How Blogging Can Help You Stand Out in a Crowd

It’s Saturday and I spent the day hunting for an apartment.

The challenge is that I’m in Phoenix and I’m looking for an apartment in New York City.  That’s right  – I’m considering relocating to the most expensive US city for renters . With an average apartment price of $2922 per month, deciding which apartment to rent is a major decision.

Adding to that is the confusion of options and neighborhoods in NY. Three years ago when my husband and I sold our home in Phoenix and moved into an apartment – it was relatively easy.  We took a drive around the area, picked out a couple that looked appealing.  Then we strolled in, looked at a couple of floorplans and selected one in a location we liked (away from the parking lot, and the dumpster, next to the pool, jacuzzi and children’s playground).   Just a couple of hours and we were done.

But in NY, you need a realtor in order to get an apartment.  And with only a 2.8% vacancy rate, you need to act fast. As I looked at listing after listing – they all began to blur together. It felt like I needed a secret handshake and special password to find out which apartments were really available and for how much.  There were so many variables (and yet so little availability) that I needed someone who really knows the local inventory to help me maneuver.  

What I really needed was a good realtor. A realtor who is knowledgeable, honest and efficient.   A realtor who is willing to work with my schedule. A realtor who understands what I’m looking for and can help me sift through the maze of apartments.  And so, I began to look for – a realtor……… who blogged.

Afterall what better way would there be to get to know a realtor – than by getting to know them on their blog?

There was just one problem-  I couldn’t find one. 

So if there is a NYC realtor out there reading this post – let me offer you some suggestions from a potential customer. 

Sure, your inventory changes all of the time – but you don’t want to compete based on a commodity. All of your competition has access to the same inventory.

What you want is to establish a relationship with your potential customers. You want your name coming up first when they search on keywords like “apts for rent in NY”. You want them to get to know you and feel like they can trust you – so when they need an apartment, or their friend needs an apartment – they will think of you. 

Here are a list of suggestions of posts you could write on your blog:

• contrast and compare the various neighborhoods from Battery Park City through Greenwich Village, to the Upper East Side and beyond; not just the slick, standard wording found in every ad – but your real perceptions, likes and dislikes – would you live there? why or why not
• catalog the amenities of the different high rise apartment buildings - which has the best rooftop lounge, the best fitness center, the best concierge service
• list the drawbacks of apartments – which have the most street noise, the most construction, a total lack of nearby groceries or drug stores (don’t worry – what’s a dealbreaker for you, might not worry me – but it would be nice to know the truth)
• list the policies, paperwork and procedures – what documentation is needed for credit checks, what criteria, what usually holds the process up
• give moving tips – where you can park, when you can park,  who to hire, how to get a couch up to a 5th floor walk-up
• show real pictures of the neighborhoods and the apartments – not just the stock photos with every listing
• list events in the neighborhoods
• talk about local restaurants, parks or museums

And whatever you do, don’t write posts about “MUST SEE COMPLETELY RENOVATED HUGE 1BR – WON’T LAST!!!”

In short, let me get to know you and the neighborhoods so that when I get overwhelmed and confused – you’re the person I can trust.

But, as I said, I didn’t find my rental realtor blogger.

I did find some blogs from realtors who were selling NYC real estate.  They seem to be doing a pretty good job of differentiating themselves from their peers and getting to know their customers.

Mitchell Hall does a good job of writing about real estate news and neighborhoosds on his blog NYC Blog Estate: Your Dreams. Your City.  Your Way.

And Bond NY injects some humor with A Look at the Mad, Mad, Mad World of New York Real Estate. 

And although they aren’t real estate blogs, these next two sites, with their original, sincere photos, soothed my troubled soul and  helped me to remember why it was that I wanted to move to New York, anyway.

NY Nitty Gritty

New York Portraits: Daily Writing and Photographs from NY

So whatever your business, take a moment to consider if you are attempting to compete on the basis of an interchangeable commodity – when you really could be differentiating yourself from the competition by developing a real relationship with your customers.

photo credit: susiewrites