Single Property Websites Blog | iPropertyWebsites.com

Zillow to Charge for Manual Listings - Free with iPropertyWebsites.com

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Nathan Q. Bednarik) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:13:43 +0000

Last week we blogged about the importance of Listing Syndication and various methods of distributing your property data to search sites such as Zillow, Trulia, Google Base, etc..

So far these search sites have largely remained free. Today, however, Zillow.com announced that they will begin charging users to submit real estate listings to the popular website. Zillow says this new change will improve the timeliness and quality of listings on the site.

So, what's it going to cost you? Manual submissions made from their website will now cost you $9.95 per listing for 6 months.

Submissions made through iPropertyWebsites.com will remain FREE!

Single Listing Web Sites and Search Engine Indexing

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Nathan Q. Bednarik) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:27:08 +0000

While speaking to a customer today, I was reminded that most people have little interest in how a search engine works (I don't blame them!). As long as they get relative results when the "Search" button is clicked, they're usually happy.

This particular customer wanted to know:

"How come my individual property website is not showing up in Search Engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.)?

This is a common questions and the short answer is usually: The website is too new. A common misconception is that our websites (or any website for that matter) will show up in search engines immediately after they have been published. This is simply not the case...

First, let me explain the difference between a "live site" and one that has been "indexed"?

Live Site

When a property website is live, it simply means that your website will show up when you type your domain name in the address bar of your browser. This usually takes less than an hour and in many cases happens immediately after publishing your site:

Indexed Site

When a site has been indexed, it means that the search engine has found your website on the internet and stored it in their database. Once a site has been indexed, then (and only then) can you locate it by doing a key word search in that particular engine.

A good example would be a site built for 4716 Maple Hill Dr. Fort Worth, TX. If you search for this address in Google, the website comes up on the top of the first page. This is a typical result.

How do I get my websites indexed and how long does it take?

We automatically submit your site to all popular search engines, including Google, immediately after it's published. You don't have to do anything! Generally, websites created with our system will get crawled and indexed within 1-2 weeks.

How can I tell if my website has been indexed?

The quickest way to see if your site has been indexed is to go directly to the Google Search Engine and search for your site with this string:

site:4716maplehill.com (replace 4716maplehill.com with your actual address)

If your site is indexed, you will see a list of all the pages that have been crawled. If it has not been indexed, you will see a message that says:

Your search - site:123XYXStreet.com - did not match any documents.

Is there a way to get my sites indexed faster?

Yes, there are a number of ways to get indexed faster! Here are a few suggestions:

Use our Syndication Features
Post a Craigslist HTML Flyer
Post the website as a Virtual Tour on Realtor.com
Link to the property website from Social Websites: Facebook, Twitter, ActiveRain, etc.
Use our Showcase Listing Widget
Link to the site from your own blog or website

The goal with all of these suggestions is linking to your single property websites from other sites that have already been indexed.

Listing Syndication For Real Estate Explained

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Nathan Q. Bednarik) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:00:00 +0000

We receive a lot of questions about Syndication (RSS feeds) so I thought I would take a moment to quickly explain what it is, how it works and why it's an excellent ways to market your properties online.

What is real estate listing syndication?

RSS is an acronym for Really Simple Syndication. RSS Syndication feeds are now widely used across the real estate industry to distribute property data. With an RSS feed you can automatically send frequently changing property information out to real estate listing search sites such as Trulia.com, Zillow.com, Google Base and many more.

Why is syndication important?

Exposure - It quickly gives your listing more exposure by placing the property information in multiple search sites.

Efficiency - It requires little to no effort. You only need to update your data in one place, then it's automatically updated in listing search sites via RSS Feed.

Note: Most feeds are updated daily so changes may not appear immediately on search sites.

How do I syndicate my listings?

There are a few ways to syndicate your listing data:

Broker website - many national brokerages offer syndication to agents.
Local MLS - many MLS services also offer syndication to their users.
Syndication Services - such as iPropertyWebsites.com.

What happens when listing search sites receive data from multiple sources?

With so many ways to syndicate your data it's inevitable that listing sites such as Zillow.com will receive multiple data feeds for your property. To ensure they use the most accurate information they have developed a trumping order in which feed priority is established.

Trumping Order/Rules (highest to lowest priority):

Manual Submission
Broker Feed
MLS Feed
Syndication Service (iPropertyWebsites.com)

For example, if Zillow.com received data for 555 Main St, Edmonds, WA from a broker feed AND from an iPropertyWebsites.com feed, it would automatically use the broker feed (disregarding the iPropertyWebsites.com feed) because the broker feed has the higher priority.

With that in mind, if/when you need to make a change to your feed it is very important that you update the appropriate feed source.

Here's a video that explains the Zillow Trumping Order in a little more detail:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLgLVd9rQIg

Browser Compatibility, Audio Enhancements, Walkscore integration and More!

