Strut Your Hut - Where Real Estate Gets Personal

StrutYourHut.com is the first and only completely FREE and all-inclusive online Real Estate community where Buyers, Renters, Sellers, Landlords, Agents, together with local and neighborhood businesses and organizations have a place to show where they live, how they live, and who they are. ALL community members are encouraged to take advantage of Strut Your Hut’s many tools designed for showing off: photos, videos, message centers, and even blogs.

At Strut Your Hut you can "Show Off" your home, renovation or the way you live-- We're the only real estate site where, even if you aren't here to Buy, Sell or Rent, you can "Strut" (show off your home or renovation).

Strut Your Hut is ALL about Community-- Everyone can communicate with everyone else, some will use our double blind messaging center, others will add comments and stories to listings of friends or for homes that they know, others will ask questions about Listings in public bulletin boards.

And we're the first and only real estate site where you can organize ALL you real estate activities in one place and compare listings in an all new way-- even including properties you find through other sources: online, in the newspaper, from your,  or in driving or walking around an area of town that you like.

Registering and Listing on StrutYourHut.com is FREE gives you many benefits:

1. You my save searches.
2. You may save listings and profiles as your Favorites for the next time you return, and subsequently for later visits;
3. If you're a Buyer or Renter, registering lets you post a Buyer or Renter listing for FREE so that Sellers or Landlords can find YOU and pitch you their property.
4. Buyers and Renters can compare houses FREE using our proprietary HutComp. In ways you've never dreamed of, you can compare qualities of the home and neighborhood (not just price, sq. ft., and number of bedrooms).  OR if you're a Seller or a Landlord, you can use HutComp to compare the promise of your prospects and the likelihood of success.
5. You'll get FREE Alerts and Updates when properties and listings you've saved as Favorites change their status-- We'll let you know when a Favorite property goes under contract, or when a property is sold, when a Seller or Landlord has done a renovation they want you to see, or in a Rental scenario, possibly when the property is vacant or occupied.
6. You can organize your home or apartment search for FREE, using not only listings you find on Strut Your Hut, but even creating listings and uploading photos (for only you to see!) and keeping notes on properties you've found on other sites and in the newspaper.
7. Plus, being a member of Strut Your Hut lets you see how other people live who are proud of their homes and just want to Strut!
8. You'll be able to contact Sellers and Landlords to ask them about their Listings and to set up appointments to view their properties.

Strut Your Hut is unlike any other Real Esteate site! We give you a Magazine-Style layout that includes a profile of the Owner or Agent that can include as many photos and videos as you wish.  We are the only Real Estate Website that encourages Listings to include essays about the "Character and Style" of the home, as well as its "GREEN" characteristics, and presents a stage on which you may highlight any particularly interesting highlights of the neighborhood the property and its general location  that you wish.

• Additionally we encourage Sellers and Landlords to request stories and comments from other people who know and have enjoyed the property.
• When you List your property on Strut Your Hut you may post unlimited photos and videos, delete some of them or change their order.  Keep in mind to ensure the visibility of your Listing, it must have at least one photo or video.
• We offer Buyers and Renters the most unique online Real Estate tool in the Marketplace, our propietary  "HutComp" comparison tool that allows members to save your property as a Favorite and then compare it using their own custom set of "Attributes" to help them ascertain the suitability of one property over the other for their family's needs and desires.
• When you list your Property on Strut Your Hut, potential Buyers and Renters can contact you in our private Message Center which allows you to keep your correspondence with potential Buyers and Renters organized and separate from your personal email.  This also prevents the possibility of scammers trying to infiltrate your personal email. You can also keep all your notes and information about potential Buyers and Renters up to date together with each property you list, if you are Listing more than one.

One more thing-- We give you a blogging tool that lets you write a Personal Profile blog that shows when users view your user profile, or if you prefer, you may keep a different blog to display with EACH Listing you post.  This gives you the ability to keep Buyers and Renters up to date on a specific property without having to modify the actual Listing's characteristics.  You can post photos and videos with in the blog too.

