The Gold Coast Standard and Darien Real Estate » The Gold Coast Standard, In The News

Are You a Passion Pusher?

Karen Brewer — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 02:29:12 +0000

This post is completely disconnected from the topic of Darien real estate. Being the author of this blog has given me a certain confidence in my writing.As a result, and on a lark,I submitted a freelance article to The New York Times regarding how todays parents tend to overprogram our children. and overuse the word “passion” to describe their activities.

I am proud to say that this past Sunday,November 14,the article was published in the Metropolitan section of the paper.I’m aware that many people have attempted to get a byline in the paper and somehow, I managed it on the first try. I think its a little like winning the lottery after buying only one ticket. Nevertheless, I accept it humbly as a little pixie dust that someone sprinkled on me. Hope you enjoy the article.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/complaint-box-passion-pushers/#comment-796897

Imitation,The Sincerest Form of Flattery,Darien Real Estate

Karen Brewer — Sun, 16 May 2010 20:01:03 +0000

ACCEPT NO IMITATIONS-There is only one www.thegoldcoaststandard.com. Im happy to see others joining the social media party in Darien Real Estate but really, let’s get original or better yet get a new web designer.

Farifield County Business Journal,Karen Brewer,Darien Real Estate

Karen Brewer — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:22:47 +0000

Here is the latest article from the Fairfield County Business Journal about yours truly…..

Q&A from the Corner Office

Karen Brewer, Realtor at William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty in Darien and founder of interactive website, The Gold Coast Standard.com shared from personal experience how the Information Age has evolved the ways a broker advertises.

Q: How are agents using social media to market themselves and their listings?

Brewer: “I continue to be amazed at the number of agents not using social media or who are using it incorrectly. My own foray into the blogosphere really came about when I decided to discover just what a blog was. I was curious to see what other agents in the area were doing. The answer: very little. There may have been 10 people in the whole state of Connecticut that were attempting to connect with buyers and sellers this way. “I quickly discovered why. The process is self-selective because the commitment is huge. First you must educate yourself on just what social media is. For example, ‘How does one design a blog?’ ‘What are the capabilities of the technology?’ ‘How often do I blog?’ ‘Am I a good writer?’ ‘How can I measure results and success?’ “Further, some agents are using social media incorrectly. Facebook and Twitter are not just another venue to publish listings. They are unique opportunities to connect with and stay connected to people. I recently heard from someone I went to college with over 30 years ago who is going to be selling their home in Fairfield. I would have never heard from this person if not for an alumni group on Facebook.
“We as realtors have been told over and over that over 80 percent of all home searches begin on the Internet. I think the age of the pretty postcard website is over and Realtors must engage in social media in order to remain relevant. However, there are statistics that suggest that over 75 percent of Realtors who start blogs give up after a year. Of course, the jury is out on whether social networking will yield results. Nevertheless, when the market bounces back and the young, technologically savvy buyers come off the sidelines, I hope to be uniquely positioned to take advantage of it.”

Q: How has the buyer changed?

Brewer: “Buyers, particularly young buyers, have become extremely sophisticated in markets like Westchester and Fairfield counties. They come armed with town statistics, pricing analyses and listings. “Buyers are no longer looking for trophy homes. The builders who have survived the downturn will be moderating what they build. While quality will always be a hallmark, square footage will decrease. There will be an ongoing preference for open floor plans and state-of-the-art kitchens, but on a more manageable scale.”

The website ishttp://www. thegoldcoaststandard.com

The Gold Coast Standard, 15 Minutes of Fame,Darien Real Estate and Homes

Karen Brewer — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:45:03 +0000

For those of you who do not live in the area or just missed the article published in the Darien Times on October 29,2009 about the Gold Coast Standard and its author,Karen Brewer of Sothebys International Realty in Darien, CT.

Last year’s slow market fosters Realtor’s blog

Monday, 02 November 2009 15:01

Slow sales — or no sales — are daunting challenges to home sellers and realtors alike.

“But when the going gets tough, the tough get blogging!” says Karen Brewer, a long-time Darien resident and Realtor with the Darien office of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty. Her recently launched interactive Web site, The Gold Coast Standard (thegoldcoaststandard.com), is a combination of real estate news, community information and personal insights that encourage a dialogue with readers.

Brewer made good use of her down time during the slow market last winter, conceiving the idea that the blog was a way to communicate with current and potential clients and friends.

“I didn’t know exactly what a ‘blog’ was, so I searched the internet for ‘real estate blog’ and found nothing in Darien or in most of Fairfield County,” said Brewer. “Although blogs have been around for several years, no one around here was doing it.”

Jumping into the void, she hired a real estate social marketing expert and learned how to design and maintain an interactive Web site, in the process acquiring a new vocabulary — the blogger’s lingo of “widgets, gadgets, dashboards, tags and keywords.”

A perusal of her site, thegoldcoststandard.com quickly indicates that this is far from a series of self-serving proclamations or a mere showcase of Brewer’s own listings. Real estate information includes market trends, stats and a schedule of Realtor open houses with images as well as categories of interest to both buyers and sellers. Brewer includes her own frank comments on the real estate scene and invites comments from readers which she generally posts.

The site also includes a variety of other topics which Brewer feels would be of interest to residents or potential residents of Darien and beyond, such as what’s new in Darien — both downtown and in neighborhoods, schools and cultural activities. Basic information is also accessible, such as the current Connecticut weather and the local Metro-North train schedule.

Saving time for her viewers, Brewer culls information from many sources including the Town of Darien municipal services, the library, schools, Darien Arts Center, Metro-North, American Towns and another blog site to which she provides a link: “All About Darien.”

The Gold Coast Standard is also linked with Facebook, Twitter and Linked-In, which Brewers sees as another way to expose friends and acquaintances to her blogsite and her “voice.”

“Readers can get statistics anywhere, but when looking for a Realtor they want someone that knows the area that they can trust,” said Brewer. “Old-fashioned Web sites don’t offer the opportunity to connect personally the way a blog does. I try to cull information from my real life experience as a realtor in Darien and to speak with a unique voice that I hope people will connect with.”

Nicole Lyon, founder of the “All About Darien” Web site, says, “Our two blogs definitely complement each other. Karen’s blog, ‘The Gold Coast Standard’ is based upon her own personal perspective, as a real estate expert, mother and resident, which I think makes it both useful and entertaining. On the other hand, ‘All About Darien’ strives to represent the collective perspectives of the community through a variety of voices, opinions and columnists. Both of our blogs are inspired by a love for and pride in our community. Karen is featured in ‘All About Darien’ as one of our real estate insiders.”

Karen Brewer is a Darien resident of over 20 years and an award-winning member of William Pitt Sotheby’s Darien office. Before entering the real estate field, she gained extensive experience in the business and communications field, holding several management positions with the New York Times including group director, advertising, and managing director of circulation customer service.

Her blog can be accessed at thegoldcoaststandard.com.