ActiveBrad's Blog

Exporting My Activerain Blog

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:50:28 -0700

ActiveRain does not feature a built-in, one-click "Export" button to download your blog posts into standard formats like XML or CSV (which platforms like WordPress or Squarespace easily accept). The link is there, "but someone lost the keys..."After some further research, and the question being asked by Richie, I found out that the original Activerain platform that was built on "Ruby on Rails" and has an issue with the Activerain exported .XML blogs posts. A simple explanation below...Here's the potential challenge/problem, and also the possible solution:Because you cannot natively export your data, migrating or archiving your ActiveRain blog posts requires a bit of workaround strategy. Depending on how many posts you have, here are some effective ways to get them importable.1. The RSS Feed Method (Best for Bulk Text Extraction)Every ActiveRain blog has an RSS feed. While it might not always pull your entire multi-year archive or full-resolution images, it is the fastest way to get your text into an importable format. Locate your feed: Usually, you can find the RSS icon (the little wireless symbol ) next to your profile or blog header. You can see your RSS feed by adding "/RSS" to your AR Blog URL. ie: https://activerain.com/blogs/activebrad/rss Use an RSS-to-XML converter: You can plug your ActiveRain RSS feed URL into online tools or feed readers that allow you to download the feed as an .xml or .csv file. Try https://codebeautify.org/rssviewer/ to preview your RSS feed and view the converted output. It works very smooth. Import: Most major blogging platforms (like WordPress) have an "RSS Importer" built right into their tools, allowing you to upload that file directly. 2. Automated Web Scraping (Best for Larger Blogs)If you have hundreds of posts and the RSS feed cuts off after a certain number of entries, automated tools can crawl your public ActiveRain blog profile and extract the data. Using Site Suckers/Offline Browsers: Applications like HTTrack (Windows) or SiteSucker (Mac) can download your entire public blog onto your hard drive as static HTML pages. Read more here on REDDIT Using Web Scrapers: Browser extensions like Web Scraper or standalone tools like Octoparse can be trained to click through your blog archive pages, grab the Title, Date, Content, and Images, and format them cleanly into a downloadable Excel or CSV spreadsheet. Try https://www.octoparse.com/ or https://webscraper.io/ 3. Automated Copy-and-Paste (The Manual Route)If your blog archive is relatively small (e.g., under 30–40 posts), the cleanest method is often a manual migration. Open your target blogging platform in one tab and your ActiveRain blog in another. Copy the HTML source code of your ActiveRain post content if you want to preserve internal formatting, or copy-paste the text directly. (Note: You will need to manually download and re-upload your images to ensure they are hosted on your new platform and don't break if ActiveRain ever changes its URL structures.) As with all technology and tools, the one thing for sure is constant growth and change. Using AI in business to help reduce the time it takes to find answers and solutions is just another technology that will continue to grow and evolve. Feel free to reach out and contact me if I can be of any assistance. While I am retired and find myself out enjoying the world, I still have the desire to give back to it as well. Looking forward to your continued successes here in the rain! :) "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Seeing The World Differently

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 10:00:08 -0700

On November 29th, 2021 - I was run over by a truck pulling a commercial trailer while riding my bike in a bike lane. It was a hit and run. I was permanently disabled that day and now live handicapped with titanium rods in the bone marrow of my left leg and hip. I'm blessed they miraculously caught the driver.I woke up in the hospital after 4 days and some surgery, and already I was seeing the world differently. With no feeling from the waist down, I feared the worst and thought I'd be paralyzed for life. Turns out it was the epidural and pain blockers.Thank God I survived that day and am able to tell the story today. Here's why I titled this "Seeing the world differently" because it has multiple meanings and application. I saw the world so differently laying in the street in pain and helpless. Just lucky to be alive according to eye witnesses.Then I saw it soo differently from that hospital bed and wheelchair. The fear of an unknown future really started to settle in and I felt completely helpless and totally hopeless. I saw the world so differently, in a way I wish I never had. My new set of tools for some time to come...Then they sent me home and for almost three years now I've had to think about, live through, and continue living through the mental and physical pains but also the legal and courts systems. I'm the victim, and now the plaintiff. Geez whiz.Here's why seeing the world differently has helped me survive, cope, and even overcome this incident and all that it has consumed from me. I had vowed to never ride a bicycle again after the accident. I have since gotten back on the horse and started riding again. I no longer feel robbed of the joy! Now I go out and pedal my way through life's up's and down's.Since it was my bike that almost put me into a wheelchair, I now use that very bike as my wheels-chair and it takes me where I could have and never would have walked before. What a concept?!? I need a mini handicapped-plate?!(Who says you can't have wheels in front and back instead of on the sides)I've always been afraid of heights so now I ride my bike to locations I'd never go and I fly my camera in the sky using a drone and I get to SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY even though I've been to many of these locations hundreds and thousands of time. This is a sample of some of my self inflicted therapeutic recovery and the results that come from it. Seeing the world differently from the sky is showing me how much I miss below and how much there truly is to see and learn in the world!!I am an amateur and only do this for fun and recreationally. If you're interested in seeing more, you're welcome to see some other areas where "iDrone The World" as I see the world differently. I am blessed and grateful to witness every miracle! PS. Before this accident and the opportunity to "see the world differently", I was a caretaker for Maya Mae. How ironic and blessed to have her swap roles with me and be my caretaker from that day forward. <3 "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

RPR - Dynamite Tool in a Small Package

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:48:26 -0700

Thank you George Souto, Debe Maxwell, Kathy Streib and the entire ActiveRain gang for allowing me time to share on your weekly Zoom Call.https://activerain.com/blogsview/5856715/activerain-weekly-zoom-meeting-8-27-2024We reviewed what was covered previously, and then added in some live searches and attendees requests. While there is so much to cover using RPR for the masses, we drilled down on the laser focused searches and tools.What We Covered Last Time: A. Getting Started - The Setup B. Run Your Own Property (And preview all reports) C. Recognize the Volume of Data, Content, Reports etc. D. See Through Data to "CLIENT VALUE" E. All US Properties are accessable 24/7 via Mobile F. RPR Offers Commercial G. How To Prospect and Farm for Marketing H. How to Target Market/Laser Focused searches I. Setting up and Adding Custom Pages to Reports J. The RPR Activerain Challenge. My goal was to try and provide everyone with enough tools, education, training, live webinars or on demand, blog posts, user groups, customer support to move forward at their own time and pace. It's just another tool in your arsenal. Here you go with some tools and resources needed to effectively or affectively be able to use PRP Successfully going forward from right here!1. Here are the Canva templates and resources I shared.https://blog.narrpr.com/type/canva/2. Your go-to, one-stop-shop for property data, tools and reports.https://blog.narrpr.com/3. What do you want to learn today and How?https://blog.narrpr.com/learning/?filter-learning_typeI hope our Zoom call was more than just an educational or even training event. I'd think everyone can now see and smell beyond our own noses and recognize that the most valuable things to our clients might be right there in our toolbox!? "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

