Posts tagged: property in dubai

Determining how much a house is worth is no easy task. Basic information on home values is always out there, but who are people to trust when it comes to assessing a home value? Appraisers? Real estate agents? Zillow?

There are a lot of free online tools out there that can estimate a home’s value, and every site uses different information to determine its best guess estimate. Why do we trust computers for information like this? Because its fast and convenient. Does convenience always lead to accuracy, however?

House value estimate websites can not assess – they can simply provide an estimate based on what you tell them. Can a mechanic accurately pinpoint a problem in your car if you don’t tell him everything that is wrong? Didn’t think so. Home value reductions like a cracked foundation can only be evaluated by an online calculator if you tell the calculator it exists. Even then, it doesn’t know how bad the crack is. Try telling an online tool that your foundation simply has one crack, and that the entire foundation isn’t in bad shape. Computers typically work on yes/no answers, and house value calculators are no different.

As if that isn’t enough, website estimators typically don’t give definitive numbers. Instead, they provide a price range. If you can’t get a definitive, immediate answer to your home value question, why ask an online calculator?

To determine how much worth you have in your house, a real estate agent is the best option. They have local knowledge of your real estate market and can provide reliable, fast answers based on recent sales. In addition to that, they can judge subjective housing conditions, like a tiny crack in a foundation versus a damaged foundation in need of repair.

Would you trust just anyone who uses the internet to manage an internet marketing campaign? No. Working with a local real estate agent to find out how much your house is worth is essential to getting an accurate estimate.

For Sale By Owner or FSBO has long been an option that many people look into when it is time to sell their home. They do so for a variety of reasons. However, usually it is simply because they are trying to save the expense of hiring a real estate agent. Ideally, this means that homes sold by owner should even be less expensive than others, making them more desirable. The price of a FSBO home is often at least 5% cheaper than a comparable one listed by an agent.

Finding homes, which are for sale by owner, is not always the easiest thing to do. It requires a little extra work because you simply cannot call up an agent and give her the specifications of what you are looking for. By putting the following tips to work, you will be well on your way to finding great FSBO home sales in the area you want.

1. Check out websites that feature free classified ads like Craiglist.org and other local real estate web sites that offer low cost for sale ads. Even eBay has a section for real estate that is worth investigating.

2. Check out specialized websites that offer just by owner ads. More of these are starting up and usually have an option to search by city or even zip code, to tailor your search.

3. Get the local newspaper daily, but especially on Sunday when there are bigger featured real estate sections, and check it thoroughly for the by owner ads.

4. Drive slowly through the areas and neighborhoods you would like to buy in and take notes on homes with a for sale sign that does not have a real estate broker’s information on it. It may or may not say for sale by owner.

5. Check local real estate publications. Often there are free real estate magazines available in grocery stores, libraries and other public places. While a majority of ads will be for real estate agent listings, there are often for sale by owner ads too.

6. Use your social network. Tell your friends that you are looking to find a for sale by owner home and if they know of one to please pass along the information. It is surprising how often someone in your circle may know of a home that is not even on the market yet. You may get first dibs. If you have a Facebook, MySpace or other social networking account, make a mention that you are looking for a FSBO home.

7. Contact a real estate agent. Some FSBO owners will be willing to co-op with real estate agents and agents will often be aware of such listings.

8. Check the MLS or Multiple Listing Service because many owners will pay the flat fee to list their home there for the added exposure it brings.

By taking such steps you will be well on your way to finding every FSBO home in the market you are looking to buy in. These are great ways to find a good deal. Just be sure that you involve a real estate lawyer so that you have all your bases covered and you haven’t missed anything vital in the transaction.

In the past, due to the lack of awareness about the home sale process, selling a home used to be a stressful task. The decision to sell a home can become a roller-coaster for the first-timers and if you have enough time and energy required to sell your home on your own there must be a thousand questions popping in your mind. Selling a house is a huge undertaking and probably the biggest transaction of your life. It’s easy to get swept off of your feet in the process of home selling and make mistakes that could leave you with remorse later. But thousands of people are doing it and once you know the process, it’s actually very doable. Preparing for what’s ahead will help you gain the most money at closing and keep your stress at bay. Fortunately, there are steps you can take before putting your home on the market to increase your chances of receiving a solid offer from a buyer. Homeowners who are wondering how to sell a house by owner should understand that it’s a learning process and isn’t something that people are doing every day.

