Jun 17

Great Blogging for Real Estate

WordPress Most of the time, business people over 30 (Digital Immigrants) struggle with blogging. The don’t really understand how it works or the utility. But here’s an example from a guy who gets it and illustrates the two simple rules of business blogging.

Mike Jaquish is a RealtorĀ® in Cary, NC (full disclosure - Mike’s also our client). Recently, Mike wrote about “Free Bonus Space? Buyers Beware!” in his blog:

Lately I have bumped into a couple of Cary homes with unpermitted, sub-code finished living areas. When it is mentioned, the Listing Agents’ responses have been, ā€œSince it isn’t counted in the square footage, the Sellers consider it ā€˜free bonus space.ā€

It is NOT ā€œfreeā€¦ā€ More often it is ā€unaffordable.ā€

  • Does that ā€œfree bonus spaceā€ carry any guarantees on the homeowners’ electrical work, uninspected and possibly performed with a buddy and a beer or two on some forgotten weekend?
  • Is there a guarantee that the HVAC unit that was tapped to heat and cool that ā€œfreeā€ area is properly sized for the additional burden? Or will the unit struggle, fail to keep the house comfortable and fail early?
  • Will the unacceptably steep stairs, without a handrail, be ā€œfreeā€ of easily avoidable hazards that are addressed in the North Carolina Residential Building Code and in Town of Cary Inspections?
  • And will the new owners be ā€œfreeā€ of liability if some aspect of the goofy work creates personal injury? Will a homeowners’ insurance policy always cover unpermitted space issues?
  • What will it cost to bring the ā€œfree bonus spaceā€ up to code, to be permitted in arrears? How much of the home will need to be torn up to satisfy Cary Permits and Inspections?
  • If your Seller can’t legitimize their home, why should a Buyer take on that ā€œfreeā€ responsibility?

The list of ā€œfreeā€ questions goes on.

But without a doubt, that space is not ā€œfree.ā€ Nor is it a ā€œbonus.ā€ It’s what can ā€freelyā€ be accepted as a ā€œpotentially devastating liability risk.ā€

Mike illustrates the 2 Rules of Effective Business Blogging:

  1. GIVE SOMETHING OF VALUE - Mike gives expert information without asking any quid pro quo from the reader.
  2. GOOD WRITING - Mike’s taken the time to craft his post into a lively, informative read.

Bonus points for brevity. Read more from Mike’s blog here.

1 Comment so far

  1. Mike Jaquish June 18th, 2008 10:04 pm

    Well, shucks, Pilgrim…
    You are too kind.
    Thanks!

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