Peter A. Montero, RE/MAX  Acadiana in Lafayette, LA, has been a steady contributor since Agent Insight first launched in his area early last summer, racking up over 125 submissions.

“When I first heard about Agent Insight, I tried it and saw the benefits right away,” Pete said. “I really want to improve my SEO and the more I appear on the Internet, the more I’m called.” Agent Insight is part of a social media marketing package Pete has put together that also includes Facebook, Twitter, Yelp (where he posts restaurant reviews), CirclePix (for posting videos of listings) and his own blog.

“I’m not going to pay Trulia or Zillow for leads, so I have to find prospects myself. This has been effective for me,” he said.

Pete has intentionally covered many different subjects with his Agent Insight submissions and currently has 30 places on his Areas of Expertise list. For many of these, he is the only agent who has posted there and so is the only person listed as Featured Local Expert.

“I recently received a call from a RE/MAX agent in California who had a client wanting to make a large purchase in New Iberia, LA,” Pete said. “She told me I was the only agent she could find in New Iberia, so I got the lead thanks to my Agent Insight post.”

Pete keeps a note on his calendar to make a submission to Agent Insight every two days. He has his camera with him all the time and is constantly trying to find something interesting to post. Some of his subjects include many subdivisions, schools districts and local businesses, as well as restaurants, B&B’s, festivals, concerts, fairs,  churches, college football, parks, gardens,  bayous, parades – many facets of small town life chosen for their appeal to prospective buyers.

“I love Agent Insight and I’ll continue to post regularly. Who doesn’t have time to devote 10 minutes to making a submission?” he said. “Agent Insight is key to life on the Internet. It is also key to supporting RE/MAX. Helping the company is also helping myself.”

Pete puts his own style in his words and photos. He tells a good story with his insights and his readers will likely either want to move to his town or at least visit soon. Here’s an excellent example of one of Pete’s insights followed by a selection of his photos:

Zydeco Breakfast at Cafe Des Amis
On Saturday mornings, Cafe Des Amis in Breaux Bridge hosts the Zydeco Breakfast. It is an opportunity to have an incredible breakfast while listening to great Zydeco music from local musicians and dancing the morning away. Before I first went, I thought dancing in the morning? Believe me, the food is great, music good and dancing fun.

You may or may not remember that Agent Insight has a blog, Insight Insider. Our on-line editor recently heard this comment from an agent who was not very familiar with the blog’s content.

“The blog is nice,” she said. “But agents are all busy people and don’t have time to spend looking at pretty pictures.”

Wait! Wait! Wait!

Insight Insider is far more than a collection of handsome photos and well-written insights. However, that collection, which can be found under Featured Insights, is a fine resource both for submission ideas and for learning what it takes to make them excellent. Take a look at the examples here – all are beautiful and show wonderful features of their communities.

All the Insight Insider newsletter articles that you receive bi-weekly are archived in the blog. The articles have included agent testimonials, details on creating effective submissions and plenty of information on how to integrate Agent Insight into your overall marketing plan.

There is a collection of Frequently Asked Questions with answers to the issues you may have with Agent Insight.   If you are a person who would rather see it than read about it, there are several short videos that cover this information as well.co

Getting Started is an easy-to-follow set of short tutorials for new agents or for those interested in participating with Agent Insight for the first time.  We have also included a section for News and Announcements. The Word from the Street column on the far left of the blog’s home page quotes agents who are making Agent Insight work as part of their marketing strategy.

Agent Insight showcases your experience and professional knowledge of the local real estate market. Insight Insider gives you lots of ideas for making the most of this valuable marketing tool.

Photos by Lisa Peluso, RE/MAX First Choice Realtors II, Succasunna, NJ; Drew Taylor, RE/MAX Southern Homes, Birmingham, Al; and Sheryl Gassman, RE/MAX Lifestyle Realty, Branson West, MO.

A large piece of the American Dream is finding and owning a home. Your potential clients are out there wondering about the possibilities of small town life, an urban condo, or beachside retirement. With Agent Insight you can not only show the properties you have available, but you can also paint a full picture of the communities you represent.

