Most of us that have been on Facebook for awhile remember when there used to be Fan pages.  These were the pages that people put together either for personal causes or to promote their business interests.  The Facebook decided to turn them into Like pages.  If I went to your old Fan page and clicked on the Like button that really meant I was a Fan or, at least, I agreed to add your page to my already huge list of pages I follow (sort of).

Now the Like button can be used on almost any web page in the world.  It doesn’t have to be on Facebook.  It can be my personal website (which has more than one page) and it can be at the bottom of every blog post.  It seems that if you click the Like button it will appear on Facebook and the number of Likes will start to add up…or not.

So when you read this post your comments are welcome and encouraged.  But even if you have nothing to say, click on the Like button.  Please Like Me.

I’m often amazed at how the home buyer of the 21st Century approaches the task for home buying.  Especially the first time home buyer.

Regardless of how many “home buyer seminars” available from any number of outlets — Realtors®, lenders, government agencies and non-profits — there are still gobs of first time home buyers that don’t have the first clue about how to conduct a search for what may be the biggest and more important decision of their lives.

I Can Text But I Can’t Seem To Use The Internet

I recently came across a home buyer who was obviously just out driving around and looking at yard signs. Nothing unusual about that.  What was unusual is that this home buyer started texting back and forth with me with the questions she had about the house — price, number of bedrooms and baths, how many levels, etc.  All this information is readily available on the Internet through Realtor.com and other real estate centric websites.  However, this particular home buyer thought the right way to find out information about the house was to contact the agent whose name was on the sign.  Instead of calling (you need a phone number to text) she would send a text message.

A high tech tool with a decidedly low tech approach.

Why Yard Signs Anyway?

Yard signs, for the unitiated, are physical signs posted in the front yards of homes available for sale.  Now, you would think that the yard sign, as a way to market a specific listing, would be as old school as you can get.  But, believe it or not, it is still a great source of home buyer leads.  The neighbors get curious, of course, and people still actually drive around, using gas and getting lost scouting out neighborhoods.

Here’s the thing. I, personally, use yard signs to serve as a marker for Realtors® looking for the house with their home buyer client in their car.  I also use it to let the neighbors know they can call me about the house and about selling their house.  You know, the “neighborhood expert” thing.

I really don’t expect, in this day of Virtual Tours and tons of interior photos, home valuation scores, Walk Scores and so on that people will actually be using gas and time to look for homes that have yard signs in front of them.  Especially since the typical yard sign is really not a true indication the house is still for sale.  Many times, it’s under contract, pending settlement.

Yet, it seems to happen all the time.  It’s like folklore handed down through the generations.  No matter how technology evolves to assist home buyers with search and decision making, they still want to ride around (without a Realtor®), attend Open Houses (without a Realtor®) and even though they could use the same phone they’re texting with to talk to someone…they text.  Go figure.

Realtor.com is the most visited real estate website on the planet.  That’s why I was excited to see that they came out with a new iPhone app that will provide users with a robust experience when they look for homes as they’re out and about. I just downloaded it this morning and I must say it looks pretty hot.

• It provides listings nearby using the GPS in your iPhone.
• You can search for specific listings
• You can search for listings matching specific criteria
• You can search for Open Houses
• It shows photos, agent information and lots more stuff.

Best of all, it’s FREE.  I like free.

Here’s a short (minute and a half) video that shows what it can do and you can go here to learn more about it and download it from the iTunes App Store.

I’ve been up to this blogging thing in one way or another for a little over a year now. You’d think I’d be the premier real estate blogger in the MD Suburbs of DC.  But you’d be wrong.  One of my challneges is that I change platforms every now and then.  You know the deal.  Try something out for awhile, stop, try something different.

So, I’ve decided that I really need a little help, a little education, a little guidance.

Enter Dakno Marketing and their SwiftBlog platform (on Wordpress) and their Blogging Bootcamp.  These guys have been at it for awhile and they do great design.  The last time I talked to Bobby Carroll it was both helpful and enlightening.

The Blogging Bootcamp starts in a couple of weeks and goes for six weeks. I’m also heading down to Orlando, FL (although I’m not making it to the National Association of Realtors® conference – held in Orlando – this year) around the 8th of December to learn podcasting and You Tubing

Stay tuned. Watch for the changes.