Using People as Props to Sell Homes

A national home staging company is having success in today`s tough real estate market using people as props to help stage and sell large vacant homes. The innovative alternative to traditional staging is dramatically shortening the time to sell and increasing the sales price. Read More

Blogging - Killer Real Estate Tool

Still not blogging? Not attending my technology webinars?  Then you have missed my preaching about the power of blogging to establish yourself as the real estate expert. Here's another great article from RISMedia that brings the value of blogging home: Killer real estate business tool.

Positive Signs in Real Estate Market

Real Estate Numbers Looking Better …

• Resales of existing homes jumped by 5.5 percent last week -- that was the largest monthly increase since July 2003, in the middle of the housing boom. In the western states, sales were up a record 34.4 percent
• Sales of newly constructed homes also were higher in the latest month, according to the Census Bureau -- up by 2.7 percent on average nationwide, but by an impressive 22.7 percent in the West
• A quarterly survey by the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Wall Street Journal</i> released last week found inventories down in a majority of the 18 markets studied.
• Across the country, the backlog of unsold but listed houses dropped 1.2 percent to a 9.4 month supply last month, according to the National Association of Realtors
• One week of good news does not mean we&#39;re officially in turnaround mode … But you&#39;ve got to start connecting the dots. Week after week, month after month, housing and real estate numbers are starting to look better and better

AgentGenius.com - Free Real Estate News Service

AgentGenius.com launched a free real estate news service to supplement the Agent Genius real estate magazine/opinion column. AG News is designed to give real estate professionals a distilled version of news from around the blogosphere, and AG Sphere represents a compilation of some of the country's top real estate industry blogs, broken down by topic and geographical area. Topics on AG News range from technology, legislation, design, to lending and the economy as they pertain to the real estate professional.

Active Rain - New Service

ActiveRain launched a new service called 'Listing Router'. For a visitor, it's a new header that will permanently reside at the top of every page within the ActiveRain network. It will feature search box preceded with phrase "Find Homes for Sale in:_______ Once a user completes the search box and hits enter, "Listing Router" will send the user directly to an ActiveRain members existing IDX (or other property listing) site.

Positive Signs in the Real Estate Market

Real Estate Numbers Looking Better … This Week

 

Ø  Resales of existing homes jumped by 5.5 percent last week -- that was the largest monthly increase since July 2003, in the middle of the housing boom. In the western states, sales were up a record 34.4 percent!

 

Ø  Sales of newly constructed homes also were higher in the latest month, according to the Census Bureau -- up by 2.7 percent on average nationwide, but by an impressive 22.7 percent in the West.

 

Ø  A quarterly survey by the Wall Street Journal released last week found inventories down in a majority of the 18 markets studied.

 

Ø  Across the country, the backlog of unsold but listed houses dropped 1.2 percent to a 9.4 month supply last month, according to the National Association of Realtors^® -- that was down from an 11 month supply the previous month.

 

Ø  One week of good news does not mean we're officially in turnaround mode … But you've got to start connecting the dots. Week after week, month after month, housing and real estate numbers are starting to look better and better.

 

Spanish Loyalty Program

Stay in touch and speak directly to your customers! Generate new business, build loyalty and retain your Hispanic clientele. What a great way to get referrals!! This unique, brand new marketing program is customizable and effective for getting you face to face with past and potential customers. Seize the opportunity to gain referrals and retain past clients for just $18 per year! That's a nickel a day... It can't be beat!

Here’s what your customers receive when you enroll them in the program:

A one-year subscription to a selection of great magazines. Each issue of the magazine displays a special label with your name, phone number, logo, custom message in Spanish and request for a referral.

A “Thank You” postcard in Spanish, sent on your behalf, to announce your gift subscription and to request referrals.

The CENTURY 21 Spanish Loyalty Program is very simple to use! Please CLICK HERE to learn more about the program or download the attached flyer below to start your subscription today. If you have any questions, please contact our Marketing team at:

SpecialtyMarkets@century21.com.