What makes a client choose one neighborhood over another and why are you the person to help them make that important decision? Use Agent Insight as a marketing tool to show exactly what you know about your town:  vital info about schools, commuting times and the diversity of neighborhoods, as well as the fun stuff like great places to eat, local sports teams and the best places for live theater.

Take a look at these excellent photos submitted by agents across the country. All showcase some feature of their towns with beautiful pictures and descriptive captions.

Tell them what you like about your community with your written insights. Every paragraph you submit makes you an expert on the subjects you choose, especially to clients coming new to the area who want someone who knows the town to guide them.  All your Agent Insight submissions help clients refine their dream and get ready to buy.  They rely on your expertise to help find a new home and guide them through the purchasing process.  Show them what you know through Agent Insight.

Excerpts from following insights were submitted by agents who wrote compelling words that give them ownership of their subjects.

Having grown up in Fishkill, and then living there for more than 35 years, I feel a special attachment to this village! I now reside in East Fishkill so I haven’t gone that far, but there is a charm here that is unmatched in all of Dutchess County.
— Jeffrey Eraca, RE/MAX Realty Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

Have you ever walked into a restaurant and had to wave “hello” to five different tables before sitting down?  Well, that is a common occurrence in River Ridge! 
— Erin Helwig, RE/MAX Real Estate Partners, Metairie, LA

Many of my favorite childhood and adult memories in Lawrence are associated with downtown Lawrence. Five blocks between City Hall at the Kansas River and the county courthouse. This is “Main Street USA” at it’s best!
— Larry Northrup, RE/MAX Excel, Lawrence, KS

Photos by Tammy Chavers, RE/MAX Properties II, Montgomery, AL; Elizabeth Flynn, RE/MAX Resort Properties, Boyne City, MI; Kathy Madore, RE/MAX North County, Plattsburgh, NY; and Peter A. Montero, RE/MAX Acadiana, Lafayette, LA.

As you present the neighborhoods in your community, you will discover much inspiration for your written insights and photographs from styles of architecture.  Whether you choose to focus on stately colonials or cozy bungalows, angular contemporaries or sprawling ranches, you can have fun zeroing in on some of the specific features of homes and buildings throughout your area. Visitors to Agent Insight will like it, too.

Some building styles are iconic, such as the elaborate iron railing on the balconies and stairways in New Orleans or the pastel beach houses along Mobile’s Gulf shore. In New Jersey, Cape May has one of the densest concentrations of Victorian homes in the country, each one painted with whimsical color combinations.  Mackinac Island, MI, homes have a distinct look as do rows of brownstones in New York City.   Capture their flavor with your photos and words.

The following paragraph is part of an insight written by Ryan Desch, RE/MAX Excel, Lawrence, KS, who does an excellent job of describing a 100-year-old neighborhood in his town.

Historic Old West Lawrence
Over the years, the neighborhood has resisted most of the decline that has targeted other nearby neighborhoods. The homes here are grand and imposing, and many have been meticulously cared for or refurbished to their original splendor. Some of Lawrence’s most notable and unique homes still can be found here, even after years of the town’s westward expansion. Interest in the neighborhood as a prime destination continues its renewal as residents have poured investment dollars into their homes to maintain their curb appeal, their historical integrity, and their interior beauty. 

In addition to architectural styles, have fun with the details. Close-up photos of carved doorways, spires, columns, turrets, stonework, brickwork — you can find gorgeous, distinctive features everywhere. The two examples shown below were both photographed in Westfield, NJ, by Edward Feeley, RE/MAX Properties Unlimited.

Photos by Miriam Berstein, RE/MAX N. O. Properties, New Orleans, LA; Alana Turk, RE/MAX Select, Mobile, AL;  Christine Rothwell, RE/MAX at the Shore, Cape May, NJ; and Ryan Eashoo, RE/MAX Real Estate Team, Davison, MI.

Your clients want to know about homes for sale, but you can give them the bigger picture of your community with insights about local stores and businesses.  This is another excellent way to present yourself as the area expert. Also, it not only gives your clients some good tips about community amenities, it can give a boost to local businesses as well. Scott Shaker, RE/MAX Grande in Grand Blanc, MI, reports that the owners of a local bed & breakfast told him their online traffic increased noticeably after he featured several photos of their establishment on the SE Michigan Agent Insight website.

