Los Altos Real Estate Blog

Social media and networks are constantly in our face, in the media, and their very presence is pervasive in the daily lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world.  From Facebook to LinkedIn to Twitter, you can't go a day without someone you know, somewhere doing something online.  At what point is it all just...too much?

Along comes Pinterest...the latest in a long line of novel social media outlets.  This one offers the ability to "pin" photos and engage in dialog about them.  If that photo is copyrighted, you might actually see a lawsuit (or so I've heard).  I've taken a look at Pinterest and to me it just seems like another way to spend more time online.  Don't we already tagged photos on Facebook?  Do we really need Pinterest or is this just "the next big thing" and a momentary novelty to waste our time?

Real estate is a contact sport

That means real-world, in-person contact, not online.  You can start building relationships online but eventually they MUST move into the real world.  More real world time means more business.  Sure, having your name or business smeared all over another social network increases your chances of being found.  How how much is enough?  Is it enough to be on Facebook and other existing sites?  We don't need another social network.

Real estate is about people and relationships

Social media, like texting, tends to make contact less personal - in my opinion - and more like soundbites.  You can't have a meaningful conversation on Twitter.  Looking at Pinterest, it looks similar in that long dialogs aren't likely.  There are conversations but they appear to be "fluffy".  Do we need more fluff or more substantial?  We don't need another social network focused on "fluff".

I have nothing against social media.  I like it and spend time online every day networking with friends, family, and colleagues.  My networks of choice are Facebook and LinkedIn but I also use Plaxo and Twitter.  They all have their place but do we really need another one that simply wastes our time?  I'm not just talking about Pinterest.  Any other novel way of social networking seems to me, at this point, to be a feature of what already exists.  For me, I'll stay focused on what works and will watch to see where this one goes.

I'm posting this on my blog so my clients can know that while I see the professional need to be on social networks, that's not where I spend all my time.  You can find me in the real world, buying and selling homes.