In the June issue of NAR’s Global Perspective 10 networks were listed for agents who would like to make contacts internationally. The sites are not as pervasive as Facebook and Twitter but do add to the fabric of world-wide social communication.

Check out these online neighborhoods-

Bebo.com       

Stands for “blog early, blog often”. Originated in California but is now popular in other parts of the world especially in Ireland and the U.K.

BlackPlanet.com   

A niche geared to the African Americans community in the U.S. and Canada.

Friendster.com     

Founded in California but most of the social network originates from Asian countries, including Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Hi5.com      

Started in U.S. but is most popular in Latina American countries. Tends to focus on younger users and entertainment interest.

Mixi.jp        

Dominant player in Japan. Membership is free but requires an existing member to extend an invitation.

Orkut.com            

Powered by Google with the largest usership in Brazil but also a strong use in India and the U.S.

Ozone (qzone.qq.com)   

The leading social network in China.

Skyrock.com                  

Popular in French-speaking countries- France, Algeria, Morocco and Belgium.

Sonico.com           

Leading social network in Latin America especially in Columbia, Bolivia and Panama.

VKontakte(vk.com) 

Dominant in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Have you been considering blogging?  If so, Wordpress.com is a great place to get started.  Wordpress.com is a great and free system.  If you do well and enjoy it, you can always export all your posts and comments to another format, like a Wordpress self-hosted site.  If you’d like to know the difference between Wordpress.com and Wordpress.org; you can go HERE. 

Here is the video showing how easy it is to setup your new blog:

Once you have the blog setup, here is a tutorial on using the free Windows Live Writer tool:

You can also find a Real Estate Blog Tool Kit HERE.

Happy Blogging!

I am all about tools that will help you do things easier.  You’ll really enjoy this tool, if you like blogging.  You can download Windows Live Writer for free, HERE.

To see the video in full-screen mode, click the symbol to the left of “Vimeo”

I’ve become a big fan of @Nik_Nik and @Cyberhomes.  This video is a great example as to why.

@ResPres says it best… Social Media is about YEO, not SEO.  You – engaging – others.  Last night on Twitter I received one of the many auto-DM’s asking me to use some product I’ve never heard of before.  Here’s the thing, if I wanted to just be a consumer; I’d go to the local deli and “take a number.”  I would go searching for a product or service.  In social media, I want to engage people and be engaged.  I really, really don’t want to open up my Facebook and get more ads than those already on the right hand column.

Great job Reggie and NikNik.  You all should go check out their webpage at www.mytechopinion.com.

The following was posted on VARBuzz.com this week.  FAAR is very excited to be able to host this event!

VAR is stretching the longest-running series of peer-to-peer learning experiences specifically for real estate bloggers, but instead of holding Virginia Real Estate BloggerCon 4.0, we’re getting on board with the national REBarCamp movement. So mark your calendars for March 3, 2009 for a full day of bloggers teaching bloggers at the Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS®.

FAAR is offering up their state of the art classroom for our use, including (of course) free wifi. Several hotels with reasonable rates are available just a few blocks away from FAAR’s offices for those who may be traveling in from a distance. Exact details are still being ironed out, but here’s what we’ve got so far:

• Date: March 3, 200
• Time: 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (tentative)
• Location: FAAR (map)

Having current connections with folks and utlizing the power of networking is vitally important to both your business, as well as a health Association.  Below you file connections to the FAAR Facebook and Linked groups.  Lots of members have joined and share.  Have you?

What the Heck is a Moo Card?

These amazing little cards are about half the size of a regular business card. One side of the card contains all of ones, social media information. Your blog address, email address, Twitter name, Flickr URL, or whatever social media you might be into. You get to choose what information you would like to share.

Now here is the Cool part. For all of you out there that like to go out and take pictures and post those pictures of flickr (ppsstt that would include me!) The other side of the Moo Card, is a picture. One of those pictures that you have taken yourself and uploaded to Flickr. Not only will, who ever you give your card to, get to know where to find you on the internet, they will get to know you a little bit more by the picture you chose to put on your Moo Card.

The Moo Card, is a place to put all of your social media information in one place, on paper! I know, I know, you are probably asking yourself, “Social Media people using something that isnt on the computer to get information around? unheard of!” Well, you heard it hear first folks, we to, understand the importance of hard copies.

Russell Shaw is one of the best and the brightest Blog authors and agents in the RE.net. He’s spoke at Bloodhound Unleashed and has written for BloodHound Blog and is currently a superstar at the award winning AgentGenius.

Here’s an excerpt from his bio:

Russell has been in the real estate business since 1978, all with John Hall & Associates. He has ranked among the top 1% of all agents since 1991. In 2002, taking 504 listings, he ranked # 28 for all agents in the United States for number of units sold. Most recently – for 2006 – the Wall Street Journal recognized the Top 200 Agents in America and awarded Russell # 25 for number of units sold.

He has been a featured speaker many times at the national convention for Certified Residential Specialists and has also spoken at the National Association of Realtors convention, as well as routinely speaking at various real estate offices and meetings.

