Posts in Real Estate Marketing

Tips, tools and gadgets to help you market your properties online.

2017 Real Estate Market Trends – Did They Happen?

From inventory shortages to western migration and video usage in real estate marketing, did these 2017 trends take the market as predicted?

  • Millennials & Boomers Driving the Market
    Millennials remain the largest group of home buyers (34%) for the fourth consecutive year. However, 85% of Boomers have no plans to sell in the next year, contributing to the lack of affordable homes on the market.
  • A Slow Down in Price Appreciation
    With inventory at 20-year low, and demand heavy, prices don’t appear to be slowing down, except in certain markets/neighborhoods where upward limits have weakened affordability. If mortgage rates continue moving on up, demand may slow with pricing/affordability, but they’re still higher than historical norms.
  • Fewer Homes, Faster Sales
    A record number of buyers and few affordable homes make this one of the fastest moving markets in decades. In May, 1-in-3 homes sold in under 30-days nationally, with a median listing time of 60-days.
  • Shoppers Turn to Video
    100% of home shoppers used the internet to research a specific home, with 86% of shoppers relying on video usage in real estate marketing to learn more about communities, and 70% of shoppers touring homes via video – some of which make the home purchase sight unseen!
  • Popular Western Markets Top the Charts
    The hottest markets in the country are currently:

    1. Vallejo, CA
    2. San Francisco, CA
    3. Boston, MA
    4. Sacramento, CA
    5. Kennewick, WA
    6. Colorado Springs, CO
    7. Columbus, OH
    8. Midland, TX
    9. San Jose, CA
    10. Stockton, CA
  • The Midwest Moving to the Top of the Affordable Housing Market
    Ranked on affordability by the U.S. Census. These cities, with populations of 1-million+, topped affordability charts:

    1. Rochester, NY
    2. Buffalo-Cheeektown-Niagara Falls, NY
    3. Pittsburg, PA
    4. Kansas City, MO
    5. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
    6. Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
    7. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
    8. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
    9. Dallas-Arlington-Fort Worth, TX
    10. Oklahoma City, OK

Learn how video usage in real estate marketing can prove true for you in the upcoming year. Visit Properties Online today.

Make Your Next Open House a “Live” Video Event

Pack hundreds of qualified buyers in the doors without maxing out occupancy levels at your next open house with the latest in real estate selling trends: Live streaming video. Agents are jumping aboard the bandwagon of this latest listing craze – and with good reason. Studies show when a listing has a video attached, interest increases a staggering 403%.

Live On the Scene: Your Local Agent
Real estate agents are increasingly casting themselves as the directors and on-camera hosts of area open house events, touting their latest listings via live streaming and social media platforms such as Facebook Live.

The Grand Trifecta of Benefits
Agents hosting live events earn a hefty payback…

  1. Showcasing the home to a larger pool of potential buyers.
  2. Providing essential information in a convenient format which is of huge value to shoppers.
  3. Leveraging the event to expand their online presence and reputation.

How Does It Work?
Agents hosting live open houses typically guide viewers through the home, accepting questions posted in the ‘comments’ section of the hosting service. Questions are answered live, much like a call-in radio show. After the event, insightful agents review questions and comments, posting necessary information on missed opportunities in a follow-up.

Beyond the Open House
Footage of the event remains available online as long as needed, and can be shared via an endless variety of social media platforms for added exposure. With contact information gathered from each participant, agents are free to follow-up post-event as well. Contact is typically well received, thanks to the unmatched capability of video and live streaming to display your personality and create an immediate personal connection.

Make your next open house a lot more compelling with the latest in real estate selling trends from live streaming to informational and personal promotion videos. Take full advantage of today’s video sales technology with the help of Properties Online today.

Designer “Eye Test” Which Feature Do Buyers Like Better?

Real estate selling trends come and go, particularly when it comes to home design. Unfortunately, this can make for a frustrating experience for sellers looking to make the most out of a home update with a few key investments.

What are the Home Features Buyers Want Right Now?

  • Quartz or Marble?
    Slightly more expensive, quartz is three-times more popular than porous, stain-prone marble. As with many home feature choices, durability and maintenance are a key consideration in countertop choice.
  • Hardwood or Carpet?
    Though carpet may be considered in the rare, snow prone climate, all-in-all, hardwood is the winner due to its lower-maintenance, durable surface.
  • Light or Dark Cabinets
    Lighter cabinets win out over darker alternatives due to their capacity to brighten a space and make it look bigger. Though either light or dark can be beautiful, however, contrast is essential. If cabinets are light, contrast with dark counters and medium floors (or vice-versa).
  • Gas or Electric Stove?
    Gas is the clear winner for buyers, with faster, more uniform cooking and more economical operation when compared to electric stove models.
  • Claw-Foot or Soaking Tub?
    Well-designed soaking tubs (not 90s-era jet tubs) offer a spa-like feel that goes beyond what ‘looks-only’ claw-foot fare provides.
  • Sub-Zero or Viking Appliances?
    Sub-Zero appliances barely edge out Viking, with the key point to ponder: providing buyers what they would expect for your home genre. (Luxury buyers expect high-end fare.)

Design Features that are Neither Here Nor There
Real estate selling trends point to these design features as a toss-up, with home shoppers showing no clear preference in either direction:

  • Subway or Basket-Weave Tiles
  • Bay or Floor-to-Ceiling Windows

Are you building your reputation by helping sellers make the most out of their greatest investment? Stay up on the latest real estate selling trends and boost your success with the help of Properties Online today.

Brace Yourself Texas: Natural Disasters Put a Chill on the Local Real Estate Market

The second-most disaster-laden season on record, so far 2017 has been a stunner with 9 separate weather, climate and flood disasters ranging from western wildfires to eastern hurricanes. How badly does such climate craziness actually affect area real estate selling trends?

The Effect of Natural Disasters on Local Markets Can Be Chilling and Immediate
Though localized, disaster effects put a freeze on both buyer confidence and mortgage operations, hurting home sales. When combined with other economic issues, this can result in long-term consequences.

How Have Past Disasters Affected Sales?

• The 1989 San Francisco Bay area earthquakes brought the area housing market to an abrupt halt as lenders were unable to process loans, and scared homebuyers reneged on deals. The ripple effect of the quakes loomed long thereafter.

• The 1993 Mississippi River flood damaged over 100,000 homes. The costliest flood of the 20th century, post-flood all property prices in municipalities on the rivers fell 6-10%.

• The mass evacuation and relocation of New Orleans residents for Hurricane Katrina in 2005 displaced 750,000 households. Four years post-disaster, homes were found to have dropped 23% in value.

• The actual impact of the 2012 ‘Superstorm Sandy’ remains unknown. Four years later, area markets continue to recover.

• The 2017 wildfires in Sevier County, Tennessee saw the area’s affordable housing market especially hard hit. The aftermath left working-class residents scrambling for remaining housing within their means – and more well-off residents displaced during lengthy rebuilds.

In it for the Long Haul
Of those localized areas experiencing a decline, real estate selling trends point to a bright side. The negative market effects of natural disasters won’t last forever. This is especially true of areas in proximity to good weather and good jobs, which weigh more heavily on buyers.

Don’t let current real estate selling trends spell disaster for your brokerage. Discover new ways to rebuild to your benefit. Uncover these possibilities with the help of Properties Online today.

Home Sale Secrets Top-Performing Agents Know

Home Sale Secrets Top-Performing Agents Know

In real estate selling, the devil is in the details. And top agents know the details to pay attention to, sharing them with sellers (if not with their fellow associates) to ensure sales.

What Are the Home Selling Secrets Real Estate Pros Let Customers Know?

Exaggeration will backfire.
If a buyer pulls up to a home expecting a lakeside view, only to find a goldfish pond, they’re sure to leave disappointed. Describe the best features of what you have to offer to avoid ‘dine and dash,’ blind-date style scenarios.

Curb appeal is king.
A well-manicured lawn not only makes a property look magnificent, but low maintenance. (Leaving the lawn unkempt is akin to pointing out annoying chores.)

Staging isn’t a one-shot deal.
Staging needs vary from season to season, with space and airiness essential in warmer months, and cozy environments more fitting in cooler ones.

Look to pricing ‘bands’ for added exposure.
Price within ‘bands’ in real estate selling to avoid missing out on a wider pool of buyers. Those looking to spend $240,000 will typically look in the $225-250,000 range. So that $255,000 price tag could put you out of range for a number of buyers – or disappoint those looking for ‘more’ of a house.

Beware of listing ‘black holes.’
Don’t initiate your listing during key vacation times (the Fourth, Labor Day), lest your listing be buried by new offerings by the time prospects return from vacation.

List in-season.
The home buying season runs February through September, with a hot spot in June prior to school returning to session.

Pay attention to timing.
If a listing sits unsold for 3-4 weeks, that’s a sure sign the home is overpriced. To avoid looking desperate, price realistically at the start.

Share the secrets to real estate selling success and reap huge rewards. Stay up on what’s in with the latest sales tips, tricks and secrets from Properties Online today.

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