Eddie Y. Ramirez Blog: New Real Estate Data Suggests That Some Polls are Completely False

I had to chuckle when I saw this Facebook post that says that the “median” (more on that below) number of inquiries (INQUIRIES) that REALTORS with personal websites get has fallen to ZERO.

To say that real estate agents with personal websites get zero inquiries seems to be a bit of a stretch, to me. See this comment below that was made on that same Facebook thread by our own Jay Thompson.

I’m clearly no statistician, but how does a median of zero for this data make any sense? The median is the point where half the data is above it, and half below it. So if zero is the median, how are there a negative number of inquiries?

I certainly won’t argue that the VAST majority of real estate websites are dead or dying. Many have severely outdated information, have not been touched in years, etc. Heck, like anything else that is worth doing, it takes work to make a website useful and informative. While many agents tend to use templated websites that they never touch, there are certainly more than zero sites that are enough of a benefit to the consumer to generate the occassional inquiry.

Personally, I believe that agents should own and control their own web content. I don’t think you need to be one of the top bloggers in the country to gain inquiries, but I do believe agents who want to, or claim to, do business online should make an effort to have a useful and or informative website. They should also contribute new content to that website on a regular basis. If they don’t see a benefit in doing that, it probably makes sense to remove their site entirely and quit paying for something they don’t use. Just my humble opinion. Heck, THAT would help the number raise from zero, for sure!

Here’s a stat that I found interesting, as well:

New Real Estate Data Suggests 100% of Agents Are Getting BUSINESS From Their Personal Website:

I took a poll this am. EVERY single agent that I spoke with about their current website is actually getting, and closing, business from their personal website.

This poll was done by contacting agents from across the entire United States.

I spoke with Ines in Florida. Her Miamism website generates business today, just as it has generated business for more than a decade.

I spoke with someone who works in Maura Neil’s office in Georgia. It sounds like they have certainly done business within the past year from Maura’s website.

I also know for a fact that this website and my personal website have both generated business and inquiries this year and in many years past.

Some Truth Better Than No Truth:

While data can often be whatever some pollster wants it to be, we know that accuracy can be in the eye of the beholder. I feel like the chart shows a trend but it doesn’t accurately reflect what it actually says.

Here’s part of what Laura Monrow had to say:
“I’m not sure where NAR is getting their numbers.. but from personal experience:

NAR/Placester free sites are horrible for traffic let alone leads, AND the agents that tend to get “free websites” usually don’t even add content.

2. The vast majority of agents prefer their social media time over true lead generation through their own content and website.

3. Many agents have a one and done approach to their site.. they simply set it up and don’t have an inbound marketing strategy… “

Laura knows a thing or two about the real estate industry. She’s well known in the industry as someone who knows the pulse of our business.

Look, websites are not the magic bullet that many agents are told they will be. Many agents fail miserably at online lead generation, content creation, etc. BUT, that’s perfectly fine. A personal website certainly isn’t something that every agent needs to us in order to have a successful career.

Can a good website be a powerful tool? Can it generate inquiries or even help create new customers and clients? I happen to think it can…

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader or your email client, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.