I’ve admitted over and over here, that I’m dyed in the wool Old School. When I was encouraged to write about what I know online over three years ago, I thought they were kiddin’. Little did I realize what it would eventually lead to. Ultimately it’s what allowed me to take Brown and Brown Investment Properties more or less nationwide. ‘Course so far there’s only six states in our version of ‘nation’. 
As San Diego prices have fallen, we’ve altered our stand on local property. Though San Diego income property is still not what we’d grade as A+ – it’s now sporting numbers worthy of serious investors. So we’ve decided to reenter the local market, acting as agents for buyers and sellers of investment property as we did from 1977 until 2004.
Here’s how you can help me out. I need your thoughts on websites offering local MLS searches. We’ve been busily researching various ideas as it relates to the San Diego investor — along with those who’d like to explore investing here from outside. One of the tools under consideration is a local MLS search on the site. It would be limited (if possible) to residential income properties, mostly small ones. We don’t wish to confuse traditional homebuyers.
What are your thoughts on trading your email address for the ability to search?
Would it be important to have analytical tools available for your use on properties found using the MLS search?
Also, would videos on various real estate investment topics be of value to you?
I appreciate all you have to say — thanks in advance for your thoughts. Also, if you have an idea I’ve not addressed, please tell me about it.
Call me as always with your real estate investment questions. 619 889-7100 — have a good one.
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I do not give out my e-mail address to someone I don’t know in exchange for the search opportunity, period. I move on to someone else’s website who does not need to turn every visitor into a marketing opportunity.
However, if you had the search capability to look at small income properties exclusively, I think you would generate a lot of traffic from potential clients. It’s difficult to use most mainstream agent website searches to isolate these.
Analytical tools would be nice and if sophisticated enough would drive traffic to you. Dunno about the videos.
Thanks a million, AI. Very much appreciated. You make sense.
I’ve been reading your blog for some time and would have no problem giving up some personal information for access to content that includes investment properties that have already passed the Brown & Brown “smell test” and could make the cut if purposefully planned.
But… If I turn off the prior experience with your writings and think about it from a ‘just happened to navigate to your site’ perspective then here’s my $.02… Whenever I encounter a webform asking for personal information in exchange for search capabilities that I perceive I can get elsewhere for “free” then I always balk. It would be up to you to change my perception that your search capabilities are similar to all the others and convince me of the benefits of giving you my info. I will tell you it’ll be a hard sell for my first visit. I will certainly navigate elsewhere the first time through and only come back after fruitless searches on other sites… if I come back at all.
Troy — What great insight you’ve provided — thanks!
I agree, content is king, but if a new visitor hasn’t read much or anything of what I’ve published, given your mindset they’re gone. Also, my research has clearly indicated asking for email in return for specific data and/or property, analysis, or the like is not an issue with the vast majority of people.
Again, much appreciated — and don’t be a stranger, OK?
You may not like it but…
In my honest opinion the proper strategy going forward is a transition from being an effective intermediary to one of being an indispensable facilitator. Disintermediation is what’s coming.
Hey Robert — Been hearin’ the whole disintermediation thing for over three years now. Still waiting. It could affect traditional home sales, but where the required expertise level is so very high, as in investments, I don’t see it happening.
Facilitating is one thing, doing it without the necessary knowhow is doomed to tragic consequences. Make sense?