Thursday is SpecialtyBuzz day here at the Life and Times of a Freelance Writer! SpecialtyBuzz day is always a special occasion around here because it means I will be posting an interview with a freelance writer who specializes in a certain subject matter or type of writing.

Today’s guest is Dan Rafter, a real estate writer of more than 15 years. Read on for a candid view of getting started in real estate writing and the state of the industry after that infamous “bubble” popped.

What is your specialty and how did you get started in that particular area?

I write about residential and commercial real estate. I never thought this would be the main focus of my writing. But about 11 years ago, I was hired as an editor of a real estate trade magazine. I quickly learned that the competition for getting stories wasn’t as high if I pitched to the real estate sections of newspapers or to trade magazines that focused on real estate.

What are three things a writer needs to know before choosing to specialize in your area of specialty?

You can learn just about any field fairly quickly. But to write about real estate, there are three things you really need to know:

1. You have to start working on your stories long before your deadlines. Real estate agents and mortgage loan officers are terribly busy, and they often forget to return calls. You’re going to have to remind them a few times before they call you back.

2. You have to learn to be aggressive when interviewing real estate professionals. Some of them spout out a constant stream of jargon. Don’t be afraid to interrupt them and ask for clarification. You need to know what your sources are talking about.

3. You have to learn how to have a thick skin. Many real estate agents and mortgage loan officers don’t particularly like reporters. They put part of the blame for the current real estate slump on newspapers and TV. In their opinion, writers exacerbated the housing industry’s problems by focusing unfairly on the negatives about the industry.

Does writing in your specialty require any particular training or could a layman pick it up?

There is a lot of jargon, but real estate isn’t really that complicated. If I’m not familiar with a term or a type of mortgage loan product, I’ll just ask for an explanation from the person I’m interviewing. Overall, it’s a pretty easy field to pick up.

Are there any potential pitfalls associated with specializing in your area?

These days, yes. The real estate slump has caused several of the magazines I regularly wrote for to either go out of business or drastically slash their freelance writing budgets. But this could happen to any writer who specializes in any industry. Fortunately, I write about other subjects, too. Real estate writing is my specialty, but not the only subject I cover.

What is the current market for writing in your specialty?

Who is buying and who is selling? Real estate writing might not be the most profitable field right now. The housing slump is still going on, which means that real estate publications aren’t getting the ad revenue they once were. This has hurt me, as many of my steadiest clients have either shut down their publications or have dramatically reduced their freelance budgets. Still, you can find work writing about real estate. Consumer Web sites, in particular, seem to need constant real estate content. I’ve also landed some jobs ghostwriting the blogs of successful real estate agents. Top agents know they need blogs. Many of these agents, though, don’t have time to write them or maintain them, so they hire me. I actually enjoy this kind of work immensely.

What do you enjoy most about your specialty?

It’s an interesting field filled with some oddball characters. The people who sell real estate or write mortgage loans tend to be “regular” folks who just happened to find a career that they can make some real money at.

What do you enjoy least about your specialty?

I do get tired, at times, of writing about adjustable rate mortgages, foreclosures and short sales. But I think every specialist gets antsy at times. You can’t write about the same thing every day and not get a little bored with it. That’s why I think it’s important to write about other topics, too.

How would you suggest networking within your specialty?

There are plenty of good Web forums. The best is Active Rain. It’s a hugely popular message board for real estate professionals. You’ll find agents and loan officers from across the country here, usually complaining about the way the media treat them. LinkedIn also boasts several active real estate groups. These are good places to find potential sources. Of course, most every real estate agent is a member of the National Association of Realtors. The association runs a very informative Web site. And their PR people are quite good about helping reporters track down statistics and sources.

What advice would you give to freelance writers interested in specializing in your area?

Jump in. You don’t have to do much pre-studying. I’d start with newspapers in your area that still run real estate sections. They also need content. From there, you can target higher-paying magazines and trade publications.

Dan Rafter has worked as a freelance writer for more than 15 years. He’s the editor of Midwest Real Estate News, and has written for the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, BusinessWeek Online, Business 2.0 Magazine, Phoenix Magazine and several other publications. You can read about his adventures in online writing at www.contentwritingfordollars.blogspot.com.