Russell and his wife, Wendy are part of the first study of its kind, ever – real research being done at the university level on lead generation.

He is featured in the book, “Billion Dollar Agent” and was featured and quoted extensively in the best selling book, by Gary Keller, “The Millionaire Real Estate Agent”. Even though not with that company, Russell has repeatedly contributed to the curriculum for Keller Williams University. He experiences no greater joy than to mentor fellow agents and see them succeed.

The Fredericksburg Association of REALTORS® is really lucky to have Russell coming to speak for two sessions at our 2008 Tradeshow on September 17th. Russell will be there along with Lem Marshall and several other speakers. You can get more informaiton on the FAAR Webpage.

]]> http://faarforum.com/2008/09/have-you-met-the-russell-shaw/feed/ 1 http://faarforum.com/2008/08/are-social-media-relationships-meaningful/ http://faarforum.com/2008/08/are-social-media-relationships-meaningful/#comments Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:20:07 +0000 Sarah Stelmok http://faarforum.com/?p=74

I have been asked many times why I spend so much time cultivating my relationships on the internet.  I’m not referring to internet dating or chat rooms, but rather social media like blogging and Twitter.  Questions arise like, “How can you get to know people by reading blogs or reading mini-blogs?”  Twitter, a mini-blog where you are limited to typing 140 characters at a time, is the most confusing for those who don’t participate.  My husband is very curious as to how I can convey a worthwhile message in 140 characters.  My answer is always that I have learned to get my meaning across in an efficient way.  Many real estate professionals have not yet found the value in this type of networking.  But, I am here today to tell you that the relationships you create through social media are real and lasting. 

I woke up this morning to the news that one of ”the people that lives in my computer” has passed away.  I am overcome with grief.  In 140 characters or less we developed a friendship that I will cherish for the rest of my life.  I learned about real estate, inner strength, and life from a person who I would have never known had I not taken the jump and joined the social media movement.  I had the absolute pleasure of meeting this Twitter friend at the NAR Mid-Year Tweetup, which only added to the  bond the internet had already created.  

As I think about @Pinky379’s family and friends today, I am honored to be counted among them.  I am also honored and lucky to be a part of such an incredible social media network.  Being on Twitter will be very hard today as we remember how Pinky touched each of us with her words of wisdom and her incredible sense of humor.  But, I am also seeing a celebration of a life lost too soon and one that will be missed by so many.   

Are social media relationships meaningful?  Without a doubt.  How do I know?  Because I am seeing an outpouring of support and emotion from a group of people who, for the most part, have never met and may never meet.  But, we all believe we are better people for having followed @Pinky379. 

” You have the right to remain silent.  Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…” 

When I read blogs this is what goes through my mind, Miranda rights.  Since blogging became popular in 2004, there have been 159 civil and criminal court actions involving bloggers.  Seven of these have resulted in penalties totaling more than $18 million.  What is amazing is that it’s not just the blogger’s articles that are facing scrutiny, but the comments left on blogs are getting blog authors in trouble.  So, where should real estate bloggers draw the line?  Where does the right to free speech end and the fear of litigation begin? 

Questions have been raised recently as to who is responsible for educating bloggers on their risks and limiting their risks. Some insurance companies have come out with Blogger Insurance that works similarly to insurance offered to newspapers.  But, in leiu of not being able to afford insurance, it will cost upwards of a few hundred dollars for a minimum coverage policy, there are a few rules you can remember as you sit down to write your next blog.

1.  Do not plagarize someone else’s work.  Copyright laws do apply to blogs.  Whether it is a newspaper article or another blogger’s blog, you need to give credit where credit is due.   

2.  Think Fair Housing!  I can not tell you how many blogs I have read from real estate agents that violate Fair Housing laws.  It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is or who you are talking to, Fair Housing laws apply to people who have real estate licenses all the time!  Your past blogs will be found and will be used against you to prove a history of discrimatory behavior.  This goes for your comments on other’s blogs, too.  And by the way, delete doesn’t mean it disappears forever.  There are people paid very well to find information on the internet that you deleted.  Violating Fair Housing laws is also unethical.

3.  If you are referring to a person in a defamatory way and the reader can easily find out who you are talking about, you should not publish your blog.  Defamation is a hot topic in blogger lawsuits.  This can also be an Ethics violation for REALTORS.   Article 15 – Realtors shall not knowingly or recklessly amke false or misleading statements about their competitors, their businesses, or their business practices. 

4.  Manage the comments on your blog.  Although I am an advocate for free flowing dialogue on my blogs, I will not condone blasting someone’s opinion or violating anybody’s rights.  If you do need to delete someone’s comments it is best to notify them why you did so and document that there was a need to censor a contributor. 

Of course there are many more ways to get yourself in trouble while blogging, but if you follow these 4 tips you will be steering clear of some pretty obvious lawsuits waiting to happen.  And if all else fails, just remember, you do have the right to remain silent.