This is an opportunity for you to be creative and chatty in your written insights because you can focus on businesses that you really like personally. Think of this as a chance for giving good reviews of the places that really stand out for you as great perks for living in your town — an Agent Insight “Yelp”!

Take a look at these colorful, informative and conversational insights.

Tony’s Shoe Repair
The other day while getting out of my car I broke the strap on my shoe. This happened to be my favorite pair of shoes that I cannot live without. I suppose I could live without them but I just don’t want to. Anyway, I brought the shoe to Tony’s Shoe Repair on Main Street in the Village of Fairport. Although he was busy, he fixed it in just minutes for nearly pennies. I was in and out of there in about 15 minutes carrying my favorite shoes. Thank you Tony’s Shoe Repair for being so quick and accommodating.
Maureen Rice, RE/MAX Realty Group, Pittsford, NY

The Best Barbershop in Town
If you want to get a men’s haircut in a real, old-fashioned barbershop, then Charlie’s Barbershop,  in Rogers is the place for you!  Charlie has been cutting hair for over 50 years and is still going strong. My barber, Clovis, is a retired United States Air Force Tech. Sergeant.  He has served his country around the world and one of his most exciting assignments was being attached to an aircraft recovery team!  It’s an honor to have such a patriot cut my hair. Charlie’s Barbershop is located at 401 South Main, in Rogers. No appointment is needed.  Pop-in, sit-down, read one of the many firearm magazines in the shop, and get ready for a fast and friendly haircut.
Jim Gibbons, RE/MAX Real Estate Results, Bentonville, AR

Great New Business Helps Build a Great Community
It is such a pleasure to find such a terrific veterinarian right in my own backyard! Animal Care of Oradell and Dr. Christian Hurst and his staff are warm, welcoming, caring, professional – everything you would want in a veterinary clinic. It is really a joy to have them in Oradell. I stopped in to talk with them about the cat I had adopted and some of the challenges we have faced with her and got great feedback. The day after my cat’s check up I not only got emailed a detailed report, I got a phone call to see how she was doing after her visit. That’s a first for this seasoned pet owner. Did I mention that they are also a wild animal drop off? Can’t say enough good things about this business. Thank you for coming to Oradell!
Maria Rini, RE/MAX Real Estate Limited, Oradell, NJ

Keep in mind that some of the best insights and photos are those unique to your area. All the chains and big box stores can be found nearly everywhere, so pay close attention to the ones that your clients may be less likely to find without your help.

Photos by  Margaret (Peg) Eisenhauer, RE/MAX North,  Amherst, NY;  Chad Beasley, RE/MAX Southern Homes, Birmingham, AL; and  Summer Rathmann, RE/MAX Real Estate Group, Baton Rouge, LA.

Scott Shaker, RE/MAX Grande in Grand Blanc, MI, is very proactive with social media as a way to lead potential clients back to his Agent Insight page.  Once there, readers can view over 600 photos and written insights that Scott has posted to showcase his knowledge of the real estate market and the community.

“I’ve been really expanding on Google Plus, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook to bring people into my Agent Insight page and my personal webpage,” he says. “Combining all this together moves an agent to the top of the list. People searching the web will read about your expertise and contact you with questions which will lead to sales.”

Recently Scott received an email from a woman relocating from Pittsburgh who was interested in one of the subdivisions he had covered.  His photo appeared as the Local Expert, leading to her to contact Scott. He was able to answer her concerns about local schools, lot sizes, the HOA and neighborhood security. It was a lead he would not have received without his Agent Insight posts.

“Agent Insight is still in its infancy and I’m excited about the way it has grown,” he says. “With any method of advertising, it takes three to six months before you see any real return.  As more people find it, more business will be generated.”

Scott has contributed to the Southeast Michigan Agent Insight application since its launch in early 2014. To date, he has over 600 insights and photos and has 50 listed Areas of Expertise. These include three counties, one school district, 17 towns/townships and 29 subdivision and neighborhoods. Scott and his wife, Holly,  work together on his submissions.

