While builders still see social media as "consuming to sustain and difficult to track", they are experimenting more and more with unconventional ways to connect with potential buyers over the Internet.
As John Caulfield puts it in an article in Builder Magazine, "Social media's power lies in its informality and frequency. They provide common ground for two-way sharing between a brand and a prospect, and the opportunity for a company to harness the enthusiasm of its customers as they use social media avenues to spread the word about the builder either directly (check out the latest news in my new-home neighborhood) or indirectly (look at this great decorating tip)."
Caulfield gives an example of developer Trumark Homes recent experiments with YouTube video tours where the "star" is actually snarky about the product, which mimics more authentic sources like homemade videos that people find more trustworthy than standard advertising.
FULL STORY: The New Water Cooler

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie