A good real estate professional has a plan for just about everything. They should have a business plan with goals and mile markers. They should have a prospecting plan, a presentation plan for listings, and above all, they should have a plan to market your property. Welcome to the first in a 7 part series of posts about proper Home Marketing Strategies where I'll be giving a fairly comprehensive overview (Primer, if you will) of the different facets of marketing as it pertains to agents and the marketing of their listings. Let's start by talking about the newest plan that Realtors should have firmly planted in their "plan arsenal," a Social Networking Plan.<!--more-->
This plan should be split into two sections: the personal plan for the agent and the plan for their listings. Today, let's talk about how a good real estate professional uses social networking to help them sell homes...while we're at it, let's tell real estate professional how to create their plans for success.
Social Networking as part of the Digitial Home Exposure Strategy
Remember that the Social Networking Exposure Plan and all that encompases is only part of the overall Digital Home Exposure Strategy which itself is part of an agent's Home Marketing Strategy. Let's look at that real quick. So, we have to keep our "master plans" in mind when concocting our specific plans whether it be a Social Networking Plan or a plan for exposing the property in Print Media. Let's focus on how agents should construct the Social Networking aspect of a Home Marketing Strategy.
Planning a Social Networking Exposure Plan
Your Blog is Home Base
Blogging works. No, it doesn't work for 99% of real estate agents but that's because they don't have a clue what they are doing or why they are doing it. If you don't blog don't sweat it. This entire strategy can be implemented without blogging... it's just a lot more effective if you have a good blog. But a decent template website will work for many of the things you need to be doing with your Digital Home Exposure Strategy. How's it home base?
You can funnel all of your social networking, organic, paid, and referral traffic to your blog, landing and your contact pages
You can send people your blog address and they should be able to contact you through multiple fronts if you have links to all of your networking profiles
Your blog is where you talk about what really matters... you may add snippets in facebook, twitter, linkedin, or somewhere else, but your blog should have all of your "big deal" content
Your blog is your brand... if you don't have your blog branded it can inhibit the real and percieved value of your services by the online community
Branch Out and Seek Ye Business
I'll put out a disclaimer here. Yes, you are networking for business. Yes, you can even solicit people for business from time to time. But what is Social Networking really about? If you don't "get it" then maybe you should do some additional homework and then come back...
You'd take a great leap in understanding if you read the Cluetrain Manifesto.
Get a Twitter account. Then learn how to use and interact on Twitter. A great resource for this is the Twitter for Real Estate Twits E-Book by @Nik_Nik
Definitely get a tweetlister account and use it to promote listings (sparingly please)
Get a Linkedin Account and add your profiles and links to it. Make sure to import your contacts and get started building your contact list.
I could name a dozen others but the law of diminishing returns definitely applies to beloning to too many networks. Go with a few. Go with what your prospects and clients USE. Facebook has over 200,000,000 accounts with half of them logging on to do something everyday. Start there. That's all that's needed to start with. I've got lots of tips and tricks and applications to help you use these tools more efficiently and effectively but you'll have to see the related posts or browse through my site to find them.
Plan your work and Work your plan
Everyone knows social media can be an endless time sink, a black hole of tireless updates, uploads, replies and direct messages. Here's what I suggest to keep your social networking time meaningful and efficient
:
Set aside a SPECIFIC time and SPECIFIC amount of time every day to network socially.
Depending on your goals, 15-30 minutes should cut it
Aim for a certain number of updates, links, pictures, and videos to share and send to friends
Try to make one new meaningful contact each session
Pick up the phone - talk to people using other means
Schedule a face-to-face - coffee, lunch, make it short, fun, and public
When you've accomplished your goals for the day... stop. If you have to share something crazy important right now, do it... in moderation.
TIP: Vary the times of day you network socially. Many people are beginning to use this "time managed" technique of networking and spend too much time talking to just a few core people. That's not networking, that's hanging out with your friends.
What kinds of things are you sharing and talking about?
On Facebook - use a 4:1 ratio of personal updates to professional updates on your profile page. Business pages can obviously be more centered around, well, business.
Talk about what makes you you. Your interests any hobbies, your family, your life.
