I have noticed the last few years that the costs of geographic farming have risen dramatically, and the results have worsened. I am seriously thinking of giving up the farming thing and devoting the resources elsewhere. Is it just me? or is this a trend?
Any thoughts?

I agree with you. That is why I was so eager to come aboard with the results site. I think this will very quickly take over from the traditional farming.I have spent thousands of dollars on all types of farming and got very little for my efforts.

Same here! The Internet is the place to be and results-net the way to go! This is an unpaid endorsement for Doug, one of the most progressive realtors I know!

Thanks for the unpaid endorsement guys! With real estate now a mature industry, I guess we have to break new ground or else go broke doing the same old thing that costs more, returns less, and more frequently, forces us to compete with desparate agents on their way out of the business who are willing to work for next to nothing on the hope they will be able to convert some spin off! The Internet is certainly that new ground! Costs little in comparison, and returns are good. The best (and cheapest) medium for networking as well!

Did you read the Financial Post this week? Great article - discussion on the future of electronic commerce - lots of great quotes! One that applies already, even though the Internet is still in it's infancy (it can only get better!)- is:

"It's unbelievable the number of organizations who are doing business, regardless of whether it is electronic commerce or not. As we grow, I want to be able to reach the information I want to reach more quickly, because this is the advantage. If I can reach another person through the Internet, this will be the person who is going to provide me with the information I want to know. Once again, Time is money."

That is already happening! I just sold a house I listed as a result of my web site, wher the owner chose me as listing agent over 2 other "high powered" agents - just because I knew how to deliver the information to her in the manner she wanted - thru the internet. Tonight I just e mailed 32 listings with colour pictures to a client across town, who just contacted me a couple of hours ago. This person didn't know what the internet was up untill this year! Now he is surfing the net to find that new house, and I can deliver better quality information to him than the MLS.CA can, in a timely and professional fashion. He has now indicated he will be using my services (even though others have been referring their agents to him). Old fashioned agents are still photocopying listings from the out of date catalogue, or sending over listings with little black and white photos a day or two later.

The Internet is a great place to build relationships for attracting referrals as well. Forums like this are just one way to get yourself known to your fellow agents. The more people use the Internet, the more they want to use it and tend to look to the Internet first for everything they want - including a real estate agent! Having just an e mail address or a mickey mouse internet site with your picture and phone number and little else will get you diddly! You have to provide people with what they want - information! And be able to deliver it to them thru the net. If it isn't on your web site - you better know how to put it in their e mail box in a timely and professional manner. Of the dozens of transactions I have had from my home page - only one phoned me first! This is a whole new world and REALTORS who don't learn how to use it will be marginalized as their clients and potential customers get online.

Ooops! Sorry, I tend to get worked up when this subject comes up. Anyway, this all started by talking about geographic farming - and I think I will quit beating my head against the wall and drop it! What was that quote? - about the 80 - 20 rule? 20% of what you do generates 80% of your income - so to increase your business, just do the 20% but 100% of the time! Guess that means the Internet, the client list, and agent referrals for me!******

Guys, geographic farming is the cowards way to get rid of new agents. It's like the acid test to see if the newby has fortitude and brains. And it keeps them busy when no one else in the office has the time or desire to teach a new agent the REAL way to get their business going. Sad, but effective.

Oh Oh! I just took a couple of listings as a results of admail in my farm area! Can't quit now I guess - in the words of Gilda Radner (from old, old Saturday Night Live) "Never Mind!"

Touche! But does the effort justify the returns so far and few between? If those listings aren't priced right they won't sell and it is all for not. Pricing is everything!

Farming is a habit that is hard to break! It is a holdover from the old days - In the old days os 50/50 splits and agents lasting only 2 years in the business, the large national company I worked for encouraged farming. They would carve the market area up into little sections of just a few hundred homes and appoint you master of the neighbourhood. Sent their propaganda out for years with zero return (at my cost) all the while listening to third party stories of success designed to keep you spending money. We grumbled that the reason why we were not getting any business was because somebody else must have the "good areas" - oblivious to the fact that the only reason we were seending this stuff out was to promote the broker at our expense.

Many of us thought that if we were just allowed to send out vast quantities of ad mail over large areas - like the high profile agents at RE/MAX, that we too would enjoy the bountiful rewards that farming was reported to bring! Eventually joined RE/MAX and started sending out several thousand pieces monthly - with some return! I at least was covering the costs and making a few thousand dollars profit! Wow! This can only get better as the years go by and my name becomes a household name I thought! Now, five years later, if anything - calls are a lot less and didn't break even last year - may break even this year. Still, after investing so much - it is easier to grab onto every glimmer of hope that suggests the windfall is just around the corner! Has it really been a big waste? Does anyone actually find it worth while? Hard to cut thru the "cognitive dissonance" (?) - i.e. "this must be working or why is everyone else doing it?"