When we first set out to create ActiveRain, we wanted to bring the real estate industry together in a way that never existed before – a way that many thought impossible. What we imagined but never expected was the impact a community like this would have on its members.
Since our launch in June of 2006, we have been marked by two extraordinary achievements: our exponential growth and how we accomplished it without any institutional funding. We never budged from our pledge of free membership -- which now extends to over 65,000 real estate professionals. And we’ve steadfastly maintained open access to useful real estate information to the more than 10,000,000 visitors to our network of sites.
I am proud of what ActiveRain has accomplished so far, but there’s more to do. There is more you have asked us to do. To accomplish this we needed financial resources. Which brings us to a special announcement I want to share with you. ActiveRain has accepted a minority capital investment from HouseValues designed to help us grow and become more of what we had always hoped we could be.
A great deal of thought and consideration went into this decision. I’d like to share some of that with you.
2007 taught us a few things. The biggest perhaps is how prudent we need to be about who we do business with. Despite the many hands held out to us over the past few months, the right one had to gain a firm grip on our trust. HouseValues did that – above all others.
Financial terms were important to us, but throughout the entire process we continually asked ourselves "who understands us and our culture the best?” and “Who will help us keep our commitments to the community? HouseValues, a local company with a wealth of experience in our industry, hit the mark.
Daniel Burnham, the visionary architect from Chicago, once said, "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will themselves not be realized."
We never set out with little plans and we are going forward with big ones. The future of this community – and this business -- rests on three pillars: ActiveRain (our professional network), Localism (our consumer destination), and our soon-to-be-released Outside Blogging platform. These things stir our blood. We hope they will stir yours.
We can barely contain our excitement over the promise that this year offers. Our community has a new member and they are committed to seeing it stay exactly as it is and becoming exactly what it desires.
I thought I'd come in and preemptively answer a couple questions which may be on people's minds:
HouseValues is a lead generation company, doesn't that conflict with ActiveRain?
ActiveRain and HouseValues are seperate companies. ActiveRain will continue to execute against the same business models we've planned on all along; for example selling services such as "Outside Blogs" and generating revenue from advertising. We have no plans to be a lead generation company.
Did ActiveRain give HouseValues access to member data or content?
No, this deal does not give HouseValues access to member data or content. Member content remains and always will remain the property of the individual member.
Will ActiveRain remain free?
In one word, yes...
Are we giving up control or bailing?
The founders still retain majority control of the company. In regards to bailing, Jonathan and I have never been more excited about ActiveRain, as this investment gives us the monetary resources we need to accomplish our goals.
Will HouseValues name be all over the site or will we be marketing their products?
This deal did not include a marketing component. Housevalues may purchase advertisement in the same way as other vendors can on the site.
So what does HouseValues get from this deal?
Mike Nelson from HV has a good comment below about this but basically it's purely a financial deal structured similar to a VC investment.
We at HouseValues are very excited to be working with Jonathan, Matt and the rest of the team at ActiveRain. We have been watching these guys for the last year and a half and have been profoundly impressed with their passion and unswerving focus on creating the most open and vibrant community for real estate professionals on the web. And wow, have they delivered!
We are also extremely honored to become a member of the ActiveRain network. Since the beginning of the company, HouseValues has been focused on creating success for real estate professionals, and the ActiveRain network is clearly playing a huge role in creating success for its members. Our promise to you is to contribute openly and positively to the growth of this very powerful community.
We look forward to the journey ahead and are thankful that Jonathan and Matt chose us to be a part of this incredible community.
Congrats. I knew something would come your way soon. Glad to see you've kept it separate ... and like Sally said what's up with the outside blog. I've been in a holding pattern waiting but I don't know how much longer .. .I wanted to get one up and running by the end of the month.
Any clues there gentlemen!
hi jon!
congrats to you, sara, matt, lydia, bob, jerry and the rest of the AR family. good people deserve good things :)
best,
- rudy
This sounds good and like a win/win. The outside blog is utmost in my mind, what's the scoop?
Matt & Jon.... this is great news. And I am sure Bob and Rich are happy, all being a part of this team and AR. In any case, it's great to see you guys grow and stay firm to your initial goals, vision, and promises. thanks for all of the hard work. Overall.... CONGRATS
Great post Jonathan, I feel ActiveRain is and will be even bigger and better in time as all agents find its value.