The Activerain Reconnection Rally

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:08:50 -0700

I can't wait to see how many people I can reconnect with and I'm not using this challenge as my drive or for motivation and inspiration. Okay, maybe I am a little.The Activerain Reconnection Rally When Debe Maxwell, CRS asked if I would help bring back the spark through this reconnection rally, I said yes. Why? I smiled ear to ear as I imagined the joy and excitement of reconnecting with some of the veteran Activerain old-timers who helped build and create this "still-going" and amazing network. All of which have very long and deep roots here. Oh, the stories to be told by these folks... but maybe not all shared. lol~ What a great idea to have a sort of reunion gathering and then just let the sparks fly. This is exactly what will happen if I can get these following members back here in the rain!My mission, vision, and goal: Reconnecting with you! It might be more exciting for me than for you!? Can you create a blog post of what you've been up to, no matter what? Share the condensed versions of your stories and journey, I want to know. Join me on a 4/30 - 11am Zoom call I'm co-hosting with Debe Maxwell, CRS. Catch up with new faces and places that sprouted while you were away. Somewhere in all this is a bunch of points if you're still into that sorta thing. Catch up with how the value of your time and content have changed... I'm pulling all the stops and inviting all these members back to participate and engage in raising the AR roof. Can we light that "spark" again, and create some Fire in the Rain!? I believe. We built it and they came. Now can we get them back?C'mon, prove me right or wrong, you know you miss me, and I miss you!~ MY RED CARPET ROLL-OUT AND VIP RECONNECTION INVITES GO TO:Jonathan Washburn, Nikesh Parekh, Bob Stewart, Jeff Corbet, Judi Barrett, Lenn Harley, Rich Jacobson, Laurie Manny, Desiree Daniels, Clint Miller, Jay Thompson, Teresa Boardman, Missy Caulk, Broker Bryant & TLW, Kristal Kraft, Michelle Rosser, Ray Saenz, Maggie Dokic, Renee Donohue, Sharon Simms, Brian Brady, Richard Bolen, Kristin Small, Aida Pinto, Fran Gatti, Rene Fabre, Jennifer Fivelsdal, Jeff Turner, Sarah Cooper, Chris Griffith, Neal Bloom, Kim Wood, Colleen Irwin (formerly Kulokowski), Gena Riede, Craig Rutman, Kathy McGraw, Gary Woltal, Christine Donovan, Marlene Bridges, Dave Roberts, Karen George, Brad Carroll Celeste Sally Cheeseman, Cyndee Haydon, Jim Crawford, Ardell DellaLoggia, Jeff Belonger, Laura Brodniak, Elizabeth Weintraub, Susie Blackmon,Karen Hurst, Brian Schulman, Tracy Saunders, Cynthia McKenna, Nick Bastian, Judi Morgan, Margaret Woda, Jo-Anne Smith, Terrie Leighton, John Horton, Ginger Wilcox, Brian Block, Donna Harris, Mara Hawks, Tom Plant, Tisza Major Posner, Mary Pope-Handy, Mike Mueller, Sandra Cummings, Ann Cummings, Jim Lee, Monika McGillicuddy and Jay McGillicuddy Chris Tesch, Margaret Rome, Judi Bryan, Michael O'Connor, Maureen McCabe, David Podgursky, Robert Hammerstein and Lisa Hammerstein, Doreen McPherson, Melanie Ross, Jim and Maria Hart, Frank D'Angelo, John Occhi, Robert and Jani Bielenberg, Russell Lewis, Ed Rybczynski, Connie Harvey, Gary Waters, Sharon Alters, Jim Cronin, C Tann-Starr, David Childress, Joe Pryor, Mike Jones, and this is a great start. I also know some of my friends here have passed on, may they all be resting in peace.This does not include hundreds of others I have left out for lack of tagging time.This was the Activerain crew back in the day when I was a community manager. If you were named or tagged and you read this, please leave a comment so I know you were here! After 17 years here, the Activerain Gods know I sure need the points!Can't wait to reconnect with you again. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Blogging Remotely from a Mobile Device

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 19:29:44 -0700

Is blogging on Activerain from a mobile device doable and even necessary when you’re out in the world and Mobile? My answer, yes! The fact and reality is I’m doing it right here right now. Why? To see how much effort really goes into creating a blog post quickly and efficiently while out on the road and living your life?I wanted to see how much time it took, how many resources I needed, and how quickly I could get links, images, videos, and more posted on a blog posting. I also wanted to see if there would be any hitches in my giddyup?! You know, bugs and glitches, etc. We all know mobile isn’t the same as pads, and laptops etc.I’m creating this post using an iPhone and I suddenly realize how important this could be to track my progress along with giving guidance and instructions on how to do it along the way?! Also trying to use tags as a test. (a request from Carol Williams) Using Debe Maxwell, CRS and Kathy Streib as an example. It works.☝️Step one: You’ll need a mobile device, I use iPhone. Also Safari browser, Chrome works just as well I’m pretty sure.✌️Step two: Log into ActiveRain, and click write a post at top of page👌Step three: Do as I do, not as I say!! Start typing away… (hint) I used the speech to text tool built-in to my iPhone. I know it’s cheating, but I still have to preview and review the post before hitting submit. I’m sure all my typos, and Siri corrections will make up for the time saved. Lol✌️✌️Step four: Add images, links, and video if you choose.🖐️ Step five: Select your audience, your ActiveRain topics, your hyper LOCAL pages, if applicable, your relative groups, and your outside blogs, if applicable. Add your tags, SEO Title and Description. Lastly click the save button or the orange PUBLISH!Viola - a blog posting thought and idea, created on location, written and blogged out, and then published in literally minutes. And this can be done from any mobile device and from anywhere you are on the planet?! Internet connected of course. This is right in line with my theory, and my motto, and this is for me personally, a better, faster, easier, more efficient, more effective way to get some of my blogging done! You know what they say, practice what you preach. So I am :-)Lastly, I did say video, so here’s a link and an embed to confirm it works?!This is a moonlighting retirement activity I have taken up. It’s seeing the world and places I live and go from a whole new perspective. Imagine if folks used this in Real Estate?!? lol~ https://youtu.be/5JuDEFCc-V0?feature=sharedHere is the video embedded: This is so cool that I can do this here on AR! 😎I hope you find this to be of value and good use if you’re reading and following. 😊 "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