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Nathan Q. Bednarik) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:09:32 +0000

Here are some new system enhancements we recently released:

Additional Browser Support

iPropertyWebsites now supports Internet Explorer 8, FireFox 3.5 and Googles new browser, Chrome. If you haven't tried Chrome yet, I highly recommend giving it a whirl.

New Audio Player

We have added a sleek new flash audio player that allows website visitors to control volume on screen. This new player also fixes music preview functionality when logged into your account. To preview the new player, please open our sample site (555MainSt.com) in a new browser window.

Integration of Walkscore

The popular service from Walkscore.com can now be integrated into each of your property websites at no additional charge. Walk Score helps home buyers and renters find houses and apartments in great neighborhoods. Walk Score calculates the walkability of any address.

More Image Display Options

We have added a new tabular "Image Library" option which allows you to display up to 12 images per page. To preview the new photo display option, please open our sample site (555MainSt.com) in a new browser window and click the "Image Library" link from the menu.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us @ 877-947-2447

iPropertyWebsites.com Make-Over

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Nathan Q. Bednarik) — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:49:36 +0000

We have redesigned our site and have implemented a new blog that we hope will help keep you informed of the latest news and updates here at iPropertyWebsites.com.

We will also be adding weekly tips and tricks, as well as video tutorials that will walk you through some of the more advanced features of our software.

Let us know what you think!

New Signs Riders, SMS Texting Service, Website To-Go and more...

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Nathan Q. Bednarik) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:49:41 +0000

We're happy to release another round of new features and upgrades to our system this month! The following new features will be available Monday, April 6th. Give them a try and let us know what you think...

Enhanced Sign Siders - All signs will now be made with 100 point polyethylene instead of corrugated plastic. This new material is much more durable and weather resistant. Not to mention, much more professional looking! All signs also include pre-cut holes. Please click here to see a sign sample.
SMS Test Messaging - We also now include a free SMS Text messaging service with every sign rider purchase! Your sign will come with a special phone number that allows buyers/renters to receive photos and information about your property directly on their mobile device. When someone requests information from this number you will be notified via e-mail and through your account Activity Center with their contact info.
Full Screen Slideshow - We've completely updated our flash slidehow interface to a new more streamlines design. The new flash player allows visitors to your individual property websites to view photos at full screen resolution!
Websites To-Go - By popular request, we have added a downloadable version of all your single property websites in the marketing section of your account. Use it for offline listing presentations, sold property archives or burn it to disk and use it as a closing gift.
Customizable Template - Now you can upload your own header graphics and completely customize your own template! Quickly change template colors and switch between multiple custom banner graphics. The possibilities are endless!
Zillow API - We have integarted the Zillow API into our system, which will allow you to displays a ton a great preoperty related data automatically! Some of the options include: Valuation reports, regional geographic, neighborhood and demographic data.
HomeGain Valuations - We have also added the HomeGain.com valuation API into our system. Now visitors to your single property sites can see an immediate valuation of your property online.
Feedback - Each single property website will now have a built in feedback form that will allow you to request feedback about the property after open houses and showing appointments.
Syndication - We have added syndication to the build process of your website. Now you can select which partner sites to send your property info to while your building it.

We hope you find these new enhancements useful in your real estate marketing efforts. There is a lot more to come in the months to follow so stay tuned and please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

New Features for 2009! Lead Management, Google Analytics and more...

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Nathan Q. Bednarik) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:23:06 +0000

We are excited to announce a few new features we've added to our system today. These are the first of many upgrades planned for 2009!

Lead Capture & Management - In addition to receiving a notification e-mail when someone submits a contact form (Contact Me, Schedule a Showing, etc.) from any of your property websites, the system will also automatically captured and stored the lead in your account under a new section called "My Leads".
Activity Center - We've added a new section to the dashboard called the "Activity Center" that will display important information when you login, such as website expirations, new leads, special offers, tips, tricks and more.
Google Analytics - We now allow you to easily add Google analytics tracking codes to all your single property websites.
Photos Captions - All photo descriptions and captions can now be displayed on the home page with your property site slideshow.
Branded Off-Line Pages - Now when you take your website offline visitors will see a branded information page with your photo and contact information.
Additional Contacts - You can now display a total of three (3) contact people per single property website.
Sort/Search - We've added a new feature that allows you to sort and search all of your single property sites.

We hope you find these upgrades helpful. As always, if you have any feature ideas, suggestions or any other feedback, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Does your real estate business get a Perfect 10?

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Tim S. Ney) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:44:05 +0000

I have worked with hundreds of successful business owners, coaches and real estate professionals over the years. They often agree that you should evaluate your business and make necessary changes every six months to remain competitive.

