Back in early October, excited with wealth after a recent closing, I began an ad campain on my favorite social media site, Facebook...      

I am running two ads.

One highlights my Facebook Business Page. (I am very proud of the rapid growth of this page.  Thank you so much to my 250+ fans!  I am excited about the potential of this site.)

The other spotlights "Ken's Featured Home".  My listing of the month:

                                                
                                        -2112 Seminary-One bedroom vintage in Lincoln Park...

I promised to post my results.  After one month:

My featured home ad has been run 143,140 times.  Exposure for my website.  Exposure for my listings.  The ad has been clicked on 45 times... 

My Facebook Business Page ad has been run 526,471 times.  This ad has been clicked on 140 times.  I have gained an additional 17 fans to my page from this campaign...

The total cost of the campaign after one month has been $120.40.

Ken

A Realtor you can trust. 

Listings are the name of the game.

In spite of this, I often struggle keeping my inventory of listings up.

I seem stuck in a cycle.  I pick up a listing or two.  I sell them in a couple months.  And then back to square one...

Not the way I want to do business.  I need a steady inventory of homes to sell...

I thought I broke out of the cycle a few months back. 

I had just taken my fourth listing, a personal record. 

But then, it happened...

One sold...

Then another...

This week, a third went under contract... 

I am left with just one. 

Holy poop!  I need more listings...

Ken

A Realtor you can trust. 

DOES THE REAL ESTATE MARKET NEED SAVING?

This morning I was reading Richard Weisser's featured post, "A completely new proposal to save the real estate market.  It's not as crazy as you might think!"...

In the post Richard writes of his new idea to save the real estate market.  His plan involves "A dollar for dollar tax deduction for down payments".  Seems like a pretty good idea...

But I am struggling with the premise...

Why does the real estate market need saving?  Is it really that bad?

I thought it was a great time to buy a home...

Interest rates low.  Prices down.  Lot's of inventory to choose from.

So what gives? 

Does the real estate market really need saving?

Ken

A Realtor you can trust. 

-It was a sunny day at the Carrolwood townhomes in Naperville.  Is the real estate market's future just as bright?

October 12th.  A special day for me.   The day I entered the career of real estate sales...

It was four years ago this week.  October 12th, 2005.

How clueless I was that first day.  Sitting at my desk.  My phone and laptop in front of me. 

What do I do now???

Most new agents probably don't know what they are getting themselves into. 

How could they? 

I sure didn't.  I thought it would be easy. 

Real estate sales?  Just smile and open some doors.  No problem.

I was about to enroll in the "School of Hard Knocks"...

Would I do it over again?  Could I do it over again? 

Would I be able to withstand the challenges I had coming?

Yes.  I love what I do.  But it sure has been rough.  I had no idea how challenging real estate would be....

I chuckle just thinking about it.

Would I do it again?  Of course I would.

I am just glad I don't have to...

Ken

A Realtor you can trust.

-Looking for a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in Naperville...

I started a new ad campaign on Facebook today. 

I am very excited.

A few weeks ago, I posted my early results from my Facebook Ads.  Although I was very pleased with the results, money was tight, so I had to stop my campaign...

But with this weeks closing in the bank, I began a new campaign today.

Again, very excited.

I am expanding my marketing strategy.  I am now running two ads:

One ad marketing my Facebook Professional Page...

Another ad for "Ken's Featured Home".  My listing of the week*.  A link to my website, www.KensFeaturedHomes.com, a nice looking exterior picture with information, address, and price... 

Extra marketing for my listings.  More traffic to my website...

My daily budget for my ads is fairly small, but I am planning to double it after my next closing, scheduled for the end of October.

I will keep you posted.

Ken

A Realtor you can trust. 

*

Ken's Featured Home.  2112 Seminary.  Vintage one bedroom in the heart of DePaul.  Bright and airy.  Hardwood.  Balcony overlooking courtyard.  $249,000...

There.  I have said it.  I will say it again...

I am against any expansion or extension of the $8000 first time home buyer credit.

It was a nice idea that has served it's purpose.  But now we need to let it pass gracefully into legislation heaven...

The tax credit showed the government cared.  It spurred on the staggering housing market.   It gave Americans an extra incentive to "invest" in their futures.

But if it worked so well, why do we need to extend it?  Or expand it?

If the housing market has bottomed, why don't we let it stand on it's own?

Do we really want the government "paying" people to buy homes?

I don't.

Ken

A Realtor you can trust. 

A big day.

Every closing day is big.

Pay day.

Shockingly rare. 

I am still expecting several a month.

It has yet to happen.  Times are hard.  Good.  But hard.

Today was a reason to smile.

A closing.  A paycheck.

A reason to celebrate.

Ken

A Realtor you can trust.

Talking real estate...

It is an important part of a Realtors job.

How many times a day are agents asked, "How is the market?"

At work.  At play.  At dinners, at parties, at bowling alleys, at golf courses, at Starbucks...

Any place there are people, we are asked "How is the market?"

I understand this.  I enjoy meeting people, and am very passionate about what I do. 

I love talking real estate...

But shouldn't there be boundaries?  I feel a line was crossed today...

I was at my gym.  Lifetime Fitness in Warrenville.  Real nice gym.  Great atmosphere.  Lots of energy...

Anyway, I was running on a treadmill.  Going pretty hard.  I used to be a decent runner, but now I run only when I need to blow off a little steam...

Anyway, I was running hard.  Sweating pretty good too.

A woman gets on the treadmill next to me.  A walker.  I have met the woman before, so I glance over with a friendly but brief "Hello".

After a moment, it happens.  "How is the market?" my new workout partner asks.

We had talked real estate before.  Also on the treadmill.  Hello.  I am running hard here...

"Ugh," I grunt back as I push ahead.  I am not feeling very conversational at this point...

"Bloomberg says the housing market is up 6.7%," she continues.  Her stat.  Not mine...

I am out of breath and only half way done with my workout.  What to do?

"I hope you are getting a slice of that," the woman continues.

Not sure if I am getting my proper slice, I start running faster...

Fortunately, the woman allows me to finish my run in peace.  Very fast peace, but peace.

I had plenty of time to answer all her questions on my warmdown, anyway...

Ken

A Realtor you can trust.

If you have been reading my posts for a length of time, you know my family has been on a home search.

We have been renting for three years.  We sold our first home in August 2006 to pay off debt and finance my new real estate career...

The ride has not been easy, yet we were hoping to buy a home this year.  We could use more space now that we have two daughters.  But it wasn't meant to be...

Why?

I didn't sell enough homes.  Perhaps I was too optimistic...

Anyway, we just signed a lease today.  A 6 month lease.  It feels good.  It's actually a bit of a relief.

It gives me time to sell more homes...

Ken

A Realtor you can trust.

               
                -A fall day from my back deck.