Nowadays, you can sell a house without an agent by listing it on minustheagent.com.au. By adding a good description of your property and adding a few appropriate images, you can sell your home without an agent in an efficient manner. Minus The Agent also assists you through every step of the sales process and shares your listing on other leading websites in Australia such as domain.com.au, realestate.com.au, and many more. Minus The Agent also allows you to upload videos, a virtual tour, the floor plan, etc. of the property on the website so that the potential buyers can make a well-informed decision.

What does ‘Minus The Agent’ do?


Minus The Agent puts you directly in touch with genuine buyers or tenants so that you can successfully sell or rent without the need of an agent. By listing your property on high-profile and high-visibility websites like domain.com.au, realestate.com.au, etc., Minus The Agent gets your property and put it on the market in front of thousands of potential buyers. Minus The Agent also provides end-to-end support with out and handy marketing tools so that the sellers have a smooth home selling process throughout.

Minus The Agent helps home sellers who opt ‘for sale by owner’ list their properties on realestate.com.au, domain.com.au, homesales.com.au, and many more. Minus The Agent also provides on-going assistance to make the sale or leasing a stress-free process when you opt for sale by owner. Get the right valuation for your property now without paying the commission fee and save your money with Minus The Agent.

Why choose us?


User-friendly platform

Our website, minustheagent.com.au, is easy to navigate and allows you to take advantage of all our services. From listing your home for sale without an agent to closing the deal, our website guides you through the process and gives you tools to be your own agent so that you can present and sell your home confidently.

Diverse packages

Our packages are tailored according to your needs and offer you the tools that you need to successfully sell your home without an agent. You are in charge of your marketing and have 24/7 access to our system to update or make changes to your listing from any computer or mobile device.

Expert support

Our team consists of highly experienced professionals who can help and guide you at each and every step of the home selling process. Minus The Agent offer after hours’ phone and email support 7 days a week, meaning we are there to deal with any inquiries you or your prospective buyers/tenants may have.

Let’s get right down to it, shall we:

Best REALTOR Slogans

#5. “My job is your future”– Good. So you understand how big of a deal a home purchase is for me.

#4. “Purveyor of fine homes to fine people” – Not bad; a little boring, but you have a good command of the language and demonstrate strong commitment to a targeted market.

#3. “Sold in 100 days, or I’ll buy it”– Does this belong in the top 5? Yes – because you stand out, commit, and I know I’ll have a guaranteed sale within 4 months.

#2. “I Never Forget You Have a Choice”– That’s what I like to hear – you’ll always have the right motivations while we’re working together.

#1. “Anyone can sell your home. I can sell it for more.” – Strong, assertive and straight to the point. Let me put you to the test.

Worst REALTOR Slogans

#5. “A Realtor You Can Trust”– Sounds like something your parole officer told you to say.

#4. “No Fancy Punchlines – Just Great Service”– Does this constitute an oxymoron? (Definitely a moron)

#3. “It’s the Energy!”– What does that even mean? I think your doctor over-prescribes stimulants… Out of curiosity, what’s his name (my friend wants to know…)?

#2. “Everything I Touch Turns to Sold!” – Ha ha! It’s funny, I’ll give you that. But now that the joke’s over can you introduce me to a real REALTOR?

#1. “Spouses Selling Houses” – Do you include domestic disputes with showings?

Conclusion

This was a tough article to write because there are at least 20 terrible catch phrases for every good one. Some rules of thumb:

• Use common sense – No one wants to hear you state the obvious – and no one is interested in self-indulgence. There’s also not much room for humor (there are exceptions of course), so keep it professional.
• If you say something bold in your slogan, make sure you’re willing to eat, sleep, and breathe by it.
• If you can’t come up with anything good, don’t worry: Clients won’t notice that you don’t have a catch phrase, but you might lose clients if you have a bad one.

Real estate is one of the industries that benefited from the revolution brought by the Internet. Today, hundreds of different companies are competing against each other using the Internet because it is easier to reach a wider range of audience without spending more resources. Unfortunately, this revolution brought the competition to another level, and that is through the domination of search engine results.

SEO for real estate is very important, especially if you want to harness the real power of the Internet. The sad thing is that this market requires a more competitive SEO approach compared to other industries. Dozens of companies are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to optimize their website, hoping that this will bring tens of millions of dollars in revenue. Before you start looking for SEO services, let us discuss first the reasons why SEO is very important.

Increased Visibility

As a real estate player, you already know that converting visitors to buying customers is a very hard work, unless of course they are visiting your website with the intention of buying a property. Always remember that the secret of becoming a successful real estate industry player is to start generating more impressions and delivering more visitors to your website.

If you were able to dominate the search engine results using a complex approach on SEO for real estate, you will be receiving immeasurable amounts of traffic, which can be converted into sales – with proper marketing of course. To make it simpler, let’s just say no visitor means no sale.