Good luck
I did a poll about who was the worst buyer for ActiveRain... I think HouseValues was a popular choice. LendingTree won though. Of course this is not HouseValues becoming the owner of ActiveRain.
Congratulations.
We are in the same boat with Ryan about House Values but also very enthusiastic about the possibilities it will bring to the A/R community. And thank you Matt for answering the inevitable questions that would have arisen at the top of this post. Does that mean all you guys and girls get raises? lol
So right now we are finishing up the final touches to the product and processes to ensure a successful launch. This includes scaling our support channels and finishing our deployment strategy utilizing our signature ActiveRain style: through the community.
We also have a couple of additional ideas we had to include in this first release. We have some of the most creative minds in the field here at ActiveRain but the feedback from our member community, like always, is food for thought.
This has been exciting to say the least and all in all, we’re looking at a mid-Feb launch date. Hold tight, it’s worth the wait.
Cheers!
Jon et al - For what it is worth, I have had a relationship with House Values that goes back to 2005. I have remained a customer since then. I have watched them go through growing pains and had the opportunity to spend quality time with Ian in New Orleans.
The bad taste in many agents mouth is thought to be the result of spoiled product or misleading advertising. In truth, the bad taste most feel is not actually a bad taste, it is a different taste than the expected. Many come to "lead procurment" companies expecting to capture lightning in a bottle and discover that they have actually purchased the opportunity to attempt to contact an internet lead.
Internet leads by their very nature are ambigious. The same lead may be generated by more than one source. It is a new avenue and House Values has done their best to continue offering a quality product. It is no surprise to anyone in the industry that the recent slow down has impacted all vendors. I firmly believe that House Values is doing everything they can to assist their customers be successful in this changing market.
I believe in the product you have created and look forward to your continued growth.
Congratulations.
Jonathan and Matt,
Thanks for sharing the news, and congratulations on securing capital!
Looking forward to seeing how AR evolves from here.
Jonathan,
I'm eagerly awaiting the outside blog platform. I think this will add to my website and give consumers the information they want.
Matt is correct, this is very much a VC-type deal. We think the ActiveRain model is special, we believe the path that Jonathan and Matt have chosen is the right one, and we see huge upside in the business, period.
This is not a lead generation opportunity for us and it is not a marketing opportunity either. Community, collaboration and peer-to-peer training have been extremely important to the HouseValues model over the last 8 years. When we found ActiveRain we were blown away and wanted in. I hope someday all HouseValues customers will find ActiveRain and tap into this great network to take their businesses to the next level.
Congratulations on the funding. Like others, I'm no fan at all of any lead generation companies. And I'm glad to read Mike Nelson's comment above about this not being that kind of opportunity for them nor an advertising opportunity for them. That was a concern of mine when I saw this announcement over on BloodHound earlier. Thanks for the clarification, Mike.
I hope this funding allows you to bring all kinds of great positive things to AR and Localism - that would be terrific indeed!!
Ann
Thanks Jerry...I went on Matt's post and was getting ready to go on yours to see what's up. Mid Feb...I'll be waiting.
I have many questions and no one will answer. Okay. I'll wait. :)
This isn't about HouseValues and their business...this is about how they invested into AR and that AR isn't going to change. What's the problem? Is there a problem? I don't see a problem...unless some have booku bunches of money to invest themselves. I think not. Geez. All want something for nothing and complain on top of it.
IF something changes other than what our guys said here....THEN will I have something to say. All I ask is that I do not get calls and emails soliciting me ....:)
P.S. Just read Mike's comment. Hey what a concept...all their customers will find a way to us. Great...more biz.
I have only been a member of this community for a short while, but it has been a very rewarding experience. I wish you and your organization continued success, and look forward to growing with your site.
I had many questions and then the first two comments answered them!
THank you all for what you have done (and will do) for us and CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU!!!
Great news, Jonathan. Sounds like a terrific move. I do wonder, though...any VC, if that IS their postiion, will be looking for a return on their investment in some way, at some point. Otherwise why bother investing? And what is the value to them for doing so? Any thoughts?
Jeff
A/R guys... I'm excited for you. I'm glad to see this and hope it goes a long way to making A/R into what you want it to be.
HV... don't blow it. I subscribed to your service back in 2005 and it was horrible. I felt like you had effectively stolen my money. I still think that you make R.com look like a bunch of white hats... and I don't like them either. But, you have just managed to get your hands into something great. Use it as an opportunity to learn and perhaps change your business model instead of polluting the model here.
