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10 minutes & 10 steps to Social Media Mastery!

Posted by: admin in Realtors, Fun on Jan , 2011

Call it a shameless product showcase, but we’ve invented something pretty cool and we wanted to share it with you – Social Spaces.

Social Spaces are like a Social Media aggregation site. A place where you can bring together your Twitter, Facebook, Blog, LinkedIn Profile, YouTube videos, Flickr... you name it. Social Spaces are a simple way to bring together your disconnected social media presence and make it easy  for people to see what you've been Tweeting, posting and talking about. You can also curate together other content to make a social space that follows other companies or people online.

But telling you about them is one thing – we want you to try and make one for yourself – all together, it’ll take you less than 10 minutes and you’ll have an awesome new tool for social media, and a neat thing to show off!

Thus we present: 10 minutes and 10 steps to social media mastery!


marketing tab1. To set up a social space, the first thing you have to do is sign up for a free 1to1Real trial account here.I set up an account for a lady named Elanor who REALLY likes the CBC, and gave her the custom 1to1Real address of http://elanor.1to1real.com (if your name is Elanor and you want this space, let me know and I’ll be glad to surrender it!)

2. Once you’re set up, you’ll be prompted to follow the setup wizard to set up your project spaces and business flows. You can work through the setup wizard, or dismiss the wizard if you want to jump directly to your social space setup.

select space
3. Click on the Marketing button in 1to1Real, then on the Social Spaces button, then select your social Space Type from the dropdown menu – you’ll have one option, 1to1REALMe.
4. Click on your default Social Space and choose toActivate it. Then click it again and choose Edit Space.

5. Now you can start personalizing and adding your content. The social space defaults with our company’s information in all the different social space gadgets but you can change it by clicking the grey dot on the upper right side of the gadget boxes. (If you don’t want to use a particular gadget, you can choose Shade Gadget to make it invisible.)

6. Add your Facebook page, an RSS feed, your twiter username, Flickr Account, etc, etc.

adding content
7. Write a custom about message in the About box telling people who you are and click save.

8. Upload a custom icon picture that’s no more than 80 by 80 pixels in the icon box.

9. If you want to create a custom background, select the Edit Settingsbutton and upload a picture for your background, or change the colour of your background.

10. Now click the Close Space button. You’re done! Go to your 1to1Real Address and check out your own Customized Social Space.

As you can see from the Social Space I set up, it only takes a few minutes to set up an awesome and professional looking space that you can use to promote yourself, or follow other people and companies online.
Of course, if you want to see another excellent example of a Space, you can check out our corporate Social Space at cmaeon.1to1real.com!  What would you create for your Real Estate listings?

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A look ahead: Predictions for 2011 in Real Estate

Posted by: admin in selling, Sales, Realtors, International Real Estate, CREA, buyer's market on Jan , 2011

crystal ballAh January – a time for prognostication. Everyone channels their inner Nostradamus and attempts to make sense of the swirl of information around them – trying to figure out what’s relevant and what’s not. Sure there are tons of prediction lists that come out at this time of year, but we at Realestock are going to try something a little different with ours - we’re actually going to hold ourselves accountable. In December of 2011, we’re going to look back and try to determine which of our predictions were right, which were so-so, and which were so very, very wrong.

So what do we think will happen in real estate this year? We’ve boiled it down to 6 firm predictions:

  1. The market will stay flat, but people will still look towards a recovery, and every small rise and fluctuation will start people talking all over again. The markets are looking up, and stocks are rising, but job growth is still looking slow and that means we don’t think the market is going to leap up towards previous levels. The CREA is predicting Canadian home sales to fall by 7.3% overall in 2011 and we agree with them.
  2. Low prices means affordable prices – those who can buy houses will continue to do so, driving modest sales and making starter homes attractive. Due the excesses of previous years, people will be a lot more conservative in their choices – looking to stay well within their means and choosing more affordable homes.
  3. Renting will be cool again. Yes, really. Even with low rates and affordable prices, many will opt to rent for longer to save up bigger down payments to keep their mortgages low and affordable in the long term. People have learned the lessons from the disasters of Adjustable Rate Mortgages in the US, and we think people will wait longer to avoid being caught by sudden rate hikes.
  4. Governments will continue to keep interest rates low and mortgages attractive – even in places with hot real estate markets like British Columbia – we think rates will stay right where they are in some places and very gently rise in others to avoid unbalancing a slow economic recovery.
  5. It’s tough out there for mortgage brokers and real estate agents. And it will continue to be. Sorry guys.
  6. Realtors and developers and brokers will get smarter – not work harder to stick it out. In order to differentiate themselves in a tough market, real estate experts will continue to blog, tweet and socialize themselves into a market position. Social media aggregation will be a big trend this year, with more and more companies using neat tools like these social media hubs to collect all their content together and make their lives easier.

Sources: Top 10 Real Estate Predictions for 2011, Elizabeth Weintraub; BCREA Housing Forecast; 2011Real Estate Outlook, Jerry Barker; 2011Canadian Real Estate Market Forecast and Prediction, Kurt Hemmerling

Picture: KayVee.Inc

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5 ways Sell Your House Quickly in 2011!

Posted by: admin in Sales, Realtors, how to, buyer's market on Dec , 2010

4051299099_95eb5ac5a1New year, fresh start? If you’re thinking of moving, or waiting to make a big move in the new year, selling your home is the first step. So, how can you make your goals a reality? Here are some simple tips to make your home sell.

 

  1. Price it right: The first step to selling a property is setting it at the right price. Prices should be set against the prices similar properties are selling for – not what they’re being listed for. In a buyers market, a competitively priced house will sell long before one going for more than the market will bear. There are people who want to buy, but they want to buy at the right price.
  2. Fix it up: Nobody wants to buy a property with a huge to-do list built right in. Even small repairs can put off buyers, so get a critical friend to come and help you see what touch ups and repairs need to be done.
  3. Make it look great: This is just common sense – tidy, remove clutter and clean the crap out of your home. Stage your furniture to show off your home’s best assets – you’ll impress buyers and show off the best assets of your home.
  4. Offer incentives: Adding too many premiums can make sellers look desperate; however incentives like help with closing costs can encourage buyers. If you want to make your realtor work for you, offering a bonus on the commission for a speedy sale can work wonders.
  5. Be prepared and be flexible: Have a plan in place – know ahead of time what price cuts you’re willing to agree to, and what you won’t. When you plan ahead, you’ll be able to move quickly on the offers you receive.

Thanks for reading the Realestock blog in 2010. We’ll be back in the first week of 2011 with even more great tips, tricks and industry advice!

Photo: The Truth About Mortgage

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The Definitive Guide: How the HST Really Affects Realtors

Posted by: admin in Realtors, Ontario, Canadian Real Estate, British Columbia on Aug , 2010

To say the HST has upset realtors and real estate professionals would be a bit of an understatement. They’re mad. According to a recent survey conducted by Royal Lepage, 43.9% of realtors felt that the HST was playing a big part in the cooling housing market.

 

Who could blame them? Both Vancouver and Toronto, the biggest markets in the provinces where HST has gone into affect have seen big downturns. In Toronto, sales fell 34% in July, to sit at their lowest point since 2002. The drop was even sharper in Vancouver, with a 45% drop in home sales.

However, the question remains for many people – how does the HST affect me? Both the BC and Ontario provincial governments are quick to point out that previously owned homes are exempt from the HST – it only applies to new construction over a certain price point. However, the story isn’t so simple. The HST affects people looking to buy and sell their home in a lot of different ways – from realtor’s commissions to the materials used to do repairs.

So – how does the HST really affect real estate – from top to bottom? We made you a chart of all the changes because of the HST. If the price stayed the same, it’s not on the chart – we’ve only listed products and services that will be more expensive now.

