Competition is a good thing

At last year’s Blogger’s Conference, one of the bloggers told me that he would follow my blog, because he was curious to see how successful a business blog could be. What a year it’s been. The success (or lack thereof) is difficult to measure. Based on the self-fulfillment metric, this blog has been and remains a great success.

In the Charlottesville area, there are now at least four (including mine) real estate–centric blogs. Each has a different spin on the real estate market, and I hope that at least one of them sticks around for some time. Different perspectives are a good thing.

Competition is good for any industry (sadly it’s seemingly non-existent in the health-care industry, at least in practice). Doing anything in a vacuum will, in my opinion lead to lethargy and stagnation. The anticipation that somebody is going to come along and do things better is an extraordinary motivator to improve, innovate, and continue.

It’s funny how my daughter magically plays better when she plays against better competition. I am setting the same expectation for myself.

Strictly from a business standpoint, the press that I receive from the Realtor-realted press and blogs is a double-edged sword. It helps to raise my profile – among other Realtors! This interview with the excellent Rain City Guide is a perfect example. The best aspect of this interview is that it is with one of the market leaders in the real estate blogosphere – always better to be associated with the best! One thing I have found is that this increased profile and professionalism helps my business tremendously –

One of the best by-products of my blog has been the relationships that I have forged and developed because of my blog. I was a part of the first-ever “blogger’s conference” last year. The camaraderie among fellow bloggers is something that I value highly; I hope that it will continue as we all grow and evolve. I have met some exceptional people that have helped grow my business and add value to my business – the podcasts, the staging, the basic exposure through online and print media has been truly astounding. Real estate is and always has been, to me, about people; the blog is an extension of that.

Real estate and blogging are equal parts competition and cooperation. The level of innovation in the real estate industry has been breathtaking in the past three years. If either component, competition or cooperation, were lacking, the profession would not be where it is today.