A/R people... be careful.
As long as Active Rain remains true to its originally committment and does not change except for the better, I'm staying right here. I'll hold my opinion about the "partnership" with HV.
If Jonathan and the other founders of AR think its a good move, then I'm in to see what lies ahead.
This is some well-deserved recognition for the efforts of the AR Team and success of the site! Like several others, will be watching with cautious optimism as this moves forward.
Congrats to the whole team at AR! I am confident that this will really help accelerate your vision. Great things are around the corner!
Congratulations to all at Active Rain. What great news this must be for you and if it allows you to make things here bigger and better, then it's great news for us as well.
Colleen
Excellent news from the POV that it's for AR people and their families. Am not a fan of any place that gets between us and our customers. Like BB says above, lets sell them some leads.
On another not, missed your post about bringing Rich inside. Absolutely excellent in every sense of the word. Sends a very strong positive signal to many of us who know what Rich has done prior to help AR be a fun, comfortable place for us.
cheers
I agree....
Congrats. I knew something would come your way soon. Glad to see you've kept it separate ... and like Sally said what's up with the outside blog. I've been in a holding pattern waiting but I don't know how much longer .. .I wanted to get one up and running by the end of the month.
Any clues there gentlemen!
Interesting news, Jonathan and Matt. Welcome to the AR family, Mike.
When we read of last years activities, it was an outright sale that was discussed, as I understood it. This is a very different animal and should be viewed differently by the many leaders who have commented here. This is the taking on of a minority partner to fund extended operations and expansions. The ownership, management and the philosophy which has guided the AR project so far does not appear to be changing.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "this is not the end - this is not even the beginning of the end. This may be the end of the beginning"
Best wishes to all on a successful business arrangement and on finding a partner that you have confidence in. We, who continue to benefit from your efforts, wish for you continued success.
I am truly happy for you all at AR, you deserve everything that comes your way. No comment on HV, because I was taught if you have nothing nice to say, don't say it.
At least you have majority control.
Do HV's financial liabilities roll over to AR as a result of this investment? Can AR be liable for lawsuits, debts outstanding, and other griveances that the industry has with HV?
Has to make you wonder why AR went into the arms of HV? HV + AR < Move.com
If you needed the money, then you should've raised it from a bank or VC - HV makes no sense whatsoever, especially when you gave them 35% of your company and they have the first right of refusal to buy AR.
....and to think I BOUGHT you and Sara drinks at INMAN.....!
no, really congrats.
Jon,
Call me let's gossip. I know how much you LOVE to gossip.
Congrats to Active Rain and to the men that started it. Awesome to see a dream grow to a reality. My hat is off!
- Chris
I think Ted Baker's quote say it all "To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "this is not the end - this is not even the beginning of the end. This may be the end of the beginning"
Congratulations looking forward to better things!!!
Not sure how it can get any better than it already is
but I am sure if any one can active|rain with you guys at the helm can!!
If I can still blog, get found on Google because of it, and learn all I have learned from the others on this site, I don't care who you get financial backing from, if you sell it, change it's name or whatever you wanna do. AR is a great tool and I look forward to having it around for a long time to come.
Ed Nailor - Charlotte home loans
"The bad taste in many agents mouth is thought to be the result of spoiled product or misleading advertising. In truth, the bad taste most feel is not actually a bad taste, it is a different taste than the expected."
Wrong. It was a bad taste, and it stemmed from misleading sales pitches from their telemarketing. Some of their telemarketers used to talk about how much the job sucked, dealing with the high turnover and ticked off agents.
$2.75 million in paid links.
At $100 a blog, HV sees their ROI if 1/3 of AR buys in. Doubt that would happen, but hey, AR bloggers like to build content for others then congratulate them on getting paid for someone else's work.
PT Barnum would be proud.
like Ine's idea... lets bombard them with thanks first, then we'll let'em have all of their past phone call and spam favors returned. But it would have to be all in good fun of course.
Can't tell you how many times I told their sales staff, and other like'em, I'd be happy to pay a referral, but not a dime for unqualified "leads." Not just HV, but all of them said "no" to that, like we weren't to be trusted. Wonder if they would trust us now?
cheers
I am very excited to be a part of active rain and look forward to see what the future holds for all of us. I have every confidence that you guys will make good choices in your relationship with HV. Judging from what you have given us all up to this point, I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve for our future!! Best of luck- may we all grow and prosper!!