 

Service

Previous Tax

BC Tax + HST

Ont Tax + HST

Notes

House Cleaning Services

5%

12%

13%

 

Electricity and Heating

5%

N/A

13%

Only subject to HST in Ontario

Home Service Calls – ie, plumbers, carpenters, electricians, etc.

5%

12%

13%

Applies to repairs for both appliances and property

Landscaping/Snow Removal

5%

12%

13%

In BC Fruit trees and food plants are also now subject to HST, but not ornamental plants

Home Renovations

5%

12%

13%

 

Ontario – new homes/condos over $400,000

5%

-

13%

Property under $400,000 is exempt

BC – new homes/condos over $525,000

5%

12%

-

Property under $525,000 is exempt

Real Estate Commissions

5%

12%

13%

 

Windows, insulation, weather stripping, caulking

5%

12%

N/A

 

Movers

5%

12%

13%

 

Interior Design Services

5%

12%

N/A

 

Accounting Services

5%

12%

N/A

 

 

 

 

Want more information? The Ontario and BC Governments have more detailed charts and explanations on their respective websites.

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What to do if you want to sell your home

Posted by: admin in selling, Realtors, moving, how to, CMHC on Aug , 2010


sell your homeSelling real estate can be a big headache. Finding a realtor, showing the house, entertaining offers… then worrying about taxes, fees and other administrative details can make the process seem far more complicated than it needs to be.  So, if you want to sell your home, doing your homework before you get onto the real estate listings can save you a lot of hard work and sleepless nights.
Step 1 - Decide what your home is worth:
This might seem like a no brainer, but many people don’t do this. They forget to factor the costs of improvements or pre-sale repairs into their home’s value. Getting the property appraised, then comparing it to other, similar homes can be very helpful. If you’re not prepared to accept what similar properties have fetched, you might need to wait. Only you can decide how much you’re prepared to gain or lose if you sell your house.  Set your minimum price and stick to it, unless you really need to get out of your current situation, it will help you decide what offers you’re willing to entertain.
Step 2 - Really get to know your Realtor:
Realtors can be incredible assets, but they don’t work for free. Ask them about their commission fees – what can you expect when you sell your home. Realtors can also help you figure out all the other taxes, fees and paperwork that will go with selling your home. Knowing what to expect ahead of time will make the process go much faster when it starts.
Step 3 - Scope out the competition:
Visit other open houses in your neighbourhood and see what your direct competition is doing. Ask your realtor what the best features of your house are, and how you can really use them to entice buyers.
Step 4 - Take care of repairs:
Sometimes it’s little things that can put off buyers – doing small repairs and freshening up paint doesn’t cost much, but it can make your house look far more appealing to buyers who aren’t interested in getting a property that looks shabby and comes with a to-do list a mile long. You might also consider having a professional inspector look at your home.  If there are serious problems with your home, you can have them fixed before putting them on the market and letting buyers discover them.  If there are not problems, you can show buyers that your home has been professionally inspected and they can have confidence in it.
Step 5 - Make it look great, inside and out:
Removing extra knick-knacks, clutter and personal items can also make a big difference. For better or worse, buyers will be looking for a blank slate that they can imagine themselves living in. You may love your bright pink sofa and shag rug, but some people won’t be able to look past it. If you’re bad at this kind of thing, consider hiring a professional stager.  The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has an excellent and thorough checklist you can work through.
And there you have it. If you start work ahead of time, you’ll have a property that looks great inside and out, has no major issues and has killer features that make it shine above the competition. Better yet, you’ll know how much money to expect from your sale, and will have already planned for the fees. Selling real estate isn’t without complications and hitches, but you can make it run as smoothly as possible.

