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The real estate market is the economic sector that involves the buying and selling of infrastructure such as buildings either for residential purposes, business premises, and the industry segment. Like any business sector it is susceptible to the economic forces of supply and demand. The main people involved in this field include the owner, renter, developers, renovators, and the facilitators.

This sector has a number of characteristics that are specific to it. Real estate is durable since the buildings can last for many years while the land it stands on is indestructible. As a result the supply is composed of a large share of already pre-existing stock and a tiny percentage of new development. Thus the stock varies in price only according the deterioration, renovation, and the new development coming up.

Stock in this sector could be referred as heterogeneous since every piece is unique. All buildings are different in terms of the location they are situated in, their structure and design as well as how they are financed. Change in this field takes quite a long time. This is as a result of the long duration involved in financing and construction of new property.

The real estate has the very unique feature in terms of the buyers in this market. The property can be purchased either as an investment with the expectation of earning returns or as a consumption good with the thought of using it. Individuals could also invest in the market for both reasons whereby they use the property for a while before selling it at a profit. As a direct result of its dual nature, there is a high demand since individuals tend to over-invest in this sector.

Immobility is yet another characteristic unique to this sector. The properties as well as the land it lies on are both immobile. As a result there is no physical market place meaning one has to go to where the property is situated. Therefore this issue makes location a prime factor before investment.

The main factor in demand for property is demographic, that is the population size and growth. The demographic composition plays a huge role in determining the demand and as a result the price. The performance of the economy also affects the performance of the sector since it plays a role in the ability of investors to take loans and mortgages for financing their business ventures. Naturally, the pricing determines the level of demand in the sector.

There are a number of ways to finance investment in the real estate market from government and commercial institutions. Financial aid can be obtained from commercial banks, savings banks, mortgage brokers, life insurance companies and other financial institutions. However, the best practice still remains getting funding from your own savings.

In view of the recent real estate market crash it is best to follow some guidelines. As a buyer ensure that the price you pay for the property matters a lot as well as the ability to dispose of the purchase later down the road. If not it is advisable to downsize your mortgage to be on the safe side. As a seller, identify when it is the right time to put your property on the market in order to avoid low offers.

The scenery is better and the gentle breezes coming off the ocean are second to none, but trying to sell real estate in the Bahamas can be just as challenging as other parts of the world when the real estate market is in a slump.

During these slumps, researching to find a qualified Realtor and taking special steps to market your real estate effectively can mean the difference between property that sells at a fair price in short order, and real estate that languishes on the market, said Rachel Pinder, Principal Broker of Island Living Real Estate in Nassau.

Brenda Knowles, a broker with Island Living Real Estate, suggests property owners ask a potential Realtor these questions when considering the best person for the job:

o How are you going to market the property?

o What is the history of your company?

o What is the background/Realtor experience of your agents?

o How long have they been in the business?

o What is the current market trend?

o Do you co-broke with other real estate agencies?

o What changes do I need to make to my property to make it competitive in the current market?

In short, sellers should find out how the Realtor intends to market their property, Knowles said. There are several marketing standards most Realtors employ when listing properties, so getting to the options that set one Realtor apart from all the others is paramount.

It is important to remember that the best marketing plan can only do so much; an owner should take the advice of their real estate agent to make their property look its best, Pinder said.

“It seems to go against common sense to put money into a home you’re trying to sell, but as many TV shows on the subject prove, you really can get a better price for your home by putting a little bit of money into making it appealing to a broad spectrum of potential home buyers,” she said.

Here are some easy and relatively inexpensive tips:

o Make sure the house is freshly painted in neutral colors.

o Remove personal items, such as family photos.

o Make minor repairs- patch holes in walls, fix cracked tiles, replace cracked windows, etc.

o Get rid of clutter, inside and outside

o Clean, clean, clean

o Give your front entrance curb appeal by adding colorful flowers.

Another tip to remember is to price the property right.

“Don’t try to over-price your home in a down market,” Pinder said. “It won’t sell.”

© 2007 Sinai Marketing and Island Living Real Estate. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this article is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.

How do you currently generate real estate leads? Do you farm neighborhoods, publish a newsletter, have a lead generating realtor web site? Well, no matter how you get them I’m willing to wager two things;

1. They’re not so easy to get, and

2. You can always use more

While you struggle with trying to fill your leads pipeline, you can probably think of at least one agent who makes prospecting for leads seem like child’s play. But what is it exactly that they do so efficiently that you are not?

Of course the answer depends on lots of things, but let’s draw some ideas from an agent I know who worked with a builder of kiddie condos who did quite well at it.

Let’s call her Evette, which is not her real name, but it allows me to personalize the story in a way that you’ll be able to relate to.

Evette was a spark plug dynamo; full of energy, self driven and highly successful at what she did. And what she did best was market and sell lots of student housing units- mostly condos from what I could tell.

Hers was a 5 step process

1. She’d find raw land for her builder developer to purchase and develop

2. Try to set up partnerships with the seller of the raw land and her developer to offset the developers out of pocket costs while gaining controlling interest of the land

3. Would then list for sale all of the units the developer built as a result of the partnership

4. Then be positioned to resell the units when the students gradutaed from college and moved out of the area and

5. In some instances would be positioned to also get referrals to out of town agents for the relocating students.

As you can see, Evette had it going on. So, when I say meeting and working with Evette was a career changing experience you’ll know what I mean.

