Don't make the same mistake with Twitter! Consider these 5 ways of using twitter in real estate to decide if you should get started today.

Reason #1: Following other top agents in your market.

Even if you never send a single "tweet" (that's what it's called when you post a message on twitter), you can sign up and follow the top agents in your market. You already know how useful it is to talk with other agents to stay on top of your local market: new listings coming on, pocket listings, new developments, and general industry gossip. With Twitter, you can stay constantly aware of this chatter even if you're in the office all day.

Reason #2: You'll add people to your social sphere you won't find elsewhere.

A few days after setting up my own Twitter account, I was "followed" (similar to being "friended" on Facebook, it means that another Twitter user is now following all your tweets) by another agent even though we had rarely spoken and weren't connected on any other social network.

Reason #3: A large social sphere is an asset for winning listings - and selling them.

During listing presentations, you probably tell your client about all the great networking and marketing you plan to do to get the word out. Once you've established a large following on Twitter, you'll have even more credibility to back up your "Master Networker" claims. Though you absolutely shouldn't be constantly spamming your followers with every tiny price change, use sparingly Twitter can help you get the word out quickly.

Reason #4: It's a great way to unobtrusively stay in front of potential buyer and seller clients.

In the "old days", potential buyers and sellers might drive around their ideal neighborhood and see which agent has the most signs. These days, those same individuals may very likely go online and see who's talking about that neighborhood. When they search "dallas real estate" in twitter, don't you want to be the one who pops up?

At the same time, many past clients will likely be folllowing you on Twitter. Often times getting referrals means staying top of mind with past clients - I'm sure you've felt the frustration of missing out on a transaction because a past client simply forgot to mention you. If they're constantly getting tweets about your real estate activity, they're a lot less likely to forget next time they're talking to a friend who's about to buy.

Reason #5: You know you're going to be using it in a year anyway, once everyone else is (just like you did with Facebook!). Why not do yourself a favor and get ahead of the curve?

Extra Credit: Remember, as with all online marketing don't overdo it. Keep your tweets useful and relevant, and avoid being overly "salesy" or spammy. Try a blend of relevant market news, useful statistics, funny happenings, and advance notice or the inside track on local events that people care about.

------

About the Author: Michael is an active real estate broker, and has both a California state salesperson's license and a California state broker's license. Michael is also the founder of My Single Property Websites, a simple, inexpensive marketing tool for real estate agents and writes on his real estate marketing blog.