Signing Up (or Registering) on StrutYourHut.com is FREE. Just click on the Register button at the top, or one of the other "Sign Up" buttons, and put in your name, email address, and a few other bits of information including whether you're a Buyer, Renter, Seller, Landlord, Agent or Businessperson (you can choose more than one of them!).

When registering use an email address that is only used by yourself. Do not share an email address that you use on Strut Your Hut with any other person. Don't worry, we will not give or sell your information to ANY third party. We need the information to help protect members against spam and other bad behavior, and to help us serve you and other members better by providing you information to help you Buy, Sell, Rent or Strut a property.

BE SURE to write down the email address you use when registering (if you use more than one) as well as your password in a secure place, but somewhere you can retrieve it when necessary. Do not give your password to any other person. We will never ask you for your password. However, we may provide it to you from time to time in emails as a reminder.

You can also register in the process of creating a Listing for a property for sale or rent; or creating a Buyer, Renter or Business Listing or Profile.

Profile

Everyone creates a short "User Profile" when you register.  It includes just a little bit about yourself (not the place or home where you live). You may include a photo but it's not absolutely necessary.

Listing

• Create a "For Sale Listing" or "For Rent Listing" when you "List" a property for Sale or for Rent, It's all about the property and the community.
• Create a "Buyer Listing" or "Renter Listing" if you're looking for a place to Buy or Rent and you want property owners or agents to find YOU.  Buyer and Renter Listings include information about the property/residence you are seeking -- the location, its "must-haves" and the type of community you wish to live in, etc.
• OR, If you want to "Strut" your property then you're create a "Strutter Listing." You invest a lot of time, effort and money into turning a house into a home. Yet for most people, only a few friends, family and acquaintances ever see anything but the exterior. Tell the world what's great about your property, show pictures and add fun videos of a home and neighborhood that's alive. Strut because you love it.

Your Login ID is the email address that you used when you registered ( i.e. SueStrutter@Hutstrutter.com ) , and the Password is the 4 to 8 character password you selected at that time. If you're having trouble logging in, maybe you're using an email address different from the one you used when you registered (or just have made a typo). Or if you've tried several times to login unsuccessfully your computer memory may be "confused". Or you may have forgotten your password? Just click on the "Forgot Password" link and we'll get you going again. An email will arrive in your "inbox" in just a few moments. Still no luck? Let us know by completing the little form by clicking Contact Us/Feedback (be sure to include your name, email address, city and phone number) and we'll contact you and get back to you with a solution (this method may require 24 to 48 hours for us to get back to you).

From the StrutYourHut.com homepage you can start by doing a "Quick Search". Check the Listing categories you wish to search. If you wish, add a city, state and or zip. Or, you may enter a key word or phrase such as: "jacuzzi", "hiking", or "woods".

Or to an "Advanced Search" to narrow your search and include things like price range and other attributes.

Coming Soon: you will be able to "Search Green", allowing you to bring up any Property Listings or Buyers/Renters, businesses, and organizations who are making an effort to protect, preserve or improve our environment by incorporating energy saving or sustainability elements into their home or lifestyle.

We call StrutYourHut.com the "First and Only True All-Inclusive Online Real Estate Community for Buyers, Sellers, Renters, Agents, Brokers, Landlords, Businesses and Community Organizations" because "Living" is about more than "Location". Admittedly we're small. Many real estate websites have built their base of listings by combing other sites and pulling information into their websites giving the impression that they have hundreds of thousands of listings. We don't do that, we're starting from scratch, to build a completely community based real estate website. We depend on our members to post Listings and Profiles.

