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Joel Burslem just posted about WellcomeMat’s newest release. Shortly thereafter, we received an email from a very brave soul that absolutely has to be posted right here on our blog:

“$30 per video, per month. Ok, sounds like Realtor.com has been talking to you guys and done some convincing. That is not Real Estate 2.0, that is 1.0. They are looking for ways to make it since all the new companies are coming out. Realtor.com has always nickeled and dimed Realtors for every single service and now you are involved. I am pulling for Zillow and Trulia. The heck with you and Realtor.com.”

Here is some clarification:

1) We did not complete a biz dev deal with Realtor.com. Rather, if agents/brokers wish (and many do) to submit their video tours to Realtor.com, we completed the process (except technological integration) for them to do so.
2) This person has been so brave as to both a) not identify him/herself, and b) to announce themselves as the authority of what “2.0″ means.

Here are some ideas to ponder regarding the full penetration of video into the real estate space.

1) If a website collects real estate video content for a long while without charging, what motivation do sellers have to take down property that is no longer available?
2) All of these free video sites (2.0 I guess?) will integrate, at some point, advertising into your videos, or within the experience. Would you still want to use them when this happens? And, where does this leave you…maybe uploading your content to a site where you can control the branding of your marketing materials?
3) Does video require support to make it into the mainstream of real estate? Our team happens to believe so.

In short, WellcomeMat doesn’t really care if you call us 2.0 or not. We do care to be around, healthy, growing, and supporting our customers the way they deserve to be supported in a couple years. Thanks for the feedback Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous!

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Today we released the foundation upon which WellcomeMat will continue to grow. The guys over at Sellsius did a great job covering the new features, and we will be announcing the official release this coming Monday.

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Reading all the news about the sub-prime mortgage shake down, I find myself asking if our media & relied upon experts truly believe that this is only a sub-prime mortgage problem. If so, I have to beg to differ. The problems within the mortgage industry start with sub-prime. These people were the most vulnerable entering into the legal agreements they signed, but there is a lot more of a story playing out I’m afraid:

-Rising inventories in the for sale category
-Falling median prices mean way larger price drops based on averages
-Tightened loan practices (ie. less people able to enter the market)
-The prices in hot markets make even the most successful young people unable to enter the market, at least for now
-The running of the bulls in the stock market

All of these factors spell bad things for the economy, and will likely create some significant buying opportunities down the road. I don’t remember if it was Peter Lynch or Warren Buffet that said “one makes money buying not selling,” but those with a strong cash position in the coming years are going to be able to make a very healthy run of their own. How amazing it is to watch the American Dream in action, a series of emotional overflows, greed, and then panic sales. I am wishing those that overwhelmed themselves with debt a lot of luck. And, if WellcomeMat can help you, get in touch.

For those of us doing our best to help sell/rent properties, I think focusing on liquidity will yield very good results. I got a lesson on this when my mom was working for Fannie Mae during the S&L crash.

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Thanks to Fred Light for bringing WellcomeMat into the conversation with NPR/American Public Media. No real elaboration of WellcomeMat’s services, but at least they say “WellcomeMat” once!

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Looks like the guys/girls over at Trulia are doing a little NYC celebration!

It is impossible not to realize that Trulia is landing the very hard-to-close opportunities. Can we say that Trulia has built the competitive mote?

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Update regarding the newest release of the site:

Yes, we have lagged slightly, setting expectations for this week when in reality, the new version of the site will be public next week. Our bad, and sorry all.

Good news: we are looking forward to releasing the most powerful real estate and local business video tools available on the web. Get your uploads going, and stand by to find what the Mat has in store. Also, would anyone be interested in attending a live web conference next week?

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Our friend Dan Green posted this video on his blog. Dan’s blog was recently featured on CBS MarketWatch. We’re especially happy about this one as Dan’s experience represents WellcomeMat in it’s totality - Video from start (planning) to finish (final product). Dan found video pro, Rob Sepulveda through our Videographer Directory. Rob shot the video, posted it up on WellcomeMat and handed off the code to Dan. Bingo Bango.

2502 N Sheffield, Chicago, Illinois 60614
Visit Dan’s blog here

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This one has nothing to do with real estate nor video, BUT.. it does have everything to do with blogging. Anyone new to blogging quickly finds they have a number one fan. For the sake of not outing this fan we’ll call him/her, Sham. Yes Sham will suggest (more than once) that your manhood could use some improving and tell you they have all-access to cheap medications, money, etc.. Paradoxically Sham, your biggest fan, is also your enemy. While the WellcomeMat crew gets along with just about everyone, WE DESPISE SHAM. Sham posts comments daily - 10 to 15 at a pop. Well Sham, while we appreciate your exuberance, we must do something about you. Now we could probably look online something to protect us from this deluded fan, but you guys/gals are the experts. So how about it? What’s a blogger to do?

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There’s no silver bullet here. Real Estate is about Property and People. When you put the two together, interesting stuff happens. Barbara Corcoran aptly points this out in her video interview with Sean Black (Trulia.com). However, it’s safe to assume property is NOT moving like it used to. According to Curt Nickisch (WBUR radio), “Single-family home sales in Massachusetts hit their lowest level in 2006 in more than a decade.”

And so we pose the question… In a Down Market, is an Online Video Tour the Solution? Maybe so. It’s happening in Massachusetts. Local business owners and property marketers are turning to the internet to post online video tours. The trend is catching on and WellcomeMat is ready for it! Curt Nickisch recent story, “YouTube Home Sales” features one of our Video Pros Fred Light. We invite you to listen to the story. Fred was way ahead of the curve on this one.

Bottom line: Let’s put together more Property & People and see what happens.

Related Links:
- Must see Trulia TV: Real Estate Baroness Barbara Corcoran (part 1 of 3)
- YouTube Home Sales
- More on Fred Light

Watch a Fred Light Video:

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