I am a real estate agent, and operate a brand new site, and am very much interested in providing “value.” I would like to share my observations about the real estate blogosphere, and find out if you or others have made similar observations in other types of business blogs.

Three types of blog posts now predominate the real estate blog world:

(1). Opinion posts. Opinions are cheap and they are relatively harmless when they are clearly presented as opinioin, not fact.

(2). Re-packaged information. Information that is readily availalbe from other websites can be easily cut, pasted, slightly scrambled, and posted as a new article. Occassionally, these types of real estate posts are valuable if they contain information that would normally not be stumbled upon by those outside of the real estate world. These posts become more valuable if they draw upon more than one resource. They become even more valuable when they provide valuable context for the topic by giving backround information to the reader. Sometimes, these posts are useful for deciphering professional jargon, or providing “how-to” type of instruction. Your site offers the best of this type of site; you allow readers to ask questions and you provide some valuable tips and instruction.

(3.) Advertising. There is nothing wrong with that, especially if readers become more informed and aware of our products.

I am seeing a new but rather unseemly type of blog post lately. I call these “dog-eat-dog” blogs. Many real estate agents now offering unsolicited critiques about other real estate websites, all under the thin guise of being “helpful.” These sites actually believe that we should feel honored if singled out for criticism, because we will be better for it. This reminds all of us of the playground bully who liked to beat other kids up to bring attention to himself. The egotistical critic might even be able to gain attention in the form of “backlinks.” Of course the victims are often agents who are new to the blogosphere, or maybe are too busy with customers and referrals to do much blogging. Maybe this trend in blogging is showing up in other professions, but I think consumers would be left a little rattled if doctors and lawyers started attacking each other’s practices on the internet.

Let me know how my experiences in the real estate world compare with yours in your world.

Chris’ asks a very good question, but I think the attempt to reply it is missing a very important aspect namely the blogger self. Hence I rephrased the question and ask “Who Should Get to Decide if Your Blog is Truly Valuable?”

Yours and Darren’s blogs are on my short list of must read blogs for every week.

I like the advice to “Take care of your comments and notice what people say.” I do that sometimes, but I should pay better attention to my comments.

Thanks for the great advice.

Yes, this blog is a Top 5 for blogging. :-)

Now, I just have to build a blog to join you there… if your own blog isn’t one you’d put in a top 5 list, it’s not very valuable… there’s a rule of thumb there, I suppose.

I don’t get many link from my article, but there is. Espcially when I join last month contest here, I get many links from so many blog :) I’m working on it to make great blog..

I want them to be united not by any characteristic that might define a demographic, but by the openness of their minds.

Value is in the relation: I’m not there to dictate. In fact, my ideal audience is much like the small one I have now, which consists of people who are far more patient and kind and thoughtful than I am. They’re amazing, for they put up with my rants and tantrums, and slowly and carefully work through my prose to bring things to my attention I hadn’t thought of before. And I blog hoping that I can bring them something – anything – that might make their day better.

(Disclaimer: You’re in a totally difference niche, one which doesn’t pique my interest, so I’m not sure what other sites in that niche focus on, your site could be the best one there for all I know.)

I’m asking because your post made me hesitate on the pathway i’ve been taking…

I do think I would be missed, at least by a few readers, because … well, they tell me they love me. And they send email telling how my ideas have improved their lives.

What I need to improve now is keeping it fresh for people who have been around.

And I agree about the value of this blog. If I had to choose, I would give up probably 20 other blogs to continue to participate here.