Targeted Audience

Of course, visibility will increase your revenue, but it still depends on the “quality” of visitors that your website receives. How will you classify someone who uses search engines to search for “where to buy real estate properties for sale”? Can you classify them as people who are interested in buying a property in a “blink of an eye”? Or are they simply wasting their time looking for properties that they won’t buy?

Of course, these people are the ones that you want to be on your website. They are the people who are willing to buy estate properties and are simply looking for the best place to get the best deal.

Cheaper

Advertising and promoting your business on the Internet will literally burn a hole in your pocket. Unless you know how to fully-utilize or play with advertising platforms, you’ll be spending thousands of dollars before you could even make a sale. The problem with advertising and promoting is that money comes out of your pocket whether you make money from advertising or not.

SEO for real estate is more advisable because it is a process. All you have to do is to look for a credible SEO service and they will be handling all the tasks of optimizing your website. You’ll take all the sales, and all you have to do is to pay the company a monthly service fee, which is a lot cheaper, compared to most advertising platforms, especially for this industry.

With the recent despair in the housing market, house values are dropping substantially throughout the US. Homeowners are researching ways to recoup some of their losses by selling their homes on their own.

Hiring a real estate agent to sell your home has always perplexed me. I have sold numerous homes over the years and the listing agent never actually sold my home. In one case I even sold my own home when someone knocked on my door after seeing my sign. I negotiated a price then and there and shook hands on it without the real estate agent. The sad part of the matter was that he made 6% on my home sale ($16,000) without doing anything. I remember asking him if he could give me a break in the commission price since I sold the home. In a rude manner he said that it was his sign in front of my house that sold the home, not me.

According to 2006 National Association of Realtor statistics, 13% of all homes were sold without a real estate agent. 90% of FSBO (For Sale By Owner) sellers end up going to realtors in the end. Be that as it may, I decided to check in to some of these websites and the options they offer.

I started my research by searching on Google. I found a list of National For Sale By Owner websites. Here is a quick overview of my search results.

1. HomesByOwner.com: You can list your home for free. You can upload 1 photo in the free section. If you would like to add more photos, it will cost you.

2. BuyOwner.com: They do not have a price listed on their website, they recommend that you call them. They offer great Virtual Tours. BuyOwner sends people out to your home to take these Virtual Images. I am not sure on the price, but I had a friend who used their service and spent $2,300. Contact BuyOwner.com for more details.

3. Owners.com: They provide a free listing service. They also offer a $377 MLS listing fee to add your property in to the Multiple Listing Service. If an agent shows up and sells your home, you would only pay the 3% to them as opposed to paying the full 6% if you hired a agent as I have in the past.

4. ForSaleOwnerHomes.com: They also offer a free listing service. These free websites like ForSaleOwnerhomes.com make their money through things like Google ads, that is why they can keep their listing services for free.

5. ForSaleByOwner.com: Fee for a listing is $89.95 a month or a flat fee of $199 to be listed until your property is sold.

There are more websites, but you get the general idea of what is out there. If you are planning on selling your home, I recommend you go through the same research I did and list on as many free websites as possible. If you hit it and sell your home, you will only have more money in your pocket in the end.

Social media has the potential to bring about dramatic improvements in your SEO efforts. However, it is important to understand how activities on social channels can have an impact on your ranking. Search engines use links shared on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. as ranking signal. One important thing to consider at this point is that social media is not a direct ranking factor.

Increasing number of people are carrying out more and more of their daily communication on the internet, particularly social media which is a great way of sharing and obtaining information. People love to consume interesting content on social media. If you create amazing content and share it on relevant social platforms, it is likely to get popular. As a result, your rankings will experience a boost. Following are 3 of the ways social media can help you with your SEO efforts:

1. Generate links

First of all, you must create and post shareable and engaging content on platforms relevant to your industry. The more share you generate on social media, the more likely that people will see your content and link to it. Few years ago, marketers took it as granted that Facebook shares were a great ranking signal and, therefore, they put considerable emphasis on generating more and more shares. It was not really the number of shares that search engines took as indirect ranking factor, but the links that Facebook shares can generate. Which means you need to focus on creating high-quality content and sharing it on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. to get links from other websites.

2. Build presence

In today’s competitive environment, it is crucial to not only produce great products but also market them in an effective manner. As a business manager, you must stay proactive and reach your audience wherever they are in the world. You can’t find a better place than Facebook where you can have the chance to connect with 2 billion active users. Build your audience through social media marketing and earn customers trust. Social media helps you promote your brand and get it in front of potential customers who wouldn’t have otherwise found you. Once you earn more share of clicks in Google from a rapidly growing audience, you will be ranked higher.

