Posts tagged: homes

The real estate world has seen a dip in the dealings be it leasing, buying or selling, especially in the recent times. In today’s tough economic times, making a new customer is challenging and so is retaining an existing one. Real estate agents have to be at their marketing best at all times and for it they need to be tech friendly.

You might be the best at what you do, but until you communicate it in the right way with the right tools, your efforts might be getting wasted. Technology and communication need to go hand in hand and failure in this issue can see you lag behind compared to your competitors. More importantly, there needs to be a balance between the two and to bring that balance in your profession you need to be working on both the aspects simultaneously. Everything from client communication, connecting with new customer database, sales pitch, after sales service and other such interactions need to be done effectively with the help of technology.

Being in the real estate business, you might have noticed that the presentation or bidding of a real estate agent lacking in the technological aspect affects the whole deal. So instead of avoiding technology why not adapt it to fare better as it will assist you in ways you couldn’t have thought possible. All you need to do is incorporate a few of the technological tools in your everyday dealings making it swifter for you and effective for the customer.

Here are some tips to get you started.

• Smartphone

If you are still using your old mobile phone it is time you switch to a smartphone with a data plan that lets you incorporate database tools. It will prove to be really helpful when you need to contact your prospective clients no matter if you are in the office or out on the go. You can do it all from your smartphone be it sending or receiving emails, browsing property websites, downloading real estate related news apps, communicate instantly no matter where you are.

• SMS marketing

SMS marketing is an highly effective way to keep in touch with your regular clients and even getting acquainted with new ones. Make it a part of your client communication strategy where you can send notifications, inform them about new properties on the market, send reminders for installments, invite them for property related events, send them links, details and other market related information.

• Email communication

Emails have become an essential feature when it comes to client communication. It is a quick and convenient way to reach out to property agents, builders, customers especially when it comes to commercial property clients. Make sure to use the best data software for both your computer and smartphone so you can send and receive e-mail even when on the go.

• Software

Many software packages are especially designed for the real estate industry and are available at affordable prices to assist the real estate professionals. You can integrate it in your system for database entry, facilitate management of broker, staff, leads, quotes, customer account, auditing and other processes. The softwares are designed to meet the ever-growing demands of the real estate industry and can be used by all, developers, builders, contractors, infrastructure developers.

• Website

Your personal website can boost your clientele and your work reputation as it will be easy for clients to know all about your work increasing the trust and dependability factor. They will have a gateway where they can access your property listings and inspection information related to all the properties that you have on offer.

• Presentation software

While presenting a property to many clients or a team you could make use of presentation software with the help of which you can add site photographs, 3D images, manage content, basically create an awesome visual experience for the client giving your property bid a boost.

All these and more can be a part of your everyday dealings when it comes to presenting, negotiating, selling or closing a deal. Like every other field, real estate too is embracing technology and it’s time you too go for it.

Good news for the real estate builders, who have been facing a slowdown in buying activities at least for the past 18-24 months. According to a report by Indian Ministry of Finance, a staggering rise of 40 per cent has been marked in the purchasing volume of properties worth more than Rs 30 lakh in fiscal 2006-07.

Inferences have been drawn that property and real estate has emerged up as the most preferred tool of investment among high Networth Individuals (HNIs) and upper middle class.

The Indian real estate builders are also keeping their fingers crossed over the emerging picture of real estate sales in the quarters between Oct-Dec and Jan-March, for FY 2007-08. The cut in home loan rates by all leading public and private sector banks from 50 to 100 basis points has also augured well for Indian property markets.

When they contacted Sanjay Chandra, the managing director of India’s second largest real estate developer- Unitech Group, he said, “Cut in interest rates combined with the onset of the festive season should boost residential property sales….

Those customers who have been postponing their buying decision in anticipation of interest rate cut are likely to come into the market now…”

Interestingly, the investor interest in India has been gradually shifting from equity, bonds and other financial instruments to real estate, owing to the way it has outsmarted the other investment options as far as returns are concerned.

Also, there was a dip in investor interest in Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), once most sought-after tool of making money in short term, between April 2006 and April 2007.

