Email marketing campaigns are a great way for REALTORS® to stay connected to real estate clients. Whether your clients are active in the real estate market or simply taking their time to make the right decision, email marketing will help promote both your listings and your personal brand, and can also be an effective tool for landing new clients. And while email marketing requires a bit of technological know-how, many of the basics are probably similar to other marketing initiatives you’re already working on. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Select an Email Service
MailChimp and Constant Contact are two great examples of services that provide customizable templates so your emails have a personal touch. Current and prospective clients will be more likely to read the material, since the message will come directly from you. If possible, make sure your service is optimized for smartphones; mobile, now more than ever, is where people consume their information. Continue reading »
Buying and selling real estate is said to be a largely emotional decision. So when the emotions of a divorce are added to what can already be a trying exercise, moving real estate can be a challenge for everyone involved, especially in areas where the housing market is in trouble. If you are tasked with selling a home for a divorcing couple, or if you’re working with a client who is purchasing a divorce home, it’s important as a REALTOR® to remember these seven tips for navigating the potentially turbulent waters.
1. Always remember that emotions are involved
Your clients are likely going through a trying and emotional period in their lives, made all the more volatile due to the large financial stakes that come along with real estate. It’s important for you to remain calm and reasonable, especially if the divorce is particularly turbulent. Be extra sensitive to everyone’s emotions and be careful with your word choices. Even seemingly innocent words and phrases can be taken the wrong way. Continue reading »
REALTORS® are presented with many challenges in their everyday life, but few can be as trying as working with a difficult client. Sometimes in can seem like the very people you are working for are trying to frustrate you, even sabotage your efforts to close a sale. When the going gets tough, it’s important to keep a cool head and make sure you know how to stay in control of the situation while making the process as easy as possible for your client.
As you navigate the real estate market you’re likely to run into the occasional difficult client. Each of these clients will have their own quirks and challenges, but they’ll typically fit into a few categories. Understand problems before they arise and have a plan of action in place. Are you familiar with any of these problem clients? Continue reading »
Get ready for Echo Boomers to become major players in buying and selling real estate. Young adults born between 1982 and 1995 — “echoing” the Baby Boom generation — are already at the age for entering the real estate market. Echo Boomers are much different from the Baby Boomers, and present unique challenges and opportunities for REALTORS® ready to help get them into a home.
Echo Boomers have a different perception of the “American Dream” than their parents did. Owning a home is not necessarily at the top of their list.
Echo Boomers prefer graduate degrees, living in social areas (not suburbs) and freedom instead of homeownership. And as USA Today points out, only 20% of Echo Boomers rank owning a home as a priority. Still, while marriage rates among Echo Boomers might be lower, this is group may just define traditional roles their own unique way — Generation Y still values family and children. Continue reading »
REALTORS® know that one of the keys to successfully selling a property is presentation and attention to detail. Still, after the hedges are trimmed and the doors are painted, the eyesore of a messy neighbor can undo all your hard work.
Abandoned or foreclosed homes are one thing, unkempt properties and messy neighbors are quite another. Whether yards are littered, the home is in general disrepair, or the shrubs and trees are overgrown, the neighboring properties can significantly affect your ability to make a sale.
Not to worry. There are steps that can be taken to mitigate the damage of a messy neighbor.
Exaggerate positives of your property
Show a clear distinction between your property and the neighbor’s. Remember the saying, “Good fences make good neighbors,” and draw clear boundaries if the neighbor in question happens to be next door. This could mean adding new landscaping, adding fencing or highlighting other features to keep the attention on your property. Continue reading »
Competing in real estate has more in common with the Olympic games than you may have guessed. Preparation and determination are key to being a successful REALTOR® in any one single sale. But to be a champion in real estate, you need to be skilled in a wide variety of events — think of real estate as a pentathlon and you’ll achieve ultimate success.
