Duplicate content in the RE.NET
The demand for new and original (real estate) content is insatiable.
Duplicate content is making its way around the real estate blog world, and I am trying to determine if this is a necessarily “bad thing.” There are myriad discussions and opinions about duplicate content’s impact on search engine results. Google had a recent blog post specifically addressing duplicate content due to scrapers.
One of the key concepts of the real estate blogging space has been the original content and unique voices found at each different site; this originality seems to be waning a bit this year as the medium grows and the same content is published at different sites. It’s not spamming, but does it dilute the message and/or the content? Or does this dispersion broaden the reach? I don’t know yet.
Producing quality content consistently for different audiences is immensely challenging, but often times the same story will appeal to different audiences, and it’s important to reach those audiences. For example, and I’m not alone in my writing responsibilities, I write at a couple of places -
- RealCentralVA - a blog focused on the Charlottesville/Central Virginia real estate market and trends affecting same. Readers here tend to be (thankfully) more local - local buyers, sellers, consumers, media, Realtors, etc.
- Agent Genius, a national real estate magazine that discusses industry trends, news and opinion. I perceive this audience to be national real estate professionals, affiliated/related people and real estate industry voyeurs.
- VARBuzz, the blog of the Virginia Association of Realtors that focuses mostly on state-level real estate issues and general trends. The audience is primarily Virginia Realtors and Virginia real estate professionals.
Why write in so many places? Simple - and for the same reason I read each site - each forum speaks to a different audience, and the overlap of readership is perhaps (unless you’re a real estate dork like me) low.
One of the leading visionaries/thinkers in this space is Pat Kitano of TransparentRE. He has discussed Content Distribution, Blogging and Journalism, real estate blogs’ inherent “niche” qualities, and The Real Online Real Estate Magazines.
Change/education happens nationally and locally, and I want to be part of it, and part of that effort is to reach the maximum targeted audience possible.
If you’re wondering why my posting is light here from time to time, you may want to check these places, and maybe even subscribe to their feeds.
One day soon we may see exclusivity demanded by readers and publishers - and we may see syndication networks. Would that be a desirable evolution? I don’t know that yet either.
Naturally, I am posting this in two of the places I write - because each reaches different audiences. Going forward, I am going to strive to publish unique content once - at one location.
The original version of this article appeared at Agent Genius.
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Social Media Explained and Expanded
Pat Kitano does it again with this excellent demonstration of social media’s value:
For example -
I can be contacted here in a variety of ways; below are a couple of the many.
(the closest thing to a resume I have to offer)
I’ll go ahead also and use this post as a shameless request for listeners/callers this Sunday on WNRN. A few of the topics we plan to discuss are -
-owners being upside-down when trying sell their house
-being uncomfortable buying in these times, even though it may be the best time around
-how much should a seller lower the sales price?
Green Financing reaches possible mainstreaming
I’d love to hear critiques from some lenders and brokers about this program. How long until green developments partner with this or similar companies to offer more affordable green financing? What follows is a press release via EcoBroker I received last night recently -
LARKSPUR, Calif./May 30, 2008 — Mortgagegreen, Inc. CEO, Tomek Rondio, will introduce the National Green Residential Mortgage Underwriting StandardC at the Capital Markets Partnership Organizational Meeting at JPMorgan Chase, 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza, 28th Floor, NYC, June 19, 2008, 1:30-5:00.
The amount of greenhouse gas emissions and associated global warming that is directly caused by housing is well-defined, and the numbers are staggering. Buildings are the largest single category of carbon-emission contributors.
Mortgagegreen is a green real estate finance company that has developed a one-of-a-kind program for rating and funding green-certified real estate. They are the first to introduce Sustainable Mortgage-Backed Securities (SMBS’s), bridging the gap between the capital markets and the greening of the real estate industry. During the past seven years they have completed due-diligence, tested and refined this market opportunity, authored underwriting standards and are well-positioned to move forward and expand nationwide as leaders in green real estate financing.
The long-awaited National Green Residential Mortgage Underwriting Standards will be presented by Mortgagegreen, Inc. CEO, Tomek Rondio, at the Capital Markets Partnership Organizational Meeting on June 19, 2008 in N.Y. Mr. Rondio is the Capital markets Partnership Vice Chair and author of the National Green Residential Mortgage Underwriting Standards. These standards will open doors to discounted financing for green-certified buildings, producing significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions and global sustainability.
More information here.
Note: This is a post I had written a few weeks ago and neglected to post.
An Outstanding Conversation on the Unraveling of the Fringes
At Bacon’s Rebellion, with comments such as this:
So, what are the attributes of countries where gas has been expensive for a long time?
1. A few, densely populated cities harbor a relatively large percentage of the population.
2. People live in much smaller housing than the US on much smaller lots.
3. Taxes are high.
4. Mass transit is ubiquitous. It is multi modal.
5. Relatively wealthy people have a “flat” in the city and a vacation home somewhere else.
6. Local governments have substantial power and decision making authority.
7. The supply of affordable housing is created by taxing the relatively wealthy and subsidizing the less well to do - especially government employees such as teachers, policemen, etc.
8. Secondary cities often suffer from economic decay while primary cities prosper (example: Liverpool and London).
Should Charlottesville be like Austin or Aspen?
(Gary) Henry, a Board member of the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council, is continuing his efforts to call attention to a fork in the road that he sees approaching for the area’s future; one branch leading to an economically and culturally diverse city with a healthy middle class (Austin), the other leading to a ritzy retirement and tourism community where only the wealthy can afford to live (Aspen).
My vote is for Austin. Read more and watch his presentation at Charlottesville Tomorrow.
Friday Links - 06-27-2008
“A model for how to do rural development” - Bundoran Farm. Granted, with lots starting at $365k and going upward to $1.3 million, there is a very limited market. Bundoran Farm is a brilliant concept and implementation. It’s a shame that it costs so much to buy into what they are doing.
What is Neighborhood Friends? Very interesting.
The “steroids” come in the form of the features that should make NeighborhoodFriends.com attractive to the post-”Friends” set. A tie-in to Google Maps, for example, allows users to connect with neighbors who have also signed up for the site. And businesses and churches can create what amount to free web pages that advertise specials or serve as a conduit of information for church events or other happenings.
“What we’re trying to do is get communities back together again,” Rodes said. “Basically what we all do now is go home, get out of our cars, close the garage door, and most people, if they’re lucky, know who’s beside them, but they don’t know who’s two houses up. What we’re trying to do is connect people.
Downtown Charlottesville to be blanketed with wifi? (H/t cvillenews)
This is why I run data analyses manually - There is often more to the story than top-level computer generated data show. An automatically-generated analysis (via the Charlottesville MLS) of six representative properties in Albemarle County looks only at the difference between the Final Listing Price and the selling price, not the difference between the Original Listing Price and the selling price:
There’s data and then there’s data.
If you’re a real estate blogger, take five minutes to complete this survey.
If you’re a Realtor, please help one of our own; if you’re not, Charles Richey could still use your help.
An apology for the delay in promised posts. The Rent -v- Buy post is coming next week as well as the vacant houses and homeownership post.
CHO Responds to Questions about their impending demise
Barbara Hutchinson, Executive Director of the Charlottesville/Albemarle Airport, responds to the Business Travel Coalition’s press release earlier this week.
Her comment:
“Sorry to be replying so late. Interestingly enough, the local CBS Newsplex carried a story on this report, even though the Coalition has failed to return calls or requests for factual data utilized to comprise their conclusions. It is hard to believe their prediction for the demise of virtually every commercial service airport in Virginia with the exception of Dulles and National. Seems many agree, including industry expert Mike Boyd and airline representatives.
The local report also mentions I refused to comment. Unfortunately, when this reporter called I was in Pittsburgh attending meetings with industry/economics experts as well as airline ceo’s/representatives. I didn’t think the airline folks we were meeting one-on-one for airport updates would appreciate being dumped for this press release.
CHO has nothing to hide. Our industry is in its most challenging times. Some (probably many) would even agree for the government intervention being sought by this Coalition. However, I will have pass over the sensationalism used as an attempt to get individuals to write their local Congressmen (their website so states the intent of the press release). Sorry to say I spent part of my day receiving calls from worried ticketholders and travel agents.
CHO hopes to keep revenue local. The last economic impact report issued by the VA Dept. of Aviation in 2004 estimated CHO’s direct economic impact as exceeding $20 million and indirect impact of over $50 million. While our passenger traffic has declined, the first 8 months of FY 08 exceeded FY 07 despite the initiation of 3 low cost carriers in Richmond. Most consumers are also unaware of the strong local corporate aviation market. Our first quarter aircraft operations exceed Richmond International by 10% thanks to corporate aviation traffic.
We are also very proud that CHO is self-supporting. No City or County tax contributions are made to CHO, even though similarly sized airports around the country are subsidized.
We need AND appreciate our community’s support, and value the opportunity to provide honest and accurate communication. While I may not be able to respond to requests for information immediately, I promise to try my best-even if you are a frequent customer of RIC!
Watch our website tomorrow for our reply to the Newsplex report. After many meetings Sunday-Wednesday, we are prepared to share the good and the not-so-good news we have received.
Best regards,
Barbara”
Does the Baby Convey?
Seen in an MLS listing in Charlottesville this evening.
Not to take away from Athol, but this one’s pretty good.
(note: the house is actually listed as vacant, so it’s probably a safe assumption that neither the baby nor the pacifier conveys)
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