Share useful information - that could be market data, a new listing that is grossly underpriced, news about a town or neighborhood that you deal with.
Share things that keep people interested in you - share crazy news, ask questions that get people involved
Be genuine - there's not much more obvious that someone going through the motions for business purposes. If you are sharing, helping, and offering insight to those who need it, blessings will be returned upon you in many ways.
So HOW does all this help Sell Listings?
Dividends from Social Networking are inherently difficult to quantify. One thing is for sure. When you are doing it with success, you know it
.
Listings get more showings and views online
The agent gets more calls, more inquiries, more referrals, and more deals
Sales can result directly from the use of social networks
Social Networking helps sell homes by creating more buzz and exposure for the listing online. I don't think it's been measured yet but I would say somewhere it generates around 2-4 times as much exposure for the property than if you did not use social networking as part of your marketing plan. I'd like to point out that the social networking craze is really just the beginning of a shift in the way people meet and interact. If you (or your agent) aren't getting the ball rolling by learning and becoming part of it all, you (they) may never catch up if they try to jump on in a few years time. Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for the next six installments of Home Marketing Strategies. PS - This is an evolving work and may be changed at any time. Comments and suggestions are quite welcome...
Would love your comments on the original article as well at EXITrealestate540.com:
There are A LOT of real estate professionals using Twitter. There are some great people I've met on Twitter that always give more than they receive and some not-so-great people that broadcast and whine like it's going out of style. Trust me... it's out of style. Below are 10 Ways Not to Promote Your Real Estate Career or Your Listings on Twitter... paired with some alternative approaches.
1. Tweet Your Lisitings More Than Once a Week
Your followers want something useful out of you. Your a real estate professional, tweeting your listings using Tweetlister or doing it manually is fine... in moderation. Tweeting each of your 5-50 listings more than once a week is just plain broadcasting and plain wrong.
You CAN mention your listing and link to it's property tour, video, or website if you are showing it, working on it, etc. When you link to something that is related to what you are talking about it adds value.
2. Send the tweet, "I'm in Real Estate! Do any of you have a home I can sell?"
Really? That's the best you got? You know, I occasionally ask my close followers or people that I am having a conversation with..."Hey, who do you know right now that's looking to buy or sell a home?" That's as forward as I ever get... and I never send that message where the general tweeting population can see it. If you do, you are likely to alienate 1/2 your followers in one foul tweet.
3. Ask followers for their address.
I've got a better idea... why don't you just triangulate their twitter signal and stalk them? I know people talk about 'stalking' others on twitter, but I'm talking "actual" stalking. Don't do it. If they want to give you their address to list their home... they will.
4. Tell followers what you are 'getting ready for...'
Example Tweet..."Just preparing some great market data to go list 123 Main Street in Pleasantville..."
My response to that tweet would be... "So? Isn't that what you're supposed to be doing? You're a Realtor right?"
Give me some VALUE. Like this, "Cross Creek in Pleasantville is ripe for a buyer looking for a deal, check out the market data http://tinyurl.com/example." That tells me something useful and what you're doing at the same time.
5. Auto-DM new followers with Shameless Self Promotion.
"Thanks for the follow...I'm the best real estate agent around. Are you ready to list?" Bzzzzzzz. Thanks for playing. You officially suck at twittering.
6. Don't display a picture on your profile.
I love to work with people that I have no idea how they look. I think it's the excitement and mystery... the thrill and the danger of the unknown. What? I'm the only one like that? Put up a picture that shows your a professional, trustworthy individual. If you can find one that makes you look intelligent too, that's a bonus.
7. Make sure your profile links to http://yourdomain.com
This is one that lots of people get wrong. It's a shame too because I love a good landing page that is tailor made for me. If you blog it's as simple as writing a post about your use of twitter and linking to it. Not that I have the best twitter landing page in the world, but at least you'll get the idea. This same concept goes for everything from facebook and linkedin, to buyers, sellers, and investors.
8. Only talk about real estate.
You ever notice how boring real estate really is? Market data, Days on Market, Absorption Rates, contracts, inspections, appraisals, I could go on. Now, many of us in real estate find most of this stuff at least a little bit interesting or else we don't last long but the general population you are tweeting to could probably care less. Don't be a robotic twit and only talk about the mundane details of real estate. Talk about your kids, the news, things you like and do... people will be much less likely to tune out your "boring real estate tweets" if you have something interesting to talk about at other times.