The Value of Activerain's Real Estate Network

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 21:51:55 -0700

The value and power of Activerains Real Estate Network is not measurable in my honest opinion. Your path, story, journey, and experience will be unique and custom to you, only you, and no one else.Today I had the chance to co-host a weekly Zoom session held by my dear friend Debe Maxwell on Activerain. The topic was "Why Activerain" and "What's the value and purpose of blogging?"First, let me say that the attendees and guests on this call made me realize every bit of value that has personally come from this network. I also realized how much more value can and will come from this real estate network going forward.There is no website, platform, social media app, or space quite like Activerain. More value and opportunity than any other site or location in the real estate industry. It was the first and only network of its kind, and still is today! Most networks cater and position themselves to provide "value-added" services to their specific industry ie: REALTORs, Title, Lending, Inspections, Staging, etc.The Activerain Network and its members cater to the entire industry no matter what hat you wear. There are no hidden agendas. Having access every day to these experienced industry professionals from all over the country who share their knowledge and expertise is a most valuable and powerful asset.The power of "one" is you! All you, just you, and only you. The power of the Activerain Network collaborating with you is "Being ALL you Can Be!" just saying?! I didn't present anything today I had researched or prepared for this call. I was so excited to see everyone. I caught myself recognizing the "real" importance and "true value" of this network. The call helped me today to recall why I joined this place and why I'm still here on Activerain.Activerain is my home, starting place, community, friends, family, comrades, and even my competitors, all sharing and collaborating successfully for 17 years! If it didn't work, then Activerain and none of the members would still be here.I can get more answers, solutions, and education here in a day than spending 3 days at a national convention somewhere. All in real time. I can also go to meetings, broker tours, company-sponsored, and National events, etc. plus spend a fortune on travel and accommodations. Or I can just use my Activerain Network.But this is my story and journey and what worked for me. I had to start here to get where I am now. On Activerain, it's never too late. It's your story and journey that when shared with others will have the most impact on your success and life.The greatest value from today comes from the comments in the chat, not my presentation or presence. When asking questions, other members shared their valuable comments and priceless opinions for joining this network.Can you imagine the multiple answers and responses to the questions, "Why Join Activerain Network" and "What reasons do you blog on Activerain? I shared some responses below from a portion of the chat thread on today's call.I asked this question over a decade ago, this is what members said back then.Why Join Activerain?ZOOM CALL CHAT THREAD: Michael Elliott / NJ to Everyone: Google juice J. Philip Faranda to Everyone: 1. strategeryActive Brad to Bill Spear(Direct Message): JobLisa Friedman to Everyone: Sense of communityLorrie Semler to Everyone: SEODorie Dillard to Everyone: Market to my communityKathy Streib HOUSTON to Everyone: learn to blogJeff Dowler - Carlsbad CA to Everyone: Building relationshipsBill Spear to Active Brad(Direct Message): My wife said so :)Alan May to Everyone: It was court-orderedJohn Juarez, Fremont, CA to Everyone: Recommend by a friendJ. Philip Faranda to Everyone: 2. TherapeuticKat Palmiotti to Everyone: community, knowledge, SEODorie Dillard to Everyone: learn to blogGeorge Souto - Middletown, CT to Everyone: Realtor ContactsEdward Silva to Everyone: KnowledgeBuzz Mackintosh to Everyone: Latest & greatest in 2006Carol to Everyone: connecting with other professionals in the industry.Hannah Williams-Pa to Everyone: free knowledgeElyse Berman to Everyone: Someone told me about blogging Don't remember why but for sure it is a wonderful addiction.Jim Paulson - Boise to Everyone: I joined for Realtor feedback from around the country verses local answers with confirmation biassham reddy to Everyone: ComarotoryLynn B FRIEDMAN Atlanta to Everyone: Community, learning special circumstances, amazing peoplekarensanchez to Everyone: I joined Active Rain because I was brand new in. RE and someone, wish I knew who told me too. I didn’t know any better. But it was a great decision.Carol to Everyone: And, the next question is why do we stay?Jim Paulson - Boise to Everyone: 36 on call today. Great turnout! :)Jim Paulson - Boise to Everyone: If it wasn't for artificial intelligence, I wouldn't have any Brad, what year did Active Rain begin? I joined in 2005.Eileen Burns Hollywood, FL to Everyone: Glad you are backElyse Berman to Everyone: He didn’t write that post yet 😉Debe Maxwell to Everyone: Here’s the link to AR roster - started in 2006: https://activerain.com/social/roster/2006J. Philip Faranda to Everyone: Rain camps were AWESOMEHannah Williams-Pa to Everyone: brad will you make an effort to join us on Tuesdays on Zoom. "Brad said yes!!"What is the Value of Blogging?sham reddy to Everyone: Share your thoughts on different topicsJim Lee to Everyone: Fun, Marketing, generate business, and Educate buyers and sellers.Alan May to Everyone: The benefits of blogging on AR? It’s the points… I’ve almost got enough for that toaster.Will Hamm to Everyone: Meeting more Realtors in other statesCarol to Everyone: I'm retired so I like to share what knowledge I have and give deserving posts more exposure.Jim Paulson - Boise to Everyone: Brad, if you can show me on Android how to set a "Vacation mode" on a text the way you can on email and voicemail, I would be in your debt!Elyse Berman to Everyone: Business, seo, educate the publickarensanchez to Everyone: The benefits of blogging on AR. I feel heard in a non-competitive manner.Jeff Dowler - Carlsbad CA to Everyone: SHARING!The Outcome of TodayAlan May to Everyone: JEFF DOWLER has been featured on this zoom call!!! Jeff Dowler is a rockstar!!Lorrie Semler to Everyone: Excellent hour! Thank you so much Brad. We do have retired bloggers here. Just sayin. Gotta run. Thanks BradActive Brad to Everyone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqy7ThASNNc&t=15sHannah Williams-Pa to Everyone: I am not a retired blogger many more years to goAlan May to Everyone: Super High Value, Brad. Thank youJeff Dowler - Carlsbad CA to Everyone: This was tremendous, Brad. THANK YOU!Jim Lee to Everyone: Do you still have the paid bloggers? 🤣Kathy Streib HOUSTON to Everyone: Thank you so much, Brad. You helped me so much here!!!Greg Large to Everyone: Good to see you Brad and thank you!Dorie Dillard to Everyone: Thank you Brad. I have missed your enthusiasm for everything!! I have to leave for an appointment hope you will enjoy future Tuesday Zoom Meetings!!Kathy Streib HOUSTON to Everyone: Brad, I love the energy you bring with youJohn Juarez, Fremont, CA to Everyone: Gpt to go. Thanks, Brad.Buzz Mackintosh to Everyone: See y'all next week gotta run. Great crowd this week!Jim Paulson - Boise to Everyone: Thanks "Still Active & Not Retired Brad" :)karensanchez to Everyone: Thanks all for waiting for me to grow into my own. I was the awkward blogger 16 years ago~. AR HUG~J. Philip Faranda to Everyone: I have to go but this has been awesome. When is the next one?Jeff Dowler - Carlsbad CA to Everyone: Replying - Every Tuesday same timeLisa Friedman to Everyone: This has been a wonderful and heartwarming reunion fondly remembering old times. <3Ashley to Everyone: So wonderful to see everyone here today! LynnAlan May to Everyone: I've got an appt. I’ve got to run… This was great.. thank you all… thank you, Brad.anna kruchten to Everyone: Thank you Brad! You are so awesome! Hope to see you here again 😊 AJ Heidmann to Everyone: Awesome call today... thank you Brad! Hope to see you back very soon, got to run.Ann Cummings to Everyone: It's so great to see so many AR people on this zoom that I remember from years ago when AR was about the only online platform there was. Looking forward to being a part of this again.Debe Maxwell to Everyone: We are so excited to see you too, Ann!!!Elyse Berman to Everyone: Thank you Brad. Great hour! Gotta run. See you all soon.Margaret Rome to Everyone: I am loving this!! Can we do it for another hour?Gayle C. Rich-Boxman to Everyone: Look I found the chat! YIPPEE!!!END OF CHAT!Today's chat was of great value and not to be overlooked or taken for granted. There is nothing I could say or share today that would be more valuable and powerful than this network of people. All joining together as an industry force and sharing selflessly. I've witnessed great success here through collaboration, education, and learning from the successes and challenges of others.It's all here at your fingertips. May the force of helping others join Activerain be with you, and may those fingertips bring your voice and great content to a successful, fun, and healthy blogging journey. Build relations, not just business. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Should I Use a REALTOR®? Be Intelligent!

