Las Vegas Real Estate Blog

I am returning to a previous blog that I was suggested to be deleted for the reason that was evaluated as a plagiarism... It was not my intention to create that impression so I am returning with a revised contend, as I still consider that anyone can write about subjects discussed in prior materials.

The "subject" is not an intelectual property. Is meant to start a conversation, more debates and open to new interpretations. I've been trying to stay away from copying the material and light up the few points that I found to be interesting to revise. The blog is meant to be just that "a place for debate and info", as not everybody reads everything that is written on internet.    

Coming across Transparent Real Estate Blog, I found a detailed article regarding AR presence on the Internet, the assets and challenges they are facing within the real estate marketing network. I found particularly interesting the sugestions about challenges that AR has to address in order to go to the next level of success.

Here below is a revized summary of points I found most interesting to mention, as well as some personal interpretations;

1) AR owns the bloggers... the blog authors owns the content.

AR should reach out for brokers to build their own blog and educate their agents to blog. That would create dynamic, reach content and more informative blogs. On the other level AR will develop tangible avenues for relationship with brokers, which at the moment seem to be lacking.

AR should extend their services to its members by distribution of real estate blog content over the Internet. 

• Blog content can be distributed to more than one blog or website... (most of real estate professionals have one or more individual blogs and duplicate content from AR to those blogs) .
• On the same time should facilitate blogers to promote and interact within the bloging community. ( just on example would be... allowing RSS creation of the blog)

2) AR priority - to connect bloggers with consumers.

This is the area where AR should develop further strategy. From the consumer point of view the blog is not attractive, is not informative enough, doesn't offer the contend and data they are looking for. It is very hard to find useful information about location or issues they may be interested in? The end of the day a blog is about providing information... as many as possible.

The Internet is flooded with other real estate blogs that offers all they need to know. I recently spoke with one of my clients and advice him to search on Google for ActiveRain blogs on subjects that may interest him... He came back to me and reply:"not much out there..."

3) AR needs a web design presence to attract consumers:

• AR needs a new face, a new smile... it is to simple, unsophisticated web design. Not that is a bad think but doesn't stand up, doesn't make a visual impression as per today's standards. Competitors are popping up everywhere... to compete in the professional world today means to keep up with internet savy .

There are few examples of other major sites that are hugely successful in spite of the simplicity, and one that came to my mind in Craig's List. Maybe AR will become equally successful but still should make an effort to change its the design image.

• AR is a platform for Realtors to talk to other Realtors. The main content of AR site is evolving around blogging between AR community members - it is virtually unusable for consumers.

4) Management.

• Management must achive whether they can make to grow a social network.
• The meaningless(see some of the comments) of its social network, or the quality of the blogs content must be better monitored.

• AR must start offering the new lead generating services that attract consumers. 

Read more on the subject >>>  Transparent Real Estate

The fact remains that ActiveRain made a huge splash, has made successful impact in helping the blog community to get their voices heard and achieve high ranking positions on Google.

Over two decades, the income gap has steadily increased between the richest Americans, who own homes and stocks and got big tax breaks, and those at the middle and bottom of the pay scale, whose paychecks buy less.

The Census Bureau has just issued its annual poverty report, claiming that nearly 35 million Americans (13 percent of the population) are "living in poverty." But just what does living in poverty mean?

Today, the typical American defined by the government as poor has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a VCR, a microwave, a stereo, and a color TV. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not over-crowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry, and in the last year he had sufficient funds to meet all his essential needs. While his life is not opulent, it is far from what the popular consciousness understands by "poverty."

The growing disparity is even more pronounced in this recovering economy. Wages are stagnant, and the middle class is shouldering a larger tax burden. Prices for health care, housing, tuition, gas and food have soared.

The wealthiest 20 percent of households in 1973 accounted for 44 percent of total U.S. income, according to the Census Bureau. Their share jumped to 50 percent in 2002, while everyone else's fell. For the bottom fifth, the share dropped from 4.2 percent to 3.5 percent.

Three in five pay below the national median hourly wage of $13.53. On a weekly basis, the average wage of $525.84 is at the lowest level since October 2001.

It was supposed to be an amazing publicity stunt for Virgin America airline at the Palm Hotel on Wednesday Oct.10th to celebrate inaugural Virgin America flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas.

The stunt almost ended in a disaster... Sir Richard Branson, one of the world's best-known billionaires, fell 40-stories from the top of the Palms Hotel to kick off the launch his latest multi-billion dollar enterprise. His low-cost airline Virgin America.

In the middle of the fall a gust of wind slammed his backside and left hand into the side of the building, and caused some painful but not serious injuries.

During the fall, Branson released a handful of tickets for free flights on Virgin America.

But the wind sent them flying and no one seemed to be able to locate any of them afterwards.

Branson invites danger in almost everything he does.
Richard Branson is the most exciting and personable businessman alive. He has achieved what most young professionals could only dream of: incredible wealth, fame, and acknowledgment, all the while still managing to have a good time.

But Sir Richard Branson is well known not only for his huge fortune but for his equally sense of adventure... sometimes pushing his luck to far.

" Bracing for the most expensive home-heating season on record, homeowners are turning in increasing numbers
to a money-saving and green way to warm their houses this winter.

Americans are desperate to find ways to save money. More and more are finding that heating with wood in an outdoor wood furnace can save them thousands of dollars a year.
An outdoor wood furnace is located outside and eliminates dust, smoke,ash, or potential fire hazards from inside the home that typical indoor wood stove or fireplaces create. The water in the furnace is heated with wood and circulated to the home through underground tubes. (whether it's a forced-air furnace, radiant baseboard or radiant floor heating)

The National Energy Assistance Directors' Association issued a report in which it predicted that home-heating costs would rise 28 percent this winter, on top of last year's record rates."

That maybe soo but wood consumption, for any reason, creates an environmental problem. When the wood is used to replace the gas/electricity to heat residential homes at the national level (even at the local level) it is going to become hazardous proposition.   

The excessive consumption of wood causes environmental problems at every step from the logging of natural forests and destroying watersheds to the pollution that results in transporting and manufacturing forest products to the dumping of useful materials in landfills.

That's how I see it.

I recently come accross a great site Online, Advertising for Real Estate Brokers and Agents, were to list propeties for sale... and it is Free. Real Estate Agents can list properties for sale or for rent, both residential and commercial.

Site address: http://realty.finditt.com/

The site is easy to navigate and gives you complete control over your listings. Finditt Realty provides individual uploads with a full description of the property listing along with a picture gallery.

List A Home, List Residential Rental, List Commercial Property, List Commercial Rental,  

• Add My Listing
• Update My Listings
• Check My Responses  

Real estate agents have the option of listing residential or listing commercial property for sale, lease or rent. All listings provide options for pictures, detailed descriptions of the property, geographical description and more.
Each listing is easily accessible to update features and retrieve inquires made by potential buyers.