Ubertor Real Estate Blog

The Ubertor Realtor website software is always a work in progress. We take great pride in making the system better every day. As many of you know the Ubertor system has some really great search engine optimization (SEO) features that are built right into every website. From the basic structure of the websites to the automated SEO features our software can help you be found under the terms that you are striving for.

Above and beyond the basics, the Ubertor software has what we call the “SEO Enhancement” which is a feature set that has a one time fee attached to it and unlocks some really powerful tools.

Features for Static pages
- Edit page titles
- Edit meta keywords
- Edit meta descriptions
- Edit sitemap description

Blog Post features
- create custom page titles

Properties pages
- custom page title dynamically generated using additional features green box, address, and neighbourhood field
- H tags created using the address, price and neighbourhood fields

Marketing Tab
- Create unlimited # of landing pages (built specifically for agents using pay per click marketing)
- edit the robot.txt file

Now, our advanced users have no problem with these features and they take full advantage of them. On the other hand, there are some real estate agents that want to learn more about the search engines. While they have a general idea, there are still questions about some of these features.

Well, Ubertor’s Approved Vendor, Reachd.com has come up with a 3 hour training bootcamp like no other. The bootcamp will be held on January 24th, 2008 from 9am - 12pm on the 4th Floor of YWCA in downtown Vancouver.

It is limited to 20 agents and there are only 18 17 spots left. The cost is $100.00. The bootcamp will run through all of the SEO Enhancement features so that you can follow the “best practices” when managing your website.

Check out the complete details over at Reachd. You must register online and the spots will go fast.

Check out their details page as it gives you more information as well as some great benefits and bonuses involved for attendees. Any questions about their event please contact Reachd.com directly.

John Lowe from GetCConsulting, an Ubertor Approved Vendor emailed me with a mirror of his companies website. John runs his main website here - http://www.getcconsulting.com but has replicated its look and feel on the Ubertor platform here - http://www.getc.myubertor.com

Check out both sites to see how he ported over the look and feel to the Ubertor system.

This is another example of how a CSS designer can manipulate the Ubertor system to have almost any look and feel. So, if your looking to move from a templated website to a custom design, the Ubertor software is the perfect answer.

The team over at KuniDesigns.com is at it again, this time customizing a website that is on the Ubertor software but is not real estate related. Patricia Houlihan, a Realtor setup another website for her “living green” initiative. The goal of this website is to provide information aimed at assisting people in “living green”.

KuniDesigns took an Ubertor website that is on the $9.99/month plan and customized its look and feel. Check it out here.

We have worked with Dara and the Vancouver Real Estate Marketing Group for some time now and many of our clients have had the opportunity of working with them. For those that have not, please let me introduce you to them, they are a talented team of technical professionals that can help with your real estate websites needs. Here is what Dara sent me about their services:

Vancouver Real Estate Marketing Group
We’re a group of energetic, marketing-minded individuals who are ‘bent’ on success quality results!
Our company, Vancouver Real Estate Marketing Group provides a host of services for Real Estate agents.

Not always busy enough to hire, train and maintain an assistant? Consider hiring us on an as-needed basis. We are fully trained, well-versed in all that is real estate. Cost and time-effective.

- Realtor Websites & Consulting (websites powered by Ubertor, consulting and setup powered by www.realtysupport.ca)
> Email Marketing” http://www.realtysupport.ca/EmailMarketing.php
> Listing Agent Marketing: http://www.realtysupport.ca/NewListingPackage.php
> Graphics Design & print materials

- Video Tours & Professional Photography ( www.vopenhouse.ca)
> Samples: http://www.vopenhouse.ca/videos/vancouver/
> Pricing: http://www.vopenhouse.ca/city/vancouver/priceList.htm
> Introductory Special for new Realtors $129 includes Video, Professionally edited photos and souvenir DVD

- Floorplans 2-D & 3-D
> Fully Insured, services provided by Vancouver Realty Support Group (www.realtorssupport.com)

We love working with Ubertor and clients with Ubertor sites because they are incredibly versatile. We’ve worked on many websites in the last couple of years, and I would be hard-pressed to choose a favourite. However, here are a few I particularly like:

Personalization (not customization):
www.jennifersale.com
www.mariofelicella.com
www.patzmcmillan.com
www.karenashby.com
www.aspicytouch.com (not a Realtor site!)

Customization (not all our handiwork, but really great sites and great examples of Ubertor versatility):
www.jenniferchurealty.com
www.moving-up.com
www.loftsvancouver.com
www.janetandjoan.com

The power of Ubertor’s websites is a significant part of of what we’re able to do to help our clients reach their website presence and internet marketing goals.

Thank you Ubertor!
;o)
Dara & the Realty Support Team
–
Dara Sklar, Realty Support & Marketing
604-307-3272 | 1-866-411-3272
Fast, Professional Support for Realtors and their Websites.
www.RealtySupport.ca & www.vOpenhouse.ca

Let me introduce you to Mike Blaney the Marketing Guy who is an Ubertor Approved Vendor. I asked Mike to email me some information about him, his services and what he does for Ubertor clients so that you can check out his services and see if there is a fit with you and your real estate business. Here is what Mike had to say:

“I am a marketing guy providing a wide range of marketing services to small businesses with a specialization in Realtor marketing. My work is driven by my slogan the “Good Ideas are a Dime a Dozen, but Implementation is Priceless” and Ubertor is one of the key reasons I can deliver a quality website in the shortest time frame. I have created website for both Realtors and non-Realtors and find the built-in formatting tools combined with a little bit of html code here and there gives me all of the flexibility I need to create sites that look like they cost thousands of dollars. Then I give a quick lesson on using the Content Manager and my clients are self-sufficient in a day leaving me to work on their other marketing challenges.

