enter email below and hit SUBSCRIBE

Thank you for previewing The Eastern Shore Real Estate News.  This ezine is a FREE newsletter offering information on current Real Estate Internet marketing trends to Real Estate professionals on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia.

This ezine contains ideas on new marketing techniques, statistics on current Internet marketing trends in Real Estate and helpful information on how to boost your current marketing plan.  It includes articles from Real Estate professionals and local agents.

Subscribe and Unsubscribe information can be found at the bottom of this page.

1. House For Sale Eastern Shore hits New York Times
2. Common Mistakes in building Real Estate Websites
3. A Few Words from Ed Smith of Ed Smith Real Estate School
4. New Real Estate Agent and Agency websites launched
5. How to get more Leads from your Website - by Wanda Loskot
6. Inspiration

House For Sale Eastern Shore hits New York Times

House For Sale Eastern Shore is a web directory that features properties for sale on the Eastern Shore in a new way.  Each property has a 5 page website highlighting the building, lot, area, special features and contact information of Listing agent and Brokerage. Listing agents use this directory as a supplement to advertising. 

In the March 5th issue of the New York Times, editorial review columnist and consistent contributor to the Times Real Estate section, Bethany Lyttle did a review on "pocket doors."  Seven houses across America were highlighted, including Trinity Parsonage, listed by Chesapeake Realty in Marion Station, MD. 

Ms Lyttle found the information on Trinity Parsonage's pocket doors by searching "historic property pocket doors" in the google.com search engine.  The HouseForSaleEasternShore.com website was NUMBER 1 in the search results.  She gathered information needed for the pocket door review from the site and featured both the property and the HouseForSaleEasternShore.com website in the review.

The excerpt of the review on the Parsonage reads as follows:

WHERE Marion Station, Md.

WHAT 4-bedroom house

HOW MUCH $215,000

Built in 1900 as a parsonage, this 2,980-square-foot house has original oak paneled pocket doors between the foyer and the parlor. The house has oak moldings, three fireplaces, central cooling, heart pine floors, a walk-in pantry, two bathrooms and a sun room with a vaulted ceiling. It is minutes away from three state parks, sailing, swimming, golfing, crabbing and fishing on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. There is a detached two-car garage. Agent: Bob Heim, Chesapeake Realty.
House For Sale Eastern Shore

Full review can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/realestate/luxury/05LIVE.html
You must create a FREE logon account with the NY Times to read the review.

RESULTS?  On March 5 - the day the article premiered in the NY Times, Lowershore.net received over 22,000 hits on the HouseForSale website.  Record numbers of visitors from all over the US have hit the site in the subsequent 3 days, giving huge exposure to not only Trinity Parsonage, but to the other properties listed on the site as well.

Congratulations to listing agent, Bob Heim and Chesapeake Realty of Crisfield.  When asked if the NY Times review had any impact at Chesapeake Realty, Mr. Heim responded, "The phone has been ringing off the hook."

House For Sale Eastern Shore  Site can be viewed at
http://www.houseforsaleeasternshore.com/

What do visitors want when they pull up a Real Estate Web Site?  Lowershore.net has been conducting an online poll of visitors to Real Estate web sites and discovered that there are common flaws in Agent sites and Broker sites that frustrate visitors and cause them to click elsewhere.  Below are several frustrations frequently mentioned by visitors.

1. Listings are not prominent or not available at all.
   Visitors responded overwhelmingly that their top priority is PROPERTY LISTINGS.  It is the number one reason why they visit real estate web sites.  Often times listings or available properties aren't on the site at all, or the link is buried in an abundance of "fluff" that doesn't interest the visitor.
2. Listings aren't up to date.
   Many visitors commented that when they do find listings on the site and pursue further information, they discover the listing has either expired or the property has been sold.
3. No prominent Email link.
   Why have a website if you don't have an email link?  Lowershore.net checked this out and found 10 real estate web sites on the Lower Shore (including Virginia) that either had no prominent email link or had a "forms only" link, or worse yet had an email link that was returned due to an expired or incorrect email address.
4. Too long in load time.
   There is a glut of real estate websites on the internet.  When a site takes too long to load, visitors get frustrated and click elsewhere - exception applies when the visitor is specifically looking for a particular agent or broker... It appears from the poll results that those visitors will wait for the site to load if they are searching for a specific agent.
5. Too much on the site - or difficulty in navigation.
   Some visitors (about 14%) indicated that real estate web sites often have too much information, especially on the home page.  It is difficult to sift through, especially if they've come to the site searching for one specific reason.

When asked "what do you want to find on a real estate web site",  the top 3 preferences were:

1. Property for Sale Listings (96%)
2. Information on the Area or Community (86%)
3. Virtual Tour (72%)

Internet Poll specifics:  842 responses taken in 6 weeks.  All responses were placed on line.  Respondant's IP addresses originated in the following areas:  Lower Eastern Shore (58 %), Mid-Atlantic States - NY, NJ, PA, VA, DE (22 %), Other (30%).