Nevertheless, the real estate builders enjoy the trends, and say that property investment not only brings you wealth but a sense of future security, as well. However, the biggest challenge that a Real Estate [http://www.magicbricks.com/property/faces/jsp/indexc.jsp] investor has to face is the near term fluctuations. It may happen that your property values go down by substantial levels due to some concerns on the fronts of infrastructure, economic meltdown, or other micro and macro economic issues, and you panic. A long-term perspective is thus, one should always bear in mind.

Silent partners are those people who have money but do not have time in terms of running a business. They invest capital in a particular venture without participating in the daily operations. Usually, silent partners lack industry expertise, leadership skills, and time to manage the real estate business of apartment complexes, restaurants, and hotels. Therefore, they just have to invest their money and share profit or loss.

If you have sufficient capital to invest in a particular project but do not have ample experience and exposure to run it, then you can become a silent partner in real estate investment. In order to become one, you should follow the instructions mentioned below:

Search for Positive Cash Flow Property Deals

The first thing you have to do is search for the best real estate deals in your city. You can get a deal though networking or word-of-mouth. Another way to seek good opportunities in positive cash flow property investment is to visit websites and online business forums. Since many people post investment notices online, silent partners can contact them easily.

Choose the Property Manager

A property manager is required to ensure you are investing the right way. When you choose a property manager, keep in mind that he should be trustworthy enough to start business with. Secondly, match the skills and expertise of the property manager with the requirements of the venture. For instance, if you plan to invest in a large restaurant business, then he should be capable of managing the property.

Hire an Attorney

Since you are entering into partnership as a silent partner, you need to take care of the legal documentation. While signing the business agreement, read the terms and conditions of investment carefully. This is important in order to ensure there are no chances of fraud in the future. Also, everything should be in writing.

Contact a Property Consultant

Contacting a property consultant will give you vast knowledge about the kind of properties, which properties yield the maximum return, which location is ideal for property investment, etc. This way, you will know a lot about best investment property even if you are a silent partner.

Some Tips to Invest Safely

Although investing in real estate as a silent partner is a profitable business, you need to consider many things so that you can succeed. For instance, you should conduct ample research about the value of the property you want to invest in. If it is really worth it, then you should definitely invest in this best investment property. Otherwise, you can look out for any other property.

With the COVID-19 pandemic slowing down the real estate market, selling a house has become a herculean task for many homeowners. Not to mention, in today’s economy, some homes are remaining on the market for months. However, even though selling your home during COVID-19 can be tricky, it isn’t impossible. With a little know-how, you will be able to sell your home quickly.

Furthermore, selling a house during COVID-19 may sound tough initially, but it is not that difficult to do. Listed below are four tips to sell your home during COVID-19.

1. Advertise properly- While technology and the Internet have made it easy to list real estate for sale online, you need to pack a greater punch to get buyers to take notice of your property if you want to sell your home during COVID-19. From putting up a for sale sign and advertising your home on as many of the major property websites as possible to advertising your home for sale on social media, make sure you leave no stones unturned in terms of advertising your home for sale. Furthermore, you should also distribute flyers and even put an advertisement in the local newspaper. This will allow you to reach out to more people and so, there will be chances of more offers.

2. Virtual tours- Virtual tours are very effective when it comes to marketing and selling your home during COVID-19. Furthermore, a good virtual tour will grab a home buyer by hand and lead them from room to room, whether it is 360 or a video.

3. Be an aggressive home seller- Let’s face it, waiting for the home buyer to come by will not get you anywhere. You need to go all out to spread the word. From putting up a for sale sign to repainting and remodeling your home, do everything within your power to sell your home fast during COVID-19.

4. Declutter and keep your home clean- Nothing can turn off home buyers faster than a home in disarray. Furthermore, whether or not you are currently living there, make sure you take the time to declutter, deep-clean and spruce up. In addition, when cleaning your home, make sure you also remove photographs and other personal information that may be visible, as you want to make buyers feel comfortable when viewing your home.

While selling a home during COVID-19 can be tricky, if you spend some time and effort in creating that perfect atmosphere for your house and keep in mind the above-mentioned tips and tricks, you will be able to sell your home in no time.

