Hudson Valley Real Estate Network is an independently developed and owned Web Site and is not affiliated with any Real Estate brokerage or agency, real estate marketing or publishing company, newspaper, classified advertising publication or Web site, franchise, etc.. It was developed by a local Web developer and an ex-real estate professional and a Web marketer to be a new concept in real estate Web Sites geared to the needs and demands of the Hudson Valley Real Estate market. We are not engaged in the business of real estate brokerage, buying or selling real estate, lead mining, email marketing, or any other real estate or business activity other than developing and providing cutting-edge Web services and solutions.

The concept for Hudson Valley Real Estate is the result of a combination of our thirty years experience in the real estate and construction related industries and ten+ years experience in Web design and development. Following the tiny spark of an idea over a year and a half ago, we began to research all manner of real estate related Web sites and marketing, both national and regional, and to analyze their weaknesses and strengths based on concurrent research into trends in both the real estate industry and Web technology. From this we arrived at a list of criteria to guide us in creating a cutting-edge real estate site that meets the needs of the present while preparing for the future.

First and foremost we decided on a site with a regional and local focus and flavor. We then decided that this site should not be exclusive to Realtors or to consumers (such as a FSBO site), but both: we saw present trends as beginning to level that playing field. Furthermore, we were not going to focus on a niche market such as residential, commercial, rentals, exclusive properties, vacation properties, etc., but all property types. We determined that the nature of a regional site erases many of these boundaries and allows for a comprehensive and all-inclusive approach serving all markets within that region. This also meant branching out to peripheral industries and services through a directory and other advertising services, as well as adding a news and informational section--and while we were at it, why not provide a section for bloggers?

Finally, we decided that the site should be as accessible to as many people as possible, and a major factor in that accessibility these day is cost: we could not understand why a Web site listing should cost upwards of $100/month (there are rental sites that cost as much as $300!) We decided to provide as many free services and features as possible, while those we had to charge for should be reasonably priced far below that of the competition.

At the same time, we began to look into the technology that could serve these criteria and sustain them into the future. Within a few months we had mock-ups of the site and began trying various programming solutions and data and content management systems. One thing led to and fed into the other, and as the idea grew and became more complex, our technological knowledge was forced to its limits and down many new paths of exploration and discovery.

Since their inception, the disciplines of Web design and Web development have always required one to be on a constant learning curve--one you can never fully catch up with due to constantly evolving technology and standards--but the "Web 2.0" phenomenon of trhe past few years has forced even the most established Web models to re-think and re-tool, or die. Combine this with the present changes in and accelerated evolution of the Real Estate industry itself, and you've got a ball of mercury that's darn near impossible to pin down. So it was with attempting to bring Hudson Valley Real Estate Network to this launch point.

Thus, nearly two years later, we finally have a working "beta" version that we feel represents a good if not auspicious beginning, offering more services and cutting-edge functionality in one place than pretty much any other Web site available. However, we also feel that we've got a long way to go and have barely scratched the surface of not only what is possible now, but what Real Estate on the Web could and should be in the future. However, as with all things on the Web, the future happens so fast it's not only now, it's yesterday before you know it, so we continue with small improvements and upgrades on a nearly daily basis while working on major developments in the background.

It's obligatory to say at this point that we're comiited to the highest quality and service we can provide, but we're saying it because we mean it. Not only do we realize that our success depends on it, but we've worked on this for nearly two years without pay (in fact, it's cost us) many long and often frustrating hours because this is more than simply a business, but a mission. In an industry not widely regarded as either progressive or idealistic, we nonetheless insist on being both, and it is our desire, more than any financial reward, to guide our ideals to practical fruition.

Lastly, we also know that it's not only up to us. We depend on you, our users, to whose benefit this site is dedicated, to let us know what works, what doesn't, where you'd like to see us do now and i the future. One of the most defining characteristics of Web 2.0 is it's emphasis on user participation. Please, by all means, drop us line with your comments and suggestions.

Likewise, in the Web 2.0 universe, our success as well as yours depends on the power of your social network--the more users we have, the more users you have--so don't forget to tell everyone you know about Hudson Valley Real Estate Network.

 Best Regards,

The Hudson Valley Real Estate Network Team