Frances Flynn Thorsen leading the way for the Blogsquad

Today Inman News focused the spotlight on the real estate blog squad which will march into the National Association of Realtors conference in San Francisco this October.

Those of you who don't know our fearless leader, Frances Flynn Thorsen, has declared the mission of the blogsquad to be the following:


"We'll get behind the scenes with our laptops, cameras and camcorders and put together a daily consortium of comments," said Frances Flynn Thorsen. Thorsen, a Bethlehem, Pa., Realtor and blogger, is coordinating the effort at the NAR Realtors Conference & Expo Oct. 28-31. The blog site is Realestateblogsquad.com.

Frances has maintained the overall objective of the blogsquad is open communication.

"It's an exercise in citizen journalism," said Thorsen, who in prior incarnations worked as a reporter in New Jersey and covered conventions for a print trade publication, Paper Age Convention Daily. "It's an open forum. I don't think there is an open forum in the real estate industry now, and the blog format lends itself to that."

And you don't have to be there to participate.

"They can blog about their thoughts and reactions" to convention events, she said. "People don't have to be in San Francisco physically to talk about items of import. They can do that from anywhere in the country."

Although NAR has allowed the blogsquad to attend press briefings it seems NAR is indifferent towards their presence if you consider what NAR spokesman
Lucien Salvant's response was regarding bloggers.

Asked if his organization welcomed the bloggers, he said, "I really don't have a comment. They can do what they want."

To all of you realtors and brokers, consider this a call to arms. Break out your blogs and saddle up with the blogsquad.