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Archive for the ‘AgentsCompared.com’ Category
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Wednesday, January 16th, 2013Do your homework!
Wednesday, October 10th, 2012When it comes to buying or selling a home, NAR and its state and local affiliates, multiple listing services, traditional (6%) brokers and agents, and captured legislators and real estate commissioners generally are not on your side. What to do?
AgentsCompared.com believes in (and hopefully contributes to) an educated and informed consumer base. Whether it’s on our site or elsewhere, online or offline, do some homework before you hire a real estate agent!
Video Introduction to AgentsCompared.com
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010Here’s version 1.0 of our video introduction to the site, which can also be viewed on our homepage. Version 2.0 will probably be shot someplace else, and with a revised script, but with the same handsome spokesman. 
Your comments are welcome.
We’re now offering FREE Standard Plan subscriptions to all Chicagoland REALTORS®
Friday, January 15th, 2010Here’s our announcement from yesterday:
Chicago, IL – January 14, 2010 – AgentsCompared.com, a website that helps Chicagoland REALTORS® strengthen their web presence, stand out from competing agents, and attract prospective buyers and sellers looking for a real estate agent, is now offering free Standard Plan subscriptions to all Chicagoland REALTORS®. No credit card information is required. As before, the site does not charge any referral, lead or territory-based fees.
AgentsCompared.com, a new Affiliate Member of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®, invites agents to distinguish themselves across a variety of categories important to buyers and sellers, including success stories, relevant statistics, expertise, local market knowledge, service level, price, etc. Agents can target specific prospects (first time buyers, short sales, etc.) and post buyer and listing referral fee offers for participating agents to consider. Standard Plan subscribers can create one Buyer Package and one Listing Package that will be displayed in appropriate buyer and seller search results, respectively.
“REALTORS® are not commodities, and they shouldn’t be marketing themselves as if they were,” opined Michael Erdman, President and Founder of AgentsCompared.com. “We wanted to make it easier for Chicagoland real estate agents to highlight their individual strengths to home buyers and sellers, so we decided to start giving away Standard Plan subscriptions to all area REALTORS®,” he added.
AgentsCompared.com is unlike existing “find an agent” websites. The site is regularly promoted to prospective home buyers and sellers in Chicagoland, but does not solicit agent ratings or reviews. It also excludes “featured placements” and broker ads from search results. The site provides equal treatment to “top producers,” new agents, and everyone in between.
AgentsCompared.com continues to offer its Premium Plan subscription, which includes a personalized Profile Page and other amenities, for $9/month or $99/year (cancel at any time). The site serves all of Lake, DuPage, Cook (including all Chicago neighborhoods), Will, McHenry, Kane and Kendall counties.
Twibes says we’re influencial!
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009Cool to see our Twitter feed listed as the tenth most influencial on this Twibes list.
I must admit I’m only vaguely familiar with the site, but am excited to see us listed so high, especially when considering the modest number of followers we have and the short amount of time we’ve been on Twitter.
Thank you, Twibes!
Chicago Tribune, New Pricing and Lunch
Monday, July 27th, 2009A few highlights from the past week or so:
>>>The Chicago Tribune’s Mary Ellen Podmolik covered the site this past Friday in her weekly column.
>>>We reduced the pricing for the Standard Plan (now $1/month) and the Premium Plan (now $9/month or $99/year). Why bother charging $1/month? It gives us some assurance that agents are who they say they are, which should also give agents themselves as well as consumers some added comfort.
>>>Earlier today I met with the CEO of one of Chicago’s largest Realtor associations. Got some great suggestions for the site, and had the opportunity to explain why AgentsCompared.com isn’t like all the other “Find an Agent” websites. In a nutshell, agents must opt in to the site, no mandatory price disclosures, no ratings, rankings or reviews, no referral, lead or per territory fees, no featured placements in search results, etc. Hopefully I didn’t talk too much!
Media mentions to date
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009We’ve seen three “mentions” so far of AgentsCompared.com in various online media. While the most recent wasn’t entirely accurate (we don’t evaluate agents – consumers do that with the information provided on the site . . . and we don’t accept agent reviews), it’s nice to see the site generating some interest.
Inman News (subscription required)
Closing Chicago Real Estate blog
I’m also getting a feel for our Twitter account and Facebook page, which have been busier (and more fun!) than I had expected.
Want a copy of our launch announcement? Please let me know.