I'm scared.. .but I'm sure its all good... sounds like it will be... change is just an adjustment.
A big hearty CONGRATS to you though! Great job, guys!
Congratulations on securing funds to keep on innovating! I trust Jon's entrepreneurial instincts and Matt's financial savvy on their decision to allow HV in as a VC investor, and that it is arms length money.
That trust is not easily given because I once trusted HV and their "guarantees". After thousands of dollars, incredible amounts of my time, energy and enthusiasm it all went to nothing....
The flip side though, is that at least some of my money is going to something good and that is investing in ActiveRain...LONG LIVE ACTIVERAIN!
*** UPDATE: clarification..."my money" is the money I paid in good faith to HV, and now at least a bit of that money has gone toward something good...ActiveRain!
Congratulations!
Parked - Watching. Waiting for the outside blog.
Sally -- WooHoo! What do you know?
Congratulations! Good things come to good people who work hard and you are and do both! Thanks for all you do for this community--I love it here!
Congratulations to both parties in this transaction!
Jackie
I'm uncertain right now. I'm not sure what I think. Cautious optimism? I wouldn't call it fear. But it isn't all sunny and roses either.
Hi Guys..WEll Done!
HAVE AN AWESOME YEAR IN THE RAIN IN 2008!
Hi Everyone,
House Values or any other lead generation company is the current future. In case anyone needs to be reminded, the Internet is where prospects turn into dollars and sense. A lead that comes from your computer or how it gets in you contact management system is a mute point. What does matter is that House Values has been instrumental in launching careers for some and sadly not able to spoil others.
I have concern for anyone outside my market who claims Internet leads are either a waste of time or a waste of money. Effort being left out because that is what usually is for the typical naysayer. If your in my market carry on with your thoughts. I would be happy to buy your subscription.
I've been with House Values since January of 2006. Simply said, I've received over 2,000 leads that have given birth to my business, future and lifestyle. I have picked up over 80 transactions and $300,000 in total commissions. I average 3.5 listings a month and expect no slow down in sight. I have also enjoyed countless opportunities to grow, learn and develop as a practitioner in my market. I can also thank House Values for helping me be the Top Listing agent for 15 months in a row in my office.
I am very excited and glad they are financially involved with Active Rain.
Jonathan and Matt....
Congratulations. This seems like a great move. I have been on Active Rain for just over three months now and absolutely love the way it works and the relationships I've forged in such a short period of time.
I'm looking forward to an exciting year here in the Rain.
Martin Abeshaus
ZIPVO.com
Congratulations from a member who's not even a real estate agent and not even in the US.
I love Active Rain!
Regards
I have been a HouseValues/Just Listed subscriber since February 2005 and will soon have 36 solid months of business generated because of the leads and system I've used from HouseValues. The HouseValues system has been the cornerstone of my real estate business CONSISTENTLY for these past 3 years.
With the Internet being the first place consumers go for information about real estate, in fact over 90% do so according to NAR (National Asssociation of REALTORS) statistics. I have done the math and overall for every $1 I've invested, my ROI on HouseValues has been $8.50, pretty good return if you ask me!
I was able to build an eTeam with 45 agents and even in a declining market we were able to close over $250,000 in GCI (Gross Closed Commissions) in just 4 months in 2007!!! The system works. Those who boo whoo any system, flat out didn't understand that the Internet consumer takes time to incubate and nurture. That's why I've stayed and will continue to build and grow my SUCCESSFUL real estate career with HouseValues! How long have I been in the real estate industry, since October 1987! Go ahead and look me up if you're anywhere near Long Beach, California...I'll treat you to lunch and we'll talk about HouseValues and their ROCK SOLID and unbeatable system that helps me and my team everyday!
JONATHAN--Congratulation on securing funding and terms you feel will allow you to maintain the goals you have for AR. I know how hard it is to manage the process of securing funds and maintaining your vision.
On another note: I have to support Gary Nino's point in principle. I have no personal experience with House Values, however I worked for Zip Realty for 6 months. They are a lead generation company for real estate agents. Their market product is a powerful internet search engine for the consumer. You are assigned a territory and you get all the internet leads in your territory. The skills come in learning how to manage the leads and building a drip system that initially provides you with pattern matching of clients that are viable. You learn how to bring the client forward to compel a face to face engagement. It would not be everyone's cup of tea and although we were successful and beginning to have good leads and escrows, we left due to contractual and disclosure issues.