9. Only follow other real estate agents
While it's certainly possible to follow no one but real estate agents and follow thousands (if not 10's of 1000's) of people. While you might get something out of your interactions on twitter there's one thing you aren't going to get...business.
10. Only follow locals who might be prospects
Following people on twitter is kind of like having a balanced portfolio. For big dividends and a safety net, you need to have the right mix of locals and non-locals, Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, other industry professionals, and prospects and clients. When you need a little lift you can lean on your fellow agents for support. When the market is good, your followers that have a real estate need will be contacting you in droves.
I hope you liked these 10 things/ways not to do for real estate agents on twitter. If you need more twitter tips for real estate there are lots of resources but check out:
I'm Ben Roberts and you can find me on Twitter @berober or Friend me on Facebook. Shoot me a tweet and let me know if you liked this article or make a comment below. Thanks for reading.
Click below to see the original post at exitrealestate540.com...
There are a lot of homes on the market in Northwest Arkansas and around the country. Depending on the area and price of your home, you may be competing with ten, fifty, even hundreds of other properties. Here are easy staging tips to help you differentiate your property and make it stand out in a buyer's mind.
You never get a second chance...at a first impression
The view of your home from the road should be as stunning as possible. Make sure...
Lawn is mowed, edged, and free from debris.
If your door and shutters are different colors, repaint the door to match or paint to the one that is more neutral in color.
Make sure gutters are clear and free of debris.
Power wash windows and siding or brick. This makes your home sparkle .
Clean up and put fresh mulch in flower beds. This makes the house seem brand new.
Put potted plants outside in strategic areas to provide color and embellishment.
Decking should be freshly sealed or painted with any unsightly or misshapen boards replaced.
Buy a new welcome mat.
Kitchens and Living Rooms - Deal makers and deal breakers
Your kitchen and living room are the two most important rooms in the house to prospective buyers. Make sure they look their best by...
Making them warm and inviting with good use of space, light, and decor.
Clear the rooms of family portraits and anything that makes the home seem like the buyers don't live there.
Sparse is better than cluttered...too much furniture is usually a turn-off to buyers
Don't overload mantles, shelves, or counter tops with personal things.
Replace dim 60 or 75 watt bulbs with 100 watt bulbs (or CFL's) to brighten up the room
Open blinds...let the house be seen!
Clean...clean...clean! It's cheap and it makes quite an impression. No one likes dust bunnies.
Bathrooms and Bedrooms...the icing on the proverbial cake
Think about comfort in everything you do. Nothing sells a home like comfort.
Use neutral color and paint schemes. Earth tones are safe...pastels are not. Never have I seen a buyer LOVE a purple bedroom.
Limit the furniture in bedrooms and bathrooms to make the space appear larger and feel roomier.
Clean out your closets! Buyers hate to see their own cluttered closets...they certainly don't want to see yours.
If you have nice matching bedding great...if not...get it. It will more than pay for itself in the sell of your home.
Remember to remove personal pictures. Leave art, landscape and building photography, sculptures, etc. in the home as part of the decor.
Your home will sell because of what you do or don't do just before it shows
Strong fragrances are a complete no-no when showing any home. If you have to cover up a smell...bake some cookies or use some febreze one hour before the home shows. Here's a good example of polishing your home before a showing...the right way.
If you have pets...do something with them. Whether the buyers love dogs or not, no home was ever bettered by Fido following buyers around the house or barking the whole time.
Keep the house 'show ready'...shoes in the hallway, towels in the bathroom, paperwork on the kitchen counter...all these things are like personal pictures...it reminds the buyers that this is not their house and distracts them from the showing.
While home staging can be a lot of work, it benefits far out weigh the costs in most situations. If you need justification to spend the time and effort here you go:
Staging helps you organize and de-clutter your home, in other words, it helps you get ready to move.
Staging helps you justify the price you are asking. The better staged the house, the less concessions buyers will ask for.
Staging helps reduce the homes days on market...effecting a quicker sell.
