Posts Tagged ‘Real estate’
Top 7 Social Networking Sites for Real Estate
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Marketing, Real Estate Trends, Social Media on October 6th, 2011
Here are the top seven social networking sites that benefit anyone in the Real Estate industry.
1. Facebook
Now reaching 800 million active users, Facebook is one of the easiest ways of finding prospective customers within any given area. For real estate you can target very specific groups according to your business needs and reach your prospective customers where they already are.
572 members in the Atlanta area are using Merchant Circle’s free marketing tools to find new local customers. You can link up with other local businesses, create special deals, and fill your profile with influential reviews.
3. Trulia
Trulia is an all-in-one real estate site that’s jam-packed with the most useful and timely information on homes for sale, apartments for rent, neighborhoods, markets and trends to help you figure out exactly what, where and when to buy. You can also follow popular real estate blogs and get advice and opinions from local experts on Trulia Voices.
4. ActiveRain
ActiveRain is one of the few networking sites that are exclusively meant for real estate professionals. Join 214,063 professionals on the world’s largest real estate network — it is still free.
RealTown is a resource for a wide variety of real estate related articles from industry experts, syndicated columnists, Real Estate magazines, vendors and members. It is an internet portal that features everything real estate. Developed back in 1995, RealTown is one of the oldest and most respected communities in the real estate industry.
Realtors are beginning to leverage the power of Linkedin.com for their business. The growth of the site’s traffic and user base coupled with opportunities to join Groups, engage in Q&A’s, and broadcast information makes Linkedin an absolute necessity to any Realtor.
Zillow is a free online real estate site where you can search for homes for sale, find home prices, see home values, view recently sold homes, and check mortgage rates.
Bonus: Google +
Not quite in the top tools list yet, Google+ offers a steady concentration of traffic from affluent demographics that could create the perfect conditions for luxury marketers.
How about you? What are your favorite real estate social networks?
Boomers: Is the Housing Market’s Cavalry Here?
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Demographics, Real Estate Economics, Real Estate Trends on September 22nd, 2011
Being able to easily meet today’s required 20 percent down payment, boomers should be ready and able to bail this generation out of the housing muddle. So why is this not happening?
Unfortunately, the boomers are too busy taking care of the Gen-Xers that CAN’T qualify for a mortgage in today’s restrictive market.
I still think there’s hope for the market to be recovered by this steadfast generation. For one, they did not purchase their first home during the recent housing boom, so this means they will have a larger home equity cushion and the ability to secure a reverse mortgage.
They are also looking for a different lifestyle and product and are ready to buy. According to the NAHB, specifically appealing to boomers are single-story homes and with all living space on one level.
The 55+ demographic actually account for almost a quarter of all new custom-home purchases, so builders should be catering to this group of middle agers. Unfortunately, homebuilders are contending with a huge overhang of existing homes on the market, and having a harder time getting banks to sign off on construction loans.
Do you think the boomer generation will lead the housing revival? We’ve already seen signs, do you think it’s just a matter of when? Let us know by commenting below or posting on our Facebook page!
What is a Home Energy Rating?
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Green, Real Estate Trends on September 15th, 2011
Based on the home’s construction plans, a Home Energy Rating is performed using an energy efficiency software package which yields a projected, pre-construction HERS Index.
Upon completion of this analysis, a Home Energy rater will work with the builder to identify the energy efficiency improvements needed to ensure the house will meet ENERGY STAR performance guidelines. The rater typically conducts onsite inspections and uses the results of various tests to generate the HERS Index for the home.
A home energy rating is a recognized tool in the mortgage industry, as it quantifies the energy performance of a home.
The HERS Index
The HERS Index is a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) in which a home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home scores a HERS Index of 100.
Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS Reference Home.
Why should builders choose to build ENERGY STAR homes?
- Homebuyers will save money every month and have a more comfortable and safer home.
- Homeowners’ requests to save energy have become high demand. Some buyers will even use projected energy savings to pay for high-end upgrades.
- Protect the environment, and openly promote that as part of your brand.
- As an Energy Star builder EPA allows you to use their produced marketing and technical resources at no cost.
What things do you consider when choosing whether or not to build an Energy Star home?