“It’s not our mission to have the most postings,” Scott says. “Instead we want them to be special. Holly and I really enjoy working on Agent Insight. It’s made us more aware of what we’re doing and what would make a good post. We try to be consistent and make regular submissions. Good photos are key and I try to take a little time writing captions and insights so they read easily just like it’s rolling off my tongue as I tell people about the subject.

“This is a no-brainer. All it really takes is a little bit of your time and you have a great marketing tool with Agent Insight.”

Check out Scott’s page to see the variety of subjects and places he has covered. Here are a few examples:

Red Wing Hockey Night at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit   
Detroit is also known as Hockeytown USA! We take our hockey seriously here! The Joe Louis Arena is alive with excitement on game night and you can feel the energy all throughout downtown. With our 11 time winners of the Stanley Cup, Red Wings jerseys are practically considered formal wear at surrounding restaurants. I like the Roma Cafe where you can leave your car and take a shuttle to the game!

The photos and written insights you submit to Agent Insight create a rich tapestry of community life that enables the consumer to visual their potential future home. The photos in particular enhance the site with color and vibrancy, and including people in a picture can bring an otherwise static scene to life and enrich the story behind the photo. For example, an attractive shopping area or a beach scene might look much more exciting and animated if the viewer sees others enjoying the place.

Unfortunately, photos that include recognizable faces of people cannot be posted through Agent Insight. You may have already received that dreaded email, “Regarding Your Recent Submission…,” where you were notified that your photo was not usable. As much as our moderators dislike sending out these emails, it is necessary. For privacy and copyright reasons, pictures that include identifiable people cannot be published – even if the subject is from your own family or is someone you personally know.

But that doesn’t mean that people can’t be in photos.

There are many different ways to photograph a person without capturing a recognizable image. You can photograph them from behind, or if the lighting is right, you can capture a person in silhouette. Since the objective is to avoid showing a person’s face, faces covered by sports’ helmets or Halloween masks don’t pose a problem.

Crowd pictures are another good way to bring life to a picture as long as you are far enough away to ensure that individual faces are too small to recognize. A giant stadium filled with fans will nearly always work. Smaller venues like parades, county fairs, or concerts can also be a great photo subject that will be of interest to potential clients.

Just keep a good photographer’s eye on the finished product.  Take a look at these excellent examples of people pictures.

Photos by  Kathy Madore,  RE/MAX North Country, Plattsburgh, NY;   Kathleen Ramos,  RE/MAX Platinum Group, Sparta, NY; Karen Trebes, RE/MAX Real Estate Partners, Metairie, LA; and Charles Ross, RE/MAX Advantage, Salina, KS.

Finding good schools for their children is a priority for many home buyers.  Showcasing schools with your insights and photos indicates that you have knowledge about local schools as well as their surrounding neighbor-hoods.  You can include private as well as public schools, covering everything from preschools to universities. (Remember to post public schools within their own districts; all others go in their respective cities).  An important tip:  mentioning names of schools and school districts in your written insights and photo captions will provide valuable content keywords for search engines.

Your topics can be broad, such as district-wide test scores, student/teacher ratios and sports programs; parents are vitally interested in that information. However, some of your best articles will be about personal experiences with your child’s preschool or your participation in community programs offered at the local college or the first day jitters of your high school freshman.  Be creative and, as always, think about how education in your area will enhance your clients’ perception of the community.

Here’s an excellent insight by Duane Dickson, RE/MAX Paradise in Orange Beach, AL.

Innovation in Baldwin County Schools!
Many people may not realize it, but the Baldwin County Public School System is recognized as one of the most progressive school districts in America…every student receives a digital device for either in classroom use or to bring home.  Students is kindergarten through grade two receive iPads while those in grades 3 through 12 receive  Mac Book Air laptops.  No longer having to bring home 30 pounds of books has been one of the lesser of great benefits this program has had.  It also helps to eliminate the old “dog ate my homework” excuse as students now simply digitally “air
drop” their homework to their teachers.  While I would love to explain more, this is about where my technical expertise ends…I remember being excited just to have a class that had typewriters!  Now you would most likely only find them in a Museum of Modern History.