Moving into a new apartment can be exciting, though finding in a good locality suiting your budget can be quite daunting. Finding a home on rent anywhere is not an easy task especially when it is a city like Hong Kong. Housing in Hong Kong ranges from compact spaces to high-end luxurious accommodation with all kinds of amenities.

People these days prefer living where malls, schools, MTR lines, entertainment, etc. are at a reachable distance. Also, these accommodations are budgeted spaces. If you are new to the city and looking for a decent rent apartment in Hong Kong note that the sizes of the properties are measured in square feet.

Evaluate your wants and needs

Accommodation in Hong Kong is competitive. The average rent for a 1 BHK apartment can range from 12000 – 25000 HKD ( i.e. 1500 to 2500 USD) or more. An upscale locality where the standard of living is slightly high so are the rent prices.

Your wants and needs can vary at times and you might need some time to give a thought:

• Pets – Not all apartments in Hong Kong allow pets. So do check in advance if you have a pet. Also, many parks have no-pet policies so what if your apartment allows but you can’t take your furry friend out on run?
• Pool/ Gym/Sauna – Clubhouse might look great and inviting on a property but not on a rental lease. This will add up your rent cost. Do you really need those amenities?
• Commuting time – Choosing a decent neighborhood also means, less commuting time. You have more time to relax at home or hang out with friends than commuting an hour on the train.

How to find a decent apartment in Hong Kong?

When you are looking for a space for rent between a serviced apartment (furnished /semi-furnished that comes with basic amenities like a gym) can be pricy. Standard apartments that are usually unfurnished are affordable, asking for a one month deposit.

Online/ Social media

You can find a decent deal on rental apartments in Hong Kong through any social media platform as well as real estate websites. This way you will be able to close the search quickly. The best part is you get to see the images of the property, featuring it with the amenities and proximity markings thus saving your time and hassle of personally visiting the place. Also, you get to compare the accommodation rents in the same locality. Hence, you get to shortlist the rental property quickly and a hassle-free manner.

Estate agents

Another option is hiring an estate agent. Local Hong Kong real estate agents are pro when it comes to finding out a suitable rental property for you. For a foreigner who has come to the city for the first time, real estate professionals can be the best choice as they are fluent in the city’s housing market. Your agent will have all the details and they are transparent with their renting process.

Typically the rental agreement term will involve 12 months lease. Where after 12 months, individual parties will have the freedom to terminate the lease with a notice period if the clause is written. The rental procedure might differ if you go through a real estate agent but the documentation (i.e. HKID copy/passport, valid work permit, employment letter-sponsorship letter) needed is pretty much the same.

If you have started searching for a new home, you may have discovered that there are many ways to locate a great home. Word of mouth, an agent, or the newspaper have always been the most traditional ways people find homes. But today, more and more people are finding their dream homes through the use of the internet. It is quickly becoming one of the most popular and effective ways to shop for a home.

There are many ways to search for a home on the internet. You can use many search engines such as msn.com, yahoo.com or google.com just to name a few. You simply input information such as the city you are relocating to, your price range and simple details on what you are looking for in a home. It will bring back a list homes or websites with homes that meet your criteria. After you have narrowed down the list of homes to ones that interest you, you can contact a qualified real estate agent to set up an appointment to view these homes. It will cut down on the hassle of viewing homes that are not suitable for you.

There are also homes that are listed in the newspaper that have links via the website as well. Go to the website of the newspaper for the area you are moving to, and search the classified or homes for sale section of that web page. This will not only give you access to homes that are listed on MLS, but also homes that are for sale by owner. Next you can check sites such as buyowner.com which allow homeowners who are selling a home themselves access to advertising on their site. Homes that are for sale by owner never make it to the MLS (multiple listing service). You can still take a representative with you to view the home. Either you or your real estate agent will need to contact the homeowner first to set up an appointment.