Staging differentiates you from your home's competition...creating demand for your home, increasing showings, increasing offers, and creating a home that sells for a higher price.
If you would like additional staging tips by email or a list of reputable staging companies in Northwest Arkansas please contact me for more information. Are there some off-the-wall staging tips that you would like to share? Please leave a comment below.
Much happened in January, a presidential inauguration, a tough economy, a slow realization by the American public that we’re not quite out of the woods yet. As the coldest of winter slides behind us so to does the worst of housing crisis, or so we hope. Foreclosures made up a fair percentage of property sales in January as evidenced by the numbers. Below is the January 2009 Northwest Arkansas home prices and market report from EXITrealestate540.com, Bon Appetito.
Northwest Arkansas Home Prices
There are currently some 5500 homes listed for sale in northwest Arkansas with an average Days on Market of 176. It looks like 208 properties sold in the month of January and 277 went pending. The fact that the number of homes pending is higher by a third than the number of homes sold is a good sign that there is some additional buying activity going on. The average sale price for all of Washington and Benton Counties combined was $162,050 at an average sale price per foot of $84.40. That’s a far cry from the list price of $109.98 of the properties currently for sale. This may mean that many of the home sales have been lower end properties and foreclosed or distressed homes.
Here are the January numbers broken down by major city:
Please notice the Avg SP (Average Sale Price) of each town in Northwest Arkansas. For January, Fayetteville is the winner with an average sale price of $222,538 out of it’s 27 sold properties. Springdale is on the low end this month with it’s average sale price of $140,938 on it’s 43 sold properties.
Notice the average DOM for current properties is lowest in Springdale at 153 days and highest in Rogers at 181 days. It looks like a saleable listing will take, on average, some where on the order of six months to sell in today’s market.
Who says Northwest Arkansas real estate isn’t hopping? Virginia’s Grove Subdivision is one busy, bustling place.
A great little subdivision in Bentonville
With room for less than 25 homes, Virginia’s Grove is already half-way built out with 13 houses on the ground. Located just south of highway 72 (central) in Bentonville, Virginia’s Grove is close to Wal-mart Home Office, Interstate 540, and many of Bentonville and Rogers’ restaurants and shopping areas. Check out the map below.
Virginia’s Grove offers quality new construction homes at near foreclosure prices without the hassle!
Homes in Virginia’s Grove range in price from $185,900 for a 3 bed 2 bath with 1850 square feet up to $219,900 for a 4 bed 2 bath home at 2200 square feet. There are also floorplans with 3 beds 2 baths and a bonus room with 2367 square feet. These homes are price at between around $93/foot up to $104/foot, great deals with land prices in the middle of Bentonville being what they are.
The lots are low-maintenance, perfect for the busy homeowner that doesn’t have time to mow a large yard.
The neighborhood does have covenants that limit the size of storage building and does not allow for permanent placement of pools on the properties. A POA will be formed if the residents decide to create one.
Fantastic high-end finishing at a rock bottom price
2×6 Rafters
No crown seams
Sod in front and back
Weed barrier under flower beds
Minimum 8 options brick color
Architectural shingles (30 year, not 20)
30lb. felt on roof (again, not 15)
Standard granite, slate, or wood entry
Satin nickel or oil bronze fixtures
All granite countertops
Stainless undermount sinks
Stainless appliances…Frigidaire
Ceiling fans in Bedrooms
Will install can light if 1/2 through build
Multiple color packages
Flat paint for easy touch ups
Dense pad under carpet
Double pained tip out windows for energy efficiency and easy cleaning
HVAC minimum 3 1/2 ton
Furnace in attic for noise reduction and efficiency
50 gal water heater
Closets have braced shelving and metal or wooden rods
Attic pull down ladder with plywood sheets in attic for storage
All plates are sealed for energy efficiency and insect prevention
Batting and Fiber walls with 13R-Factor
Fiberglass ceiling insulation with 38R-Factor
Provides a list of all subcontractors to buyer at closing
Options
Gutters - $1,000-$1,400
Blinds - $800-$1,000
Fencing - $15 per linear foot
Custom Room Coloring - $400/room for non-standard colors
This is just a short list of the quality techniques and materials that Roth Custom Homes uses in the construction of homes in Virginia’s Grove. Below is a sample floorplan and pictures of just some of what you can expect in Virginia’s Grove.
