“You’re right. I can’t actually back that up.” – Dr. Evil, after telling Austin Powers that he was AP’s father.
Similarly, I can’t possibly back up a boast to dominate the Phoenix real estate market, not when there’s such a wide array of luminaries here in the Valley (including two Agent Genius contributors, Russell and Jay.)
In fact, the mere knowledge that I’ve sold several percent the amount of homes that Russell has this year is a major cause for celebration, considering my advertising budget is a decidedly smaller percentage than his. This is 2008, after all, the year to celebrate minor victories and survive.
Plans Are Being Made
This isn’t to say I don’t have plans in the works though I seem to have more plans than time. I’ll share them here so long as you promise not to tell Russ and Jay what I’m doing. They probably stay up many nights wondering WWJD – what would Jonathan do – as it is and I’d just as soon let them wonder.
Agreed? Good.
Last month I had the brilliant idea of beginning a Phoenix real estate wiki. This was to be part reference material, part time saver (so I don’t have to keep typing the definition of absorption rate) and part Google juice on steroids.
Naturally, I wrote entries for the “A”s and quickly ran out of time. I’m working on getting back there but with kids out of school, vacation coming up and these pesky buyers actually expecting to look at homes (the nerve of some people!) it’s been hard to get back.
Which is unfortunate because I’ve come to realize this is a long-tail monster lurking in the wings.
Communities at Your Fingertips
I’ve had more than decent success with some niche sites focusing on particular neighborhoods – Ventana Lakes, Westbrook Village and Arrowhead Ranch. But what if I was able to skip a step, stop searching in vain for the rare useful URL that hasn’t been purchased, and simply provide much of the same information on one or more pages of a blog?
Anthem is my first experiment and I’m nowhere close to finished. Still to come are specific searches, or at least Diverse Solutions modules, for the condos on Galivan Parkway and eventually another module that’s just for golf course lots (I’m waiting for a change in Diverse Solutions’ search to do this one.)
Floor plans? I’ve got those and will add those soon. A photo page? Not high on my list, purely for time and gas-driven reasons, but absolutely within the realm of possibility.
And this is just Anthem.
Picture a Goodyear page with separate sub-pages for Pebblecreek, Estrella and Palm Valley. Or a Scottsdale page with different condo communities featured along with Grayhawk, DC Ranch and McDowell Mountain Ranch. The possibilities are endless.
Sadly, my time is not. And that’s why this hasn’t happened quite yet.
But it will. Oh yes, it will. Just don’t tell Jay and Russ.
Mooo-ha-ha-ha … mooo-ha-ha-ha-ha …