Lastly, many good real estate agents have a link into the MLS directly on a page from their website along with other helpful information to help you choose the area of town that most meets your needs. The MLS search tools are free and easy to use and can be a lot of fun too. Most times all the specific details of the home are listed including a series of photos to help visualize the various aspects of the home. There are many realtor websites out there, so take your time to find a good one. Once you find one that has the information you are looking for, make sure you create a bookmark of the site so that you can easily return to it.

If you are moving and need a new home, check out the World Wide Web. Your new home may be listed now! It’s free and easy.

If you are just now getting into the profitable world of wholesaling, the internet is a tool you should become an expert in. The majority of buyers and investors are going online to find deals. There are so many websites, listing pages, and classified ad sites that its hard to tell which is best. It is always changing and will never be the same, but for now, I have compiled a list of sites and online tricks a wholesaler should be doing in order to find cash buyers for their real estate deals.

Craigslist – Consider the headline you put in a craigslist ad to be high end real estate. The headline is very valuable and has high SEO value. If you have a deal in Arizona, put Arizona Wholesale Deal in the headline and in the city box, put your website. Within the body just put brief information about your wholesale deals, your investment properties, and cash flow deals with a link to your website. Craigslist hyperlinks websites that have an http:// in them, so make sure it’s in there. Also, have a picture in the ad. People don’t want to see an ad for a wholesale deal and see that there is no picture – that leads to hesitation. I got 111 unique hits to my site and 30 new opt-ins from my craigslist ads.

Facebook – Don’t join every single group out there that is a wholesale group. First of all, if you join a wholesale group that is not localized, you will be wasting your time. The group manager just wants people to join and then spam them with another guru’s product launch. Your best bet is to create your own group and call it, CITY cash Buyers group. This will attract a lot of people to your group and ultimately your opt-in site. Use this wisely and always have a property to promote, even if it is not your own. Make sure you message everyone in the group individually and start a conversation, which is how I found my best cash buyer!

Mywholesaledeals.com – This is a website people in Chicago use to post deals and get cash buyer leads. Like many lead generating sites, it allows people to post property and it charges everyone to view the leads. I am always posting deals on MyWholeSaleDeals.com because if a person is paying to view leads, he is more serious than not. Dummy leads are good too, don’t let them know it’s a dummy instead tell them it already has a contract pending and ask them pertinent questions you’d ask any serious investor.

Vflyer or Postlets – These sites are flyer sites that help you create an online flyer for property. The good thing about these services is that they allow you to ad video and also syndicate the post and 8-12 other real estate sites for optimum results. They also give you a code that you can use to post in Craigslist and Backpage. The main factor is post syndication, the more websites your flyer gets on, the higher click troughs’ you will have, the more people sign up to your website.

County Websites – Using the country websites to find cash buyers involves a bit of detective work. In Cook County there are sites that allow you to find the pin number, the tax info, and title and lien information. You will want to get the latest sold property in your area of work, look up the tax info to see who purchased it, and Google search the company to find a number. Although it’s a bit tedious, you can find cash buyers this way.

Do not be limited in your thinking! There is always creative ways to find who purchasing cash in your area of choice is. Although the internet is a huge boost, nothing beats face to face networking and old fashioned marketing. Make sure you learn to use the site, for more information on finding cash buyers for your wholesale deal and more, go my website that is listed below

Many FSBO sellers are told marketing their home for sale by owner is very difficult. The fact is that many FSBO sellers do not approach their attempt to sell in a proactive manner. The goal of any FSBO seller is to get as many buyers as possible to know their home is for sale. The number one mistake FSBO sellers make is not marketing their home properly.

There are many different things you can do to market a home. The number one is to use as many forms of media as possible to create maximum exposure for a home that is for sale. Because marketing is key to getting a home sold you will want to take the time when preparing a marketing plan. Advertising budget is always a concern but with the growth of the internet your options are plentiful and often free. Research your options so you can get the most bang for your buck. Be careful not to spend your time or money on services you don’t need.

Here is a list of FSBO marketing ideas:

1) Signs: Of course this is number one – make your signs simple with basic contact information like the phone number. Your number should be large and easy to read for potential buyers driving by searching the area for a home.