That’s just a little taste of what is available in Viriginia’s Grove in Bentonville right now. Contact me to get the latest information on listings in Virginia’s grove or schedule a showing. The subdivision has an agent on duty to answer your questions every weekend so stop by and see what the great subdivision in Bentonville has to offer.
Homes need a little extra push these days to sell. EXIT Realty’s 50-G Program gives homeowners the ability to offer a $50,000 selling bonus to any buyer’s agent that sells the property!
EXIT Realty’s 50-G Program gives you leverage to sell in a buyer’s market
When there are hundreds of homes on the market just like your, you and your real estate agent have to do something to make it stand out from the crowd. There are a number of things you can do but most of them require either a lot of effort or a lot of money. What if you could offer a possible $50,000 selling bonus to the Agent that sells your home? How much would that be worth? The easy answer is $50,000. Unfortunately, on a $200,000 home, that comes out to a 25% selling bonus which most homeowners would not be excited to pay. How does $500 sound? Pretty good right? $500 (and only if your home sells) gives you the ability to offer a chance for a Realtor to make $50,000 plus commission off the sell of one property.
How does it work?
When you attach the 50-G Marketing Campaign to your home this is what happens:
You sign an agreement stating that you wish to offer the 50-G Program to help sell your property.
Your home is designated a 50-G property in the MLS and in all correspondence that goes to the media and the general Realtor base.
Area Realtors know that your property is offering them a chance to make an additional $50,000 bonus if they show and sell it.
More Realtors show your property than those you are in competition with because, like the rest of humanity, Realtors like money.
Your home has more showings and the possibility of getting sold at a higher price because there is competition where was was none before.
You get an offer for your home of 1-2% more than you would have gotten without offering the 50-G Program.
You accept the offer and sell your home, now paying the $500 you agreed to pay at closing when you signed up for the 50-G Program.
This sounds too good to be true…how does it really work?
No gimmicks here. Just a great idea that allows many homeowners to pool their resources and offer an outstanding marketing tool. The $500 you put in goes into an escrow account where it stays until 100 homes that are in the 50-G Program sell. After the 100th home sells, EXIT Real has an event where one of the Realtors that sold a home in the 50-G Marketing Program wins $50,000! It’s actually ridiculously simple. Most great ideas always are. Does the Realtor that sells your home necessarily get the $50,000, no. But they get the chance to win it. If they sell more than one 50-G home they get their name put in once for each home that sells.
If you live in a neighborhood where there are 5, 10, 20, even 50 homes for sale, differentiate yourself. Many homeowners selling their homes will never participate in this program for the simple reason that they don’t ‘get it.’ My suggestion to you, because you are a smart, savvy homeowner if you are reading this article, is to ‘get it’ and sign up for it to get your home sold. It’s as simple as that.
Contact me for more information on the 50-G Home Marketing Program or call my office, EXIT Pro Realty at (479) 636-7777 to find out more.
OH, where to begin? Either because of the cold weather or something in the water, January was a pretty good month for posts on EXITrealestate540.com. There were the usual smattering of gems, quality content, and an uninspired post or two. January saw some major changes as a new president was sworn in, we watched the recession deepen, and home prices gave us some pleasant surprises. Check out the best posts of Jan. 2009.
Your One-Stop-Shop for Great Real Estate Posts
I hosted the Carnival of Real Estate in January, so if you haven’t already, check out all the great posts from around the country at EXIT Real Estate 540 Presents CoRE #126 “Change” where I thought a goofy butterfly based change theme was appropriate for the week. Congratulations to all the winners! Now check out some of the other posts that I actually wrote in the month of January.
Entertaining, yet informative:
White Elephants Tough to Sell in Northwest Arkansas This post shed some light on how many high-end homes are for sale in Northwest Arkansas and how long they have been on the market. It kind of made you feel like you knew something others didn’t.
Why Subscribing to My Blog will Help You Lose 5 Pounds is a poignant look at how a good local real estate blogger is worth his (or her) weight in gold…All joking aside, I point out some great things about local content that will keep you from wasting your time on the ‘big’ real estate sites and see what’s really going on in your neighborhood.
