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WHY Google for real estate information instead of ACTIVE RAIN? Really, WHY?

Why Google, Bing, or search through NAR or REALTOR.org for information on real estate when it is all right here on ACTIVE RAIN?

I bring this up as I am teaching a class on "Increasing showings on homes" today to a few hundred agents, and I was digging for specific stats for varous items for the class. I went to KW.com (Keller Williams), NAR, REALTOR.com, Google and Bing and had to dive through all the garbage to find what I want...on all the sites. The problem was there was too much garbage. Well, I was doing a post on ActiveRain and said, "hey, what the heck, let's give AR a shot". Actually, I didn't really say it....as people would think I was bit "off".

There is a tab called "SEARCH" on AR. Hmmmm. Wonder what that is for? (lol) So I used the search platform powered by Google, but it's focussed on Active Rain website solely. Tim Moncrief The results were mind blowing. I know.....I know...your concren is the validity of the stats by an agent. Thus, I would not use any stats by an agent that did not have a source link. Surprisingly, most AR blogger do a great job in sourcing their links. So I get them to do all the diggin around and I take advantage of their hard work. (Yes, I use them)

What to my surpirise should I read, but multiple replies on the same stats I am looking for in different time periods. Hmmmm. Now I have stats over several years to show the variation of stats over the last few years. Pretty darn valuable information. So within a few minutes I had stats from various years in which I could show a trend. Surely this is on NAR or REALTOR.org, but AR is 1000 times easier and faster to use.

So now I have this great presentation to teach a class today to a few hundred agent with some stats they are likely not familiar with. Did you know that 39% of FSBO seller's sell their homes through their sphere. Ya need to think about that one and relate that to your business.....as that is a pretty powerful stat as 99% of agents do not work their or their client's database to market the home to. Didn't think of your client's database.....did ya? On NAR the overall sphere sales are 6% and we skip right passed that and focuss on internet, signs, blah, blah, blah. If you did not know, 1 out of 3 referral buyers will buy a home. That woke ya up.

Soooooo, in conlcusion. Ya need info for your client, yourself, or teaching a class on anything to do with real estate. THINK OF THE SEARCH ENGINE ON ACTIVE RAIN FIRST!!!! Now after reading this, stop, and go up to the search engine and search for something you were curious about but did not know. It is highly likely multiple agents wrote the question very similar to what you will write.

As the old saying says, "the answers tend to be right in front of our eyes". Well, here you are and your eyes are here. Work it. Special thanks to ACTIVE RAIN and to all the agents who I got information from who covered the rear end on their blogs by posting links to their sources. I friggin' love this site! USE IT!
Posted Thursday Oct 20