I can see Gary's point that it is a learned skill and takes the building of infrastructure to manage and bring the leads forward to engagement. In principle, all our work on the internet requires these same skills and systems by which we can manage and track leads. Those that are building infrastructure will be seeing larger market share going forward.
Congratulations to finding funds to assist in creating a more compelling place for us real estate professionals. I am truly glad that you will be making improvements.
However, I must say that I am overly cautious with the source. Say what you will...but I will be waiting for the other shoe to drop. JMHO.
Jon, For right now I'll buy your explanation that it was a purely financial investment in a tech venture. That seems reasonable to me. If I had the spare cash and if I understood how you plan to monetize AR I might have done the same thing. By the way, how do you plan to monetize AR?
Congratulations. I realize that most Vulture Capitalists don't like the principals to take cash out, but I hope you at least got back pay and bonuses.
But one little thing: I thought Matt told me he might consider letting us (the members) buy in. After all, it comes to less than $50 per head. What happened?
Bill Roberts
Congrats and no one is surprised! Excellent future ahead as well!!
I'm still befuddled... A LOT OF tiptoeing through the tulips has gone on here. Exactly WHAT benefit does HouseValues get out of this??? Along those same lines I will say I'm not a fond advocate of them either, not because they don't have a great system, but because their advertising to the consumer is false and misleading.
If you watch their TV ads, in VERY TINY print at the bottom, with not enough time to ready, you MIGHT see that an agent is going to call you. I got real fed up with calling these people and being screamed at because they thought they would get a pc generated report. Why not just tell the truth??? Why not just say, hey, here's what will happen, an expert agent will get with you and you can use them or not? OK, done with the HV rant.
Now, moving on, I'd like to know if the AR blogs are going to be transferable to the paid versions??
Also, for all of those who mentioned that they were waiting with baited breath for another blog venue, there are PLENTY of them out there. RealTown has a free one, or if you want to pay - there are tons of places to to get one if you want to spend money.
I am a little skeptical of this entire merger, as I see HouseValues gaining access to my personal information, that of my peers and clients, and they are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts?
I don't buy any of these stories....but the future will tell the truth.
Am I missing something? I thought it was already said that HV would not be getting any other personal information than what was already available to the public view. Is that not right, or did I miss understand?
The last comment was also made "anonymous". Don't be afraid to sign in, no one is going to be upset with you stating your opinion.
I am not upset or surprised by this post from Mr. anonymous who also was bold enough to say he/she "does not buy any of these stories." Truth be told, I don't buy his experience with House Values. I've worked almost 2,000 leads and have NEVER been yelled at for the bait and switch concept that is mentioned. I have been asked maybe 10 times, period. Why do you care that HV is working out a MINORITY stake? What are you so paranoid about? HV is an industry related part of the pie that is simply being welcomed by the founders of AR. As for the their TV ads.. is this the best example you came up with to kick dirt in their face?
Can you name a single advertiser on television or radio that doesn't have tiny print or disclaimers?
Was this a merger?
Lets not be silly. Of course HV would think this is a good idea anonymous, it is an opportunity for them to expose their company and possibly advertise in whatever way they can to get business from an arena that has thousands of prospects for their business.
Is it okay for you or any other agent to find business how you see fit?
I doubt this was a hostile takeover or an invasion from foreign soil, so don't make it sound like it.
Save the theatrics for another topic. My post was accurate and truthful. Thank you.
What are the future "Big Plans" for ActiveRain? I'd just like to know what's new that's coming!
I don't understand why the people here don't understand that HV invested the money as a MINORITY investor. That is clear to me that the folks at AR are still in majority control.
It was made very clear that this deal was not a merger but an investment. It doesn't matter who it is...it is a minority.
As for "Color me VERY unhappy"....no need to be rude...If you are so appalled with the VC investment, you can feel free to end your membership.
I can't, for the life of me, see the scandal in any of this.
I appreciate AR....
mmmmm AR...... we love AR
(HI Sally! - just stopping by to get my 25 points lol)
You have come a long way from your humble roots and in such a short period of time.
Anonymous comments only indicate one of three things. The person posting is only doing so to irritate other people. This is usually done by one of the less mature folks on the web. They should be ignored. They will return to their chat room laden existence if no one places them in the center of the room.
The other possibility is that the person posting is terrified that signing their post will let everyone else know just how much of an idiot they are on the subject.