26 Things that will Make you Move When you Least Expect It was a big hit (for me anyway) on reddit and stumbleupon. It had that perfect mix of entertainment, wit, and pointless banter that made it interesting. I’ll probably do a top 100 list one day.
Snoozeville, but super-duper informative:
Northwest Arkansas Housing Market Report for 2008 where I use my actual formal education in finance to make some sense of last year’s crazy market. It’s definitely worth the read if you have cup of coffee in hand.
I do hope you enjoyed January. It looks like EXITrealestate540.com is picking up some steam going into 2009 so be on the lookout for ever more informative, more in-depth, more real estatey posts mixed in with some flavorful morsels to keep the boredom at bay.
Please give me a call at (479)586-1525, email me through my contact page, or connect with me on twitter or one of the other social networks I use. I’m always looking for interesting and up-to-date content to bring my readers so if you have some development news, a great story, or you just want me to give a shout out to some event you’re organizing….let me know.
Rogers Mayor Womack has declared Saturday February 7th a city-wide clean-up and “help your neighbor” day. Any civic groups or other volunteers that would be willing to help clean up brush and start the process to recovery are invited to participate. You are welcome to contact me for details on the clean-up effort. Let’s all pitch in and get Rogers and Northwest Arkansas back to their natural beauty.
There is a new name for luxury in Branson Missouri…D’Monaco. Featuring unique Villas in an exclusive Mediterranean style, the resort at D’Monaco offers panoramic lake views from every two or three bedroom Villa. Branson’s luxury destination on Table Rock Lake offers the accommodations and amenities to offer you the finest vacation anywhere
Below is a short video tour of the Villas at D’Monaco and all it has to offer.
Whether you are in Branson for a romantic getaway, a weekend with friends, or a wedding…D’Monaco offers guests high-end luxury accommodations, dining, and activities that will leave you rejuvenated and stress free. Below is a pricing breakdown for Villa Rentals:
For additional information on D’Monaco’s Luxury Resort and Villas on Table Rock Lake go to www.D’Monaco.com or call (888) 336-6622 for sales and reservation information. If you are considering purchasing this type of property in Branson please contact me so I can arrange a complementary stay in one of D’Monaco’s luxury Villas for you.
I was recently showing some very upscale homes in the Pinnacle Hills area to a nice couple relocating to Northwest Arkansas from San Francisco. We looked at a heap of homes over Saturday and Sunday and finally found them the perfect house they could call home. One thing kept bugging me as we viewed home after home in Pinnacle Hills, Shadow Valley, and a number of other upscale neighborhoods in Rogers and Bentonville . . . how the homes showed! I hope no one takes offence, but someone needs to be taught how to stage a home prior to a showing. These are half million to million dollar homes in the nicest neighborhoods in Northwest Arkansas and most of them have major polish problems almost to the point of being ‘cliche’. Out of 18 homes we viewed over the two day home show marathon, only about a third of them were occupied. Most of the unoccupied homes were dusty, dirty, and generally unfit to show to a high end buyer.The occupied homes were definitely cleaner but they had some problems. I’m going to focus on the occupied homes here but just wait unoccupied homes, your time, it is a-comin’.
Here are the problems I saw and how they could easily be rectified . . .
Fragrant smells in the Home.
One home we viewed had 14 (I counted) fragrant candles burning when we arrived. The wall of perfumed air waifed over us like a crashing tsunami. We went ahead and looked at the home. It had a nice split floor plan with an updated kitchen and a rather strange office/study/library/dining room combination. It was tastefully decorated in a sort of New England fashion. It also had terribly dirty carpet. It looked like a cat had a fight with the carpet and won. The only reason I remember anything about it is because I wrote down some key features as we raced through the rooms on our quest to escape the pungent mix of aromas. Of course, I understand why they lit 14 candles. The cat (or some wild beast) probably urinated all over the carpet causing the unpleasant “Cat P*$&” odor. How about Febreeze? Stanley Steemer? Spot Shot? Anything ring a bell? Ultimately, the carpet is going to have to be replaced so why not get it out of the way so the home will show better? Strong smells are a complete no-no when polishing your home for a showing. Bake a batch of cookies. Spray a little air freshener. Make a pie. Don’t burn your house down with aromatic candles.
