Plan for Sears mail order home

If you offer real estate Search on a real estate blog, it seems that the natural thing for visitors to do is Search, many times overlooking the brilliant insights of the Realtor/blogger in favor of  looking at glitzy presentations of available dream homes.

I did have a few posts that stood out from the pack in 2011.  My 2 most popular post here on Memphis Real Estate Buzz were originally posted in 2010:

1.  Your house may have come from Sears – is a primer on the Sears “kit” homes of the early 20th century, and an introduction to identifying if your house may have been shipped in on a train.

2. Memphis Lustron – Mid-Centrury steel – about one of a couple of intact, post-WWII, all-metal homes left in Memphis.

3.  Realtor Association gets deeper into politics (4/20/2011) addresses the National Association of Realtors increased political activity.

4. Practical use of QR codes in real estate (3/14/2011) – QR codes were a big topic in 2011. The 2-dimensional, mobile-scannable grids have not caught on on as much in Memphis as they have in other parts of the country, especially in real estate.

Lustron Home - Midtown Memphis

5.Ghost towns are the result of recession and the burst housing bubble (1/6/2011) -Economics, the housing bubble and the sluggish economy  have created ghost towns across America.

6.  Don’t overlook Midtown Memphis condos (7/28/2011)  Mention Memphis condos, and most people think of Downtown; however, Midtown has reasonably priced, convenient condos available.

Stick around in 2012.  I am sure there will be plenty of things happening in real estate.  The market might even improve, and I will be here to tell you about it.

One little housekeeping item:  I am trying to figure out a simple way to merge this blog with my updated main real estate site http://spake.com.  If you are an RSS subscriber, I have already addressed that.  Stay tuned, and check out the blog over at spake.com – It features re-posts from here, my other blog, and interesting real estate, social media and Memphis links.

If you have suggestions for topics you would like to see here, share your thoughts in the comments.

Joe Spake is a Memphis, Tennessee based Consultant, Real Estate Broker, and Blogger. Call 901.214.5563 for a consultation or click to make a social connection.
If you enjoy this blog, please subscribe to the RSS Feed. 

If you use Google+, I have just started a brand new business page. Visit it HERE.

Thanks you for reading Popular posts for 2011 – Memphis Real Estate Buzz. For similar Memphis Real Estate articles visit Memphis Real Estate Buzz ,

Special note for current RSS Subscribers – If you subscribe to Memphis Real Estate Buzz via RSS feed, Please subscribe and start following this new feed for spake.com.  This will assure that you do not miss any items from either blog as I begin the process of merging the 2 blogs into one feed. Watch for future updates

	Published Don’t Overlook Midtown Memphis Condos.
	Posted 20 Percent Down For Home Purchase The New Standard, Again?.
	Published Digest of real estate news and other interesting stuff for week ending July 28th.
	Posted Midtowners reap health benefits, convenience of having vegetable garden in front yard » The Commercial Appeal.
	Posted Real estate marketing statistics for 2011, shockingly different than 2010.
	Posted Memphis had seventh-highest airfare in U.S. during 1Q.
	Shared 10 photos. Pear Preserves IMG_3278 Pear preserves Pear Preserves ready for canning IMG_3280 Pear preserves ready for canning Filling the Jar Processing Jars of Pear Preserves IMG_3284 IMG_3282
	Published Large inventory of $M+ homes in the Memphis Area.
	Posted Memphis seeks federal help to protect McKellar Lake harbor.
	Shared Flash Dump. Flash Dump
	Posted For-Sale-By-Owner founder fails to sell his own home, hires a broker.
	Posted Beale Street Landing “fiasco” – July Memphis Magazine.
	Shared Fig Preserves on Muffin.
	Posted Letter: MATA headed for a breakdown » The Commercial Appeal.
	Posted Foreclosed properties become magnets for thieves » The Commercial Appeal.
	Posted The 10 worst real estate markets across America.
	Published For the love of figs, a new hobby.

