Month: February 2011

Cha, Cha, Cha,Changes….

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The real estate market continues to change. Loan programs are changing, rules and regulations in lending are changing, interest rates are changing, prices are changing, activity levels are changing and it takes a professional to help consumers wade through the complexities of the market and give their buyers and sellers the right advice when dealing with real estate. Yes, there are agents who have a license, who can show properties, write contracts, attend inspections and settlement but it takes a professional to explain trends, understand data, and give the right advice to people when buying and selling homes.

The internet has helped the consumer find information on real estate – what is for sale, neighborhood information, school information, crime reports, and if they can dig deep enough, sold data through tax record information. But does this really tell the whole story? Were points or closing costs paid by the seller –if so, how much was paid? What was the property’s condition? Was it a distressed property or not and how did that play into the final sales price? Were there multiple contracts on the property? There is so much more to the story – tell your clients about this information that is not available on the web. The internet provides information – as a professional, you need to provide insight. If you do, you will demonstrate your value and get paid what you are deserved each and every time.

To be able to tell someone now is a good time to buy or sell a home takes market awareness. Where are interest rates today and why? Will they be rising or falling and why? How does this impact the decision on when to buy or sell and why? What is happening with FHA condo approvals and how will it impact both buyers and sellers? Is activity up or down in the market and how will impact pricing? Is activity up or down? How does the agent know? It isn’t knowledge that is power it is the use of knowledge that is power. Use your knowledge to empower people to make the right decisions.

Get involved in the market – preview houses, visit new home sites, network with other leading professionals in our business to get the pulse on the market. Now is the time to make yourself an indispensable asset to your database and create clients for life. Get it? Got it? Good! Now, go sell something!

Shakespeare said it then, Scott says it now

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To blog or not to blog – that is the question.  My answer is to blog. There is business to be gained by blogging.  What is important to keep in mind when posting is what is the purpose of your blog?  Are you looking to pick up buyers or sellers, be a neighborhood expert or do have another goal in mind?   Whatever it is, keep this as your focus in every blog you post.

My belief is it is our job to let the consumer read what they need to read, hear what they need to hear and learn about what is really happening in the market from the experts and so they don’t get wrapped up in what the media wants them to read, hear and see.   The media’s job is to sell negative information and not plant the right seed.

What can you blog about?  Neighborhoods, client interactions, success stories, your listings, homes you have previewed – deal of the day or week, life experiences, your interactions with others or anything else you find interesting or think someone else may find interesting. 

Why is it important?  It is important because the consumer goes to the internet to get information on everything – not just houses.  This being said, when they are looking to make one of the biggest decisions of their life, don’t you think they will do more research on this topic than not?  This is why blogging is important.  Get your word out to others on where the market is – don’t be afraid to make your opinion known.

Who is reading blogs?  As previously mentioned, the consumer but also other are people you will invite to read it – past clients, other Realtors and real estate professionals, your sphere of influence and people interested in the neighborhood or area you are blogging about.  If you make it interesting, keep it up to date, and do it consistently, you will gain readership.  Why are Realtors and other industry professionals reading blogs?  To find good referral sources for their relocating clients.  If you have a relocating client, do you help them find a Realtor where they are moving?  How do you narrow down the selection?  Typically I look at production, what their hobbies and interests are and if they match my client’s hobbies and interests, if they have a website and if they blog.  If they blog, I read their blog to determine if they are positive or negative, on target with the market and generally what their knowledge is in real estate.  The more they know in what they say and how they say it, the more likely I am to refer them.

Pitfalls – time, writing ability, how to come up with new ideas, where to get started, to pay or not to pay for your blog site, and does your company have a policy on blogging?

Good examples

Bad examples

What to avoid – negativism, writing about a specific case as it is in process, defamation of character issues

What to include – add pictures, hyperlinks and video.  Have a good title, insert good metatags and keywords.  Solve a problem or provide valuable information (housing stats, trends, pricing, DOM, companies moving/relocating into the area), say it simply and in layman’s terms not in our language, again, have a call to action (subscribe here, click here for free home search, follow us here, email me for more details here, click here for a free home buying/home selling consultation, etc. and as always, make it about them – not you!

It’s all about results and ROI on your time.  Be sure to work with a site that will allow you to track numbers such as total page views, average page views per day, unique visitors, bounce rates, referral websites and most popular pages.  Also, ask for people to share and comment on your blog and you in turn should return the favor.  Give in slices, get returned in loaves!

Things to consider now that we have reviewed blogging…How do you benefit?  What can happen?  How do you do it?  It can only produce results.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!