Pets can be a mixed bag.
I recently listed a property that was home to a small pet deer (one of the little baby ones with the spots). The owners generally let it roam free in the back yard. It’s not like the thing is dangerous or imposing. Actually, it’s adorable. Still, I have had a number of potential buyers list the pet deer as one of the ‘things’ they didn’t like about the house. They do know the deer doesn’t come with the house, right? Other buyers were so in love with the deer I think they forgot what the house even looked like.
Going back to my buyers from San Francisco, they have a dog. They love dogs. Unfortunately, not all dogs love strangers in their home. This happened to us exactly three times on the Saturday and Sunday we were looking at luxury homes. I can even name off the breeds: Bulldog, Yorkshire Terrier, and Bull Mastiff (yeah, I’m serious). These were three unfriendly encounters that made it very difficult to show and focus on the properties we were viewing. I know it’s a pain but put up your animals. It’s hard to focus on the beautiful granite counter-tops when fido is in the laundry room baying like a bloodhound on the scent of a coon(that’s raccoon, yeah, this is Arkansas).
Use common sense.
Polishing a home before a showing is not a grand mystery of real estate. Pick things up, keep the home uncluttered and a little less ‘personalized’, use brighter lights, vacuum and sweep regularly, these are all common sense things that everyone should do to make any home show better. If you’re home has an eyesore or problem area, consider fixing them before they are brought to your attention by today’s well informed and ‘out for blood’ buyers. We know it’s a buyer’s market. Don’t give them an excuse to give you a lowball offer or demand unreasonable concessions. Know what your home is worth and be proud to show off it’s strengths. Downplay any weaknesses without concealing them as that is quite illegal and against the Realtor Code of Ethics. Keep a look out for more ‘polishing tips’ in the future or contact me to get my complete Showing Checklist for Home Sellers. Your wallet will thank you.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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There are A LOT of real estate professionals using Twitter. There are some great people I've met on Twitter that always give more than they receive and some not-so-great people that broadcast and whine like it's going out of style. Trust me... it's out of style. Below are 10 Ways Not to Promote Your Real Estate Career or Your Listings on Twitter... paired with some alternative approaches.
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There are a lot of homes on the market in Northwest Arkansas and around the country. Depending on the area and price of your home, you may be competing with ten, fifty, even hundreds of other properties. Here are easy staging tips to help you differentiate your property and make it stand out in a buyer's mind.
Much happened in January, a presidential inauguration, a tough economy, a slow realization by the American public that we’re not quite out of the woods yet. As the coldest of winter slides behind us so to does the worst of housing crisis, or so we hope. Foreclosures made up a fair percentage of property sales in January as evidenced by the numbers. Below is the January 2009 Northwest Arkansas home prices and market report from EXITrealestate540.com, Bon Appetito.
Who says Northwest Arkansas real estate isn’t hopping? Virginia’s Grove Subdivision is one busy, bustling place.
The neighborhood does have covenants that limit the size of storage building and does not allow for permanent placement of pools on the properties. A POA will be formed if the residents decide to create one.
That’s just a little taste of what is available in Viriginia’s Grove in Bentonville right now. 
Homes need a little extra push these days to sell. EXIT Realty’s 50-G Program gives homeowners the ability to offer a $50,000 selling bonus to any buyer’s agent that sells the property!
OH, where to begin? Either because of the cold weather or something in the water, January was a pretty good month for posts on EXITrealestate540.com. There were the usual smattering of gems, quality content, and an uninspired post or two. January saw some major changes as a new president was sworn in, we watched the recession deepen, and home prices gave us some pleasant surprises. Check out the best posts of Jan. 2009.
There is a new name for luxury in Branson Missouri…D’Monaco. Featuring unique Villas in an exclusive Mediterranean style, the resort at D’Monaco offers panoramic lake views from every two or three bedroom Villa. Branson’s luxury destination on Table Rock Lake offers the accommodations and amenities to offer you the finest vacation anywhere