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4 Simple Ways to Sell Real Estate in the Summer

Posted by: admin in tips, selling, Realtors, buying on Jul , 2010

Most people and realtors will tell you that summer is the best time to buy and sell real estate, no matter what kind of property you have – condo, house, investment property… The popular assumption is that with enough sunshine streaming in, and with a well kept garden, the house will practically sell itself.  The problem with lazy thinking like that is no amount of sunshine or flowers will elevate a property above others – summer, as a whole tends to be pretty indiscriminate. So what can be done to make a property appeal over all others during the busiest real estate season of the year?

  1. Scope the competition – what are other homes in the neighborhood going for? What features do they have? How can you showcase the properties’ strengths while downplaying its weaknesses? Something as simple as drawing attention to a large garden, placing a home further back from the road than similar homes in the area can be a big incentive to the right kind of buyers.
  2. Keeping it clean – inside and out. Everyone will be touching up their yards to sell a house in the summer, but great curb appeal can be shattered by sloppy housekeeping. The inside and outside need to speak for themselves.  De-clutter, file away unnecessary knick knacks, get rid of any out-of-season messes, tidy up after the last BBQ, then put out some fresh flowers and open the curtains to reveal (freshly cleaned) windows.
  3. Fix any small problems – sticky gate to the back yard? Paint peeling off the fence? Ratty shrubs that need to be pruned in the back yard? Patio or balcony just really dirty? With a lot of homes on the market, even small issues can put a potential buyer off.  Nobody wants a property that already comes with a weekend to-do list.
  4. Keep it cool – everyone loves floor to ceiling windows, but they can let a lot of heat in if the blinds and curtains are open. Run the AC if it’s available. If not, and the property gets seriously uncomfortable, consider getting it installed. Turn it into an asset that no other property has.

Image: I See Modern Britian, Flickr

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How To: Get Great Real Estate Photos

Posted by: admin in tips, Realtors, property, photography, how to on Jun , 2010

Whether you’re a realtor, someone trying to sell, or someone looking to buy, great photos are some of the best tools you can have in Real Estate.  A Realtors’ association survey found that when it comes to web features that buyers consider “very useful,” 83 percent cited pictures. Great photos are much like having great curb appeal – they draw potential buyers in. Bad photos don’t just leave a bad first impression; they can turn off buyers before they even set foot in the property.

Unfortunately, there is no single magic bullet or secret camera setting to ensure that pictures will be good – however, here are some Dos and Don’ts from professional photographers:
Do:
Use a good camera – do you need a top of the line Digital SLR? Probably not – but will a lower end one like a Cannon Rebel make pictures look better than a cell phone or a point and shoot? Yes!  DSLRs can accommodate different lenses and can have the shutter speed and aperture adjusted – meaning your can take longer exposure pictures – longer exposures means more light can reach the lens, avoiding pictures that make rooms look dark and uninviting.
Pro tip: Camera shops often have consignment sections where you can purchase used entry level DSLRs for below retail price. This is a good way to get a starter camera, and allows you to ask as many questions as you need to learn how to use the camera.

Do:
Get some equipment if you’re going to take a lot of photos: A simple tripod can solve a lot of bad picture problems. While you will never need all the gear that a professional photographer has, if you find yourself always wishing you had more light, you can find compact fluorescent versions of studio lights for a fraction of the price - $80 to $100 USD; they cast wide, soft light, meaning they can illuminate a dark room without casting hard shadows.  Finally, consider a wide angle lens – using one means you can show a lot more of the room in the photo, meaning the viewer can get a better idea of how spacious the room actually is.
Do:
Think about the weather – if you photograph a house on dull, dark day, it will look dull and dark on the inside. Open the curtains, lift the blinds, and turn on the lights! Get it as bright as you can. When photographing the outside, try to do it on an overcast day to avoid harsh shadows.

Do:
Tidy up first! You can have lovely pictures with lots of natural light taken from the best angles, but if there are dead flowers, toys scattered everywhere, dirty dishes or too much clutter, you’ll end up with great pictures of a messy house. Clean up the setting and stage everything before you start – it will save your time in the long run and will make sure people viewing the pictures will notice the lovely bay window, not the toddler playing in front of it.