3. Make good use of YouTube

We know YouTube is the second most-searched search engine where people can find plenty of incredible content and solutions to their problems. If used properly, YouTube marketing can have a positive impact on your SEO performance. If you create enticing content to promote your brand, it can leads to more links, just like Facebook. Videos can rank organically in search. The best technique is to create how-to videos that can help your audience solve problems.

Google+ is also a very useful platform where posts are ranked almost instantly. People who are logged in to Google+ receive personalized Google results.

To make a real difference to your existing ranking in SERPs, you have to create a sound social media marketing strategy while focus on creating great content.

Investing in real estate is a very lucrative business. Analyzing the property market where you are going to invest your money is very important. Despite what many people believe, becoming a real estate investor can help you earn huge profits. As long as you go about the business the right way, you can reap huge rewards and achieve the goals that you have set for yourself.

However, as with every great business opportunities, there are some difficulties to overcome in order to be a successful investor.

Research is the most important thing when it comes to investing in real estate. Good research always plays a vital role in property investment. With the advent of technology today, it is not as time-consuming as it used to be. There are several websites available on the internet that helps a great deal in finding a suitable property, location as well as reasons to invest in it. Take your time to conduct the research and search for the best location. Check for the specifics of the region you are considering to invest in. Analyze the buyers, sellers, rental, and investor in the area. If need be, contact the property agents of that particular location through any means possible and send them quires to find out any question you have about buying, selling and renting of any property in that area. These things may give you enough knowledge about investing in real estate in that particular area. Ultimately, you will be able to get a full picture property business in that region.

Below are things you need to know about an area before considering investing in property in that region.
• Population,
• Tax and ownership law,
• Buyer and Sellers of that particular region,
• Temperature and Environment,
• Future projects and Developments,
• Rents of property,
• Management cost,
• Insurance policy,and
• Tourism Industry.

These are some basic things that must be considered before buying property in any region. These things may help to reduce your risk and give you handsome return on your investment. Aside from all of these, you may need to enlist the service of a professional property agent that has the full knowledge of that particular area. This might be necessary because when you are going to buy any property, there are some legal agreements and contracts that you may need to sign. To avoid running into crisis in the process, a professional help is a good option for you. In addition to helping you find a very profitable property, the professional real estate agent will also guide you in making the best choices that will be favorable for you. Also, whenever you want to sell or rent out your property, the help of a professional will ensure that you get a great return on your investment.

All in all, when you educate yourself about the latest market trends and learn various hints and tips on being a real estate investor, you are on your way to success. This will help you break through all the hurdles and ensure your survival in the competitive but lucrative real estate.

I was having lunch with a realtor friend of mine recently and I asked her how her business was going. We live in South Florida where everyone seems to have their real estate license and the real estate market has been in the tank for it seems forever. Plus, I knew that she worked for a small real estate firm. Her reply to me was “The internet is a great equalizer”. She told me that she is leveraging social media to connect with customers through a personal blog, Facebook and Twitter.

What was interesting to me is that she knows that the little agent on the corner is just as capable of selling your house as the large brokerage firm with the big name. She decided to create her own website where she would brand herself as a successful realtor in her niche market, which is waterfront property.

I could see she is completely correct on this approach. The future belongs to the little agent because in a bad economy they are particularly hungry to make commissions and will be more creative and innovative in order to survive. Certainly the large brokers can outspend them, but social media is free advertising especially once their website is created. Large brokers are like most large corporations – it takes a committee to decide anything and forever for an approval to launch a marketing campaign. In the meantime, these smaller real estate agents are finding ways to connect to their prospects and brand themselves as the expert for selling homes.

I read an NAR report that said 76% of people who decide to sell their home with the assistance of a real estate agent will interview only one agent for the job. So, how can you be the one agent that everyone is looking for? If you have succeeded at positioning yourself as the realtor of choice, you will be the person that they think of to call. By branding yourself correctly, you can create that perception that you are their only option – the only agent – that will sell their home.

What Consumers Want from a Real Estate Agent

Home buying decisions are no different than the sales process for other services that we buy from a professional. By that, I mean we want to work with someone that is trustworthy, honest, has a good reputation and that can deliver the sale. Buyers will also listen to recommendations from others on their experience with that person or company.

Today’s shoppers are much savvier due to the internet and they demand to work with someone at the top of their game. They do not really care about the name of the brokerage because they want a person to work with that will be enthusiastic, provide great service and be a resources for them, on top of finding them a home or selling one. People do not do business with a brand name, they do business with people.

