain.
8. No one else will listen to me.
7. It beats cold calling.
6. Hey look, I am networking.
5. I want everyone to know who I am.
4. I spent a lot of money on this laptop.
3. This is as close to blogging, that I will ever get.
2. My parents hired another Realtor to sell my childhood home.
1. I`m helping people!

Well, I don't even know algorithims at all. It is a very time consuming process and an ongoing learning upgrade, such as Microsoft Vista and Office. I try and read up on SEO spidering as much as time allows. In 7 years of Real Estate and I was a slight programmer prior to this.And I do mean slight.Simple Access and Html. But remember when keywords were hot and invisible text. I really think the link does has some bearing on it a bit now. But I'm not willing to post randomly to make mine show up.And yes valuable content is KEY. That much I understand.it's so hard to keep up with. Can I get a witness?!! funny, I'm out here in PA near Amish country. I have a vision of a high strung Amish preacher holding a nake at the altar.

Paul,

As a real estate professional serving all of South Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia area I think its important that we as Realtors remember our fiduciary duty to the public. I regularly provide real answers to consumers who request expert real estate advice at http://www.southnewjerseyhomes.com. Homeowners and buyers quickly learn that my associated partners and I are committed to assisting them with all their real estate needs. We offer free buyer and seller consultations. Sincerely looking out for the interest of others has lead us to successful transactions and a profitable business.

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Who has the time to answer questions in areas they don't service. Some people like to hear themselves speak. I hate it when someone says the same answer that was previously posted. Of what value is that to a person especially if its not a straight informative answer. That's the thing with the internet. Having just joined I specifically set alerts for the areas "I service." This will be forwarded to my PDA so that I can answer on the fly. A professional is able to answers even to seemingly sticky questions without breaking any code of ethics. If one can't do this then they are in the wrong business.

Hopefully you found some humor in the 1st par. That may have went over some people heads.

Paul,

No thumbs up or down from me. Everyone gets to express their opinion freely. I used to tell my kids to always listen to everyone, even if you think you are the only one that is right. Because if you don't, one of these days you are going to miss something really important. So in my world, everyone gets a say (as long as it is done respectfully.)

Jackie,

I wasn't referring to you when I wrote about networking. Actually I was thinking of a lady I recently encountered at a Realtors convention sloppy drunk,passing her card out, networking, trying to get everyone to remember her. It worked, but the only referral I will give her is one of my single friends. I like your answers actually. I even suggested someone use you in another random post.

Hey... you didn't give me a thumbs down on my own question did you? :^P

Paul,

I think that the term "networking" is widely used and I wanted to make sure that my comment wasn't taken out of context. When I said that I would refer someone to another agent, that I networked with, I didn't mean just someone who handed me a card at a convention. HA! Networking (for me) means that I've had the chance to work with that person, feel comfortable with their morals and ethics, etc.. Quite honestly, I don't take a referral fee, and I usually don't refer to others because it is a direct reflection on myself if I refer someone that doesn't work out. However, there are some instances when I have because I've had direct contact with the other Realtor and know that they are a good one. As far as a profile page, I would prefer that someone look at my website than a Trulia profile (no malice meant), because there has been much more time and effort put into my website. It is their choice to either drop me a line or their e-mail. My intent is to help and it is their choice if they accept it. I don't do it for Google ratings (or whatever it's called). I don't understand how all that works, and quite honestly don't care to. I sell real estate. I have a passion for working with people and I leave all that other jazz to people who have the time for it. As usual, I wish you all the best and say thank you to those men and women in our Armed Forces who give us the right to debate these issues!!

Paul,

Thank you.

April