Do:
Be afraid to take lots of pictures from different angles. When inside shoot from a doorway or corner to show as much of the room as possible. Step back and try to find the best angle to capture the room.

Do:
Embrace technology! If you’re already tech savvy, you can use Photoshop to add perfect finishing touches – remember though, with all Photoshop fixes, its best not to go overboard.  However, if you know what you’re doing, you can straighten walls, adjust shadows and colour, crop out unwanted details, remove imperfections, or stitch photos together to make a panorama.   If you’re not a Photoshop wizard, you can use free programs to adjust lightness and contrast, or hire a professional to do touch ups on your images.
Pro Tip: If you’re really good, you can take photos using the HDR (high dynamic range) technique to make a composite image. Basically you take several photos of the exact same scene using different exposure values (and use a tripod!) Then you combine the photos, so you have your darks, lights and midrange covered (newer versions of Photoshop have an option for this) – allowing you to see a lovely room, AND the view outside the window, rather than just a blown out block of white.  There are many HDR tutorials online that can tell you more.

Don’t:
Use a flash. Unless you have absolutely have to. Seriously.

Don’t:
Be afraid to hire a professional.  If all this seems daunting and you have no photography skills, consider hiring a professional photographer. They have all the equipment and the knowhow to take the best photos possible, and great photos can be a great investment.
Want more information? The website All Things Photography has an excellent e-book on Property Photography – a must read for anyone who will be taking property photos.

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Do You Really Need a Real Estate Customer Relationship Management system? A handy Quiz!

Posted by: admin in Sales, Realtors, Marketing on Jun , 2010

More and more real estate agents are investing in Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) because they’ve been told it will make their lives easier and increase their sales.  Adopting a CRM system isn’t a magical sell-more solution for realtors though.  There are no guarantees that it will make a business more productive and more profitable – the only guarantee is that it will cost money! According to research firm Meta Group Inc, 55% to 75% of CRM solutions fail to meet their initial objectives. If that initial objective is increasing sales for a realtor… then what customer relationships is that software actually managing?


That said, as many real estate agents will tell you, a successful CRM system is an incredible tool for them – allowing them more time, more flexibility and more automation in their day to day tasks.  So, the decision – should you take the customer relationship management plunge –  is not an easy one.  Only you can determine, based on your personal needs if a system will be a boon, or just a money wasting bust.


However, to ease the decision making process, we’ve done some research and put together a short quiz. Give yourself 2 points for a yes, 1 for a maybe and zero points for a no – then tally up your scores and see how you did.

 

  1. Do you have a large audience (at least 250+ people) that you need to communicate with regularly ?
    Yes / Maybe / No
  2. Does everyone in your business who communicates with clients track what they said so others can know what has been said/promised/done?
    Yes / Maybe / No
  3. Would you get a benefit (more sales, more leads, lower costs, etc) from communicating with your clients through direct channels?
    Yes / Maybe / No
  4. Will personalizing your communications and tailoring them to your customers help you with your business?
    Yes / Maybe / No
  5. Do you need detailed information about your contacts like demographics or transaction history?
    Yes / Maybe / No
  6. Do you already have lots of data, but feel you need a way to track it better (ie, centralized and connected) to make it easier to find for yourself and others?
    Yes / Maybe / No

Scores:

0–4: While many real estate agents swear by customer relationship management software, you probably don’t need it.  Your business seems to run well the way it is, and there aren’t a lot of direct benefits to be gained for the cost of a real estate customer relationship management system.

5–8: You answered with a lot of maybes, and that’s where you are with CRM – maybe you need it, but maybe you don’t. There is room for improvement, but before adopting a potentially expensive solution, you may be able to use your existing system better.