My attitude was the first thing that changed. I got over being paralyzed with awe by doctors, lawyers, judges, dentists and other high income earning professionals.

Initially, I felt inadequate when it came to marketing real estate to them. I just didn’t think I knew enough about real estate in general to come off as a competent professional.

But you know what? It turned out I knew more than all of them, and more than I needed to know to help them with their real estate needs.

I went on to find doctors, dentists, college professors, judges, insurance agents and garden variety investors to work with and had some mutually beneficial relationships for many years.

So, what does this mean for you? Actually, there are several things to take from this article.

If you’re not marketing to people with money you should. Some agents self sabotage by not aggressively pursuing leads with the financial wherewithal to buy real estate.

Instead, they market to folk who can barely qualify for mortgage loans and/or who have related and other difficulties to overcome before they can qualify at all.

Don’t let that be you – anymore.

Another thing to learn from this article is that one lead can multiply into 3 to 4 different income generating opportunities.

So, no matter how insignificant a client might appear to be treat them all equally well.

You never know when they might refer a friend or acquaintance to you, or ask you to help them purchase some investment properties, or seek you out to help them sell the first property you sold to them and help them buy another one.

It’s a well worn cliche’, but it’s true; there’s no shortage of real estate leads for agents. You just have to know how to spot them.

Generation of real estate leads has gone digital. With different lead generation tools and some mobile marketing apps, you might feel overwhelmed. So, how can you decide which tools to add to your strategy on lead generation to attract or nurture potential prospects?

Concentrate your core strategy on the basics to real estate marketing. Methods that are tried and true are ageless and should still part of your plan even if they are dressed up for the digital consumers.

Video

It’s absolutely worth investing in high quality professional videos to showcase yourself as a real estate agent. Buying a house is often the biggest purchase an individual will make in her or his lifetime and he or she likes to work with the one who has traits they trust like personality and authenticity. They’re also looking to see if you’re the agent they like to work with, so make sure to put your best face forward. Some agents create YouTube videos to show expertise and knowledge blended with their relatable and honest style. Videos may humanize an individual much more than the static site profile. Numerous realtors showcase the area’s beauty they specialize in on videos. Videos also bring a high ROI and have proven to be important marketing technique to generate leads.

Client Testimonials

You cannot beat a passionate, heartfelt statement from satisfied clients. Reviews and testimonials must definitely be part of your presence online. Video testimonials are a perfect so some potential sellers and buyers can resonate with that individual. If you do not have video capability, there are lots of ways to show your happy customers. Make a page on your social media or website to share testimonials and share them to bigger sites as well. Sellers and buyers will appreciate the customer’s honesty and have high probability to reach out.

Social Media

It is highly recommended to use social media. Facebook is one of the most dominant communication forms across the globe and the paid ad platforms are cost-effective way to generate some real estate leads. Use this when targeting your core demographic. Majority of marketers include Facebook strategies in marketing plans and you should also. It is a worthwhile, practical advertising investment that would pay off when generating some new leads. Although you do not spend money on the ads, you may still improve generation of leads on Facebook with the use of fresh content, engagement, and optimization.

Real Estate Lead Capture Forms

Majority of people used to look for homes for sale in a newspaper, yet now a lot of consumers start their home search over the internet. Having some forms on your site for lead generation is a good way to bring in the new business. It’s one of the best lead-generating strategies, yet never forget to ensure that your site is fresh and updated so people would keep visiting and you can boost your repeat traffic.

Blog

It can really improve your online presence and show your expertise as a real estate agent. Use this to communicate your grasp of everything related real estate consistently. Never forget to end your blog with effective call to action fill out the form for lead generation or make phone calls.

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, it is important to understand how a luxury brand is born and how it is developed. Here is an example of the challenges in developing the first Chinese Luxury Jewelry brand, Qeelin.

The founder Dennis Chan knew that he could not launch Qeelin in China. The Chinese marketplace would perceive it as a local brand regardless of the quality of the product. He knew that the Chinese marketplace would accept the brand if it was successful in other countries.

The brand was launched at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004. Maggie Cheung, who won the Best Actress award, wore the jewelry. Because she was the first Asian actress to be given this honor, she received worldwide coverage. And, so did the jewelry!

The first sale was made in Paris. They chose Paris as the first point of sale because the world of jewelry in Paris demands the very best. That challenged the partners to strive for and to achieve their potential.

The Results:

“We are currently perceived as an international luxury brand originating from China, and we have a good portion of our clients who are mainland Chinese.”

Qeelin’s target market is women who love haute jewelry (highest quality) from luxury brands. They have a discerning eye and look for handmade pieces with special stones. They do not follow trends; they follow what they consider to be the best.

The style of the designs reflect Chan’s Chinese heritage. One of the standouts is the Qin Qin (kiss-kiss, in Mandarin) goldfish pendant with magnets embedded within the golden lips. Chan explains, “The design has the ability to surprise and give our customers a little bit of a thrill through the unexpected.”

As you launch and build your own personal brand as a luxury real estate marketing professional it is important to understand your target market, i.e., their demographics. It is also important to understand their psychological preferences-their psychographics. By offering the unexpected such as a remarkable closing gift, you too can surprise and thrill your clients and trigger word-of-mouth advertising.