Have you been following our monthly blogging plans? If so, you've been leveraging some pretty cool topics (if we do say so ourselves) this Summer. If not, you can find the first two months here:

• June Blogging Plan
• July Blogging Plan

Most of these topics aren't too time sensitive, so you can use them now if you haven't already. Remember: these are consumer-facing topics, so they should be written to an audience of buyers, sellers, and/or homeowners.

You might also want to check out these great topics from Karli Larson of ePropertySites:

• 10 Great Post Ideas for Your Real Estate Blog

We're going to continue with this month's weekly blog topics (as well as additional/alternative topics). Most experts recommend blogging more than once a week, so don't be afraid to use all of the topics we've included here.

Week 1: Home Improvements Sellers Should Avoid

"Planning to sell your home in the near future? Here are _____ [your number goes here] improvements that will cost you money but won't increase your home value." So begins an easy-to-write post about home improvements that sellers should avoid. You know what these so-called improvements are from your own experience, but you may want to consider things like: fancy landscaping, new carpets (many people prefer hardwood floors), converting a spare room into a home office (many people don't work from home and would rather have the blank space).

• Additional or Alternative Topic: Tips for Attracting International Buyers

  As with the topic above, this is geared to sellers. This post should explain why it's important to reach out to international buyers as well as the ways that you, awesome agent that you are, can do this. Of course, if you're not doing anything for global marketing, this isn't the topic for you.
  
  (Want to get started with global marketing? Here's some recommended reading: Golden Opportunity: Translate Your Listings. You can also browse our product directory for global marketing and language translation.)

Week 2: Questions to Ask Before Investing in Real Estate

Today's real estate market presents some interesting opportunities for investment, but there are a few questions that interested persons should consider first. For example:

• How much capital can I safely risk?
• Do I have an exit strategy?
• Do I have a partner? Do I need one?
• What are my financial goals for a real estate investment?
• Will I rent out the property? Will I manage the rental myself or will I hire someone else?
• What is the real estate market in [your local community goes here] like for real estate investment?

Continue this list of questions, providing explanation for each. Then invite prospective investors to meet with you to clarify their options.

• Additional or Alternative Topic: If Katie Holmes Lived In [Your Community Goes Here]

  Hey, there's an audience for everything. You know your readers better than we do, and you know whether some of them are thePeople Magazine-reading, celebrity gossip-addicted type. If they are, you may want to capitalize on the latest in celebrity real estate news.

  Let's use Katie Holmes as an example here. According to reports, after filing for divorce, she's moved out of the large home she shared with Tom Cruise and into a smaller apartment near her daughter's dance studio. Your blog post can suggest current properties on the market in your local community that might meet similar needs: kid-friendly apartments or homes near dance studios, schools, or other community highlights. Frame the discussion as: if these are Katie's priorities, and she lived here, these are the sorts of properties she might be looking at.

  If this sort of celebrity gossip feels cheap to you, keep away from it! It's tough not to sound insincere if something rubs you the wrong way and insincerity is a tone that's better kept out of your real estate blog.

Week 3: Buying a Condo – Things to Know

If a potential buyer is considering purchasing a condo, what are the main factors they should consider? Give some examples of current condo listings.

• Additional or Alternative Topic: Pricing It Right - Keys to Setting a Listing Price

  Many homeowners have misconceptions about listing price when it comes to selling their home. Often, they believe they should start quite high so that they have room to compromise and work their way down. At other times, they may be in a hurry to get out and will set the price too low, thinking it will sell much more quickly. This blog post would explain how you, personally, go about recommending a listing price for your seller clients and the psychology/strategy behind these pricing decisions.

Week 4: Getting Active in [Name of Your Community]

Are you a runner, a cyclist, swimmer, or beach volleyball enthusiast? Share your active lifestyle and insider knowledge with your readers. If I were writing this blog post, I'd share a few of my favorite running routes around town as well as the public lap swimming hours at our local community college.

• Additional or Alternative Topic: Landscaping for Our Local Environment

  Writing this post will require collaboration with a local expert. If you don't know one already, you can reach out to someone new. If they need an incentive to help you with your article, point out that you'll be quoting them extensively in the article and including their contact information at the end. They're sure to get new business from it.

  Once you've found your expert, ask them for tips for landscaping in your unique climate/soil conditions/water conditions, etc. Ask for examples of plants that thrive in this environment. Then, take pictures of environmentally friendly landscaping and post them with the article.