The last possibility is that the person posting the comment is old and forgetful and damn tired of so many signins and so many passwords just to go someplace that is supposed to be free. They usually return to the scened of their crime and acknowledge the comment.
It is rather silly to debate an anonymous poster. Those reading can never be sure if there is really a debate or if the authors are one in the same using the device to entertain themselves and others.
Privacy is important. Everyone has a right to privacy. On forums, you have the opportunity to protect your privacy by keeping your fingers off the keys. If you are afraid to own, don't post it.
I read elsewhere (outside of ActiveRain ) that one of my invitees is removing ActiveRain posts over the news... have not seen my points dip yet... can't tell what's been removed looking at her blog ...and hey I am not here for the points anyway....
from FOREM
"Trouble in Bellevue?
John Cook reports that HouseValues cuts staff and its CFO is leaving.
Hope it wasn’t because of that ActiveRain deal… (see ActiveRain Finds Funding)"
Congratulations! You have a great platform here, and I know there are other levels that AR could achieve. For one, I am hoping that AR will eventually host (yes I am willing to pay a fee) for a private label customizable template blogs similar to www.wordpress.org I like your free platform, but there are limitations on branding.
Best wishes again!
Jim Crawford
Congrats, Jonathan, Matt, et al.,
Thank you for setting up such a great network. I look forward to all the new developments you have planned. Will some of this funding go towards even bigger AR parties?
Very informative. I read this because of Bob's blog regarding the anonomys writer.
First, I hope that this HV venture benefits all of us, Members and Consumers. S
econd, why be anonymous? We are all here for information, to give and to get. I don't think a post means anything if we don't know where or whom it is coming from. If there are real issues with HV, then share them.
I was with HV for about 10 months and turned one deal...I never got my money invested back.....
I became a Certified HouseValues Professional and my thoughts were to get into the Presidents Club some day.... so I aimed high......
Most of the people I called at night (up to 50 calls per night, EVERY NIGHT) were just so happy about the free CMA I did for them..... I did hundreds of them over the course of my HouseValues stay and I had a database of over 450 people and had bought 2 zip-codes to the tune of $750.00 per month.
1 transaction in 10 months was a little too much to take.......or too little, if you get my meaning.....
I went to two HV seminars praising the system they have (I DID LOVE the drip e-mail system they have BTW and the contact management system was great also)...I felt like a fool after all was said and done......
With all the marketing materials I bought and the cost of the zip-codes I had over time (aprox. $7500.00) I lost about $4500.00 after all was said and done....... maybe I should have looked into different zip-codes, but I would have had to start all over again building my database..... I do not think I will be doing business with HouseValues any time soon after what happened to me.
I hope AR AND HV do well...I am staying with AR and I might just buy into that outside blog they are going to let us know about in February.....
House Values as far as I know, no longer offers set zipcodes for specific subscribers. I can only imagine how dominate my business would be if they would let me own 3 or 4.
Debrah...I use POINT 2 Agent...I pay $39.95 for a FANTASTIC real estate website I can practicallu customize myself....PLUS drip e-mail AND contact managment.....
HOWS THEM apples....?
I will send you an invite to them.....
Just send me your e-mail address through ActiveRain....
=-)
Two things about HV:
1. I'm not a huge fan of their specific business practices, but their business model is sound. So much agent dissatisfaction comes as a direct result of agents not understanding how to nurture an Internet lead. Did you ever wonder why lead generators will rarely, if ever work on contingency (they get paid when you do)??? It's because agents are notorious for mangling good Internet leads. Why would any lead generator sink resources into acquiring good leads and then sit around hoping that the purchasing agent knows what to do with them?
2. It's obvious what HV gets from this deal. Their brand is toast in this industry and now they get to hook their star to a hugely respected brand in that industry. That's worth $2.75M right there, and if you have to fire an army of internal personnel that are sitting around twiddling their thumbs in this market to pony up the price of admission, that sounds like a sound business move on their part.
Any other questions, people?
I'm not surprised at all that AR was seeking capital, but choosing HV...That's a jaw dropper!
I'm sure it was a well thought out move and I wish you the best.
I am disappointed to see so many Congrats comments. I have always thought highly of AR, and lead generating companies are on the other end of the spectrum. To me agents that support any lead generating company do not understand how to run their business and should go get a job. That may seem like a harsh statement but I just can't believe how short sighted people can be.