Joe Spake is a Memphis, Tennessee based Consultant, Real Estate Broker, and Blogger. Call 901.214.5563 for a consultation or click to make a social connection.
If you enjoy this blog, please subscribe to the RSS Feed. 

If you use Google+, I have just started a brand new business page. Visit it HERE.

Thanks you for reading Digest of real estate news and other interesting stuff for week ending August 4th. For similar Memphis Real Estate articles visit Memphis Real Estate Buzz ,

Special note for current RSS Subscribers – If you subscribe to Memphis Real Estate Buzz via RSS feed, Please subscribe and start following this new feed for spake.com.  This will assure that you do not miss any items from either blog as I begin the process of merging the 2 blogs into one feed. Watch for future updates

QR codes are a hot topic these days.  I see QR code gurus emerging to drive this new mobile technology bandwagon.  Actually the little 2 dimensional matrices have been around since 1994.  The Wikipedia history of QR codes provides lots of info about their history and how they work.  One thing’s for sure, you are going to see a lot more QR in a lot more places.   You will see them showing up in irrelevant settings;   you will see them embellished with embedded pictures and logos; and you will find some that are not compatible with your equipment, but that is all something to be covered in another post.

I just wanted to share one of the ways I use QR in real estate.  I have been experimenting with QR codes for over a year, but am now using them actively due to improvements in  the scanners currently offered. I am adding a 4″x4″ code to my for sale signs.  The code is optimized, and not as complex looking as some others you might see.  It can be scanned with your with your smart phone camera (with Quick Mark Scanner App)  from about 4 feet away, and starts loading a property-specific, mobile optimized URL within 3 seconds.  I hope we will see this technology replace those (mostly empty) flyer boxes agents like to  attach to For Sale signs.

Here’s a quick video to show you how it works for me.

Do you see QR codes in your future as a professional or a consumer?  What do you think some good uses of this technology would be?

Related articles

• QR code engages (flatworldbusiness.wordpress.com)
• Ideas about how to use QR codes in my massage and skin care biz? (ask.metafilter.com)
• How to Create QR Codes and Share Them (lockergnome.com)

Joe Spake is a Memphis, Tennessee based Consultant, Real Estate Broker, and Blogger. Call 901.214.5563 for a consultation or click to make a social connection.
If you enjoy this blog, please subscribe to the RSS Feed. 

If you use Google+, I have just started a brand new business page. Visit it HERE.

Thanks you for reading Practical use for QR codes in real estate. For similar Memphis Real Estate articles visit Memphis Real Estate Buzz ,

Special note for current RSS Subscribers – If you subscribe to Memphis Real Estate Buzz via RSS feed, Please subscribe and start following this new feed for spake.com.  This will assure that you do not miss any items from either blog as I begin the process of merging the 2 blogs into one feed. Watch for future updates

For Sale - Harbortown (click image for details)

On July 9, 2010, Joel Burslem, blogger with 1000 Watt Consulting, proclaimed The Death of the Real Estate Blog, following up on a report of the slowing of growth of new blogs throughout the world. There has been a continuing debate ever since about the relevance of real estate blogs. Most real estate blogs are pretty boring, featuring dry housing reports, glossy neighborhood overviews, and self serving advertisements for the Realtor/author.  Most are authored by working Realtors, and not industry pundits.  I depend on real estate sales for my living, so blogging for me is not just a passion and consumer service, but also a marketing tool.

Many Realtors have had a hard time adopting to the dynamic internet and social media.  In an industry noted for push marketing and hype, it is sometimes difficult to embrace the overall reality of market conditions, neighborhoods, cities, real estate companies, and individual agents by reporting the bad with the good, presenting it with the transparency web savvy users require.  It’s much easier just to leave out the negative stuff.  Negative stuff doesn’t sell houses.