One of the websites that I think works well for my clients is http://www.cliveandsteve.com. I create custom banners depicting scenes from the area they market in which reinforces their commitment to the area. The banners were simple to upload to the site using the new Library feature.

Another clean looking site is http://www.www.diannsleeman.com. While this one uses a stock banner there is lots of content and I have purposely made the font a little larger to make it easier to read for clients experiencing a “reduction in their reading vision”.

And while I would have to admit I don’t know everything to comment on the customer support I think the Live Chat feature to solve problems is the biggest time saver. Whenever I have posted a question I get a quick response and can get back to work right away. The next frontier is using the CSS programming capability to create more customized sites.”

Mike Blaney
Marketing Guy
www.mikeblaney.com for marketing ideas
www.inboxfx.com for email stationery
North Vancouver, BC, Canada
604-618-5512
800-568-8338

I saw a post that Dara from RealtySupport.ca wrote about her experience with Susan Clayton-Carroll where Susan wanted to make some changes to her site. The reason I wanted to repost her comments was that I think it is a great example of how extremely flexibly the Ubertor real estate website software is. With a few clicks of a button you can dramatically change the look and feel of your website. Here is what Dara had to say:

“Today I received a phone call from Susan Clayton-Carroll of RE/MAX Crest (Westside). She was feeling down about her web site and wanted to make what she thought would be major changes.

After less than two hours on the phone together (she happened to catch me at the right moment and I was able to do everything on the spot for her), we had created a new banner, changed the style and colour of the template, input a new slogan… basically changing from the look of her old Ubertor site to something totally fresh and new… much more professional, she felt.

I’m really thrilled with the results and very happy that I was able to make so many visual changes so quickly for her.

Other things we discussed were how to get found for certain search terms. I referred her to the community pages on Stuart Bonner’s website as an example of trying to achieve search engine results for certain key terms. We installed Google Analytics for her to track her stats and the source of her website traffic as well.

I love to get the opportunity to bring all sorts of Internet Marketing possibilities to people!”

Dara Sklar
RealtySupport.ca

Mike Simonsen over at Altos Research in Silicon Valley, CA introduced me to a couple of agents in Los Altos, CA that were in need of a new website for their real estate business. Jeff Stricker and Steve TenBroeck started using our Ubertor real estate website software to power their new website designed by the talented crew over at MarketingDesigns.net. With the power of our system, their unique look and the advanced research that Altos provides their website is second to none.

If you’re interested in taking your website to the next level have a look at what MarketingDesigns.net can do for you and definitely give Mike at Altos Research a call about your area to see if they have a solution for your area.

Provident Security is holding a Free Home Security Seminar at the Arbutus Club on Wednesday, January 24th, 2007. Michael Jagger from Provident Security came and spoke at the December Vancouver Real Estate Tech Meetup and it was a great success. If you missed it (or made it and wanted to learn more) your opportunity is here.

Here is what you can expect from attending this seminar (via Provident Security Blog):

The first Westside Home Security seminar of 2007 is going to be held Wednesday, January 24th, at the Arbutus Club.

We want to make it easy for you to learn more about protecting your home from burglary.

Through an interactive presentation, with lots of pictures, I will show you exactly what burglary looks like on the Westside. More importantly, I will show you some very specific things that you can do (both high and low tech) to reduce your risk.

Whether you are a Provident client or not, you will learn tactics to ensure that you do not become a victim.

My most recent presentation like this was in December for about 35 realtors at a Ubertor Real Estate meetup event that was very well received.

Vancouver Police Constable Ray Gardner, from the Kerrisdale, Oakridge, Marpole Community Policing Office will also be available to answer questions and discuss property crime issues and concerns.

7:00pm – 8:30pm
Wednesday, January 24th, 2007
The Arbutus Club
2001 Nanton Avenue (Nanton and Arbutus)
3rd Floor – Quilchena Terrace

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP. Feel free to let your neighbours and friends know to attend… please just let us know how many people are coming with you so that we can ensure appropriate room set-up and refreshments.

Why should you attend? here are a few reasons….
- learn more about home security for you and your family
- become more knowledgeable about home security as an asset to your real estate business
- network with Vancouver Real Estate home owners

According to Joel over at futureofrealestatemarketing.com:

“Video Killed the Virtual Tour
I believe this is going to be the year that online video finally make an impact in real estate. The barriers to entry have largely disappeared and the reams of data that now exists now needs context. Video does just that. Realtors and brokers should start looking at how they can incorporate video into their marketing efforts, not only as a way to differentiate themselves from the competition, but as a way to bring greater value to their clients and to consumers.”

Interesting to note that our pals over at vOpenHouse.ca just announced a change to their pricing structure.

(would be nice to see them add them to youtube.com as well)

Patrick Nixon and Matt Hallaran are 2 of our experienced Real Estate Marketing Coaches that have been selling and consulting with our Realtors for years. Both Patrick and Matt have moved to Victoria to continue our expansion on the island. If your a real estate agent on Vancouver Island and looking to speak further with one of our team please feel free to contact Matt or Patrick directly.

Patrick Nixon
patrick@ubertor.com
250-893-9507

Matt Hallaran
matt@ubertor.com
250-858-3583

Their next real estate training session that they are holding is a Sutton Westcan in Victoria. If you would like to have them come by your office please feel free to contact them.

UPDATE - Just noticed that our pals at vOpenHouse.ca have an affiliate in Victoria as well. More details here