Round one; HV wins and gets their foot in the door, Agents lose as we usually do because the majority don't get it, AR sells their souls to the devil and eventually all our private information too, regardless of what they claim now.
Lead generating companies always claim to help agents and to be good for our industry, nothing could be further from the truth.
Dear Jonathan,
Thanks for your contribution to worldwide marketing and real estate idea networking. There outta be an e-book compiling these genius ideas.
I want to create better script for the Flyers...Any suggestions or great examples you can lead me to ?
Newbie
John Hurbon
Benson, Arizona Google this... Benson Horse Property
I am disappointed to see so many Congrats comments. I have always thought highly of AR, and lead generating companies are on the other end of the spectrum. To me agents that support any lead generating company do not understand how to run their business and should go get a job. That may seem like a harsh statement but I just can't believe how short sighted people can be.
Round one; HV wins and gets their foot in the door, Agents lose as we usually do because the majority don't get it, AR sells their souls to the devil and eventually all our private information too, regardless of what they claim now.
Lead generating companies always claim to help agents and to be good for our industry, nothing could be further from the truth.
Dennis,
I am really confused by your post.
You said agents that support lead companies should go get a job and that they don't know how to run their business. Your statement isn't harsh, it's reckless and has no merit and includes very little logic, if any at all.
You sound like a prospect. Afraid of losing your identity and personal information over the net. This demonstrates your lack of understanding on how marketing has changed. Our private information? What are YOU talking about Dennis? How many agents with active rain want to remain private? Googling, advertising and spreading OUR information is crucial for OUR EXPOSURE! Anyone at anytime could come to Active Rain, or any association to gather Realtors phone numbers and emails. They don't need to invest 2.75 million dollars to do so.
Are you implying that you would rather find the prospects yourself than pay someone to do it for you? Do you think lead generation companies are stealing your/our hard work & opportunity to find our own business?
Welcome to 2008 Dennis. Everything is going ON-LINE. INTERNET INTERNET INTERNET! Spend your time, money and efforts doing your best to position yourself Dennis, at the end of they day YOU will be GLAD to take Internet referrals and leads from you sources, right? No one is taking anything away from you!
If you were given $12,000 to advertise what would you do with it? What could you guarantee yourself with lead volume?
Please, if you are going to post "harsh words" as you put it, be specific, use examples and explain your blanketed rudeness. I rely on my on-line leads and am grateful to get them. I have a job that I love. I am successful and will continue to grow my business with traditional methods along with the EVER changing Marketing world - which includes on-line prospects. I do "get it." What most of the "older" been around the block a few times agents DON'T GET is the INTERNET! Don't be afraid of technology, change, newer ideas and ability to welcome DIFFERENT opportunities.
HouseValues is a lead generation company, doesn't that conflict with ActiveRain?
Johnathan writes: "ActiveRain and HouseValues are seperate companies. ActiveRain will continue to execute against the same business models we've planned on all along; for example selling services such as "Outside Blogs" and generating revenue from advertising. We have no plans to be a lead generation company."
I got the call yesterday from HouseValue to sign up for their service. The sales person said he found me in Activerain. ( I did also have a prior subscription with HouseValue, only it didn't work out at the time.) Can we assume HouseValue will use ActiveRain as a member fishing pond?
Concetta,
You sound very convinced about the future of AR. You said.. "ActiveRain will continue to execute against the same business models we've planned on all along; for example selling services such as "Outside Blogs" and generating revenue from advertising. We have no plans to be a lead generation company"
With all do respect, How Do You Know?
Why would HouseValues conflict with ActiveRain? McDonalds had has little toys from the latest children movies in the bags. Does that mean MGM & McDonalds are confliciting? It's business. $$$ that's all. They both got something.
YES. You CAN assume HV would use AR for a fishing pond. What else would they do with it? Donate the $?
Greg,
I didn't write the first paragraph of my comment. I copied it from Johnathans blog to comment on. I added quotation marks and credit.
My comment pertains to the last line, "We have no plans to be a lead generating company."
The call I received from HouseValues makes Activerain a lead generating company...I am the lead generated from AR to HV.
I'm not personally a fan of House Values. I became aware of them when they were selected by the Motley Fool as a recommended stock a year ago or so. Did my research, and was not impressed with the business model, and there was a tremendous amount of negative fedback within the Motley Fool community. The stock subsequently tanked and the Fool sold their position. Good for you for acquiring much needed capital, though, as I believe in ActiveRain!
Tim