2) Free Online Local Classified Ads: There are many communities that have started free classified websites. (Free)

3) Open Houses: They can help but they’re not the best way to market your home. Many of the people coming to your home are neighbors or people that are not true committed buyers. That can be useful in some ways because they may share their knowledge with someone who is actually looking. Do not dis count this method though because only one person needs to like your home to find a potential buyer.

4) Using the Internet: The internet is the ultimate media source for creating exposure. It is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reach buyers. Most home buyers start (85%) their search online. There are several ways to advertise on-line. There are many for sale by owner websites and the key is to get your home on as many as possible. The main drawback is this may take you sometime but it is key to getting your home in the public eye. Many of these FSBO websites will allow you to list your home for free. Unlike in the past many of these FSBO sites now share their information and can get you placed on partner websites automatically.

5) CraigsList: You can post your property for free on CraigsList. Go to craigslist.com and make sure to select your city first. The draw back to this site is that you need to post frequently since listings are sorted by date.

6) Virtual Tour: The Virtual Tour is a great option. The virtual tour can give your prospective buyer a much better idea of what the interior of your home looks like. You may also want to consider posting several YouTube.com videos of your home for sale. This is a great high traffic website that can allow you to link to your online listing from the video.

7) Multiple Listing Service (MLS): Perhaps the best tool to market your home is the MLS. MLS listings are generally pulled by major websites like Realtor.com, and almost all real estate firm websites. To get listed you need to go through a real estate broker. There are many brokers that will list your property on MLS for a flat fee.

The best thing to remember is that as a FSBO seller you need to have a proactive approach to selling your home. There is no reason that you can not have the same number of eyeballs looking at your home online than if listed with a full service broker. You may have some minor costs establishing your online presence but it will be a fraction of the commissions paid to a traditional broker.

If you looking to purchase a product which is offered by different companies, how would you decide who to purchase it from? If you are like most of us, you would simply pick up your smartphone and read online reviews about each company and make your decision on those reviews. Well, the same goes for anybody who is possibly going to use your real estate services.

With the internet and technology making it easy and quick to access information about anybody, your potential clients will search for reviews on you. The reviews and testimonials they find online could be the difference between getting new clients, or losing them to someone else.

Get a Testimonial From Your Client After Every Closing
It is important that you obtain a testimonial after every closing if your clients are happy with your real estate services. Typically, the time of closing is a happy time for the client, and therefore, a perfect time to ask for a testimonial. It is always harder to obtain that testimonial at a later time down the road.

Tell your clients that it could be short and just be a few sentences. Many don’t like writing long reviews and may not give you one because of that. A short testimonial that’s to the point is just as effective.

Take a Picture With Your Client In Front of the Property
Along with asking for a testimonial at the time of closing, you should definitely take a picture with your clients. It is always preferred to take a picture at the property. An effective picture is to take a picture in front of the property while your clients hold the SOLD sign or the keys. The picture can be taken when you meet your client at the property to deliver the keys.

Displaying Your Testimonials on Your Real Estate Website
The most important place to display your reviews and testimonials is on your very own real estate agent website. Your real estate agent website is typically ranked higher in search engine results than your Facebook page and profile pages on Zillow, Trulia, realtor.com, and other large real estate marketplace websites. Therefore, you’ll definitely want to display your testimonials on your agent website.

You should have testimonials clearly visible on your homepage along with a separate page that displays all of your testimonials. Your real estate agent website platform should contain an interface that allows you to enter reviews and testimonials along with pictures of your clients.

Post to Facebook
If someone is looking online for reviews about you, they’ll most likely land on your Facebook page. Therefore, it is very important to create a “Just Sold” post after every closing. The post should contain the testimonial by your client AND the picture you took with them in front of the property. Be consistent and do this for every time you close on a property.

Ask Clients to Submit a Review on Zillow, Trulia, and realtor.com
Anybody looking for online reviews about you will also most likely end up on Zillow, Trulia, and realtor.com. All of these sites accept reviews and it is important that you build up the number of reviews and your rating on these large marketplace real estate websites.

The review is submitted by your clients from your profile page on each of these sites. A client can submit a review by clicking on the “Submit Review” button that appears on your profile page. To make it easier for your clients, send an email with links to your profile page for Zillow, Trulia, and realtor.com.