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 09:04:51 -0700

Having spent so many years in the real estate industry, the one question I was asked most by people, not in real estate was, "Do I need, or should I use a REALTOR®?" What a great question, even after all these years. Looking back I have learned so much about the industry and that question in particular.There are many reasons why you should use a REALTOR®. Here are just a few:REALTORS® have the knowledge and experience to sell your home quickly and for top dollar. They know the local market inside and out, and they can use their expertise to price your home competitively and market it to the right buyers.REALTORS® can help you avoid costly mistakes. The home selling process is complex, and there are many pitfalls that can cost you money. A REALTOR can help you avoid these mistakes by guiding you through the process every step of the way.REALTORS® can represent your best interests in negotiations. When you sell your home, you want to get the best possible price. A REALTOR can negotiate on your behalf to get you the highest offer possible.REALTORS® can provide peace of mind. Selling a home can be stressful, but a REALTOR can take the stress out of the process. They can handle all of the details, so you can focus on other things. If you're thinking about selling your home, I highly recommend using a REALTOR. They can help you sell your home quickly, for top dollar, and with peace of mind.Here are some additional benefits of using a REALTOR:REALTORS® are required to be licensed and insured. This means that they have met certain professional standards and are financially protected in the event of a mistake.REALTORS® have access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The MLS is a database of homes for sale, and it's the best way to reach a large number of potential buyers.REALTORS® can provide you with market data and analysis. This information can help you make informed decisions about pricing your home and marketing it to buyers.REALTORS® can help you with all aspects of the home-selling process. This includes preparing your home for sale, negotiating with buyers, and closing the deal. If you're serious about selling your home, I encourage you to contact a REALTOR today. They can help you get the best possible price for your home and make the entire process as smooth and stress-free as possible. Like any industry where you take an oath, REALTORS are expected to protect and serve.Featured Image by Tumisu from Pixabay "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Activerain Zoom Calls Rock

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 13:47:24 -0800

Well if I had known I could have seen all these great and amazing people, I would've joined these Zooms years ago. Thank you, Debe Maxwell, CRS for setting up and moderating, and a special thank you to Silvia Dukes for sharing her valuable time and interesting information with us all today. Silvia presented some great charts and stats regarding interest rates over time and some history that I found fascinating. Like my first home which had an interest rate of 19.5%. That was a good deal according to my lender at the time. Sometimes a view of the past helps us see where we might be going?! Nothing is predictable, or is it? Popping into one of these Zoom calls is so easy and the collaborative opportunity of the members present on these calls is invaluable. Just look at these VIPs, rockstars, and heroes that constantly and consistently make it rain.I was going to tag and call everyone out in the above photo, but then I realized they are all very busy people out trying to help others with their real estate needs. Who am I to tag and suck them all back in to read this?!? lol~Seriously, I appreciate every person taking valuable time to be there. No reason I can see that there shouldn't be hundreds of people on these Zooms participating, learning, sharing, collaborating, and growing.The community's love and support get carried over to these meetings. It was nice seeing familiar faces again and meeting some new ones too. Here's a link to join any Tuesday at 11 am PST, 2 pm ESTAs a side note, I'm excited to announce that I get to present at the Zoom on the very last day of February, that's Tuesday the 28th. (Thanks Kathy Streib)Click the button above and bookmark the link, then join ANY Tuesday. I'd love to see you at the 28th Zoom event in particular. I'm giving away the farm. Why? Tossing rocks in Activerain puddles has the potential to ripple forever. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Agent Goal Planner

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 12:46:36 -0800

It's been a long while since I've posted anything here on my Activerain blog. Why? It's easy. Life! Sometimes the path of life gets changed and the journey we seek and expect turns out different than planned. All that to say, I'm officially retired today. January 31, 2023, is my I'M DONE day!Having spent the majority of my life and 38-year career in the real estate industry, it just seems like the right thing to share this post and announcement today.Since 1990ish, many real estate agents, brokers, and even Activerain members have been using the Agent Goal Planner to set and achieve their financial real estate goals. For more than 3+ decades, AGP was successful.Agent Goal Planner has always been available to purchase online. Thousands of copies have been downloaded and applied to business plans around the country. Agents have shared great stories, reviews, testimonials, and kudos.SO WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?!Today, I am giving the Agent Goal Planner to you. It's COMPLIMENTARY. I never use the word (FREE) as that word tends to lower the value of any item or service. (I learned that years ago when I worked here as Activerain) Here's an overview tutorial of how the program and spreadsheet work.This link will take you to Google Drive where I've placed a copy of the program.AGENT GOAL PLANNERCOMPLIMENTARY COPYINSTRUCTIONS:Once the page is loaded, simply click on the FILE option, select MAKE A COPY, then RENAME, and SAVE it to your Google Drive. Now you can access, customize, and modify to meet your specific individual goals and needs.Here's a video hangout we did on how to use the program in more detail.It's been an honor, a privilege, and a ton of fun serving this community and our Industry. The journey and path ahead are new for me, and I'm excited about what the future holds and what lies ahead for me and my family. I leave behind these breadcrumbs in hopes to make a difference in the lives of others. It's not about what I say, or what I do in life, people will forget that stuff and even forget my name, but they'll never forget how I make them feel.Here's to you reaching your goals, dreams, needs, desires, and successes. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Best in Class - Mobile REALTOR® Tools

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 12:23:38 -0800

NAR provides some very useful and free tools that help Real Estate Agents be more successful. By arming agents with the information clients and prospects really want. they end up with an agent they really need.This blog post will impact any agent looking for ways to provide value to any consumer, anywhere in the United States. Having access to a tool and service like this may change your real estate game in 2020.I've have had the extreme pleasure of working with Real Estate Agents and Brokers over the past 35+ years. I've learned and understand that it takes contacts and appointments with consumers and prospects to close transactions. If you are looking to increase your contacts and appointments, I'd look into this free NAR tool. There's no catch or sales gimic here, this is a free member service.As a certified trainer for NAR's Realtor's Property Resource, I've been able to help hundreds of our agents grow their business by providing valuable property information to anyone, in any home, anywhere in the United States. Using this free NAR membership tool can help open more doors and opportunities with those who want and need your services.5 Top Reasons Agents Will Use This Tool:1. Pull up any home, anywhere, anytime, and for anyone and be anywhere on the planet to do so.2. Accessing more than 350+ contributing resources on any home is valuable and priceless to agents and consumers.3. Target marketing potential buyers, sellers, renters etc in any city at anytime gives agents an unfair advantage.4. Access more than 170,000,000 properties at anytime and for any reason right from your mobile device.5. Add ANY personal marketing pieces to CMA's, property reports, school and neighborhood reports etc.Scenario: Imagine driving down the road and the passenger in your car asks about a house you've just driven by? You pull over and within seconds you're able to send your client a 50 page full seller or property report. Right then and there. Contained inside that report, more details and information than they could ever imagine about that specific property.If you ask me why I think this tool is mandatory in your toolbox, these are just a few reasons I'd like to share.