===============advertisement========================================

INTERESTED IN LISTING YOUR PROPERTY ON THE HOUSE FOR SALE
EASTERN SHORE WEBSITE?  Your listing will have its own 5 page website
with images, room specifications, detailed description of special features
and more.

Cost is $299.  Name and photo of listing agent along with broker's logo will also be pictured. 
Visit http://www.lowershore.net/houseforsalewebs.htm  for more info.

================advertisement========================================

INTERVIEW WITH ED SMITH of Ed Smith Real Estate School, done by MINDIE BURGOYNE - Marketing Consultant and Owner of Lowershore.net.

Ed Smith, the founder of Ed Smith Real Estate School, in Ocean City, Maryland -  has over 35 years experience in Real Estate and 30 years experience in teaching, serving as an instructor at both Salisbury University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.  Ed was the first President of the Ocean City, a former President of the Greater Ocean City Coastal Association of Realtors. and a past Director of the Maryland Association of Realtors.

The question asked of Mr. Smith for comment in this interview was ...
'How important is it for a Real Estate Agent to have a website?"

quoting Ed Smith ...

If an Agent doesn't have a website, [he or she] has already decided to quit the business - not consciously perhaps - but that will be the result.

Property buyers no go "on-line" FIRST - both local buyers and distant buyers.

It's understood in the Real Estate business that people tend to pick the agent they first physically meet.  It used to be that potential property buyers and sellers walked into a local real estate office, and that's where they met the agent.  Now they go to the WEB.

The average person looking to buy something looks on line first.  Realtor.com is now quoting TRILLIONS of minutes used by visitors to their site.  It only makes sense that a Real Estate Agent should have a presence on the web in order to compete.

If you're going to stay in the [Real Estate] business, a web page or even a "bad web page" obtained sooner is better than the web site you're going to get later.

Please visit the Ed Smith Real Estate School website or email Ed Smith.

================advertisement========================================

Websites for Realtors and individual agents custom designed to draw traffic, build relationships and gain top placement in search engines.  Agent sites start at $299.  Call Lowershore.net for more information  410.623.2193, or visit us on the web to learn more.

================advertisement========================================

ARTICLE BY BLANCHE EVANS - Publisher of Agent News and the Associate Editor of Realty Times

In this article, Blanche reveals the lack of successful Internet marketing practices by Real Estate Professionals, and the opportunities available through Internet marketing.

HALL REALTY in Pocomoke City, Maryland launched their website in March. Hall Realty is a full service Real Estate Brokerage serving Pocomoke City and Worcester and Somerset Counties in Maryland and Accomack County in Virginia.  Five dedicated agent and C.D. Hall, the agencies Broker are ready to help you find, buy or sell property on the Lower Eastern Shore.
Visit their site at http://www.hallrealtyinc.com

WILSON REALTY in Crisfield, Maryland launched their website in 2002, but Lowershore.net has revamped it and is now hosting and marketing the site.  One of the longest, continually operational Real Estate firms in Crisfield and on the Lower Eastern Shore - Wilson Realty has been serving Somerset County for over 35 years.  Family owned with competent, friendly, knowledgeable staff, Wilson Realty can help your find the property that's right for you.  Vacation rentals and property management are also services provided by Wilson Realty
Visit their site at http://www.wilsonrealty.com

Juergen Schneider® of Weichert Realtors, Inc. in Crisfield, Maryland has launched his new Agent site.  Juergen's site features property listings, a bit about the Lower Shore and Crisfield area, as well as full contact information.  It also includes an inter-active forum where visitors can ask any real estate question directly from the web page. 
Visit Juergen's site at http://www.realestatecrisfield.com.

Agency website to be launched next month ...  Decatur Realty - Pocomoke City, MD

For more on Real Estate websites, visit Lowershore.net's Real Estate page.

ARTICLE BY WANDA LOSKOT - former Top Real Estate Broker turned business
developer and trainer; owner of SaneMarketing.com

In this article Wanda discusses "Growing your business by REFERRALS" and expanding your referral base by building trust through affirming those who give you leads.

"To us, our house was not unsentient matter - it had a heart, and a soul .. it was of us, and we were in its confidence and lived in its grace and in the peace of its benediction.  We never came from an absence that its face did not light up and speak out its eloquent welcome - and we could not enter unmoved."

Mark Twain, 1897

====================================================
Got a question or comment?  We welcome your feedback.  Please
direct all comments and questions to Mindie at contactus@lowershore.net.
====================================================

Eastern Shore Real Estate - Tips and Trends is designed and distributed by lowershore.net, a Maryland Business Development Company specializing in web design, internet marketing, promotion and public relations.

PRIVACY - All email addresses submitted for this newsletter distribution will be used solely for the purpose of e-mailing the newsletter.  Lowershore.net does not share email addresses submitted for this ezine with anyone - ever.

This newsletter is copyrighted © by lowershore.net 2004. All Rights Reserved.
Text from Wanda Loskot article copyrighted by Wanda Loskot
and Sources Connection, 2003.