How Do You Keep Your Readers from Jumping Ship?
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Marketing, Social Media on September 13th, 2011
Most social media and email marketers are obsessed with how large their followers, fans, and email lists 
are. It’s a numbers game to them, but are they truly speaking to the right people?
Growing your list is imperative to your business, but so is nurturing the loyal subscribers you already have. How are you rewarding them for following you? Do you engage them or simply focus on the percentage of increase each month?
For real estate, you’ve heard that location is everything; for new media marketing it’s targeting. I’d reference sounding like a broken record, but iPods don’t get stuck : )
By targeting your audience, you have a chance to really connect with them, to find out who they are and what really matters to them.
When you do write to this targeted group, be sure and let your personality show. Marketing is no longer talking “at” your subscribers, rather conversing “with” them.
Is your content relevant?
Even if you spend time refining and targeting your readers and tweeters, if your content is not relevant to them they will delete you or unsubscribe faster than you can say, “Sign up for my free report”.
Always remember to put yourself in the reader’s shoes when you create updates and newsletters. Its not about what matters to YOU, its about what’s important to THEM.
Why Should Realtors Use LinkedIn?
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Marketing, Real Estate Trends, Social Media on August 23rd, 2011
Although much more conversational that its original intent, LinkedIn is still best used to gain 
professional connections. By linking up with mortgage professionals, appraisers and even other agents (for referrals or joint venture opportunities) Realtors can build a great network around the Social Web.
Remember that the right keywords are as imperative to LinkedIn as they are to Google, as LinkedIn itself is used as a refined search engine. This means don’t write lengthy, fluffy descriptions for your profile summary and specialties – use words that your prospects would logically be searching for.
One of the best things to happen to LinkedIn for branding yourself as the leader in your industry is the Groups feature. In addition to having a stellar profile, groups are another great way to cultivate relationships and generate leads. When you participate in conversations and offer useful, free information, you become the “go-to” person for all things Real Estate. Make sure you answer questions without selling your services and ultimately you will see how LinkedIn “word of mouth” marketing turns into leads!
Single Women and Real Estate
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Demographics, Real Estate Trends on July 27th, 2011
In 2010, unmarried women made up 20 percent of all homebuyers, according to the National Association of Realtors, compared to 12 percent of single men.
What’s responsible for such a variance? Some experts believe it is a sense of belonging, or “nesting” that drives single women to purchase a home.
The new trend of female buyers is actually causing builders to add some extra features geared toward attracting them, such as gourmet kitchens, more security features, and yards that require little or no maintenance.
So, what is the single woman looking for in a home? Like any other consumer, they desire a great location, good price, and a property that’s in good condition. It is important to single women, however, that the previous owner had given the home some TLC.
Interestingly enough, these buyers are from all different age groups and phases of life. Some are just out of college, others are divorced, widowed, and still others are empty nesters.
As single women focus on real estate, more builders and sellers will respond by catering to the needs of this buying group. We all know it is important to women that they get exactly what they want 
How Real Estate Agents Are Using Social Media
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Real Estate Trends, Social Media on July 13th, 2011
More and more agents are turning to Social Media to help sell homes.
In fact, more than half of the National Association of Realtors‘ member agents reported using social networking sites last year, compared with a little more than a third in 2009. Nearly two-thirds have a website and 1 in 10 has a Blog.
Even though online listings have been around for quite some time, many agents still prefer the in-person approach, as business has traditionally been done using agent-to-agent referrals. They are now starting to go where their clients already are: on Social Media.
Last year, 89% of buyers surfed the Web to find a house, while only 45% attended open houses and 36% looked at print ads, according to the National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.
In order to make his online efforts pay off, agents must write about things that draw readers and not just regurgitate listings. Blog posts should focus on the town agents are selling in – interesting things that people will talk about and share.
When prospective buyers or sellers are looking for an agent, your blog makes it clear that you know the market, making you trustworthy and credible. It’s content, not self-promotion that attracts clients. Agents should not be afraid to have a personal take on area information.
In addition to Blogging, agents should not neglect Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Craigslist. Google AdWords campaigns are great for targeting buyers in the area, and MLS listings can be complemented using Realtor.com, Trulia, and Zillow.