NAR FREE Tool - Members ONLY	Access to 170,000,000+ US Properties
Pull Data from 350+ Contributing Data Sources	Utilize Farming and Prospecting Tools
Create and Print Targeted Mailing Labels	Use the CSV Export Format for Marketing
Share Real Estate Market Reports and Stats	Provide Neighborhood and School Reports
Determine Geographic Opportunity Zones	Maximize Marketing Potential in ANY Area
Research ANY Area for Stats and Activity	Provide Property Reports, Markets, CMA's etc.

Look into this if you're an NAR member.There's nothing to buy or sell here. I have no purpose of sharing this other than I want agents to have powerful tools that will benefit them and their consumers and prospects. I think this single mobile app and tool is "BEST IN CLASS" if you're wanting to have the access to all US properties with tons of information consumers want and need.Do you need a tool and reason to make that specific consumer contact today? This would be my first suggestion for you. Happy to answer any questions and even demonstrate how powerful this tool can be in your real estate arsenal. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Best Tool for Agents Wanting Buyers - What You Pay In Rent

Mon, 18 Mar 2019 09:37:01 -0700

This 'rent calculation' card was why I bought my first home back in 1985.When anyone sees how much they spend on rent, it's depressing and alarming to see how much it adds up to overtime. In my scenario, I was spending $850.00 per month to live in a 2 bdrm Condominium in Martinez, CA. I rented that place from Vince Manzarri for more than 3+ years while working at First American Title in Concord, CA. When I saw how much this totaled over time and how much of his mortgage I had been paying, it really made me upset with "myself" for throwing the better part of my salary into someone else's homeownership.Try it yourself:1. Write down how much you spend/spent on monthly rent?2. How long on average do/did you rent?3. Lookup your monthly rent, then go to the yearly row This should be enough to open the door to "ANY" renter for a conversation about the potential of buying a home vs renting someone else's. Remind your prospects and clients that money spent on rent has no tax benefit, can't be recouped, you're paying off someone else's home and for a few bucks more or less, you can own your own!I created this using Google Drive and a spreadsheet. I didn't factor in equity or interest on money spent, just the raw total of what it costs over time to rent. You would want to make sure you add your branding and contact information to a piece like this, I guarantee renters and first-time buyers will be knocking your door down to buy a home. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Can You Name These ActiveRain Originals?

Sat, 11 Nov 2017 10:00:45 -0800

This photo popped up today in my Shoebox picture memories. How could I resist posting this on ActiveRain today? These are some of the original ActiveRain "Veterans" can you name them all? Singing in the rain.... "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Grill Bill with eXp Realty Blogging Mastermind - Bill Gassett

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 22:58:33 -0700

Well I was going to create a #GrillBill Blog post, but it looks like it's faster and easier to reblog what Lottie Kendall, Lori Cain and others have already created. Thanks Activerain for allowing us access to the "ReBlog" curation tool which saves me time to think up some really good "GrillBill" questions. lol~Looking forward to having all my AR friends in the cloud for this session. It's an honor to have Bill join us this Thursday, if tyou need any assistance getting into our 3D office environment, let me know and I'll help you get into the campus, setup your avatar and pop into our productivity center to #ChillWithBill :-)Join the "Blogging Excellence" Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealEstateBloggingExcellence eXp Realty has a group of bloggers that meet weekly in the cloud to discuss all aspects of blogging, SEO, syndication and more. We speak to all levels of bloggers. Our next cloud Blogging Mastermind is THIS Thursday, Oct. 19th at 9am PT, 11am CT and noon ET: We are excited to have VIP guest Bill Gassett, a master in many aspects of real estate marketing! Come and learn the tricks and tips of great real estate marketing! Meet us in the Productivity Center at 9 am PT/12 noon ET. #GrillBill with eXp Realty Blogging Mastermind - Bill Gassett If you're new to the cloud, ⛅ it's an open campus for all, no matter what company... here's your invitation: http://invite.exprealty.com/ Give yourself about 15 minutes to download the world and design your avatar. When you reach the Welcome Area of the eXp cloud campus, there is a menu in the top left corner. Select "Go To" and then select "Productivity Center." I am already writing down questions I have for Bill! Join Karen Holt Highland, Brad Andersohn Rich Cederberg, me and other friends to #GrillBill!! Would love to have you join Joe Pryor Corinne Guest, Managing Broker Lottie Kendall Mary Yonkers Leslie Ebersole Jane Peters Jeff Dowler - please pass the word!!_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Let's Get Connected! Please visit my web site if you are shopping for Tulsa homes for sale or call 918-852-5036 for more information about Midtown Tulsa Real Estate. In addition to my advanced grasp of the internet to market your Tulsa home for sale, I include a home staging consultation with every listing AND professional photography - at no aditional cost to you! Lori is a residential Realtor with eXp Realty serving the greater Tulsa area and specializing in downtown Tulsa and midtown Tulsa real estate. Google Me "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Using Facebook Live for Real Estate Marketing

