Brad Andersohn, outreach manager for online real estate site Zillow.com, will discuss community-building strategies during a discussion at the March 9 Agent Reboot real estate event in Seattle. Andersohn also serves as director of Zillow Academy, which offers training and support for real estate professionals who participate in an enhanced advertising program to increase their visibility on the Zillow.com site.
He is founder of Real Estate 411, an online real estate networking site, serves as chairman of the technology committee for the Solano Association of Realtors in California, and is a former community manager for ActiveRain Corp. and director of executive services for First American Title.
Andersohn responded to a set of questions posed by Inman News:
1. What is the most important business lesson you learned in the past year?
Build your life’s mansions and castles on people and relationships, because they are the strongest foundations of the earth.
2. What inspired you to pursue your current career path?
Technology and helping people. My passion and focus in life is really helping others. It’s an addiction.
3. Share a personal experience or anecdote about buying, selling, owning or renting a home.
Everything you learn and experience during the buying and selling process will have nothing to do with your next transaction.
We are all unique and different in so many ways, the key to successful closings and referrals is to sincerely care about your clients’ specific needs.
4. What the coolest technology you’ve discovered this year, and how are you using it?
See my ActiveRain page and you’ll find hundreds — I can’t narrow it down to just one. I like and use so many that it would be too much of a time-consuming task to deliver a single widget, gizmo, or gadget. I will say that life would stop in its tracks without my mobile device (an iPhone).
5. What is your advice for real estate industry professionals to thrive in this market?
To use tools and technology as tools and remember that business is built on relationships, trust and the experience. People may forget your name, what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel.
6. What is your favorite non-work-related hobby?
I am a musician, a photographer, and a martial artist.
7. Who is your hero, and why?
My wife and kids are my heroes. Why? Because they teach me patience, kindness, and unconditional love!
8. What do you view as the biggest problem facing the real estate industry today, and how would you fix it?
There are no problems in real estate, only challenges. All challenges can be overcome with solutions — the key is to surround yourself with those who understand these challenges and have proven solutions. Not all real estate markets and conditions are created equal. Key: Don’t panic!
9. Tell us something we don’t already know about you.
Our family almost made it onto the TV show "America’s Got Talent." We passed the third round of auditions but didn’t get past the final NBC producer. Our next stop would have been an appearance on national television in front of Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne. Next year …
Hear Brad Andersohn, outreach manager for Zillow.com, speak during the "Building a Community: Visibility, Awareness and Impact in Your Local Market" session at the March 9 Agent Reboot event in Seattle.
