We have the Kissimmee real estate market covered!

I am proud of the way our office covers the Kissimmee real estate market. Our signs are everywhere. We list and sell bank owned property, short sale property, property that is not in a distressed condition.

Our marketing & prospecting includes print media, mobile search, signs, postcards, flyers and of course the internet. Recently we have gained some online exposure that is exciting. Both my personal website and that of one of our top agents are being listed on the first page of Google for the term, Kissimmee real estate. The following screen shot shows the results as of today.

I am confident that anyone looking for Kissimmee real estate and clicks thru to either website, will find all of the information they could possibly want!


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The following are the top 10 cities where visitors of this Florida real estate blog are reported to live according to Google Analytics for the month of August.

1. Orlando
2. Deland
3. Kissimmee
4. Winter Park
5. Port Orange
6. Jacksonville
7. St Petersburg
8. Ormond Beach
9. Miami
10. Tampa

Here are the top 10 countries where visitors of the blog are from:

1. United States
2. United Kingdom
3. Canada
4. Australia
5. Germany
6. Puerto Rico
7. Netherlands
8. France
9. Belgium
10. Switzerland

The reach that the internet offers to the real estate customer and real estate agents is amazing.

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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

Do you mind if I follow you? Twitter and the real estate agent.

Nearing my 1st month of twittering and up until this week, I have primarily found other real estate agents that I chose to follow. I figure that there are lots of professional, intelligent and creative agents out there and maybe I can pick up a bone or two if I follow them and watch what they are doing.

This week however, I have been broadening my horizons and have searched for interesting people who live in my Central Florida area. Orlando, Kissimmee, Deland, Windermere the I-4 cities and towns. Those that I locate who have been active on twitter and seem to have a few things to say, I am following.

I'm hoping this has a dual benefit.

1) I can "meet" interesting people online, hear about interesting lives and jobs and get a different look at what living in Central Florida means to others.

and

2) Everyone buys or sells a house sometime in their life, right? So maybe if they have a Realtor following them they might ask said Realtor for help or assistance when they are ready to make the move or purchase.

So if you just recently graduated, or are a house wife/husband, a teacher, at work, an aspiring actor/actress or simply live in Central Florida and twitter, that Realtor following you is probably me.

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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

Is there a difference between buying an airline ticket and a home online?

The new Department of Justine website states on this page that :

"Just as the Internet has made it easier for consumers to save money by
directly purchasing plane tickets and stocks, it is now making it feasible for
home sellers and buyers to do more of the work themselves and pocket the
savings."

The Internet certainly has provide a way for the consumer to find out what is for sale and also allows for the consumer to search for the best services available for the money but I am not aware of a site that the consumer is using to directly purchase a home without having to contact a real estate associate.


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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

The great jar opener giveaway

Every year, Watson Realty Corp. conducts a jar opener contest. William Watson Jr, the CEO of Watson Realy believes strongly in this marketing giveaway. These jar openers are round rubber mats that are better describe as a gripping device. Each office or associate has their contact information printed on the jar opener and as part of a reminder to get out and meet the people, each year a company contest rewards associates and consumers alike who receive or pass out these little rubber hand helpers.

As a part of this years contest, I decided to put a jar opener page up on my site. I encourage the associates in Maitland to consider the internet as a strong business source. I received a few requests a month for this giveaway and each time I would assign to a different associate, who was taking an interest in web marketing, the address and customer name so they could send them an opener and have another contact.

Things changed drastically this month. Someone stopped by my site and while hopefully searching for real estate in Florida, they came across my jar opener giveaway page. My page link was then placed at several forums that announce freebies and great online deals and BOOM, suddenly my traffic increased by 1500+ uniques! This went on for 5 straight days. Fortunately I had a "while supplies last" warning on my jar opener page. I have had to suspend the free giveaway. I will be restocking up on personalized jar openers and I am working to get those visitors who got their requests in on time, their openers in a timely manner.

The point of this is wow, how quickly things can change online. Kudos to sites like Absurdly Cool, Red Flag Deals and Free Stuff Times who were the 3 top links to my site. I promise to have more jar opener giveaways along with other marketing pieces. I may include these giveaways in with consumer surveys. Complete a survey on what you look for from a real estate site and get a jar opener or calendar, something along those lines.

Until then, I am now looking to see if I can get my "free no obligation property search feature", picked up by other great online referrers. Any takers?


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- Greg Staker Watson Realty Corp. 407-304-0255

Realtor.com survey

I just finished a survey that was emailed to me on behalf of Realtor.com. The questions centered around online marketing and lead generating programs. I came away after finishing it with the feeling that Realtor.com may be looking to offer something similar to the Lending Trees & Homegains of the online world to Realtors. Pay for leads. I've never used Realtor.com for any listing advertising more than the 1 free picture ad all Realtors receive free for being members. I cannot recall the price for increased exposure, but my feelings are that it is quite high.

I do think Realtors should be the first avenue of lead collecting. It is our business after all. I preach at sales meetings the importance of our associates obtaining an online presence. However, much to the delight of the commercial online lead generating companies, Realtors seem to spend more money and energy learning about and buying the newest cell phone with more bells and whistles that they need than they ever do developing a solid, customer oriented online presence.. When asked about their personal websites, the responses range from "don't have one" or "mine never brings me any business".

I'm not going to pay for leads. It does not matter who is selling them. I'm going to continue to develop sites that are customer oriented, provides valuable and current information and the leads will come. If you search Deland real estate, you will find me and not some major commercial lead generating company, I like to think that is what the customer expects from their online search results. A local Realtor to assist them immediately.


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- Greg Staker Watson Realty Corp. 407-304-0255