Tue, 18 Jul 2017 13:35:18 -0700

Facebook "LIVE" has some folks confused and even "LOST" on how to use it for Real Estate and why? Nadine put together a nice piece here on ActiveRain that gives you a place and reason to start. Social media is an incredible resource for Realtors®, and Facebook is one of the best. Not only can you run highly focused, targeted ads, but you can also post videos, GIFs, photographs, and more. Using Facebook Live is another amazing marketing avenue. People love watching live video, and the video stays on Facebook even after you’re finished so people can watch it anytime. Here are a few ways to leverage Facebook Live in your real estate marketing. Virtual Open Houses If you’re tired of putting time and money into open houses that get two visitors, there are other options. Facebook Live can help you reach a much larger audience in a way that is less expensive and safer. You can use Facebook Live to give a tour of a home, highlighting all the best features. Then, you can answer questions live on the video. Not only do you get incredible interaction and reach, but you also have a video that you can use again and again in your marketing of that listing. The live interaction and “behind-the-scenes” feel will make the video especially compelling. A virtual open house doesn’t have to cost a fortune in video equipment and editing. Just use Facebook Live! Live Q&A with Potential Homeowners There are many people interested in buying a home that would love a no-pressure question and answer session. Even individuals who aren’t ready to buy right now could have insightful questions that you could answer and build your expertise. Going live regularly will give you more of an audience, but until that happens, you can simply answer common questions you hear or things clients have asked you recently. Once you’ve done a live video answer questions, what’s next? The videos become incredible marketing assets that you can post on Facebook, share on your website, and more. Q&As help you build your brand, increase the know, like, and trust factors, and position yourself as an expert. Seller Tutorials Educating home buyers is only half of the equation. Sellers need help as well. Share Facebook Lives around a variety of issues sellers face:How to prepare a home for professional photos Staging tips to maximize showings How pricing is set when selling a home What it means for a home to be “buyer focused” (i.e., putting away their collections!)Being an expert on both the buyer and seller side will help you get clients. Listings are the bread and butter of real estate, but buyers are essential as well! Behind the Scenes Videos Most people don’t understand what goes into the work of a Realtor®. Doing Facebook Lives can allow you to give others a “sneak peek” into your world. Show them your work on your print marketing, or your online outreach. When others see what you do, you can demonstrate that you are an expert. You fulfill people’s curiosity, which is a big hook. You also show some true reality, which helps build the know, like, and trust factors. Don’t be shy! People want to know what Realtors® do. You can help people respect your work, which means they won’t fight you on commission. You can also show your personality, humor, and more. Don’t Be Afraid of Facebook Live! Being on video can be intimidating, and being live can feel terrifying. The good news is that you are in control. Facebook Lives can be as long or as short as you’d like. They can be as detailed or general as you want. You create the experience! You might start by doing some Facebook Live videos that are set to share with “only me,” just to get comfortable. Or create a select group of friends to practice with and go live only for them. However you do it, begin experimenting. You’ll discover it’s a lot of fun, and you’ll build your business in a big way! Do you use Facebook Live for real estate marketing? How do you do it? Share in the comments!PrinterBees provides real estate marketing materials like: Just listed Postcards, Just sold postcards, Short sale postcards, real estate business cards, real estate door hangers and pretty much everything else you can think of for marketing your real estate business. Visit us online at www.PrinterBees.com. Google PrinterBees also publishes the e-magazine Real Estate Marketing Magazine for Realtors® looking for current and up-to-date tips and tricks to grow their real estate businesses. Visit Real Estate Marketing Magazine to get your free-subscription. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

What Is The RE Tech Campus

Sun, 09 Apr 2017 10:33:59 -0700

The Real Estate Technology Cloud Campus is OPEN to ALL real estate professionals around the World. Where do you go to socialize and connect with other agents and brokers from around the country? Some go to the annual NAR Conference for a few days, or to Inman Connect twice a year in NYC or SFO etc. Many local, National and even International real estate events are always fun and exciting to attend. However, some of the obvious challenges include the prohibitive costs associated with travel, airfare, hotel, dining and even health which are huge realities that prevent a majority of agents and brokers to attend these annual local and national events. There's also limited time to network with others. So more than 70% of agents are missing out!? It can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars to attend a 2-3 day event all the while trying to cram jam as much as humanly possible into your brain and schedule meanwhile the entire time you're smothered in distractions, environmental surroundings and not to mention all that noise in your own head that can all be a costly and unnecessary expense. We have the solution and it's free thanks to the cloud and today's latest and greatest technologies. Imagine an online world, a place you could go and literally be doing the same things you'd be doing at a live event? Talking to others, meeting new people and picking up knowledge and tips as you go. Picture yourself sitting comfortably anywhere on earth and being able to attend any and all live events?! Really? By simply removing physical locations and the overhead and costs associated, we're changing the World. Welcome to the ONLY Global Cloud Conduit connecting real estate professionals from around the world. Our 3D fully immersive high-tech, high-touch environment is the secret sauce. This is NOT the future of technology, it's real estate technology today! We invite you to come network, collaborate and engage with agents, brokers and other RE Pro's 24/7/365. It's easy, it's free and 1000's are now regulars attendees in the cloud campus. No borders, no barriers, no limitations. Come learn, share and grow with a simple connection to the web from anywhere on earth. You can also visit http://RETechCampus.com for upcoming events, sessions, trainings, archives, blogs and much more. The NEW Real Estate Crowd... Is In The Cloud. Our doors are always open. Stop by, say hi :) "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Remove Your Broken Zillow Widgets

Sat, 11 Feb 2017 10:44:17 -0800

Last week I received an email notification from ActiveRain that I was "tagged" in a comment on a blog post. It was my friend "Helpful Hannah" and today I received another from Praful Thacker.Unfortunatey, I can't read or see the post because they both have installed Zillow Contact or other Zillow Widgets that no longer exist. What happens? I click on the link and it results in me ending up at (and anyone who clicks on your blog post or article) to this page below. Here's a live demonstration of what I just experienced, your prospects and clients might be as well? As you can see in the Zillow Widget page below, they no longer have 80% of the widgets previously. Even the widgets in the featured image of this post no longer exist. In fact, the only two that are left appear to be "reviews" and a "search" widget. So go remove your broken Zillow widgets now! Many of us have used the "contact" widget, the "how many boxes" widget, the "home value" widget etc. but if not removed from your AR Blogs, outside blogs and websites etc. you could be losing a ton of potential contacts, prospects, leads and clients. So today, remove your broken Zillow widgets.Many people won't take the time out of their day to even tell you that your site is broken like I am right now. Most users who experience this will just close the window, leave and probably never return.How do I fix it? A. On ActiveRain, you'll need to go into your settings and just remove any code or HTML provided by Zillow for the specific widget you may have installed. You may also need to contact ActiveRain support for help if unable to get to it yourself. B. Wordpress users, just go into your dashboard and select the "widgets" option under the "appearance" tab then drag and drop the Zillow widget(s) into the unused section or simply click the delete link that appears within the widget box.C. On your website's you can simply remove the HTML code from any pages with Zillow widgets. If you have a webmaster or tech person that manages your site, send them this post.In 2011, I wrote this piece explaining the value and importance of these Top 5 Contact Widgets which did include the customizable Zillow widget which they now no longer offer. Since it's crashing some of your AR blogs and wordpress sites, I wanted to make this attempt to help fix this if it's happening to you here in the rain or out on your other websites and blogs. I feel better now knowing that I've brought it to your attention so you can get some much needed R&R. (repair & replace) "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Co Branding Your Content Marketing

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 12:02:34 -0800

In this post I'd love to show you how to co-brand some of your real estate content marketing practices.I have taught this class a few times in our cloud Campus and would love to invite some of you in for a repeat and detailed training webinar on how to do this for free? Details to join me below...Let me give you 3 really good reasons to come hangout with me and learn this stuff.1. Here's an example of Co-Branding on a website I know you're all familiar with, this was free. Go ahead and click on the image above (or this link) and see if it works for yourself? 2. Remember these guys? No matter who is/isn't visiting the site, if they do... you should be there too.You can try this one out too, just click the pic or this link and see what you could be doing for free.3. This is another one of my favorite secrets, I know you've been here, done that. But check this out...Really? Learn how to Co-Brand your content marketing for FREE on this site? For this one alone, you should be there, but I think those 3 reasons should be adequate to at least get your interest? :) I'm going to do a public webinar that will be free to all my AR and industry friends. Come join me online by registering for this webinar being held next Tuesday at 8am PT (11am ET) I know it's Valentine's Day, that's exactly why I chose that day to do this webinar. Start Valentine's Day the right way, and experience how free tech when combined with secrets works. Register here for this webinar event, you won't be disappointed. (This is a GotoWebinar. We will also be simulcasting into the cloud campus for other visitors/attendees) "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Update Your Profiles and Online Presence