• Anyone who has an interest in residential or commercial property or Real Estate is invited to List on the site.
• Are you a Buyer? Search for Sellers to find the perfect property for you to buy.
• Are you a Renter looking for a place to lease short-term or long-term, and aren't willing to "settle" for something less than what's perfect for you at this time?
• Are you a Seller looking for just the right Buyer for your property? Create a Listing for your property and find Buyers at Strut Your Hut.
• Are you a Business, highly regarded in your community, or a new business who needs to become known? You will be able to put everything you need to tell potential customers about your business on your Business Listing at Strut Your Hut.
• Are you a non-profit Organization or Community Group who would like community members and out-of-towners looking for property in your area to know about the benefits of your group? You can Strut Your Organization for FREE.
• Do you just love your home?  Are you proud of the time and energy you've spent making it your own?  Sturt Your Hut is for you!

• If you're registered, login.  If not, please register now.
• Then, on the homepage, your Account Center or any other page where you see the "Strut" button, click either the red "List For Sale" or "List For Rent" button to list your property.
• Then complete the information about yourself and your property as best you can. If you've listed on other real estate sites before you'll see new (and interesting to Buyers or Renters!) questions. Answer these little essay questions to the best of your ability to impart the character, charm and functionality of the property and the neighborhood to your prospects. You'll also get to complete other "standard" real estate info, and you may add as much about the property as you like. There's practically no reasonable limit.
• Now we hope that you'll add lots of photos and videos. We require at least one photo be added before your listing becomes "Live."  Why?  Because a listing without a photo often gets overlooked and we want Buyers and Renter to have the best experience possible.

Only on Strut Your Hut can Buyers have complete profiles with photos, videos & family and friends comments and even a blog to help Sellers find YOU: All for FREE

• If you've already registered then please login first.
• Then, on the homepage, your Account Center or any other page where you see the "Strut" button, click either the yellow "Buyer Sign-Up or "Renter Sign-Up" button to create your FREE Listing.
• Complete the Listing Form so that Sellers and Landlords will be able to identify you as the perfect Buyer or Renter for the place they have listed or wish to list. Be sure to include all the items or features you require-- the "Must-Haves".
• You may post your Buyer Listing without photos or videos (unlike For Sale and For Rent listings), however we hope that you will wish to. You may use photos of yourselves, or places you've lived that show similar aspects of what you're looking for now, or pictures you've taken of other places that give an idea of what you're looking for. Or you may even add your own drawings to indicate what you're looking for.  And you'll be able to add captions and descriptions as you upload your images to enhance your Listing.
• When you've completed the Buyer / Renter Listing form, you may invite friends or relatives to comment on you or what you're looking for to engage them in the process of your search for a new place to live or own.

Yes, Yes, Yes! Strutters can post "Profiles" for FREE! This is the first time that existing homeowners and renters content with their domiciles have the opportunity to Show off their homes on a real estate website.  And why would you do that you might ask?  Strut Your Hut is intended to give Homeowners and Renters a place to talk about their home.  Also, chances are you will move sometime.  You can always convert your "Strut" to a For Sale or For Rent Listing.

• If you've already registered then please login first. If not, the "Strut" form will allow you to do so.
• Then, on the homepage, click the blue "Strut" button; or click "Strut" on any other page where you see the button or tab, and then create your FREE Strut Listing.
• Take viewers on a walk-thru of your favorite rooms. Show us the views. Show us your latest addition and renovation. Let's see how you relax in your living room, or how you entertain guests (using your fabulous new kitchen!?) Put up photos, photos and more photos! Entertain with your videos! Tell your stories and ask friends to tell stories about you and your home.

Yes, Strut Your Hut prides itself on open communication. ..

You'll choose whether to display their comments or questions for public viewing with your Strutter page, and to display your own comments or answers. If you choose not to display it, it will still remain in your Account Page for referring to later.

You may have received a personal invitation from someone who knows and respects you in your community-- a Buyer, a Seller, an Agent, a Landlord or a person who's just here Strutting! In a few weeks' time, we will be providing you with an opportunity for a unique kind of advertising: low key, warm and informational.  In the meantime you can still "Strut".  When our fully functional tools are ready we'll inform you and see if you're interested in expanding your reach.

