Spring is here. Are you ready to get a jump on the market and build your business with Green opportunities? According to recent McGraw Hill research, the Green Homes Market is expected to increase five-fold by 2016. REALTORS® are reporting that energy-efficient homes are selling faster and for higher prices as homebuyers factor in long-term utility savings.
This points to an opportunity for you to boost your business with these smart “green marketing” strategies:
Green is the New Granite Countertop
According to one homebuilder, homebuyers are actively seeking out energy-efficient features in their next home. Make sure you highlight specific green features and highlight them prominently on sales sheets and classified listings.
Understand Green Credits and Tax Savings
The federal government is aggressively incentivizing purchases of energy-efficient homes. Be ready to walk your homebuyers and sellers through the potential tax savings and credits.
Investigate Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEM) as a Financing Option
When appropriate, suggest an Energy Efficient Mortgage to homebuyers financing a green-friendly home. To get started, you’ll need to score the home using the Home Energy Rating System (HERS). Getting a certified HERS rating typically costs between $300 and $800 and is paid by the seller, lender, or real estate agent. An EEM mortgage often helps a buyer afford a home normally out of their price range. An EEM is a great way to get a homebuyer into there preferred home while benefiting the environment as well.
Homebuyers and sellers have their pick of eager agents to assist them with their real estate needs. We wanted to make sure that you stand out from the pack and demonstrate to your potential clients the advantages of working with a REALTOR®. We’ve compiled a list of 7 tools that you can add to your marketing repertoire.
1. Establish a Competitive Advantage with Education from REALTOR® University
Consider investing in a Designation or Certification Course offered by the National Association of REALTORS® which offer you specific skills that will help you offer unique services to your buyers and sellers. You can also take your training to the next level by applying to REALTOR® University’s graduate school where you can pursue a Master of Real Estate Degree in a variety of concentrations ranging from Real Estate Sales, Marketing and Management to Real Estate Appraisal.
2. Get Handy with Apps
REALTORS® have a number of useful apps at their disposal to help you work on the go and stay productive. NAR offers apps to help with business and your membership, while you can also download free apps on iTunes to help with marketing, managing client relationships and even helping with calculating interest rates and annual property taxes.
Facebook Timeline is currently available to all personal pages, but the clock is ticking for brands to join as well. By March 30, like it or not, everyone will be on Timeline. The time is now for REALTORS® to jump on board and make sure they’re ready for the change.
Timeline accentuates stories, with large images, more compelling content and the ability to add milestones to tell an even deeper story. This allows REALTORS® to better feature listings, highlight neighborhoods or tell your own story.
Here are five things REALTORS® can do to get the most out of Facebook Timeline:
1. Cover Photo and Thumbnail
The new Timeline cover photo dominates the new layout, replacing the five-image photo strip of old. The new cover photo (851×315) gives REALTORS® plenty of real estate to showcase a compelling image that enhances your personal brand. Perhaps an image of a family in front of their new home or a beautiful home and with your sign on the lawn?
The thumbnail (90×90) sits at the bottom left of the cover photo and appears next to all posts you make on Facebook, so take care to make it compelling as well. The best thumbnails are usually professional headshots that blend well with your cover photo.
Here’s a link to get inspiration on creating your own cover photo and thumbnail: 13 Creative Facebook Cover Photos
Pinterest isn’t a hot fad in social media, it’s driving more clicks than Google+ and YouTube and was one of the top 10 most trafficked social networking websites in 2011. And it may have just started scratching the surface. REALTORS® looking to drive additional traffic to their websites, blogs and listings would do well to experiment with Pinterest and see if it can another effective tool in your belt.
PINTEREST FOR REALTORS®
For REALTORS®, Pinterest is a great way to showcase your expertise in a visually pleasing form while taking advantage of links back to any existing content you have. For instance, if you maintain a blog and have a post about how small home renovations can pay off big during a sale, Pinterest is a perfect way to drive additional traffic to that post through a single pin.
Here are some examples of how you can use Pinterest to your advantage:
