I’ll be taking the week off from blogging and all social media. I love sharing life and doing so much business online, but I think being intentional about unplugging is good and necessary on so many levels. Can you relate? But before I sign off for the week, I wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours. No matter what your circumstances might be this time of year, may you know a deep sense of contentment and have joy in your heart. I look forward to connecting after Thanksgiving, and I cannot tell you how grateful I am for all who stop by the Sacramento Appraisal Blog. Thank you!!!

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

Real estate blogging has been a big part of my business and it’s something I enjoy doing too. I’ve written 515 posts over the past few years and I’ve built some really good business relationships and friendships along the way. Blogging is not a place for oversharing and “Dear diary” sort of entires, but rather an opportunity to share knowledge, build relationships and connect with existing and potential customers. If done right, a blog can help build credibility and expertise for a business as well as serve as a place where potential clients can feel you out before deciding to do give you a call. 

Here are some blogging tips I’ve discovered along the way. If you’re new to blogging though, don’t feel like you need to do all of this at once.

1. Blog existence: Why does your blog exist? Know why you are writing and who you are writing for. This guides content, style and frequency of posts.  
2. Good content: Be resourceful and share solid information about the local real estate market. Good content will win business over time because it builds trust. Additionally, good content tends to be found online and shared by others online too. 
3. Be consistent: If you’re just starting out, get a post up once per month. Then switch to twice per month and then once a week. You don’t have to post every day. Find a rhythm that works for you and your clients.
4. Get on base: Don’t try to hit a home run with every post by creating the end-all real estate post of the century. Just get on base consistently and you’ll score runs over time.
5. Don’t write a novel: Be brief and to the point. A few paragraphs will suffice most of the time.
6. Be yourself: Don’t try to be the end-all agent who appeals to everyone. That’s not possible. Just be yourself because people can relate to authenticity. Be personable, let others see what you’re about and provide solid information.
7. Don’t be negative: Negativity is not good for business. Be positively attractive instead. People don’t like to be around complainers, so don’t be one.
8. Share your posts: Share your content on Facebook, Twitter and whatever other ways you’d like. You’ll want to make sure to add a “share” plugin or widget at the bottom of each post so people can “like” on Facebook, tweet….
9. Pictures: Use a picture in each post if you can. Make sure it’s a proper size. A website and posts do not have to be professionally designed, but if the format looks bad, then it doesn’t build credibility.
10. Answer questions: Answer people’s questions in your posts. What questions are people asking in real estate? What help do people need in your market? What do you know that can be a resource to others? I heard Mike Mueller say once that your blog post topics are found in your “sent” email folder. That’s where you’ve answered questions already to clients. Your answers could be good posts.
11. Write down blog ideas: Keep a file or corkboard handy where you write down post ideas. This will help you keep a stash of good potential content at your fingertips. Also, write about what you are currently doing or learning. For example, if you are knee-deep in market trenches in a certain neighborhood, find a way to post about that because  your content is already very fresh in your mind. Or if you run across something funny in the field, why not share that?
12. Use keywords in your post: What words are people using in a Google search to find information they’re looking for? Try to use these types of words in your title and post. Don’t overthink it though to the point where your posts sound mechanical and non-human. 
13. Use proper tags: Tags are a way to help sum up your post in a few words. Use multiple tags in the “tagging” feature of your blogging platform that describe your post. Google does pay attention to tags. 
14. Use Links: Link to other posts on your blog, pages on your website or resources that will help your readers. Make your links external if the link is to a different website, but internal if it is your own.
15. Ask a question at the end of each post: I picked up this tip from Problogger and I think it’s very useful. Ask a final question to help engage readers with your content.
16. Do what works for you: Everyone does “social media” differently. Find a rhythm that works for you and ignore what won’t work. Just because a so-called social media guru says something doesn’t mean you need to do it. Be yourself.
17. Avoid overselling: Lastly, don’t try to “close the deal” in every post. It’s easy to sniff out an agenda or used car salesman vibe. Just focus on providing good content, be yourself and let people know briefly how they can contact you at the end of each post. Basically, if people think of you like the guy to the right (or a stereotypical real estate professional) after reading your posts, it’s time to stop selling so hard and adjust your methodology.

I hope this was helpful. Do you have any other tips?