Have you been having difficulty renting your property out?

No Responses on your Rental Ad?

This is for you!

The world of advertising is changing fast and you are getting left behind! Only a few short years ago, landlords were able to put a rental ad in the newspaper, and would be receiving calls off the hook! You could get higher rental charges and had an abundance of prospective tenants to choose from. This is not the case anymore! It is a renter’s market and you need to get with it!  You are up against property management companies and savvy landlords, who have fancy gadgets and sophisticated systems for attracting renters. I will take you through the process that I use to ensure my rentals are filled!

The Future is Coming Fast!

If you are not already aware of this, the top most trafficked websites currently are Google, Facebook, and YouTube! Therefore if you want to get a tenant to rent your property, start thinking about where your target audience is!

From a demographics study at Havard in 2003, they found that 80 percent of renters are  25 years of age and below! I can only imagine that this stat has greatly increased due to our current economic situation. This means that your targeted audience is on the internet!! Forget the newspaper ads! They cost too much, and the only people who are looking at classified ads in the newspaper are prehistoric cavemen. Neanderthals do not make for good tenants. Trust me! Go to the Interweb!

The Social Network

Social networks are on rise, and this is where and the kids are hanging out! Use your existing network of friends to market your property!

Everyone needs a place to live, so most people won’t be offended (I hope) if you put your rental advertisement of Facebook; just be cool about it! Don’t spam your friends!

There is nothing more repulsive, than continuously getting unsolicited messages from a group you didn’t even join! This is lame!

The next social network that you may want to try is Twitter, though I’m not speaking for experience of this one. I’m not sure of its effectiveness!

Please let me know, if it has worked for you!

After hitting the social networking sites, let’s move on over to Google!

Google It

Put yourself in the renter’s shoes! What would you do?

Let’s say that you are moving to a new city.

You will do two things when trying to find a place to live:

1. Talk to their friends on Facebook
2. Search for rentals on Google

So what do you do about this to target your renters?

Go to Google and type in something along the lines of, “Room for Rent, or House for Rent” and then the city that your rental property is in!

Now we all know that there are few people that will go to the next Google page, so naturally you have to have your rental ad on the sites of the 1st Google page.

Hit the top 5 rental services and post your ad on their website. It may cost you around $50 for all the ads, but it will pay off, in that you will be getting loads of responses, enabling you to chose the tenant that will care for your property that best.  The top sites that come up for me, were Craigslist, Kijiji and EasyRoommate.

Don’t Fight the System, Use the System! Let everyone else compete over SEO on Google! Don’t waste your time!

You should be hanging out in tree forts in Brazil!

Your Ad is the Key!

It is extremely important that your rental ad is tailored and attractive to prospective tenants. You want to paint a clear picture for the type of people you are looking for! Your ad should give the renter a good idea of what the rental is all about, before they even contact you. This is best done with high resolution photos.

If you don’t have photos of your rental, you are hopeless!

We have already started to see real estate agents use video in their ads! Think about linking a Youtube video to your rental ad to give yourself a competitive edge.

Remember! Don’t include details in your ad that tenants could care less about. Its all about the renter!

Write for the renters needs!

The 5 W’s

What I use for my rental ad are the classic 5 W’s:

Who, What, Where, When,Why?

Who will I be renting from? Who will I be living with?

What are you renting out? Is it a room, a suite, a house?

When does the rental start? Where is the house?!

Why would I want to live in your house?

Create Once! Use again and again!

Take the time to develop a system of advertising!

Next time you have a vacancy, you can pull out your system that you’ve previously developed, and use it again and again!

No more headaches! Way more tree housing in Brazil!

Thank You for Reading DoorMouse!

This is a good start to developing a more effective way to reach your audience and develop a stellar rental ad!

The world is changing fast and you best be adapting to it!

I encourage any comments, please leave them below! If you liked this post please check out my Blog at http://www.doormouse.ca

I hope this has been helpful in improving your Rental Property Advertising! And I wish you all the best of Success!

Best Regards,

Brendan Benson