9–12: What are you waiting for? You know what you need to do with your customer data to take your business to the next level – so go out there are do it! If you’re in this category, you would benefit from implementing CRM software. Start putting together a list of your requirements, and determining which solution is right for you. You won’t regret it!

 

Photo Credit: Lincoln Mondy. Flickr

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Tech Summary – 12 Essential iPhone & iPad Apps for Real Estate

Posted by: admin in Social Media, Realtors, iPhone, iPad, gadgets, apps on Jun , 2010

Apple naysayers – your end is nigh! While it was hard to ignore how iPhone revolutionized the smartphone, with the incredible success of the iPad (2 million sold in 2 months), only the staunchest of apple opponents aren’t begrudgingly jumping on the iBandwagon.

However, what do you do if you’re just getting around to using an iProduct? Here’s a listing of the our pick for the 12 best iPhone and iPad Apps for Real Estate. Not all of them are real estate apps, but all of them are great tools for your business.

Real Estate

NearBuy:

Developed by 4 university of Missouri students, this app won the team an iPhone app creation contest in 2009. Proudly the number 2 real estate app, you can search by area, bookmark listings and see where the results fall in price without having to open the listing with Nearbuy’s coloured coded listing pins. Available for iPhone. Price: Free

Trulia:

Trulia’s iPhone app takes the Trulia website and makes it portable. Search by area, bring up detailed listings and see the properties history – has it gone up or down in price? A realtor standby, but the catch it that it doesn’t work in Canada. Still, if you can use it, Trulia is a great tool. Available for iPhone. Price: Free

Zillow:

The reigning champion of realty apps, the Zillow app provides location search, Zestimate price information, changes in price, sale and tax info, all with a clean, super simple to use interface. It’s easy to see why Zillow is number one! Better yet, it looks great on the iPad. Available for both iPad and iPhone. Price: Free

Yelp:

Need to find a restaurant in an unfamiliar neighborhood? Just want to try someplace new? Running out of gas? Don’t look further than Yelp – you can search by business, or area. The best feature though? Read the online reviews from Yelp users to take the guess work out of finding a new place to eat lunch. Available for iPhone. Price: Free

Around Me:

Not a local, but need to show clients there are plenty of amenities in a new neighbourhood? Around me is what you need. Similar to yelp, but with a more basic interface, Around me grabs your location and allows you to choose from preset categories like banks, coffee shops, movie theatres and even hospitals. View the route from where you are, add the information to your contact list or even email the information to a friend. Warning though – if the information you want is not in Google maps, it won’t be on Around Me. Still, handy if you’re in a big city. Available for iPhone. Price: Free

powerOne Financial Calculator:

There are many mortgage and finance calculators, but powerOne is the Cadillac of them all. Figure out investment income, mortgage payments, compound interest, or do some advanced algebraic equations. The well designed interface means that you’ll never sweat when trying to do complex math again. Available for both iPad and iPhone. Price: $5.99

General Productivity:

Evernote:

This app has many fans in just about every industry there is. Evernote flawlessly takes notes, pictures or audio recordings with the app, and then syncs it up to your home computer later. Add tags for even easier file retrieval. Evernote comes up in a lot of “best app” lists for a reason. Available for both iPad and iPhone. Price: Free

Dragon Dictation:

Apps like this even make the biggest tech fiend swoon. An incredibly accurate dictation app that works like a charm (speak slowly and clearly for best results), and can send your notes to text, email or the clipboard. Never drive and text again (not that you would do that!) Available for both iPad and iPhone. Price: Free

GoodReader:

Like Evernote, Goodreader has many brand evangelists – one of the best and most reliable readers for the iPad, Goodreader can view local files, download files from websites, FTP servers, Google Docs, AND use wifi to move files from your home computer to your iPhone or iPad.  Reads PDFs, word documents, PowerPoint presentations, txt files… almost anything you might want to read. Available for both iPad and iPhone. Price: $0.99 (on sale now!)


iWork Suite:

Apple ported Pages, Number and Keynote (aka, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) to the iPad and the results are astounding – maybe they don’t have all the functionality of the desktop versions, but they do anything you’d ever want to do on the go. If you use a laptop mainly for email and internet, the iWork suite makes a compelling argument to ditch the laptop for an iPad. Available for iPad. Price: $9.99 each.

