The submission that I liked the most was Jayme Prezzi’s Why Real Estate Blogging Rocks & why I would never be able to make an elevator pitch – not a particularly catchy title, but provocative none the less.  In Jayme’s Miami City Diggs post, she talks about how and why blogging is such an effective tool for us salespeople – sorry Jayme, but that’s what we are!  She talks about how she got into real estate and a little about her background – something that business cards, bus stop benches and flyers can’t do.

Jayme explains that by blogging, readers get to “In a no hassle way, you the reader can get to know us and find out if we have what it takes to be your Real Estate Agent.” I completely agree with this and in my experience, leads from my blog are way better than any other marketing I do(aside from referrals).  She’s so confident in her skills and knowledge, that Jayme even highlights some other realtors that she likes and provides her readers with their blog info!

I really liked and share Jayme’s stance that “people don’t like being ‘sold to’” and applaud her for being herself.  Good luck Jayme!

On a completely different note, I also really enjoyed reading Dan Green’s Are Gas Prices Rising? Mortgage Rates Won’t Be Far Behind. What I really liked about this The Mortgage Reports post, was how well it was structured.  To begin with, the title was informative, letting me know what the post was about and it made me want to read on.  Next, Dan used a clear and easy to read chart to capture the reader’s attention.

The post then outlined key points and listing his opinions, supported by articles that backed them up.  It’s easy for bloggers to blab on and on, only offering their two cents – but by providing links to credible sources, Dan’s opinions carry more weight and his readers are more likely to believe him.  I thought it was a great post – short, clear, informative and well supported.  The only criticism I have, was that there was no call to action!

Thanks for all the submissions.  Now get back to blogging…

Check out some of downtown San Diego’s best condo deals.

Contact Denny Oh at 858–243–2092 or denny@sandiegoh.com with any questions.

Thanks for all your submissions and as I should, I’m dedicating Carnival #73 to the San Diego Chargers! See all of you in Arizona. Enjoy.

I’ll begin my selections with a few blogs that offer some useful tips and insight. Some of these issues were news to me, so I hope they help you as well.

DeeinAustin of the Texas Realty Blog provides us with the Top 5 REALTOR Magazine Tools That You Don’t Know About. Dee reminds us, or in some cases introduces us to Realtor.org (not Realtor.com). This is the online version of the REALTOR Magazine and the site also offers great tools to stay informed.

John Barker of John Barker’s Mortgage Blog doesn’t have the most creative blog name, but he does offer some useful information on How much will my credit score cost me on my next mortgage? John talks about how Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be placing new penalties for borrowers who have less than ideal FICO scores. The blog is short, clear and informative – thanks John.

Raymond of the Money Blue Book talks about some interesting ways to pay down your mortgage. In his blog, Use Credit Card Rebates To Help Pay Off Your Home Mortgage Loan Principal, Ray teaches us about some credit cards that aren’t as flashy as air miles reward cards, but can help those who tend to over spend and maybe under pay their mortgage.

Moving on, the next selections are more of the editorial type, but offer some insight on topics that many of us deal with. And while we may have heard it before, it’s always nice to get a quick reminder.

Mike Mueller at Patagonia Finance takes a step back from all the numbers and negativity in the current real estate and finance industry. In It Doesn’t Matter, Mike reminds readers that the change we’re all experiencing in the market right now is more than a decreased income, or articles about foreclosures. He asks us to look beyond the numbers and headlines and really think about how people are being affected. As Mike says, “it is Humans that matter.”

Pat Kapowich of Silicon Valley Broker talks about how the weather and changing seasons affect more than just what we wear. In Deja Vu~What Spring & Summer Sellers, and Their Licensees, Can Learn from their Fall & Winter Counter-Parts, Pat breaks down the year and talks about how agents and clients are affected by the weather – increased listings, holiday anxiety and how maybe when the best time to sell is.

Finally, we come to my last pick – The Carnival of Real Estate #73’s Winner…

Jim Cronin of the Real Estate Tomato was recently selected as one of the industries top bloggers, so I try and pay attention to what he has to say. In How A Strong Finish Has A Real Estate Blog Article Generating Leads, Jim talks about how important is it to focus on the end of our blogs in order to get the point across. Not only are readers trained to look at the end of an article or blog, this is your last chance to engage the reader – it’s the end!

Jim talks about how to structure your blogs and how to get readers to participate. He reminds us that our content must produce a feeling of trust and value in order to get any type of response. I won’t discuss the article too much, but I think we can all gain from his writing style and tips.

Related Must Reads:

Home…What’s In a Name?
6 Months as a New Blogger
6 Reasons Why Downtown San Diego Isn’t Overbuilt
Search the SanDiegOh MLS

Again, thank you all for your submissions and I look forward to seeing you all next week.

Submit your blogs for next week by clicking here.