Most industries are moving forward with the use of technology. Sending and receiving e-mail on mobile devices, accessing the Internet and reaching consumers in the comfort of their own homes is common as industry looks to the future.

Local real estate agents are no exception.

As many would-be home sellers and buyers look to the Internet before meeting with a Realtor, agents are reaching out to them from multiple angles.

Some local realtors are now adding blogs, or web logs, to their traditional Web sites to reach out to buyers and sellers with a more personal touch.

"Blogging is a great fit for real estate since agents can do it all on their own and give people a feel for the area, you can be a resource for people who want to read info on the town," said Lexi Cerretti, a Realtor with Chase International.

Cerretti said she has been blogging since late April 2007. Her blog, www.buytahoehomes.com/blog, covers everything from local real-estate market trends to Cerretti’s account of the recent snowstorm.

"It’s great for both buyers and sellers," Cerretti said. "Buyers can get a lot more info about a home they are interested in and the area online. Sellers benefit from having informed buyers who know what they want, it’s a win for everyone."

One of Cerretti’s blogging associates at Chase International is Sandy Soli. Soli is relatively new to blogging - she started September 2007 - but she is already excited about the possibilities it presents.

"Some consumers go for personality and this is a good way to showcase that," Soli said. "Of course my blog is mostly filled with local market news, housing statistics from Chase and a list of hot properties, but it is a little more personal than our Web site."

She pointed out that the amount of visits to her twice-weekly blog at tahoehomesblog.wordpress.com also raises her Web site’s traffic and her profile on search engines, driving more buyers and sellers to Soli.

She said one drawback to blogging is generating content week after week and keeping up with the blog.

"You have to commit to it if you’re going to have a blog," Soli said. "You can not just start it and then forget about it, you have a responsibility to your readers to give them new, interesting content. If you do not, people will drop off and go to someone else for information."

Todd Disbrow uses a different approach than Soli and Cerretti on his blog. The Intero Realtor has been blogging for about three months and sees it as more of an outlet to sell the Tahoe lifestyle instead of Tahoe homes.

"I like to show people they can work with me to capture the Tahoe dream," Disbrow said. "My blog is not so much about real estate as it is about getting people to visit here and showing them the cool stuff they can do."

His Web site, http://www.tahoereal.net/tahoe-blog, covers everything from a flank steak marinade recipe from a friend’s mother to a trip to a local dog park and a recap of the Intero Christmas party.

Disbrow also utilizes contributors on his site, a local mortgage planner, a real estate lawyer, photographers and even other Realtors to keep his blog chock full of content.

"Having all those contributors creates a snowball effect for the site," Disbrow said. "My friends read it, their friends read it, and we get a lot of visits."