Savannah Real Estate -- Part of a Global Real Estate Community

Ever since I heard Dale Peskin’s statement -- “No one is as smart as everyone” – it has stuck with me. This information bonanza on the internet is changing everything. The simplicity of it is astounding -- connect people with similar interests to share information.

All that is needed is common sense, a basic understanding of the common interest and the ability to reason and research. Google has made professional researchers out of us all.

In the book, Netgain, written by John Hagel III and Arthur G. Armstrong, there is a section where they talk about some of the initial reactions to this type of information networking. The “elite” experts were, of course, skeptical and critical. I think it was Michael Kinsley who haughtily made the point that if you are at a five-star restaurant and you want information as to how to make and prepare the great meal you just ate, you ask the chef, not the people sitting at the table. Hagel and Armstrong conceded this was a clever example, but it misses the point: “…that virtual communities will aggregate an enormous collective expertise that could not possibly be matched by any individual expert, no matter how well trained or experienced.”

I do recognize individual excellence, and maybe no one could perfectly emulate the chef’s special talent, but the information as to how to cook is open to everyone. And, whereas this particular chef may be talented in his cooking specialties, he cannot know more than everyone. In a virtual community of aspiring cooks freely sharing with one another, information can be obtained to allow even the earliest beginner the opportunity to improve and excel at cooking.

Virtual communities are springing up everywhere on the internet, for better or worse. As time goes on it seems these communities become more and more focused on common interests. One reason is the social aspect of communities and another reason is information-gathering. In real estate many such communities have developed. From Zillow to Active Rain to Trulia, real estate communities are helping millions socialize around the common interest of real estate and to gather real estate information.

Real estate professionals and real estate consumers alike are using the internet to create the larger “mind” where individuals can utilize the knowledge and experience of others. Much of this is free and I think it will remain that way.

For more information about how you as a home-buyer can use this online phenomenon,

e-mail me at Mike@MikeFarmerRealty.com and I will share what is available to help in your home-search.