Anti (ignorant) real estate agent / developer rant

Posted on | January 26, 2010 | 2 Comments

I’ve been resisting writing something on this topic, because I know and love a select group of realtors; but I can’t overlook it any longer.

Why are so many real estate people so clueless when it comes to social media?

Two recent examples that have proved to be burrs under my saddle, both Facebook related:

1. Denver-area realtor, in an exchange in response to a FB post, goes on a right-wing rant about the economy. He wraps it up with a reference to his independence, 30+ years of self employment, and his donation of $10,000 to Haiti earthquake relief. He’s certainly entitled to his beliefs, and to tout his plans.

Someone with an opposing viewpoint does a little due diligence, and discovers that his generous offer has a major contingency. He’ll make the donation *if* he sells a half-million-dollar-house. In a relatively new but stale development, given the economy. To someone who can get a mortgage. Which involves a $5,000/month house payment.

When being confronted by those facts, said realtor, who earlier insulted other participants in the exchange who had different viewpoints, decides that he and his business have been insulted, and that he is owed an apology.

I checked his Facebook profile, out of curiosity. Surprise, 90% of his posts promote his properties for sale and various incentives that can put you in your new home!

Sadly, his wife is a PR professional, and uses her profile in much the same way – to spam connections with news from her company and clients.

2. I’m involved in a community-based project with some fellow Loveland, Colorado residents, as I posted here earlier. It is called Loveland 365, and you can find it at www.Loveland365.com, on Facebook as a fan page, and on Twitter at @Loveland365.

The idea is to showcase people, places and things that make Loveland great, and to let the community participate to tell us stories we might not otherwise uncover.

We’ve gained more than 600 fans on the FB page in just about a week, so we’re pleased. A number of people have posted, and project team members have posted, too, very much in the spirit of the project.

Then, yesterday, a gent posted information. About his business. Three times. The same information, three times. In under an hour.

Worse yet, he did not know how to post a link, so he just put the URL in the text of his comment; and he did the Exact. Same. Post. Twice. Because he typed just “course” when he wanted to type “golf course.” And he did not delete his first of these duplicate comments.

His product/business is a high-end development that restricts access to it, in case you feel the need to be protected from the rampant crime in Loveland. He owns the business. It is financed by an out-of-state relative from southern California. Again, if you’re shopping, we’re talking $500k+, $5k/mo. mortgage payments, and probably a four-figure annual HOA fee.

I expressed my concern about the nature of the posts to the project team, though I knew this type of thing would eventually happen. The head of the project deleted the posts, and sent a diplomatic note to the poster explaining that this was not-for-profit, and not for self promotion. The gentleman apologized and thanked him for clarifying, but also questioned the credibility and impartiality of the project, as some posts featuring businesses had been put up by project members themselves. I’m troubled that he is so out of touch, and has the nerve to pose such a question.

Why is he dinking around, and messing up, on social media, when he is the head of “Loveland’s most exclusive community”?
Why is he so clueless as to not see that self-promotion is not the point?
Why can’t he at least find a fan/third party to post for him?

Amazing that such an accomplished, successful, intelligent individual could not get it, on so many levels. He has a beautiful product. He’s entitled to his success, he’s clearly earned it, as has anyone who can afford to buy in this particular development; but he missed a lot of signs that he was approaching this particular incident in the wrong way.

If you’re reading and you recognize yourself, please get up to speed on how to effectively use social media. I’d even be happy to help you.

If you’re reading and know better, thank you for the effort you’ve made to educate yourself.

If you’re reading and you don’t know if this is you, let’s talk.

(Tammy, Louise, Linda Sioux and John, love you, and many of your peers . . .)

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