C21 Spanish Loyalty Program.pdf

For Sale By Owner

Who's the Best Person to Sell My House by Bernice Ross, Ph.D., is a powerful little book that gives FSBOs a list of 29 key decisions they must make in the home selling process. It also a great book to use with Expireds. My advice: Order 100 of these books, read one yourself, and put it to work to build an impressive inventory of listings that are priced right and sell fast!  CAUTION: Real estate agents who READ this book and embrace the tools, technologies, and marketing approaches described within its 50 pages may suffer incurably high levels of market mastery and attract bountiful, saleable listings.

--
Rebecca Monet
My-Noodle
Bus:  858 756-5457 
Cell:  760 207-2214 

Internet and Your Open House

Where do I begin? The internet is fearless in its stealth like efforts at marketing. An open house no exception. Wowza, in doing my research for our upcoming Internet Marketing and Your Open House Webinar I learned a gadzillion ways to get the word out. One of my favorites???? Postlets.com a service that syndicates your listing. Within minutes your listing is posted on CraigsList, FrontDoor, BackPage, DotHomes, Trulia and many more. Alia Buttar our marketing director shared with me many of the tools on 21online.com for promoting your open house including, banners, radio ads, flyers and of course our new feature: YouTube on Century21.com.

Next webinar? Social Networking; don't miss it. To register: michelle.skipper@century21.com

Giving - What is the role in business?

It is more blessed to give than receive. Ironically, when you give you receive twice! Once in the joy of giving and another when others return the favor. What are some ways you give; to your community, clients, friends and family? For whom do you act as an elder, mentor or cheerleader? What about your clients? Do you find, like I do, that giving without thinking about receiving brings immeasurable rewards?

Reminds me of the book: The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann.

Five C's of Positive Perception

Success in the market place is determined by a positive perception of you and your company. What perception does the consumer have? How are we guiding the client's perceptions of our business? There are 5 distinct attributes for creating a positive image and perception.

1. Character
Would you refer business to a financial planner who has been known to cheat his clients but is well-educated and knowledgeable? -- Character is the sum total of one’s values and beliefs. It expresses itself through one's behavior. Character is what we do when no one is watching. Best way to determine one’s character is by observing their behavior.

Are you acting with integrity and honesty in all matters?

2. Competence
Would you listen to the recommendations of a dentist who is quite charming but seems to be dated in techniques, philosophies and expertise? --Your client is measuring your competency based on your knowledge, expertise and ability. Customer's expect a real estate professional to have extensive market knowledge as well as technology and internet marketing skills.

Are you knowledgeable and are your skills up-to-date?

3. Confidence
How would you feel if you were placed on a project with someone who had strong character and education but lacked confidence in many situations? --Confidence comes from having a strong conviction and belief in what you are doing. Experiences both successful and unsuccessful help build your confidence. Clients are attracted to people who exude confidence.

What are your beliefs and convictions as a real estate professional?

4. Credibility
Would you consider going to a friendly and honest doctor who failed his exam three times and just recently opened his door for business? --A real estate professional who is believable and reliable is considered credit worthy. Dependability is important for establishing your crediability and offering your client a sense they are safe within your capable hands.

Do you follow-through; are you reliable in even simple matters?

5. Congruence
We have all had the experience of paying for a service that was inconsistent or unpredictable: such as going to a hairdresser to cut or color your hair, ordering the same dish in a restaurant, or even setting a date with a friend. Congruence is when all aspects of you and how you do business are consistent and harmonious. Congruence creates safety and trust for the client.

Do you have consistent systems in place to provide safety for your client?

Lessons From the Wild

Lesson 1 - Don't Be a Peacock

During the mating season, the male peacock wins over the female by displaying a shimmering spectacle of gold, green, blue, bronze and purple tail feathers. Though these feathers look multicolored, they are actually brown. Each feather is made up of thin transparent layers of keratin and melanin pigment that have grooves and ridges that catch and splinter the light. Light is reflected back in a dazzling array of copper, bronze, gold, blue-green and violet. Like the colors in a soap bubble, the colors in a peacock fan are pure illusion.

The peacock is of all birds the most proud, and indeed his body and feathers are beautiful. When he walks about he admires himself greatly, but when he looks down and sees his feet he gives out a loud cry, for they are very ugly.