After receiving your invitation, when you post a Business Listing, your business will appear on the Listing of the person who invited you. Additionally, you will be listed as part of the Community Section-- people interested in moving to your community (or even your neighborhood) can search business members and can associate your business with their profiles as well.

You should make your Business Profile as interesting as possible. If you're a restaurant you may include menus or recipes; and banquet menus; and photos and videos of your staff (your Chef!) and the presentation of meals. If you're a home renovation company or decorator, you may shows examples of your work, workshop schedules-- whatever you want. If you're a bank, Strut Your Hut and show people what you offer community members-- especially those new to the community.

Yes, if you've posted a Business Listing, you may also qualify to buy additional advertising on Strut Your Hut. Please contact our Marketing Department to discuss the variety of possibilities: Marketing@StrutYourHut.com

As a non-profit organization you may post a Listing similar to that of a Commercial Business, except your Listings will be FREE. Habitat for Humanity? The Red Cross? Schools? Churches, Fundraising Events? Parks? Youth services and teams? We can't begin to name them all. Come to us! Please post Profiles of your services and your schedules.

Like Business Profiles, our members will connect your Listings onto their Profiles and Listings and they can include your logos and tradelines. Clicking on the link will bring up your complete Profile or Listing.

We may ask you to provide us with proof of your not-for-profit status.

If you take a moment to register we'll be sure to let you know when all of our great tools are ready for you.

Do I have to put up photos or videos? Yes! (Unless you're a Buyer or a Renter) However, it's been shown and it's our experience that in an environment where photos are optional, Listings with photos garner MORE views-- by far! It's unlikely that members will express interest in your Listing if it has no or only one photos. In fact at Strut Your Hut, each FOR SALE or FOR RENT Listing MUST have at least one photograph in order to "Go Live." We hope that you'll post many photos and videos.

Visit our Video How To to learn more about adding video to your Strut Your Hut Listing or Profile.

Photos should be limited to 3 mb each and be .jpg or .gif format. Videos will add enormously to effectiveness of your Listing!

Currently we are only supporting video added from YouTube.  Why?  and video montages and slideshows that you post on YouTube.com after producing them at OneTrueMedia.com. We are creating a better Real Estate site and Community, not a better Video distribution tool... One True Media and YouTube will take care of that aspect for you.

Tags are somewhat like keywords. When a person searches, he or she can input keywords that will search tags that Listers have given their photos and video.

More and more people today are building environmentally friendly structures-- both residential and commercial. As well, people are utilizing their properties to take advantage of sustainable technology to conserve energy. No other real estate website brings such Sellers and Renters of such properties into the mainstream of potential like-minded Buyers/Renters.

StrutYourHut.com gives you the opportunity to show off the benefits of your property -- or just Strut Your "Green" Stuff in the interest in encouraging and influencing others to make efforts toward a better environment. We invite businesses who manufacture or sell environmentally friendly products to Create Profiles on Strut Your Hut; if people like or use the product you have, they can add you as a friend and others will discover your beneficial product.

While you're browsing or searching on StrutYourHut.com,  when you hit upon a Buyer's, Seller's, Agent's, Landlord's, or Renter's Profile you "like," or one of their Listings that you "like", one that appeals to you, or that relates to you in some way then you can add their Photos and links to their Profiles or Hutpages to YOURS.  So to recognize and include them in your HutPages, just click "Add to Friends" button. They'll appear thereafter on your HutPage. Any time you wish to remove them, you may in your Account Area.

We provide you with a counter that shows you 1) How many times your Listing Thumbnail/Abstract has been viewed among a member's search results, and 2) How many times your Listing has been "clicked" to show the member your complete Listing. This information is viewed only by you and you will find the info in your Account.

Of course!  Change it often or just keep your profile up to date so visitors can learn more abou the person behind the Strut. 

