The "Neighborhood Expert"...YEAH RIGHT!

An agent, and friend, in my office came in and placed a postcard on my desk today that was received by her newest listing. Her newest listing happens to also be my very own neighbor that lives behind me. It was a postcard from another real estate company with a list of "recent" home sales (how can 9 months be recent?). The postcard was your typical farming postcard with the agent's info and a call to action. What got under my skin was the fact that he calls himself "the neighborhood expert". This postcard was sent to the street one over from me where I have been inconsistently farming for close to 2 years now. I've never seen this guy before and really resent him for giving himself this title. I looked up each listing in public records and saw just how old they were. BUT looking more inward I think I really hate myself for not being consistent with my farming and NOT door knocking on my block and those in front and behind me so that my very own neighbors can see ME as the TRUE neighborhood expert! Why have I been so lax about becoming involved in my immediate area?

Is this my fault? How can I really be upset with this guy and his self-imposed title when all I do is a postcard monthly? Sure I speak to everyone and most people know who I am but I have never really gone door to door with a giveaway or a business card. A house went up for sale across the street from me a few months ago and I was pissed that I didn't get the listing. My teammate and I were so perplexed by this that we did a mad dash to get all of our buyers to that house. We currently have a signed agreement. We're so excited that I finally get to say that I participated in a sale in my neighborhood. Now I'll get to send the Just Sold postcards to the area; but why stop there. I'd like to capitalize on the new feather in my cap. The postcard giving agent and friend in my office has her new listing in that same block behind me. We are sitting the open house this weekend for her because she is not really familiar with my neighborhood. This Saturday I want to door knock with an invitation to the open house and to give my neighbors a real sense of what is active and sold in our neighborhood. I've also volunteered for the school Pancake Breakfast this Sunday. I'll place info about that in my door hanger of goodies too. Perhaps during the knocking I can find out some other community/block events and start a neighborhood blog. My #1 lesson learned is consistency and frequency is important and becoming number one in my neighbor's minds. Either way I don't want any more outsiders calling themselves my "Neighborhood Expert".