As much as 80% of homebuyers use the internet to find both agents and homes. How are they going to find you if your only presence is on your brokerage site? The smart real estate agents have quickly figured out that if they brand their name and their expertise, this will help them be the realtor of choice and generate leads.

Steps to Create Your Brand as a Real Estate Agent

Step 1: Determine where your primary focus is i.e. retiree home sales, waterfront, commercial property, families and create your brand around that. As with any top salesperson, target marketing leads to greater results because you get quickly noted as the expert in that particular area.

Step 2: Create a slogan to go along with it that can be used on a website or promotional materials.

Step 3: Put into action a marketing plan to build this credibility that you are the best, regardless of market conditions.

Step 4: Branding is everything you stand for, meaning your promise to your customers.

Step 5: Match your image to your brand. If you are in the luxury market, then you must mirror that community.

Taking Your Brand Online

My friend had told me that the single most important thing that she had done was to get a website where she could write articles and provide information for her prospects and send to her mailing list. She wanted to be forefront in their minds that she is an expert and would be someone that they can highly recommend. By having a website it gave her friends a place to send any referral where she could be “checked out” before contacting her.

Her blog contains many resources other than the MLS property search for a visitor to her site. She has a mortgage calculator, home value estimator, school searcher and other tools all in one place. Additionally, she provides community information, success stories and generates a real connection with her brand. People can connect with her on Facebook and Twitter or provide their email address for her white paper on a latest home buying topic.

She has also added her personal website to her brokerage business card and added it to her email signature. My next article will discuss building your realtor blog in more depth by providing some creative ideas to drive people to your site. Facebook and Twitter are also important tools to be used, but her website is her home base where she wants to drive her customers to so that they can see that she is at the top of her game.

A perfect solution for you to begin this process is with a product called My Branding System. This is an easy step by step system that helps you build an attractive site to personally brand you. It comes with enhanced features for realtors, but also incorporates many features that other systems may not have.

Please contact me for further information on how we can create your brand as the best real estate agent in your area. Now that social media has become mainstream, it is very important for real estate agents to learn how to market themselves online, in addition to offline. Otherwise, their competition will take that position as the expert in their marketplace.

Since, for most of us, the value of our house, is our single – biggest, financial asset, wouldn’t it make sense, for potential home buyers, to enter – into this process, in a more – prepared, knowledgable manner, rather than resorting to permitting their emotions, to take – over, most of their process/ path – forward? After, over 15 years, as a Real Estate Licensed Salesperson, in the State of New York, I have come to, strongly, believe, there are, at least, 6 considerations, which must be, fully – examined, and considered, before moving forward. With, that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, these, and why, they are important, and, truly, matter.

1. Price Range/ Affordability/ Credit: Before, starting this process, and, even, looking at/ viewing, even, one house, it is important, to objectively, and introspectively, perform a personal, check – up, from the neck – up, and determine, what price range, you can afford, and, whether, you have the credit, needed, to qualify, for appropriate, financing/ mortgage, paying the monthly installments, and feel comfortable, with that responsibility, on a regular basis. Remember, this is, in addition to, the down – payment, closing costs, etc, needed, up – front!

2. Personal/ family needs; present priorities and perceptions: What are your current, personal, and family needs, and why? What are your options, and which, is best for you, personally? What do you need, and, are you, ready, willing, and able to differentiate, between, your needs, and wish – list, etc?

3. Future situations, and circumstances: Are you looking, to buy, a home, for a long – period, or, merely, a shorter – term, so – called, starter – home? What do you, anticipate, your future needs, and circumstances, might be, and, will you, be prepared, accordingly?

4. Specific area: What attracts you, to a specific area, and why? How does it serve your interests, and benefit you, personally, both, in the immediate, as well as longer – run? Is it, the convenience, safety, schools, neighborhood, beauty of area, or, what? How much are these, worth, to you?

5. Schools/ education: In general, quality school systems, appeal, to prospective buyers, and, thus, keeps prices – up, and stronger, because, it adds, significantly, to the appeal, of the specific region, etc! However, with that, usually, comes higher taxes (because of school taxes, etc), so, how might you balance this, to your best interests?

6. Safety/ crime: There is little doubt, the perceived safety, of an area, is a significant factor, in terms of home values/ pricing! When, both, perceptions, and reality, show, lower – than – average, amounts of crime, the prices of houses, usually, benefit, and are higher – than – other areas!

Be as smart, a home buyer, as possible, and move forward, asking, all the questions, which matter, most, to you, before making any purchase decisions! Will you help yourself, when it comes to this?