Due to a high level of interest in learning more about Facebook Fan Pages, we have researched and provided the following step-by-step approach to setting up a Facebook Fan Page. We hope you enjoy!

Without a doubt it can be tricky to locate the “Add a Facebook Page.” To jump straight to this page, and avoid the multi-step navigation process outlined below, here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php

If you cannot access the “Create a Page” link above, follow the below steps.

1.) Go to the home page of your personal Facebook page, and click the Account button on the top right hand corner of the screen.

Read more »

My Rant - 

WAV Group has been pretty outspoken about third party listing websites. They exist because brokers, MLSs, and Associations have not elevated their thinking about listing syndication. I think that it is time for CMLS, NAR, Realty Alliance, or some mutual benefit organization to step up and harness listing distribution and revenues from listing distribution to return revenue to its rightful owner - the brokers.

Here are the problems

1.  Data that appears on third party listing websites is grossly inaccurate - as high as 40% in some markets. Inaccurate data leads to bad leads, irritated home buyers and sellers, and throws egg on the agents and brokers face.

2.  Third party listing websites are deriving significant revenue and (moreover) consumer trust on the backs of broker listings. Without the broker’s listing, they would not have a website.

3.  Terms of Use for third party listing websites extend too many rights. In most cases, the third party listing website has the right to reuse, repurpose, and re-syndicate the listing information in any way they wish.

NAR’s partnership with MOVE is not without its critics, but 14 Million people surf listings that website every month - and that website has accurate data, shares revenues with NAR, and has Terms of Use that protect the broker and the agent with display rules and strict non-redistribution rules.

Today, the number 2 third party listing website and the number 3 third party listing website have teamed up to share listings and revenues - Yahoo and Zillow. In ComCast math, their combined traffic equates to 13.19 Million Visitors.

Did any broker or MLS that provides listings to those companies get asked first? Are they sharing revenues with MLSs and Brokers? Where else does the data go, and who else is buying it?

Don’t get me wrong, I like the people and the products offered by Zillow and Yahoo - and I know that they are good companies for agents and brokers to do business with. My concern is the terms of those business relationships.

Strategically, WAV Group has been supportive of using MLS consumer facing websites to battle against third party listing aggregators. They usually win local traffic wars and become the most visited local area property search website with little effort. Consumers know that the MLS has the most comprehensive and accurate data. All advertising revenues and consumer inquiries are distributed back to the MLS and Broker.

I am sure that greater minds will also conjure up solutions - and I hope they will. If you have an idea for a cure, drop it in the comments section below.

Core service offerings for MLSs continues to evolve and expand as MLSs look for ways to help their subscribers save money while serving the needs of their clients better. According to the 2009 CMLS MLS Operations Benchmarking Survey, nearly 60% of MLSs now provide Electronic faxing and Document Management as a core service offering.

As noted in the 2009 WAV Group Transaction Management Adoption Study, usage of methods for processing transactions online continue to grow.  Agents first become comfortable with processing forms online. That process worked so well that they are now quickly adopting other online tools to make the process of closing a transaction easier.  Electronic Faxing is one of those tools that is exploding.  Whenever we conduct satisfaction surveys with MLS subscribers, Electronic Faxing is consistently ranked as one of the most highly valued services available through MLSs today.  Agents love the fact that they can actually “read” the fax when they get it. They especially value electronic faxing when they can automatically upload executed documents into an online file folder in a document management system so they can easily store and distribute all of their transaction documents in one place. 

Read more »

This is a nice video to share with your members/subscribers if you offer Sentrilock in your marketplace.

REALTORS® on the SentriLock system can now complete full SentriCard® renewals on the go, anytime and anywhere their busy day takes them, by using any BlackBerry phone* and BlackBerry SmartCard Reader.

System users can purchase a BlackBerry SmartCard Reader V2 directly from SentriLock for $199. The SentriLock BlackBerry Card Utility Program is free. Please fill out the form below to order a BlackBerry SmartCard Reader.WAV Group has long suggested that the Blackberry phones are the best choice of smart phones for the professional REALTOR®.

Click here to read our Smartphone study.

Big news from Googel

Googles Android OS overtook the Apple iphone in US smartphone market share during the first quarter of 2010. Real Estate application developers should take note.  Many real estate technology providers have been quick to lead with iPhone apps, but have lagged in support for the Android or Blackberry.  This is not universally true - for example, GE led with their support for Palm, followed by Blackberry.  GE Announced this week that eKey support for iPhone.

According to the NPD Group, Google now enjoys 28 percent of the smartphone market, earning the company the second-place spot behind Research in Motion (36 percent) and pushing Apple to third place (21 percent). NPD asserts Androids success to carrier promotions, such as Verizons buy-one-get-one-free offer on RIM and Android OS devices. AT&T remained on top of the smartphone carrier market with 32% market share. Verizon was close behind with 30%, while T-Mobile and Sprint both ended the quarter hovering near the 15 percent mark.  It appears that companies with strong product marketing efforts will be able to assert ample pressure on Apple to continue to be competitive.

Apple may always trail in terms of market share. Under Steve Jobs, Apple has not been willing to license its OS out to third parties, and that’s the exact strategy that Google has used with Android to vault it to the top spot. On top of that, Apple currently limits the iPhone to one carrier (AT&T) while Android devices are carried by several different providers. AT&T has suffered a horrible reputation for the quality of data and voice connectivity on the iphone.  This issues combine to give Google and Android a position on quality of core mobile services. Even when or if Apple finally moves to a multiple carrier model, Android will continue to be available on a wide variety of phones at a wide variety of price points, while iPhone OS will only be on a select number.