buyers: Are you an educated decision or an impulse buy?
- 02/25/09 01:29 AM
Has the Internet made an negative impact on how we list and sell homes? Do we just give up too much with the Internet for buyers and sellers? Is it too easy for buyers and sellers to scan the Internet and find what they want without ever calling an agent? With all of these articles and blogs about how to buy or sell a home have we taken the mystery out of buying or selling a home? Thankfully, YES! Sorry if you were thought of these questions as a rallying cry to arms to cut down that big tower that transmits all … (2 comments)
buyers: "Thank you for your e-mail. You're not important"
- 08/14/08 09:38 AM
"Your e-mail is important to me. Typically I read and respond to e-mail between the hours of 11:00am - 12:00pm and then again between 5:00pm - 6:00pm" Is their e-mail important, really? What part of, "I'll get back to you when it's convenient for me", says, "You're important"? I see these "auto responders" a lot when I will e-mail a colleague about something going on in our transaction or just question in general. My first thought is always, "People still use these?" Here's why I say this. In the late-90's when e-mail was quickly becoming the staple of communication between … (7 comments)
How many countless Sundays have you spent sitting in your open house and either reading or using that time to "catch up" while individuals stroll through your listing? I know that we always jump up when we hear the crack of the door to make sure that we provide a friendly face to greet visitors - but what do we do after that initial greeting? Typically if it's like most of the open houses I've walked through without my "agent hat" on, most agents will greet me upon entry, hand me a flyer and let me know to look around and … (2 comments)
buyers: Are you a doorway or a doormat?
- 02/13/08 06:10 AM
"New home sales plummet." "Housing industry lowest in 20 years." "Foreclosure rates skyrocket." A homeowner reading the newspaper or watching the national news these days wouldn't think they had a chance if they wanted to sell. On the flip-side, seeing these headlines would make buyers think that it's close to impossible to get a loan given the foreclosure rates and lack of money in the real estate market. Both buyers and sellers may assume that they should hold off until they start seeing different headlines touting that the real estate market is back and flourishing. The biggest problem that I've seen in this market … (5 comments)
buyers: When did homeowners start setting the price?!
- 01/28/08 02:59 AM
(Stepping up on soap box) So, I am watching HGTV over the weekend (my wife is absolutely addicted to this channel) and I walk in to catch this agent sitting down with a potential seller at lunch. It's all cute and quaint as they sit in this open cafe with the sun shining down only shaded briefly by the overhanging trees that dot the landscape. As this "team" of agents sits down with the seller they begin to tell her that given all the information and comparisons in her neighborhood this team had arrived at a listing price of $495,000. The seller then … (11 comments)
buyers: Working smarter and with less paper
- 01/16/08 05:50 AM
Here's a question to the AR community... I have a couple of buyers that I am working with. I set them up for auto-notifications of properties that meet their criteria that come on the market, have a price change, etc. My buyers will e-mail me for more information about a particular property that they want more information on and when they want to schedule a showing. Here's where I would like to hear some suggestions on working smarter. When I pull the MLS sheet for the property they want to see, I will print it off and use this as my "everything" reference … (5 comments)
buyers: Why having a website is no longer enough
- 12/04/07 06:33 AM
Having a website is no longer enough No matter how long you've been in the business, you've probably already started to find more and more of what I call "super-buyers" and "super-sellers". These were yesterday's buyers and sellers who are now armed with a vast array of information and education we've seldom before seen. From the constantly increasing availability of information on the Internet, to the many real-estate related shows now on television, this new generation of buyers and sellers has raised the bar. In doing so, they're forcing us, as agents, to step up our game if we're to be recognized … (3 comments)
buyers: Home Inspection
- 06/21/07 05:03 AM
I am amazed at how many of my clients ask why they need a home inspection when it comes to them buying a home. Most of them ask not because of ignorance but because they look at it as a cost saving measure (inspections in Oklahoma typically run between $225 - $300) I can not stress enough that this is not the place that you want to shave your budget. Although a home may look in perfect working order when we walk through it there are many, many items that we might not see that could become a potential hazard after you … (0 comments)
buyers: Create the best direct mail piece your prospects will see all week
- 06/20/07 04:15 AM
What goes into an effective direct mailing? Stick to these seven suggestions and your piece will stand out among the junk. Personalize. "Dear Neighbor" simply does not get the response "Dear Kathy" does. Use the word "you" liberally. Those are "musts"; if practical and you've drilled down this far on your contact information for the mailing, sprinkle in other personalized details, too. "Like most parents with a child in Elm Street Middle School, you probably..." "I've helped more of your Hefner Pointe neighbors find their dream home than...". The more personal touches, the more attention your message will get.Tell them what … (0 comments)
My blogs give agents insight as to new items coming into our industry and an overview of how to harness those tools to keep us in line with not only today's buyers and sellers but tomorrow's as well.
Has the Internet made an negative impact on how we list and sell homes? Do we just give up too much with the Internet for buyers and sellers? Is it too easy for buyers and sellers to scan the Internet and find what they want without ever calling an agent? With all of these articles and blogs about how to buy or sell a home have we taken the mystery out of buying or selling a home? Thankfully, YES! Sorry if you were thought of these questions as a rallying cry to arms to cut down that big tower that transmits all … (2 comments)
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