The real estate market is constantly changing; as is the technology that helps us with productivity, generating leads, getting homes “Sold” and most importantly, making our clients happy.

When was the last time you re-evaluated your business plan?

As a successful real estate broker, I often rate all aspects of my business and personal life on a scale from one to ten. Acknowledging that I must constantly evolve has helped me stay competitive and productive in this challenging market.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

1) Do you have a business plan? 1-10
2) Are you following your business plan? 1-10
3) How effective are you at generating leads? 1-10
4) How effective are you at converting leads? 1-10
5) Are you working with your desired type of clients? 1-10
6) Can all your listings be found online easily? 1-10
7) Are you utilizing the best technology for your business? 1-10

If you did not give yourself a 10 on everything, that’s okay! Now you have a basic guide to help identify where your business needs improvement.

While each agent, regional market and business plan may be unique, there is one thing that can not be disputed in real estate: with more than 8 out of 10 buyers starting their search online, the internet is where you AND your listings need to be.

Get Your Listings Online with Single Property Websites

Single property websites are an amazing tool for your real estate business. They allow you to easily create a website completely dedicated to each of your properties! Anyone can have a site up in 10 minutes.

You may be thinking, “I already have a website!” or “how will this help me?" A personal website is a must today; however, it is for promoting your business first. A single listing website is for promoting the property first (sellers love this).

That said, there are still many advantages for agents. Property Websites will help you win more listings (for free), generate more qualified leads, wow sellers, improve your search engine rankings, syndicate across the internet, give buyers all the information they could ever need on a single property and so much more…

They’re the ultimate virtual tour…only cheaper, more flexible and easier to create!

If you’ve ever been curious to try this type of service out, now’s the perfect opportunity. There’s no credit card needed to get started, it’s free to set up an account and free to use for listings presentations. You simply pay one flat fee AFTER you take the listing.

If you have any questions at all, we’d be happy to answer them. Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

———————————
Tim S. Ney
VP, Sales & Marketing
Toll Free: 877-947-2447 x 1
http://www.iPropertyWebsites.com

Single Property Website Service is the Perfect Solution in a Tough Real Estate Market

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Nathan Q. Bednarik) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:08:26 +0000

Fort Collins, CO — November 29, 2007 – iPropertyWebsites.com announces the release of their latest single property website creation technology. Their service enables anyone with a computer and Internet connection to easily create full-featured websites dedicated entirely to marketing an individual property.

Each property includes a distinct domain name (e.g. www.555MainSt.com), one full year of hosting and automated syndication across many popular real estate portals. These powerful websites allow you to describe every property in full detail, add up to 100 photos, create flash slide shows, display floor plans, manage and distribute property related documents (disclosures, reports, applications), schedule open houses, load property maps, school information and much more.

See an example single property website at http://www.555MainSt.com

“It is critical in this market to meet the growing demand for user-friendly and affordable web-based real estate marketing solutions,” said Nathan Bednarik, President of iPropertyWebsites.com. “Not only are individual property websites a great tool for real estate agents and property managers but they are also extremely informative for buyers or renters and can be very beneficial in any fast or slow moving housing market.”

“Whether you’re selling, renting or leasing…a real estate agent, property manager, investor, custom home builder or FSBO, single property websites are an amazing all-in-one solution for marketing real estate online,” said Tim Ney, V.P. of Sales. “They will impress sellers, increase productivity, save money in your print and web marketing efforts and produce much more qualified leads.”

iPropertyWebsites.com serves the entire real estate community, with features for the full spectrum of properties, including residential, rental, commercial, vacation, FSBO and land. With iPropertyWebsites.com you can create as many single property sites as you want for free, and then you pay per site once you make the website active.

For more information or interviews please contact Tim Ney/ tim@ipropertywebsites.com/ 877-947-2447 x 4

About iPropertyWebsites.com:

iPropertyWebsites.com was established to meet the growing demand for user-friendly and affordable web-based real estate marketing solutions. Our single-property website service is one of many new real estate marketing products we will be offering our customer base over the next year. For more information, please visit: http://www.iPropertyWebsites.com.

iPropertyWebsites.com Launches New Real Estate Marketing Service

nathan@ipropertywebsites.com (Nathan Q. Bednarik) — Mon, 23 Aug 2004 19:53:07 +0000

After months of development and strategic planning we’re excited to announce the release of our new Single Property Website service today!

It is one the most comprehensive, easy to use and affordable real estate marketing tools of its kind on the market. Not only is it great for real estate agents and property managers but it is also extremely informative for buyers or renters and can be very beneficial in any fast or slow moving housing market.

We invite you to take it for a test drive. There is no risk. Simply create a free account and you can have your first site built in minutes. You can try every feature and use the service for free in preview mode. You only pay one flat fee when you make the site live and viewable to the public.

We look forward to working with you and would love to hear any feedback you might have.