4 Topic Ideas to Get You Back in the Blogging Game

If you're looking for a reason to start or get back into blogging... we've got your motivation right here. Every November, writers of all stripes participate in events that encourage them to kill the excuses for a month and just put pen to paper (hand to keyboard?). The idea is to create a writing habit that will last into December and beyond.

National Novel Writing Month, where participants attempt to write a 50,000 word book draft in 30 days, is the original and most well known event. But for real estate purposes, we think National Blog Posting Month is the challenge to take on. While this event requires participants to write one blog post every day, we're going to make it simple with a mini-challenge--commit to writing just one post a week to shake the dust from your blog. We promise you'll feel accomplished by the time Nov. 30 rolls around.

Like I said, we want to make it easy for you, so we've conjured up a list of topics that you can use to get the blogging juices flowing again.

Week 1: Do You Need a Permit for that Remodeling Project?

Many agents focus on topics relevant only to consumers currently in the buying or selling phase. Don't forget your past clients, though. Topics that are relevant to them as homeowners are the best way stay connected with them through your blog.

In this post, provide a list of home improvement projects that do and do not need a permit. Explain why some projects do, and how they differ from those that don't (generally, projects that require significant changes--wiring, plumbing, additions--need a permit; cosmetic ones like new paint or countertops don't). In your list of projects that do require a permit, be sure to say who needs to obtain that permit--the homeowner or the contractor? Also, if you have knowledge of the average time it takes for a permit to be granted, include that information to help your readers plan ahead more effectively.