Photo opportunities are endless.  Although you cannot show students’ faces, you can show their schools and playgrounds, labs and auditoriums, tree-lined walkways and rows of lockers.  Be creative and make the most of each photo’s caption.  Include more than just the name of the building.  This is a chance to include a little fact that you can say in about 15 words.

Photos by Carmen Lonardo, RE/MAX Realty Group, Pittsford, NY; Daniel Cheuvront, RE/MAX Results, Omaha, NE; and Kevin Newkirk, RE/MAX Excel, Lawrence, KS.

“Agent Insight is a great way to get your name and face in front of the public,” says RE/MAX Agent Lisa Kopp.   Lisa has been with RE/MAX Premier Realty in Prairie Village, KS, for the past seven years and has been in real estate for 16.

“I’ve gotten a lot of exposure through Agent Insight and several leads.  It has put me in front of people I would not have met otherwise,” she said.  Lisa has a good understanding of how to make the best use of Agent Insight. To date, she has posted 213 submissions covering over 50 different areas of expertise. She has written about neighborhoods, events and festivals, shopping and entertainment venues, schools, parks and gardens. Her photos focus on the things people want to know about as they search for a new home.

Also, she has placed a widget on her personal website to lead viewers back to her Agent Insight profile page.  Once there, potential clients can see  Lisa’s knowledge of the local market through her written insights and photos.

When Lisa first registered with Agent Insight, she spent a couple of days when the weather was nice shooting photos throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. Her submissions added up quickly. She sent in posts every other day so that her face would appear regularly as one of the three “Featured Local Experts” on the Kansas City site’s home page. She continues to take pictures whenever she can squeeze in the time, frequently arriving early for appointments to photograph the neighborhood.

“I really want to hit this hard,” she said. “After becoming a manager/broker instead of working exclusively in sales, I found Agent Insight to be an excellent way to get back in front of the general public.  This is so easy to do and it’s great marketing. There’s no reason not to use it. An agent would be foolish not to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Take a look at a few examples of Lisa’s insights and photographs below.

The Country Club Plaza
One of my all time favorites areas in Kansas City is the Country Club Plaza. I grew up near the Plaza in grade school and I shopped there in my teens. Today I enjoy the many excellent choices of restaurants. I also attend Unity Temple on the Plaza. This isn’t just a place to shop and eat though – there are many choices of homes surrounding The Plaza, from one bedroom condos to large stately homes. Kansas City is referred to as the “City of Fountains” and many of our most beautiful fountains are located at the Plaza.

The format for pictures posted on Agent Insight is horizontal, or landscape.  If a photo is submitted in vertical/portrait orientation, we do our best to crop it to landscape, but only if it can be done without compromising its quality.  When one of our staff members  has to crop a vertical shot, we frequently wish that you, as the photographer, were standing beside our computer to help make the decision.

Take a look at this wonderful beach picture submitted from the Alabama Gulf Coast.  Feet in the sand, followed by a long sweep up the beach to the green ocean water and blue sky. This is such a good picture — just a glance brings to mind the pleasures of sun and fun at the beach.  However, the photo is far too vertical to fit in our prescribed format.  Our choice was to either use the top half, showing sea and sky or crop the bottom half showing the  sandy toes.  We chose the bottom half of the picture because it presents a whimsical little story that can be appreciated by anyone who’s ever enjoyed sitting by the shore.

Control the Finished Product

Both of the photos above could have been taken vertically, making them subject to dramatic cropping.   Instead both of these agents made good choices in deciding how to take a photo of a very tall subject.   Left, Beth McGeorge, RE/MAX Jefferson City, framed the picture of the Missouri State Capitol  exactly as she wanted it shown, picking up details of the dome instead of shooting its soaring height.   Scott Shaker, RE/MAX Grande, Grand Blanc, MI, captured an interesting angle of the tall church tower on the right.  Although he stood close to the building and looked up its height, he still took a well framed horizontal photo.

We want your pictures to be shown exactly as you intended.  Make this possible by using a horizontal perspective when you shoot them.