Hooked on HomeGain

Posted by Wayne Long on Apr 04, 2008

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I got my Real Estate license while still in corporate sales. My wife was already selling Real Estate and as is my custom when I start something new – I read books about my new profession.

At the top of my list was the Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller and number 2 was a book called Real Estate Rainmaker: Guide to Online Marketing by Dan Gooder Richard. As it turned out, I couldn’t have picked any better books to start my career.

Quest for Online Presence in Real Estate

As I started my quest to learn how I could create a presence online, I soon realized that it was going to take some time to rank a website well enough in the search engines to make a difference in our business.

We did start a website but no one knew how to find it unless we told them directly. This is about when I stumbled upon HomeGain.
I set up an account with several ZIP codes in my area for my wife (with the AgentEvaluator™ program) because I had not officially started into Real Estate yet.

As my wife became successful in Real Estate (Rookie of the Year for the Columbus Board of Realtors®), I began to feel as though I could give up my job and start in Real Estate. So I resigned my job and became a full time Realtor®. (See our caricature shown here!)

Because I believed the “Millionaire Real Estate Agent” book and that leads were the most important thing and because I believed in the concept that the internet was the best place to find those leads.

I felt that the HomeGain system I had originally set up for my wife would be a good place to start.

Well almost as a sign – I got a lead on Sunday from HomeGain and responded to the potential client. On Tuesday I had my first listing appointment and got the listing. On Thursday I got a contract on the home and within 30 days had closed my first sale.

(This is a true story!)

As you can imagine – I was hooked!

I am not sure that I have had a listing and sale that was that easy since then. We have since had several years with HomeGain and used several programs including BuyerLink and AgentEvaluator.

I cannot think of a better way for a new agent (or seasoned Realtor® looking for a new lead source) to get started – than with HomeGain. It is my contention that the first thing a Realtor must figure out is how they will find leads.

If you don’t have leads – nothing else you do matters.

HomeGain taught me how to draw potential clients on the internet and convert them. These are skills that I still use as I combine HomeGain with my own ColumbusHomeShow.com website.

Stay tuned for my next blog posts where I’ll give more details about my experiences with the BuyerLink and AgentEvaluator programs.

Comments

Great post, Wayne. If Homegain’s working for you, then go for it. Obviously, you have the skills to convert web leads, so if you have a positive ROI from any source, you should continue paying for it!

Posted on Apr 04, 2008 by Eric Bramlett

The key is to know how to convert an internet lead. They are not like other leads.

Posted on Apr 04, 2008 by Joseph Ferrara

Joe, How about a post on that exact topic?

Posted on Apr 04, 2008 by Louis Cammarosano

What an outstanding testament to the utility of HomeGain as a lead generation tool. Here’s what I loved:

1- The MREA model is, without a doubt, the best way to manage a practice.

2- Lead acquisition is the #1 job for the practitioner.

3- Cost per customer acquisition is paramount. It really doesn’t matter where you get them, as long as

a- you get lots of leads
b- you get them affordably

What we in the Web 2.0 world sometimes forget is that time IS money. You, Sir, certainly have figured that out

Posted on Apr 04, 2008 by Brian Brady

Wayne
Thank you very much for this blog post.

If we were Zillow we would call a secret press conference, impose an information embargo, let them know we had some revolutionary way of publishing customer testimonials, call it Zeedback and get 100 front page stories!

Seriously, it means a lot to me and all of us here at Homegain that you are successful using our products. You made my weekend Wayne.

Louis

Posted on Apr 04, 2008 by Louis Cammarosano

You should do just that, Louis. Homegain has a great service offering and should be bragging.

Results are what matters. That’s what this post is all about

Posted on Apr 04, 2008 by Brian Brady

You got it Lou.
While getting leads is #1, converting them is #2

Posted on Apr 04, 2008 by Joseph Ferrara

Thanks for stopping by and the kind words.

@Brian and Joseph – Combining High-Tech lead acquisition with High-Touch conversion is web 2.0 at its best IMO.
@Louis – if you’ll keep providing a good product for lead acquisition – we’ll keep converting them. :)

Posted on Apr 05, 2008 by Wayne Long

Good article Wayne. From what I understand Homegain is working for those who manage it correctly—it’s a quick way to get connected DIRECTLY to leads, prospects, business. many agents don’t have the time, skill or willingness to go the round about route of learning every nook and cranny—they’d rather hook up directly.

Louis, if the market doesn’t turn around soon, I might be available as your Publicity Manager. I’ll make sure there is at least 3 stories everyday about your cutting edge moves.

Posted on Apr 05, 2008 by Mike Farmer

Good post Wayne, we all have to figure out how to create leads and then convert them. If you have figured out how to convert leads from HomeGain I think that is great.

Posted on Apr 06, 2008 by D Pease

@Mike – part of what helped me was that HomeGain provided the leads while I figured out how to create them myself. Even after I learned to create my own – they still provide me with additional leads. Right now I don’t think you can have too many leads! Thoughts???

Posted on Apr 06, 2008 by Wayne Long

We have to all learn how to get a good vibe online, magnetically leading them our way to the phone and into our presence, keep the good vibe going and closing the deal. :)

Posted on Apr 06, 2008 by Mike Dammann

yes, Wayne, definitely—I should have included in those without time, skill or willingness those who do have the time, skill and willingness but still use it to add to the total.

Thanks for the correction.

Posted on Apr 08, 2008 by Mike Farmer

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