Also new to the Real Estate market are the use of quick-response codes on for-sale signs so people can pull up to a house, aim a smartphone at the sign and download details right away.
Agents, are you using Social Media to its fullest to expand your business? Which mediums or channels work best for you? We’d love to hear about your struggles and successes, so feel free to comment below or post on our Facebook page to share your stories!
How to Market During the 3 Stages of Buying
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Marketing, Real Estate Trends on June 2nd, 2011
In an industry that once used print media as its primary form of delivering the marketing message, there is now an urgent need to employ the Internet to reach today’s homebuyer. A recent study by the National Association of REALTORS found that 94% of homebuyers are using the Internet when they buy a home.
Many real estate companies are “advertising” on the Internet, but they are failing to understand how to really reach their potential customers.
We already know that homebuyers go through 3 distinct stages during the prolonged process of buying a home. In fact, the average person shops a minimum of 12 weeks before purchasing. They start out seeking information about the types of homes that are available. It’s important to remember that they are not yet buyers, so as you lure them to your site you must also be able to answer their questions and provide real value, or they won’t return when they are more serious about buying.
Several weeks into the process, they begin comparison shopping and looking for information about neighborhoods, local market analysis, map-based property search engines, and using many tools and resources. The more resources and tools you have on your site, the more comparison shoppers have a reason to return to you for information.
Finally, these visitors are ready to buy. After months of researching they merely need the emotional trigger that will push them to make a move. It is imperative that your site is updated regularly, and that you have just the right devices ready to assist, but only when this buyer is ready.
Cheat Sheet on Second Home Tax Rules
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Real Estate Economics on May 31st, 2011
Are you in the market for a second home but are not sure about the tax benefits or what needs to be 
reported? Here’s a quick summary of the tax rules for second homes:
Second home use
If you use the place as a second home and not a rental, interest on the mortgage is deductible just as interest on the mortgage on your first home is. You can write off 100% of the interest you pay on up to $1.1 million of debt. You can also deduct property taxes paid on any number of homes you own.
Rental use
Many second-home buyers rent their property part of the year. If you rent the place out for 14 or fewer days during the year, that income is tax-free regardless of what you are charging for rent.
If you rent for more than 14 days you must report all rental income. You also get to deduct rental expenses, which can get complicated because you need to divide costs between the time the property is used for personal purposes and the time it is rented.
If you and your family use a beach house for 30 days during the year and it’s rented for 120 days, 80% (120 divided by 150) of your mortgage interest and property taxes, insurance premiums, utilities and other costs would be rental expenses. The entire amount you pay a property manager would be deductible, too.
If you limit personal use to 14 days the vacation home is considered a business and up to $25,000 in losses might be deductible each year. Fix-up days don’t count as personal use.
Tax-free
Although the rule that allows home owners to take up to $500,000 of profit tax-free applies only to your principal residence, there is a way to extend the break to your second home: make it your principal residence before you sell.
**Please note: This article is for informational purposes ONLY, you should consult a tax attorney or accountant to determine actual tax ramifications.
Will Boomers Reshape the Housing Market Once Again?
Posted by Sibet B Freides in Demographics, Real Estate Trends on May 26th, 2011
Baby Boomers used to be one of the largest targeted demographic groups in the housing industry. As their retirement funds diminished over the past few years, many were forced to work longer before considering a retirement home or community, which put them in a limbo of sorts with the future of the market.
There is a predicted Boomer comeback among builders, only this time the market and their needs will reflect a simpler product line. Land planners now have an opportunity to rethink community and home designs that were originally intended for that age group.
Retiring Boomers are still privy to developments restricted to older buyers, but they are seeking a greater variety of home styles than were offered during the housing boom.
The recession has resulted in less money to spend and brought about requests for less space than previously desired. Successful developments are actually scaling back home sizes by 200 to 400 feet.
With the possibility of younger Boomers continuing to work at least part time post-retirement developers should consider creating space for home offices in their floorplans.
Among the most popular amenities desired, walking trails and fitness centers are still number one on the list. Gated access and the feeling of security also play into the overall picture.
What other features do you think today’s Boomers are looking for? Do you think the 77+ million Boomers are a strong voice in market demands?