I am going to be doing a “blight week“ next week on the blog. My goal is to cover some issues that tend to impact curb appeal, property values or neighborhood ethos. I’ve already nailed down some topics, but I’d like to see if anyone has any other suggestions. Do you have a quote to offer? What do you think are some of the main culprits for helping a neighborhood be labeled as blighted?

If you have any real estate appraisal, consulting, or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact me at 916.595.3735, by email, on our appraiser website or via Facebook. 

I shared a few weeks ago about the clubhouse I began building in my backyard. Well, after sneaking in time after work to build, paint and accessorize, this little fort is now fully functional. My boys and I actually camped on the balcony last Friday too, so this clubhouse is definitely official. Thank you to a friend on Twitter for the suggestion of adding a dumbwaiter too. Take a short video tour below if you wish.

Have you built something simlar? Any suggestions of other things to add?

If you have any real estate appraisal, consulting, or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact me at 916.595.3735, by email, on our appraiser website or via Facebook.

Last week was “Condo Week” on the Sacramento Appraisal Blog. I really enjoyed writing about condos every day and talking through the content with so many people here and on Twitter & Facebook. Though I’ll not be doing a second week of condo posts, here is a glimpse of all one-bedroom condo sales in the City of Vallejo. A graph like this really helps to show just how much the condo market has been impacted in recent years. What do you think?

I know how painful it is to see graphs like these since I purchased my current home in 2004. Apart from the loss of value, there is at least one redemptive take-away for us to consider when looking at graphs as such. If you bought your home in recent years you should be paying far less in property taxes these days in comparison to what you were paying five years ago. My advice for home owners is to pay close attention to your property taxes to ensure the Assessor’s Office has taken into account the drastic decline in property value. Keep in mind that every $10,000 of overassessment equals about $100-125 in property taxes out of your pocket.

I have helped many home owners appeal their property taxes over the past several years and I actually personally disputed my own property taxes three years in a row too. If you have any questions, let me know or visit my property tax appeal website.  

If you have any real estate appraisal, consulting, or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact me at 916.595.3735, by email, on our appraiser website or via Facebook. 

Happy New Year! I hope 2011 is turning out to be great so far. After having just returned from Southern California for a week visiting with family, I am geared up and ready for the year ahead. As I blaze forward in life and business, I wanted to take a glance at this past year of blogging and highlight my eleven favorite posts of 2010. It wasn’t easy to pick only eleven posts, but the ones below made the cut because of fond memories of great conversation, relevant information, or just the sheer fun of posting about the topic. 

1. What legos can teach us about real estate
2. Would the sound of a train drive you crazy?
3. A water tower behind a house in the Pocket area of Sacramento
4. A major hoarder property in West Sacramento
5. The Skinny on Streng Houses in Sacramento
6. A flashlight tour of a dark boarded-up house in South Sacramento
7. Four reasons why appraisals “come in low”
8. Is price per square foot an accurate way to measure the value of a house?
9. Should the Arden-Arcade area of Sacramento become a city?
10. Appraisers vs. Machines: What do you think of websites like Zillow?
11. Would you buy Dorothea Puente’s house?

Thank you for making this past year such a joy. I sincerely appreciate you stopping by the Sacramento Appraisal Blog last year, and I hope you’ll do the same this year ahead. If you have any questions, you can reach me via email, catch me on Facebook, or call 916.595.3735.

I wanted to wish you a very merry Christmas. May you find joy during this holiday season and a bit of peace to prepare you for the new year ahead. It sure has been a great year, and I’ll be looking forward to conversation and business growth in 2011. Thank you for making 2010 wonderful, and thank you for stopping by the Sacramento Appraisal Blog for exactly 200 posts during 2010.

If you need to reach me, contact me at 916.595.3735, send me an email, or connect with me on Facebook or www.LundquistCompany.com.

I’m very excited to announce that I started an audio component to the Sacramento Appraisal Blog. Well, I actually began doing some “podcasts” earlier this year, but things will really be taken to a whole different level now. WordPress just announced a “Post to Voice” technology a couple of days ago where you call a number, leave a message up to an hour in length, and that message posts instantly to your blog. This should be fun and handy for quick thoughts, interviews, and even recording things like a concert or seminar.

Since I self-host all my wordpress themes, I had to break down and get a free blog at www.wordpress.com since “Post to Voice” is only available there right now. The “audio” portion is linked up throughout my “full blog” here though, so it should be easy to sync together. Check out my brand new audio blog at www.SacramentoAppraiser.wordpress.com

I already put up three posts: Why I’m starting an audio blog, New 2010 property tax assessments (days away from being announced), and Bank-owned Properties and a Sense of Entitlement.

What other ways do you think a technology like this could be used? What are the pluses and minuses of audio vs. text?

I remember stumbling upon an episode of Jeopardy in the early 90s and seeing that they too had jumped on the “bandwagon” of the world wide web. Yes, even Jeopardy now had a website just like everyone else. Do you remember those days?

It’s wild to think that just 15 years ago the idea of the “world wide web” seemed to be on the fringe, but it’s now a very significant part of our lives. Consider how the world has changed in the past several years with the advent of things like smart phones, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google, and blogosphere. The web has opened up opportunities for us to communicate, do business, be more efficient, waste time, shop, date, read the news, share videos, meet people, etc…

If you are in business, the truth is that people want to reach you online. They hope to find your website, understand more about your company, and see what others are saying about you too. They may even wish to connect with you on Twitter or Facebook. I know it can sound overwhelming to someone who is not a social media convert, but don’t worry because you don’t have to be a tween techie guru to be successful online, and you can certainly take small steps to further develop your web presence over time. The key is to find what is going to work for you and your business and then incorporate a realistic and doable social media rhythm into your life. Ask yourself the question: What facet of the web or social media right now will help you further connect and build relationships with people? 

Why do I spend time thinking about this stuff? Because it’s the wave of the future that is now here. My goal in business is to provide a great product and be relevant, resourceful, and focused on relationships with people (both online and in person). Just yesterday a local home owner googled me and ordered a pre-listing real estate appraisal for his house in the Rosemont area of Sacramento. After this man perused my website, he called me to connect for business. That’s how it works these days in many cases, and I plan for this scenario to only increase over time as our society continues to embrace an online lifestyle.

What do you think of all this?

If my blog had feelings, it might be upset I’m a few days late in saying this, but February 20th marked the first birthday of the Sacramento Appraisal Blog. Here we are….. 243 posts later.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read and for the conversation too!!! This was a great and fun first year and I’m looking forward to the next one too.

I was excited for Winter’s edition of Working RE magazine to arrive in the mail today. Bill Cobb, an appraiser in Baton Rouge, wrote an article entitled “Using Blogs to Grow Your Business”. The two-page article is very informative for appraisers and inspectors, and I was honored to be included as an example in the story. I included the original content below for reference. Follow Working RE on Twitter at @workingremag and view the full article HERE.

Becoming a Trust Agent

Another appraiser experiencing success with WordPress is Ryan Lundquist in Sacramento, California (Lundquist Appraisal Blog and Twitter @SacAppraiser). Ryan has come a long way in a short period of time generating 8,391 visitors [actually 16,196] in 2009 based on his “hit counter”. His is a testimony to how easy WordPress is to use. Ryan has incorporated both local photos and short videos to make his posts very interesting. The philosophy that Ryan and I share is that our sites are where locals find out what’s really taking place in their uncertain housing market. Where else are locals going to get trustworthy news about their housing market? This is an appraiser’s opportunity to shine and become a “trust agent” within their local community. Has this effort paid off for Ryan? Yes, in the form of multiple tax appeal appraisal assignments (non-HVCC compliant appraising).

As always, thank you for following the Sacramento Appraisal Blog. Welcome also to any readers of Working RE magazine. If interested, you can subscribe to posts by RSS, follow on Facebook, or get articles delivered to you by email.

I buy into the idea of establishing a solid online presence as well as using techie tools to connect with people. That’s why I have multiple websites, a blog, Twitter account, YouTube page, and I’m on Facebook too (among other things). What I don’t buy into though is that having all these things alone makes a business successful or even more marketable. After all, you can look the part and play the game, but still reap no greenbacks, right? 

Internet and social networking avenues are important (crucial) for many businesses, but nothing replaces face time with existing and prospective clients. I’m no expert, but getting in front of people and building authentic relationships is irreplaceable. Sure, I understand that relationships are built online. I know. I do it everyday and I enjoy it too. All I’m saying is that when all is said and done, there is still something special about contact in person with clients. 

Business is about relationship, so if you are looking to drum up more work in 2010, then find ways to get in front of people both online and in person.