100 Meter Dash: Short Sales and Foreclosures — REALTORS® face stiff competition when handling short sales. The competition is fast with aggressive inventors and salespeople who move quickly to turn over properties and game the system. To compete in this market you need to get a good jump and sprint through the finish. Don’t come up short when faced with short sales. Keep your head up and win the race. Continue reading »
As a REALTOR® it can be easy to focus on the big picture — big sales, big clients, career growth — and with a schedule that is often changing with evening and weekend showings and meetings, staying on a consistent schedule is a challenge. Still, when it’s possible, by sticking to a schedule and taming your workday, you’ll find a routine can do wonders for your productivity at work, as well as your state-of-mind. Once your routine is automatic, you’ll never have to sweat the small stuff again — just put the day in gear and focus on what really matters.
6:00 am: Avoid hitting the snooze button and just wake up. It’s the simplest action you’ll take all day, and somehow it’s the hardest. Force yourself to wake early for a couple weeks and you’ll wonder how you ever slept in.
Continue reading »
Selling luxury homes is about knowing your clients. What do million dollar clients expect from their REALTOR®? That’s the million-dollar question. Remember, luxury clients expect service first and foremost. In many ways you’re selling a lifestyle, and that’s a lifestyle your clients are likely accustomed to. You can cater to your clients and go the extra mile by being flexible — schedule private showings, listen to their concerns (no matter how inflated), and add touches like refreshments. You can also impress luxury clients with “free” add-ons.
Here is a collection of tips and resources to help you enter the market, understand what your clients are looking for, and maximize your earning potential — the REALTOR® Guide to Selling Luxury Real Estate.
There is a market for luxury real estate
Despite the struggling economy, in some regions luxury home sales are on pace for a record year in 2012. Buyers are coming in with strong cash offers or heavy down payments and the market is vibrant in some regions. Sales of existing homes of more than $1 million improved by nearly 17% in some regions in April over the same period in 2011. In Manhattan, buyers are snatching up co-ops and condos at top prices and some markets like Miami are attracting a wide demographic of buyers which has helped drive sales up 66% in the first quarter alone. Continue reading »
Home improvement shows on TV have made for a hyper-informed public when it comes to remodeling, staging and selling. Home buyers are more aware than ever of practices that REALTORS® use when selling a home, which makes it even more important that your staging efforts are well executed and naturally-integrated into the home — but studies consistently show that home staging works. As you stage your homes, it’s important to tie up any loose ends and to highlight the home’s best features. Here are tips on effective Home Staging in the Age of Informed Buyers.
Cover the Basics First
Take advantage of low-hanging fruit. Before you get caught up in the big-ticket items, make sure you’ve taken care of the easy, obvious things. The house should be clean and uncluttered, and you should put some thought into landscaping but not pour too much money into it. As your space comes together, down the road be aware of lighting and music. You want your buyer to be able to visualize themselves in the home, which requires the home to be clean and inviting, first and foremost. Continue reading »
An increasing number of aging Baby Boomers and empty nesters are relocating and moving into properties that they expect to live out their retirement in. Adults aged 50+ represent more than 20% of the U.S. population, and for most senior adults, the homes that they live in are their largest asset and account for most of their net worth. Moving for this demographic is often a matter of trading homes, and a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® who is experienced and knowledgeable can make all the difference in the world for seniors looking to move. For REALTORS® working with this demographic there are unique challenges, opportunities and preferences to be aware of. Here are 5 Tips for REALTORS® Who Want to Specialize in Real Estate for Seniors:
Each situation is unique
Many seniors are still in the workforce, and they’re not ready to give up their professional lifestyle. Other seniors might be completely retired and in need of some level of home care. Still others are retired and active, and looking to spend time with their grandchildren. Get to know your client’s lifestyle before putting together a list of properties. What are their priorities? Where do they see themselves in 10 years? Select appropriate listings for each client and don’t assume anything based on age or living situation. Do your homework and your clients will appreciate it. Continue reading »