All of the Listings or Profiles you have created on Strut Your Hut using the same login email address will be available from your one main Account Page. You can modify any of your Listings whenever you wish. A change in price will be highlighted, and you can choose options to have us send change and update notifications to 1) Buyers who've asked to receive such notifications; 2) All Buyers who have your Listing saved as a "Favorite", 3) not to send notifications. Click: Account Page / Listings

You can add and replace photos and videos for your listings as often as you wish. Remember, all For Sale and For Rent listings must have at least one photograph in order for the listing to show. Click: Account Page / Listings / Photo & Video Uploads

Strut Your Hut encourages members to invite friends, relatives and community members, businesses and organizations to tell stories, recall memories and share experiences relating to their listings. Each of your listings will keep a tab of whom you have sent such invitations to, as well as their contributions to your Listing. You can edit the notes, and choose to display or "hide" any or all stories. Click: Account Page / Listings / Send Emails

Strut Your Hut gives you several ways to make your community a part of your listing:

1. "Friends" While you're browsing or searching on StrutYourHut.com, if you see a Buyer's, Seller's, Agent's, Landlord's, or Renter's Profile you "like,"?or one of their Listings that you "like", that appleals to you, that relates to you in some way that you wish to recognize for other members who might view yours, then just click "Add to Friends" button. They'll appear thereafter on your HutPage. Any time you wish to remove them, you may in your Account Area.
2. "Businesses, Schools, Organizations" You will be able to add notes about?your favorite Businesses, Schools, Organizations, along with a Comment or Testimonial about them. If you include their email address we'll notify them that you have added them to your Listing. Click: Account Page / Listings / Add to my Community
3. Invite your favorite Businesses or Schools, and Organizations to Post their OWN Profiles on StrutYourHut. Not only will they appear with Your Listing, but with others' Listings in your area as well who choose them.
4. Choose Businesses, etc., already posted, those which you would like to appear with your listing. Check this list from time to time to modify the look, feel and attitude of your Listing as it's viewed by other members. Account Page / Listings / Add Businesses to my Profile

How can I find out how many people are seeing my Listings? Click on any of your Listings in your Account Area, and you'll see how many times 1) you have appeared in the search results, 2) your Listing w/ photos & video have been viewed, 3) a link you have placed in your listing (if you chose to do so) has been clicked. Click: Account Page / Listings

StrutYourHut.com provides you an anonymous ("double-blind") Message Center, where other members can get in touch with you regarding your Listings. You can click the "Send Message" button, and write your message, and when you hit "Send" your message will be delivered to the Message Center of your recipient. At the same time, the recipient will receive notification from StrutYourHut.com that another member has sent them an inquiry or comment. Neither your name nor your personal email address will appear in the notification. The member will log into their Message Center to read your message. Click: Account Page / Message Center

Your message center will 1) organize you messages by each listing and by your activity on the site as Seller/Seller's Agent/Landlord, Buyer/Renter/Rental Agent, or Business/Non-profit Organization.

Strutters' replies to members who comment or ask questions about your Strut property do NOT go privately to the inquirer, but each or all MAY be displayed on your Strut Listing (or hidden from view) at your option. (as stated elsewhere on StrutYourHut.com, we reserve the right to remove ANY text or graphic material we deem inappropriate or objectionable or contrary to our guidelines or standards).

Strut Your Hut affords you a blogging tool for publishing your own real estate, business or "living" blog directly from your Edit Listing Page or "My Profile". You have the option of creating a blog that cooresponds to your User Profile or of creating a blog for each Listing if you prefer. Adding photos and videos to your blog will make it much more interesting than plain narrative Click: Account Page / Edit Listings / Listing Blog.

In your Account Page, each of your Listings and Profiles allows you to keep a private log. Insert the date and comments regarding phone calls with interested parties; as well showings you may have done. Click: Account Page / Listings (or Favorites) / Manage Notes

When you view a property Listing or a Buyer or Renter, Agent or a Strut Listing you might be interested in following up or keeping them for future reference; you may select them with a single "click" as your Favorites. When any of your Favorites are modified or the Status of their availability or price changes you will be notified by either an alert in your on your Account home page or you will receive an email notifying you of the change. You can also check the box "Compare" and add those Favorites to a HutComp (learn about HutComp below) Account Page / Favorites.

We feel your pain! It's an all-too-common problem, so you and Strut Your Hut will try and get your home search under control. Are you tired of not be able to keep track of CraigsList^TM postings?  Did you find a cute place advertised in the newspaper? Did you see a "For Sale By Owner" sign that you called about? Has your Agent shown you some GREAT options?

For the first time you get an online real estate search organizational tool unlike any other. We call it "FINDS" so that you can "Create a Favorite you found through Another Source." From your Account you can create your FIND listings of places you've seen that are of interest to you. Add photos or videos from a visit to the property. Add comments on phone calls and progress in qualifying the house as a viable purchase or rental option.  And it's FREE.

SYH is the only place online that provides this management tool. Here's how you can create FINDS from other resources in your Strut Your Hut Account area.

Log in to your Strut Your Hut account.

Under Favorites click on "Add a Favorite from Another Source".

• Type in the MLS # if there is one, copy the URL from another website if that's where it's from (the link may not "work" the next time if you have to login to that website);
• Complete the form, typing in pertinent information about the property. Add "Source" (agent, newspaper, owner, etc.) Add your own comments about the property. (You can continue to add more comments about the property whenever necessary).
• Submit this new listing you've just created to your Favorites file.
• Then Upload photos if you've visited the property and have taken photos (or when you do visit the property. You may not copy photos from other websites and post them into your Strut Your Hut account ).
• You'll be able to compare it other homes you're considering using our HutComp tool (see following paragraphs…)

(Our HutComp is intended to be used by Buyers and Renters to compare properties they have selected into their favorites as well as for Sellers and Landlords to compare potential Buyers and Renters whom they have interviewed or shown their properties. Here, our instructions are angled toward Buyers, but these instructions can easily be adapted for use by Sellers or Landlords to track prospective Buyers and Renters.)

Location isn't everything. Take time to compare the places you like and how they impact how you live day to day. Like the size of the lot of one property? But its distance from town doesn't appeal to you? Is a property close to schools for the kids? But is older than you were hoping to find? Is one property seemingly too small, but each corner says "Character"? Strut Your Hut lets your compare the tangibles and the intangibles of several properties at one time.

1. Select the "Properties" from your Favorites that you wish to include in each Comparison, then click "Compare." And remember, this includes the "Favorites YOU'VE added?from other sources" (see: Create a Favorite from Another Source)
2. Select several "Attributes" from our list of suggestions, i.e. size, price, proximity to town, strollability, garage, etc. -- you don't have to use any of our suggestions if you don't want to. (Hit the "Submit" button again, and at the end of each Step.)
3. Add other attributes not found in our list that may be especially important to you: i.e. charm, closets, floorplan, kitchen, etc. (Again, hit "Submit")
4. "Rank" each of these characteristics on level of importance to you. You've already decided they're somewhat important, but "rank" their importance relative to one another. If you wish to weigh them all equally (you can change anything you want later), then skip this step.
5. Now "Rate" each property, giving it a "grade" for each attribute, (select a number of "Huts" from 0 to 5 (0 meaning something is absent from the property, such as it's not having any garage-- if garage is one of your specified attributes); and 5 being the "best")
6. Click Submit and you will see the calculation for each of the Favorites you've included in your HutComp, at the top and bottom of each column.?
7. Youre HutComp has been saved. You can come back and tweak it anytime. Change your Attributes; Change how you've Ranked the Attributes; Change how you've Ranked each Hut. You can add other Favorites to it. You can delete Favorites you're no longer seriously considering from a HutComp. You can "Name it", " Rename it". "Print It", "Duplicate it", or "Modify it" and "Save it as another HutComp."

If for any reason you wish to send us your comments or ask questions, just send us a message and someone will get back to you if you've asked. Send your message to Comments@StrutYourHut.com