Social Media:

Facebook:

The official app is still the best one out there. Limited functionality (groups are not listed in the default launch screen, and you can’t read messages on for events), but if you’re a Facebook junkie, you have to download this app. Available for iPhone. Price: Free.

Twitterific:

There are about a million Twitter apps for the iPhone, and each one has its pros and cons. Twitterific gets our nod because it has one of the most intuitive user interfaces, supports multiple twitter accounts, and is super easy to use. Available for both iPad and iPhone. Price: Free version for iPhone and iPad, & a $4.99 premium version for iPhone (without ads).

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The New Real Estate Sales Tools

Posted by: admin in Social Media, Sales, Realtors, Marketing, advertising on May , 2010

Any Realtor will tell you that Real Estate is a competitive industry – between competition from other agents, demands from clients, and the breakneck pace of technological updates to keep up on, it’s not surprising that some agents might be wistful for the simpler days when adding their listings to MLS, printing out some direct mail pamphlets and taking out a few advertisements in the local paper were their real estate sales tools. 
So how are successful agents marketing property now? How do you sell real estate today? It’s as simple as BYOB. No, not Bring Your Own… Beverage…
The new sales tools are all about setting up a Brand, using Yourself as a tool, getting your listings Online and setting up a Blog.


Brand
Chances are when you are thinking about a major purchase, you’ll gravitate to a brand that fits your needs. How do you know that a Honda is a better fit for you than a Hummer? Simple – if you’re looking for a car that’s reliable and fuel efficient, you know that Honda is a brand you associate with those qualities. If you already associate a brand with the things you’re looking for, you’ll turn to that brand when you want to buy.
Real estate is no different. A potential client is looking for an expert in the type of home they want to buy or sell. If someone is looking for to sell their high end downtown condo, they’re not going to start with a real estate agent that is primarily in the business of selling family bungalows.  Take what you know, and make it your brand. If you have a lot of interest in local history and architecture, brand yourself as a Historical Homes Expert, and use your knowledge to connect to people who want a heritage home. Drive sales using a unique brand as a real estate tool.


Yourself
If you feel that Twitter and Facebook are replacing ‘real’ interactions with people, you’re about half right. Yes, people are increasingly socializing online, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t want to actually socialize – quite the opposite. In the age when anyone can connect to anyone else, the best real estate sales tool you can have is… yourself! Engage your twitter followers, follow your local hashtag, attend things like ‘tweetups’ and actually become friends with the people you talk to online.  Put yourself out there as not only a real estate agent, but a friendly, local expert.


Online
Putting a listing onto MLS is now just one sales tool. Creating a website to showcase your listings, putting videos of house tours up on YouTube (way better than just a few photos), using location based listing services and specialty real estate websites can greatly increase the chances that a listing will be seen. There are numerous online real estate tools that can be used to market and sell real estate and not just to locals – buyers from other areas, and people looking for investment properties in other markets are likely to use online services to find properties. Getting online and getting exposed is the way to sell real estate.


Blog
When you want information on something, you probably hop online and Google it. Looking for a Realtor is no different. So how do you make sure your name, and your website comes up first? Blog, blog, blog! 

A blog demonstrates that you know about the local market, have good insights and are at the top of your game.  It also gives a search engine something to find you with. If you want to position yourself as the top seller of high end condos in Vancouver, start a blog – they’re one of the most powerful real estate sales tools.  If your blog has lots of posts about condos, apartments and downtown Vancouver living, it’s more likely to be picked up by search engines; therefore, when someone searches for “downtown Vancouver Condos Real Estate Agent” your blog will be one of the first to show up.

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