Real Estate IDX

RSVP for the HomeQuest Open House

Tyler — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:41:23 +0000

Wednesday, January 6th 2010 there are going to be some open slots for the HomeQuest Open House. We are going to stick with the RSVP ONLY system. The RSVP is to ensure that peoples appointments are spaced out enough that you can get some individual time and we maintain the small group environment.

How to RSVP:

Send an email to support@pdxhomequest.com with an RSVP request to the Open House before the Jan 6th date

HomeQuest Support is now on Twitter @HQHelpDesk

Tyler — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:47:22 +0000

Twitter is the latest and greatest revolutionary technology for getting the word out and quickly communicating with the world. HomeQuest Support is now on Twitter as @HQHelpDesk for questions and help with HomeQuest and IDX Blogger, and our upcoming IDX Plugin. Follow us for updates, or tweet us for questions.

Making an image into a clickable link

Tyler — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:13:08 +0000

Any image in your IDX Blogger site can be set to be a clickable link. When a visitor to your site clicks on the image, they will be taken to the site that you designated.

Step 1: Find an image to be your link, or take a screenshot to create the image you wish to use.

A “screenshot” is a picture taken of what you are seeing on your screen. “Jing” is a free software tool that you can download for Mac or PC to make taking screenshots very easy and user friendly. See the easy to follow videos at http://www.jingproject.com/

Step 2. Add the image to your blog post using the “Add Media” button above your content editing window

Step 3. In the image properties, highlight and replace the “Link URL” with the web address you want to link the image to

Step 4. Once you have the desired web address entered like the example, click “Insert into Post” to insert the image and link.

Step 5. Complete your post content, and then click the “Publish” button on the right hand side.

Step 6. Visit your new blog post and click the image to test your link.

Step 7. The web address that I entered worked, and by clicking on the image my visitors will be directed to the link.

RSVP for HomeQuest Open House

Tyler — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:01:55 +0000

The RSVP only HomeQuest Open House for December is only one week away. Email support@pdxhomequest.com to reserve on of the 8 remaining spots left for the afternoon of December 17, 2009.

Adding a YouTube video to a post

Tyler — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:42:34 +0000

YouTube is the internet gold standard for free easy video sharing. Add some depth or perspective to your blog post content by posting a relevant video to share, whether it is one that you found or one that you created and uploaded to YouTube yourself.

Step 1. Locate the video that you want embedded into your blog post, and copy the “Embed” code.

When you click on the Embed code, several options appear below it. Use these options to make the video smaller or larger. A video that takes up too much space on your page and interferes with the sidebar may need to be shrank. Remember that anytime you change an option on YouTube, the embed code is brand new and has to be changed.

Step 2. Edit the blog post that you would like to include the video in. Click the “HTML” tab, and paste the embed code that you copied from Youtube.

Step 3. Publish your post, and test to make sure that the video is working.

RSVP for the HomeQuest Open House

Tyler — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:33:12 +0000

This month we are going to change the HomeQuest Open House a little bit. Our Open House was so popular last month that it lost the small group feeling that is best for a training and learning environment. In order to keep the Open House to a small group we are going to try an RSVP system. Spaces are limited, so please RSVP to support@pdxhomequest.com and reserve a space for yourself.

RSVP for time with HomeQuest on Thursday December 17, 2009

10 spaces are available in two time slots, please RSVP to receive your time slot confirmation.

WordPress IDX Plugin

Tyler — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:56:17 +0000

Coming Soon! The WordPress IDX Plugin from HomeQuest allows you to install the amazing HomeQuest IDX Search into your WordPress blog.

In the past, you could only enjoy our IDX Blogger map if you had a site hosted with HomeQuest, now as another option you can install our Plugin. A WordPress plugin is an easy way to install additional functionality to your WordPress website or blog. Enhance your website with continually updated listings from the MLS, as well as the ability to add your blog posts to the map as neighborhood information. The plug-in centers around an interactive map that can search property by map window or various shapes such as Zillow neighborhoods, zip codes, school boundaries etc. Visitors can save searches and be notified of new matches via email and can build folders to store their favorite properties.

Now you can have the freedom of your own WordPress blog with our premier IDX solution, and best of all the plugin is FREE with your HomeQuest subscription.

Check out more and see the latest information about the WordPress IDX Plugin from HomeQuest.

Now enhanced with:

An easier to navigate map. Navigate by neighborhood, school boundary, city, or just zoom in to the area you want and see the listings.
Saved Searches! Never before has a client been able to setup their own Saved Searches, an agent always had to do it for them. Now clients can save the search they are working on at any time and automatically receive updates to that search by email.
Multiple Favorites Lists

HomeQuest Open House on Monday

Tyler — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:08:28 +0000

One week from today on Monday November 16, 2009 we are hosting our HomeQuest Open House. Drop in anytime from noon to 4pm at 2211 NW Front St Portland, OR 97209 and get some help with HomeQuest or your IDX Blogger website.

Creating an effective IDX Blogger website

Tyler — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:45:07 +0000

IDX Blogger from HomeQuest makes it very easy to get an agent website with a property search. But the best property search around doesn’t make your website good. Content is what sets your website apart from the others, and content is how the search engines find you. In order to have an effective website with IDX Blogger, make sure that you have:

Original Content

Write about what you know and love, make a name for yourself. Your content should be original, and it should reference sources if there are any. If you leave your site bare with only a property search and a paragraph about yourself as an agent, you do not have a compelling website.

SEO

Make sure that you have filled out the SEO page on your site. Click here to see how to change the SEO information for your site.

This information influences how your site appears in the Google listings, including the name and the keywords that are associated with your site. Filling this information out helps Google find you and list your site under the correct keywords that you want to focus on.

No Default Content

Your site comes with some text on the Home page, your first blog posts, and in your Agent Profile widget. Change this text! The default is no good, and it should be changed to represent you. The process of Editing a Page, Editing a Blog Post, and Editing your Widgets is also a good exercise in learning IDX Blogger and how to use it.

Pages

See the links in your navigation bar? Those are your pages. Each link represents a page in the system. You can change these links, add more pages that appear up there, and even change the order. Click here to see more about Pages.

Blog Posts/Neighborhood Info

IDX Blogger lets you place your own neighborhood information right on your listings map. Your clients will see your blog posts placed right on the map as they are searching for homes. This lets a client know how active you are in that neighborhood, and how well you know the area. The more you post, the more informative your map is. Click here to see more about blog posts.

Novembers HomeQuest Open House

Tyler — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:26:33 +0000

HomeQuest hosts monthly Open Houses here at our office where you can come and learn about IDX Blogger and HomeQuest in a small group environment with the HQ support team. Come ask questions, see new things, and get small unofficial trainings on new features and parts of HomeQuest that you may not have used before.

Ask us about:

The Market Analyzer
Getting the most out of your IDX Blogger website
Managing your website content
Adding community information to your listings map
and more

Come join us on Monday November 16, 2009 from 12 noon to 4pm. Drop in anytime for some snacks and HomeQuest goodness.

Our office is located at 2211 NW Front St Portland, OR 97209. Go in the bright orange door.