That being said, I have tried to present a true picture in my discussions of both local and national real estate stories on this blog, but now I question whether the blog is the best way to get out real estate information to my readers, followers and friends.  To be very honest, Facebook provides me a whole lot more impressions on real estate content than this blog does.  It’s a lot easier to post there, and folks seem more loyal to their Facebook news feeds than to their RSS feeds.

For real estate blogs there are a few givens

• Consumers not actively in the real estate market or about to enter it, or concerned about their own home’s value, don’t care much about real estate.  They get enough real estate news watching Barbara Corcoran on The Today Show.
• It’s hard to come up with consistently relevant and interesting local content that people would be interested in reading about on a real estate blog, especially when I am also authoring another blog focused on Memphis goings on and social media.
• We all have a finite amount of time each day to gather and process information.

What real estate topics interest you?

Image by joespake via Flickr

You are reading this.  What keeps you coming back?  Are there certain topics you would like to see me address?   What would you like to see here?  What should I do that I am not doing now?  What should I stop doing?  Comments and feedback are always welcome.
If you are only visiting real estate sites and blogs because you are actively looking for a home, there are plenty of links everywhere I am online for free, no obligation home searches.

Check out my Facebook Real Estate page, I am posting news articles there regularly.  I would like some feedback on the usefulness of that information also.  Comments, likes and shares are always welcome there too.

Joe Spake is a Memphis, Tennessee based Consultant, Real Estate Broker, and Blogger. Call 901.214.5563 for a consultation or click to make a social connection.
If you enjoy this blog, please subscribe to the RSS Feed. 

If you use Google+, I have just started a brand new business page. Visit it HERE.

Thanks you for reading Real Estate blogging – is it working?. For similar Memphis Real Estate articles visit Memphis Real Estate Buzz ,

Special note for current RSS Subscribers – If you subscribe to Memphis Real Estate Buzz via RSS feed, Please subscribe and start following this new feed for spake.com.  This will assure that you do not miss any items from either blog as I begin the process of merging the 2 blogs into one feed. Watch for future updates

If you visit Memphis Real Estate Buzz on an irregular basis, you may be missing some of the best content.  There are a couple of easy ways to subscribe to  this blog to make sure you never miss a post.

Subscribe via Email

You can receive blog posts in their entirety, soon after they are published, right in your Email inbox.  This is the simplest way to automatically receive posts.

Just click here to subscribe to Memphis Real Estate Buzz via Email

Subscribe via RSS

RSS is Real Simple Syndication.  Posts are directed to a “feed”, which can be subscribed to and directed to a reader. RSS is much more robust than email subscriptions, and is an excellent choice if you like to receive information automatically from a variety of sources.  If the site has an associated RSS feed, you will usually see the little orange symbol (left) in your browser bar. With Google Reader, I am able to subscribe to over 200 blogs and news media sources, which I scan for items of interest.  It replaces the morning newspaper, and most magazines, as well as providing the latest in website-only news.

Here’s a short RSS tutorial from CommonCraft.com:

Click here to subscribe to Memphis Real Estate Buzz via RSS.  [Note: You will need a reader- there are lots of them out there- Google for "RSS readers" to find one that suits your needs or try the free Google Reader- my favorite.]

I really appreciate your support!  Please keep on reading!

Joe Spake is a Memphis, Tennessee based Consultant, Real Estate Broker, and Blogger. Call 901.214.5563 for a consultation or click to make a social connection.
If you enjoy this blog, please subscribe to the RSS Feed. 

If you use Google+, I have just started a brand new business page. Visit it HERE.

Thanks you for reading Subscribe to Memphis Real Estate Buzz Blog. For similar Memphis Real Estate articles visit Memphis Real Estate Buzz ,

Special note for current RSS Subscribers – If you subscribe to Memphis Real Estate Buzz via RSS feed, Please subscribe and start following this new feed for spake.com.  This will assure that you do not miss any items from either blog as I begin the process of merging the 2 blogs into one feed. Watch for future updates