Mon, 06 Feb 2017 15:55:48 -0800

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, there's a rumor he fell off and got broken. The reality is that Humpty Dumpty just moved away, found a new wall but no one knew because he didn't update his web profiles.I was reading an article on FloridaRealtors.org about a study done by the WAV Group that stated:"NEW YORK – Jan. 23, 2017 – According to an audit by the WAV Group, a real estate consulting firm, an average 10 percent of brokerages' online profiles are inaccurate or outdated." quote from article...Having many profiles and social media sites myself, it made sense to go around the web this weekend and see just how bad it really could be? I'm ashamed of myself, more than 15% of my profiles were incomplete, out-dated or simply needed some attention and love. My suggestion and advice to everyone reading this is to go "Google your name" to see what pops up first and make sure you update and edit everything in your search results.Many agents and brokers make changes or move to different companies and get so excited about it, they forget to go around the web and update their important contact information. I had a couple profiles still showing that I worked for Zillow and one that said I was still a full time employee here in the rain.All agents and brokers should begin now by identifying and then updating your pages and profiles starting with REALTOR.com, Facebook profile and pages, Homes.com, Zillow.com etc. While many of these sites get a boat-load of traffic, your incorrect information there could be sinking your boat. (if you like co-branding as seen below and in links above, I can teach you the secret in another post...) Don't forget your Associations, MLS's and third party sites etc. as these too get missed during moves. Let this be a friendly warning and nudge to all of us that changes are inevitable. Even a phone number or simple address change is enough to warrant your research and Internet presence updates. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

REALTOR® Safety - The Beverly Carter Story

Sat, 14 Jan 2017 11:06:53 -0800

"Your safety in real estate is non-negotiable" was the title of a session we did yesterday with Carl Carter, son of Beverly Carter who was abducted and murdered during what seemed like a routine interaction with a potential all cash buyer. Carl's live-stream feed from the cloud to the industry yesterday was more than just a very powerful, moving presentation and very touching story, it was a REALTOR® safety testimony that only someone with his background and experience could deliver.His life, story and presentation are an impactful combination of harrowing details involving his mother's story while providing practical industry anecdotes and takeaways for active agents worldwide. Let's face it, we are surrounded by good people as much as we are some very bad people. Angela Sams, an agent in Edgewater, Maryland once beat a man with a broom stick and chased him all the way to the end of the street. She broke the broom and had to buy the client a new one.Here's a recording of the session if you're interested. If nothing else, I hope this creates a greater awareness that having a plan, a strategy, an accountability group or anything that can keep us safer is critical. Safety is the last thing many agents think about when they go out to help a client.Carl Carter's mission and passion are to take his mother's experience and use it as an inspiration to help make positive changes in agents' business safety and to help save lives. Here's where you can make a significant difference in the world by sharing this information with others you care about and love.Some of the takeaways included the lessons learned from Beverly Carter's Story. The power of discovering efficient processes and finding safer practices. Examining our personal marketing for mixed messages. Establishing better and more efficient safety partnerships & accountability.The National Associations of REALTORS® honored Beverly Carter in this article, 'Beverly Carter, You Left a Legacy' read more... Inman News also shared a resourceful article about agents using apps and wearable tech to stay safe. read more...One useful resource to check out is CrimeReports.com. Search maps or by reports. Just knowing your market and what homes are for sale isn't enough anymore. There are a plethora of apps, tools and methods available which can keep us all be safer, I'd even suggest taking a self-defense course. NAR published 56 Safety Tips for REALTORS which has some awesome tips, definitely worth a view. Please share this with every active agent you know, both men and women because no one is exempt and your safety and health are truly Non-Negotiable. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

ActiveBrad is Back To Help Make It Rain

Tue, 03 Jan 2017 09:00:30 -0800

Is it true?Well, it's been a very long time since I've posted any real content on my blog here on ActiveRain. Today I have decided to no longer neglect or ignore my ActiveRain blog, it's time to come back in 2017.It's unfortunate that I was previously unable to manage my time more effectively so that I could be here.Many of my industry friends and relationships from around the world were created and grown here. Sharing is CARINGToo many times in life we look back and wonder if we could have done it any differently or with regret?I only regret that I've been unable to manage my business and personal life better to allow me time here.I've always been fascinated with technology and the ability to incorporate it with real estate and people.One of my greatest and most enthusiastic passions is to share with others and witness their successes. ActiveRain Ambassadors - It's Not a Right or Something You Can Pay for or BuySo my commitment this year is to post on a regular and consistent basis to help my fellow rainers.As an ambassador and "original" member and employee of ActiveRain, I commit to paying it forward.My compelling inspiration and obligation is to help "make rain" here, and help change people's lives.To be here, and to continue where I left off will not only be a priviledge for me, it's my gift to you. Singing In The Rain and Making Puddles Once Again...My 2017 commitment is to become more of a minimalist and maximize the value of relationships.Giving back to help others and seeing the changes it makes in people's lives is a real addiction for me.So I AM BACK to ActiveRain to pick up where I left off a few years ago. It's Time. It's right and It's now.I hope you have an amazing and most wonderful and prosperous 2017, let's connect and make it Rain! My 2017 Suggestions and Advice Build your Castles and Mansions on PEOPLE, because they provide the strongest foundations on earth. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Celebrating 8 Active Raining Years

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 18:57:33 -0700

"Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

What Is A Cloud Brokerage

Tue, 08 Mar 2016 01:21:51 -0800

I remember writing one of my first blog posts here on ActiveRain. I was excited because I was 100% certain I had found one of the newest and coolest cutting edge technologies that would truly impact the real estate industry in a variety of ways, and I was going to be the first to report and blog about it on AR.Well that blog post did come to fruition, as did the technology which advanced that corporation to where they are today, but let me back up for just a moment. When you think of the cloud, what are your initial and immediate thoughts? Did you just look out the window? lol~My first thoughts are that your email and text messages are in the cloud, your voicemail is in the cloud, your documents and hard-drive backups are in the cloud, your finances and friends on Facebook and Twitter are in the cloud, even this post you're reading is hosted in the ActiveRain Cloud! Seems like the only thing NOT in the cloud is you and I, which may just be my most profound statement of the day.So what is the cloud really? The cloud in general is partly what allows us to be mobile and connected, it is not just for storage and backing up documents and data. The cloud is considered by many simply as "The Internet" which isn't necessarily all encompassing either.Go ahead and Google "What Is The Cloud" and you'll come up with a plethora of interpretations.Mashable says...Cloud.Google says...So then, what is a Cloud Brokerage?Where is it, how does it work, how do you get there, what are the benefits, how does it affect business, how does it affect family and the quality of life, how can it save time and expand financial growth, what is its impact on earth and why should anyone care about the cloud, its purpose and future anyway? These are all great questions. I'd like to invite you to a discussion (a Google Hangout Webinar) where Jason Gesing and myself will discuss in great detail exactly what a cloud brokerage is and how it's impacting and changing real estate today but more importantly... the possible impact on your future.Join us either Tuesday or Thursday *If you are unable to attend or join us at the times posted, there will be a recorded option available. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

