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Tag Archive: Catherine Reagor

Local RSS Feeds For Your Real Estate Website

by on Aug 3, 2010 | Careers and Training, Real Estate News, Technology

RSS IconsYou know RSS feeds are catching on in popularity when you even see government websites pushing them.  More and more REALTORS® are taking advantage of the increase in their availability by displaying niche targeted feeds on their real estate websites.  It’s the simplest way that I know of to provide updated content to your website visitors – set it and forget it.  Here is a little more info about what they are and some of my favorite feeds for REALTORS®.

What are RSS feeds?

No need for super technical definitions, RSS feeds are automatic notifications of new content.  RSS feeds need 2 things to work, a pusher and a puller.  Be on the lookout for the orange RSS logo to help identify the pusher websites.

Display them on your real estate website by using a tool that pulls them. Some website providers include RSS feed pullers/readers as a part of their web tools.  If your site is built on WordPress there are a variety of plugins and themes you can use.  If your site does not have anything to pull the feeds, you can make an RSS widget here.

Superlative Websites come with a Wall Street Journal RSS feed displayed on the homepage by default. My recommendation is to remove the national real estate news feed and replace it with a local real estate news feed.  Here’s the Superlative tutorial on how to install/edit RSS feeds on your website.

Local RSS Feeds

RSS feeds can be used to help provide site visitors with good local information.  Let’s say you have a website or web page designed to provide info about a particular city.  Adding an RSS feed from that city’s visitor’s bureau, government site, or police department will ensure the page never gets stale.  Here are a few to get you started…

If I didn’t list the city you specialize in, visit their government page or visitor’s bureau and look for the orange RSS icon.  (Hint: If you’re having trouble finding feeds, AZCentral.com has a lot of them and the Phoenix Business Journal has a good one.)

Local Real Estate Feeds

Like the national weather forecast, national real estate feeds aren’t always relevant for the greater Phoenix home buyer or seller.  John Hall & Associates and Arizona Republic reporter Catherine Reagor both provide greater Phoenix real estate RSS feeds that have much more relevant real estate information than any national news feed.

Now it’s your turn.  Find city feeds for your city pages.  Find a Buyer feed for your buyer’s page.  Find a Seller feed for your seller’s page.  Access the back-end of your website, set ‘em and forget ‘em.  Don’t be shy – speak up if you need help: 602.953.4043 (ask for Phil).

Jim Sexton in the Arizona Republic!

by on Aug 11, 2008 | Real Estate Statistics


Jim Sexton got a call from Arizona Republic’s real estate reporter Catherine Reagor last week as she was researching recent home sales information here in Phoenix.  Catherine, who has contacted Mr. Sexton several times in the past, was looking for some numbers for a positive article she was working on for the front page of Sunday’s Business section.  He shared with her the price point observation we pointed out in “The Improving Phoenix Real Estate Market” post.  Here’s Catherine’s article if you missed it.

One thing I like about the Republic is their massive online readership always leaves comments on articles.  Jim’s first commenter ‘bobsthoughts’ says…

My problems with Mr. Sextons analysis are the following 1) 250-350 is more like a nine month supply so really under 250 is the area with a 7 month supply. 2) I would not call 7 months healthy in this economy with the oversupply that exists. (…)

We’d like to thank ‘bobsthoughts’ for opening the door and allowing us to explain the numbers further.  In our analysis we will use list price only, not sold price, so there is no confusion.  And, let me say that Jim Sexton is notorious for rounding numbers, so we apologize for him reporting a 7 month supply when in fact there is a 7.162 month supply under $350,000.

Back to ‘bobsthoughts’, which we both agree and disagree with.  We disagree with his calculation that shows a nine month supply for homes between $250,000 – $350,000.  Using data from the ARMLS we find there is a 7.613 month supply for that price range.  We agree however with his calculation showing homes under $250,000 have a 7 month supply, and to be more accurate – it’s a 7.049 month supply.

He loses us with his 2) arguement – “I would not call 7 months healthy in this economy with the oversupply that exists.”  That doesn’t even make sense.  7 months indicates healthy supply and demand regardless of anything else, including the economy.  That’s okay, supply and demand is a confusing thing.  That’s why we recommend working with a REALTOR® from John Hall & Associates.  We have it all figured out. :)

AZ Department of Real Estate Changed Your Fees

by on Jul 24, 2008 | Real Estate News


Straight off the Department’s website…

The Department of Real Estate is pleased to announce that as of July 7, 2008, it has revised the fee schedule for licensing and services provided to the Industry…  [The Department] has eliminated fees for real estate licensees being hired or transferred…  The Department also lowered the online license renewal fee for the second year in a row…  Individuals applying for a real estate license will now pay more for the initial two-year license…  See our new fee schedule.

Catherine Reagor and the Arizona Republic picked up on this as well and she wrote about it on her blog.  (h/t @drubloomfield)

Big weekend for Jim Sexton

by on Apr 28, 2008 | Real Estate News


Jim Sexton makes it in the Arizona Republic twice this weekend!Two sighting of him in the Arizona Republic on Saturday.  The first one was planned, the second one not so much. 

He is often asked to write an article for the Republic’s “Broker Corner”.  He is given a date the article will appear and puts together a timely piece where he gets to spread the word of the current market.  This weekend his article, “Missed Opportunity” was featured in this weekly real estate feature.

Then an unplanned quote in an article by the Republic’s real estate reporter Catherine Reagor.  Mr. Sexton and Ms. Reagor spoke on the phone about a month ago and Jim was initially quoted in an article that soon followed.  Then Ms. Reagor unbeknownst to us stored some of Jim’s good stuff and surprised us with it this weekend.  (I can’t find the article online yet, but will update this post when it happens.)  Jim was quoted talking about the high amount of vacant or foreclosed properties that are selling.  Even though the conversation took place a month ago, the quote is still accurate today.

Thanks to the Republic for the support!