I liken the peacock's enjoyment of his beauty and the success it has afforded him with the opposite sex to that of a real estate professional today. Just as the peacock cries out when it sees his ugly feet, so will the man cry out when he sees the illusion of a foundation beneath.

Don't Puff-up or Blow Smoke

Success in the market place is determined by a positive perception of you and your company. What perception does our customer perceive about us and our business? Are their perceptions consistent with what we desire them to think and feel? What are some ways we can guard and guide the client's perception? Never puff-up or blow smoke. Instead be authentic, be you...quirky, silly, real. We like working, playing and doing business with folks who are 'real'. Real people feel trustworthy and crediable.

Next blog let's talk about the 5 C's of Creating a Positive Perception.

Top 10 Real Estate Buying Mistakes

Not a writer? Running out of ideas for your blog or website? Check out RealEstate.com. Real Estate.com regularly has some great articles you can model to use on your blogs or website. Keeping content dynamic on your blogs and website will keep you high in the search engines. Here are the highlights of the Top 10 Real Estate Buying Mistakes article on RealEstate.com

1. Doing it alone.
2. Buying at first sight.
3. Not getting pre-qualified and pre-approved.
4. Overbuying.
5. Misplacing your trust.
6. Relying on oral agreements.
7. Skipping the fine print.
8. Forgetting or betting on resale.
9. Making an unconditional offer.
10. Having buyer’s remorse.

Green Designation

The Go Green Trend is here to stay. Why not carve out your part of the market?

NAR has a new Green Designation, and interested members may take the core course at the 2008 REALTORS® Conference & Expo.

You will also find a new Going Green - Becoming a Eco-Agent VSS class on 21online.com.

Interactive Floor Plan

VHT Inc., a provider of visual marketing services, announced the launch of its Interactive Floor Plan, a customized tool that provides real estate professionals an attractive way to showcase a property.


VHT integrates computer-aided design software with professional photography to give users a room-by-room picture and help potential buyers get a genuine feel for the property's size and layout.

Real Estate Videos by Zipcode

Inman

ZIPVO LLC has launched a subscription-based premium version of its free Web-based video, photo, blogging, news and agent profile service.

ZIPVO.com launched a year ago as a database of real estate videos accessible by ZIP Code or town.Realtors can upload videos to the site for free, embedding them in IDX-compliant MLS listings or in social networking sites like ActiveRain, Twitter, and Facebook.

Stop Spraying and Praying

I don't profess to be a marketing guru, especially when compared to Jack Gettles, regional marketing director in the Pacific Northwest, however I think I learned something at Lake Chalen, Manager Retreat this week. You don't have to hit me over the head with a Wiffel ball bat ... I'm a quick study.

Here's what I learned in case you wanna know. When creating your marketing plan STOP SPRAYING AND PRAYING. Wow, think about all the money we can save but just following this simple rule!

Why would we want to throw good seeds (money, time, expertise and resources) unto rocky and barren soil? That's how my father a long-time missionary would explain it. Want a bountiful harvest of new business? Then, plant your marketing dollars in fertile soil and give your targeted future home buyers the attention they need to grow into clients.

My Italian friend Dorothy Crisci from CENTURY 21 Carole Realty would say it's like throwing spagetti to the ceiling .. when it sticks it's done cookin'. By the way, Dorothy is not only a great cook, she's a top producer, maybe we should ask her about things other than cooking.

Here's a link to Jack Gettles', PRESENTATION.

Some other cool things Jack talked about:

• First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Sales Tools
• National Response Center
• October Open House Month
• IDX
• Creating a Marketing Plan

Blogging Webinar

Thanks for join us at yet another great FREE Internet Marketing Webinar for California and Hawaii CENTURY 21, brokers, managers and agents. Blogging is a fabulous tool for differientating yourself. Do you know the National Association of Realtors (NAR) says less than 4% of agents are using blogging?

Blogging is consumer centric and used to develop a relationship and credibility. This class demonstrated the importance of determining your niche market and aligning your interests, skills and expertise with your future client's needs and values.