How To Use Co Branding with Content Marketing

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 07:14:54 -0700

Social media sharing is really just content marketing on steroids, but how much traffic does it drive and how much business is it generating for you? What if there were a way to Co-Brand your Content Marketing and sharing initiatives to targeted audiences and do it for free? Would you be interested?If yes, read on... if no, read on anyway because a mind is a beautiful thing to try and change!? :-)I've figured out a way (and want to show you how) to turn any web site or portal into a Co-Branded visit with an opportunity to turn your prospects into clients by directing them anywhere you want them to go using your own custom CTA. (calls-to-action) Ultimately, the concept here is to have them end up at your final desired destination as a result of seeing your co-branded piece and clicking on the call to action?Sound crazy? It Is! And it's FREE!This in my opinion is one of the best free tools and services I've seen in a decade! Since Trulia no longer owns ActiveRain, it should be okay to go ahead and use them and their site for this example...EXAMPLE SAMPLE #11. This is how people see Trulia when it comes to getting a home valuation or estimate right?Co Branded Content Marketing that drives traffic looks like this below:EXAMPLE SAMPLE #22. Some consumers are visiting this site for property queries and home searches...What if you could have them see this when they arrive instead?EXAMPLE SAMPLE #33. Not to dismiss or leave off the other of the 3 Big Portals, this is one of the most trafficked sites. How about a Co-Brand like this across the top of every page visited with links back to your local website and search tools? There's no doubt this would cost a fortune if each of these sites made this possible? I'll show you that it IS possible, how to do this and how to do it for free. Come join me this Friday October 2 at 9am PT. (12pm ET) You're invited and welcome to attend this free workshop which will be presented live in the Cloud at the RE Training Campus. Anyone can come and everyone is invited.Go Directly To Workshop Campus.RETechCampus (Use Safari for MAC, FireFox for PC's)Need Instructions to Join? Invite to ReTechCampus.com Watch LIVE or ARCHIVE on Mobile Co-Branded-Content-MarketingNo fee to attend. No Sign-Up Forms required. No up-selling or product purchases. No travel. No hassles.Just good education and training getting shared with those in search of best practices for real estate success and who are looking for great technologies and support systems to increase business. That's it!I look forward to seeing you all in the cloud on Friday. :-) "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

How To Use Video Crowdsourcing for Real Estate

Sun, 20 Sep 2015 05:32:30 -0700

I just stumbled across this really cool site called Vidrack that allows users to setup a free account, create a landing page that can be customized on and from your mobile device, then sent and shared with your prospects, clients and followers etc. that allows them to record and submit their user created video.This Vidrack example was setup in less than 5 minutes: http://vidrack.me/bradandersohn“Vidrack is a web-based video recorder used to collect videos through a website or landing page. It’s a video record button you can place on any web page. Your followers can record and submit videos for you using only a camera and a browser. No app downloads, account creation, login, uploading or link sharing. It’s the simplest way possible for someone to record and submit a video to you. It can be used to collect video testimonials, video interviews, video feedback, video reviews and more.”You can also embed Vidrack on your websites and blogs. This creates a single click option and opportunity to allow user submitted videos. (See embed below). How about a quick ActiveRain field test? Click the "Record Video" button, allow camera access then send me your "private" video response. A Variety of Ways I see Using Vidrack for Your Real Estate Business. Soliciting Video Reviews and Client Testimonials Create Community Video Contests from User Submitted Videos Video Interviews with Buyers and Sellers for DIY Projects Submit Suggestive Tips and Allow Video Response Feedback Add Video Record Button for visitors to record and submit video(All videos are collected privately and stored on your Video Rack)More Practical Uses for User Generated and Crowdsourced Video Use Vidrack Video As Property Management Video Capture Tool Use Vidrack Video To Crowdsource Video For EcommerceUse Vidrack Video for your Recruiting Strategy and Landing PagesUse Vidrack Video To Capture Video For Your ConferenceUse Vidrack Video To Capture Video For Your Upcoming EventsUse Vidrack Video To Create, and Receive, Video MessagesUse Vidrack Video To Create, and Receive, Video GreetingsUse Vidrack Video As Your Video Contact Form SoftwareUse Vidrack Video As Your Video Estimate SoftwareAdditional Resources and Relevant Links1. Free Video Recorder Landing Pages are available at http://vidrack.me –2. Video Recorder WordPress Plugin: http://wordpress.org/plugins/video-capture3. Embed video recorder on your site with http://vidrack.me – Coming Soon4. Use free Video Player to view files created with Vidrack: http://www.videolan.org/vlc5. Embed the Vidrack Recorder – http://vidrack.com/embedMore than 3000+ businesses currently use Vidrack for crowdsourced video. To offer and allow friends, fans, clients and prospects etc. to record and submit their video on your site from anywhere using a mobile device is a powerful, unique and super useful technology. "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office

Real Estate Blogging for Agents and Brokers

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 07:02:36 -0700

Real Estate Blogging for Agents and BrokersTo all my blogging friends and family here on ActiveRain, I wanted to invite you to a free workshop hosted online where Chris and Karen Highland will be sharing "LIVE" their best kept secrets and practices for effective real estate blogging. (This is not a webinar)Lets face it, there is so much one can learn and do when it comes to effective real estate blogging, but the key is to have your blog (and its content) cultivate traffic and create interested readers. How do you engage your prospects and targets? How can you establish trust and a rapport from a blog post?It has taken the Highland team more than 8 years to master and establish a very successful blog. In this RISMedia featured blog post, you'll get a good feel of what will be shared at this workshop. Most of the teams past 8 years has been focused on local niche topics/communities. http://blog.rismedia.com/2015/how-to-get-your-genius-noticed-in-a-crowded-internetIf you want to generate and capture more leads and ultimately convert more readers into clients and friends for life, then come join me on Friday for this one hour session and see what it really takes to make a difference with your blog and stand out above the fierce and growing competition. Join Here: Real Estate Blogging WorkshopThis Friday at 9am PST (12pm EST)No Registrations, No Downloads, No Webinar, No HasslesReal Estate Marketing Specialists for the 21st CenturyIf you've never been to a Tech workshop, here's a quick invite link with some basic instructions for getting you and your guests into the Tech Campus. If you're on a PC use Firefox, and for Mac use Safari.Show Me HowLet me know if you have any questions or if you need any help accessing this new technology and platform? It takes a bit of getting use to but I find it to be superior for learning, networking, sharing and collaborating. Plus I have 5 really awesome tech support people in place to assist you if needed.UPDATED 9/18/2015If you missed this workshop, I took the liberty to record it just in case. WATCH "Real Estate Blogging for Agents and Brokers" "Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More"

Let's Meet in My Virtual Office