By the way, thank you for sharing your YouTube videos. I'd like to post some of them on these blogs with your permission ... so let me know it's okay. Already Blogging? Want to share with others ... give me your blog address and I'll post it for others!

Reasons for Blogging:

• Branding - how to be a brand within a brand
• Communication
• Building meaningful relationships - isn't that what Real Estate is about?
• Demonstrate your expertise
• Niche Marketing -- wow, is this a subject I could go on and on about!In this Blogging Webinar I shared:
• Blogging Platforms
• Suggested Niche Markets -- okay, don't get me going on niche marketing!
• Ways to Find, Collaborate and/or Write Articles -- not a writer ... not problem
• Adding Video, Photos, Listing and Links - you did come to our YouTube Webinar, right?
• How to Get Visitors to Your Blog
• Sample Blogs Using Niche Marketing

Next Internet Marketing Webinar is October 3rd, 2008 at 1:00 PDT. Let me show you some kick-butt ways using the Internet to promote your Open Houses for October Open House Month.

Missed the Blogging Webinar on September 3rd, 2008? View the Power Point: http://my-noodle.com/C21/Blogging.ppt

Want to listen back to the t-con recording, get on the email list or REGISTER for upcoming FREE Webinars? Email:

michelle.skipper@century21.com or tricia.andrade@century21.com

Improve Your Open House Opportunities

By Mark Whitmer, Regional Services Director - CENTURY 21

Open houses can be extremely effective in getting buyer leads, yet so many agents never realize the potential, nor do they spend the time preparing for success.

If your business purpose is to create customers and convert them to clients, then logically, there is only one justification for holding an open house in the first place...to create SALES.

Tips to guarantee you get the most out of every open house.

Contact every person in the neighborhood. Tell them that you are holding a VIP open house and that they are invited. Make it at a time before the public shows up and tell them that. Use a card-style invitation then follow-up with a phone call. (Obtain a list of filtered phone numbers from your title company to make sure their not on the DNC list)

Use an effective script. One that enrolls them into the action you want them to take:

"Hi, this is ___ with Century 21 ___... the reason I'm calling is we are holding an open house at your neighbor's home on (date) from (time to (time). I would like to invite you to come out and preview the property. By the way who do you know who would like to live in your neighborhood? (Wait for answer) Thank you for your time, I hope you can come visit us on (date).

At the open house you have an opportunity to make your open house an experience to remember. Many open houses are so boring that they make a poor impression.

Create an experience. In its purest sense… Have appropriate music playing in the background. Use as many of the senses you can to stimulate your visitors. Ask them to sign-in (gather their data; email address, etc) and offer a premium to do so like a Starbucks card, a report of some kind or a gift that will make an impression. What would you expect from a sensational hotel, for example?

Follow-up. Use a great follow-up script that asks great questions that will lead to setting an appointment. Ask questions like: "So, when do you plan on moving?”, “How long have you lived in the area?”, “Where did you move from?”, “If you were to move, where would you go next?”, “And when would that be?”… Remember, sales can make you a living, and skills can make you a fortune!

Meet people - Add Value. This is a critical part of business that most people overlook. You see, it's not in the advertising of the open house as much as it is the goal of meeting people, adding value, and digging for motivation so that you can be in the position to help them.

We can only do business with people who trust us. Therefore, we need to get to know more people.

Create more customers. In everything we do our job is to do one thing…create more customers. The only way we do that is to get more appointments and more signed contracts.

Baby Boomer Bucks

Where are the bucks in real estate? I believe you'll find the bucks in the wallets and bank accounts of the Baby Boomer. Want a piece of that action? Then focus on their needs, values and future plans. The Baby Boomer appreciates the value of home ownership. They are willing to help and financially support the next generation in their homebuying decisions.

The Baby Boomer is looking at real estate as a way to diversify their portfolios. Second homes and investment properties are a great way to do so. Any smart real estate professional that positions themselves as an asset manager rather than a realtor will be speaking the same language as the Baby Boomer. Check out Brian Brady's article 'Youth Myth' on Bloodhound.