Housing Market Predictor  is this a good site? 1st time on there? a lot of info

thanks for your time in advance,

Ray DeLao

I just saw a home that was offering at 60" flat screen! You're right, we need to all get get out thinking hats on a come up with something better that 4% to the listing agent!

Ray I thought the site was intresting.  I thought it neat to share.

Sandra You are correct, we really have to step back and ask how can we do a better job?  We all need thinking caps on!

Hello Jim,

You are absolutely right. I am turning down listing for sellers that do not want to offer at least the standard commissions to a buyers agent.

Tina  In a buyer's market we need realistic sellers.

Interesting site!  Thanks for sharing, no answers for you, at least not yet!

Thank you for sharing, I really like the site and I will be sure to bookmark it for future us, thanks

I like the comment about the Canteen!  For me, its advertise my butt off.  If that means putting up posts personally on craigslist multiple times a weak, so be it.  Gotta do everything at your disposal to get the home sold...

It takes creative advertising.  A little tongue in cheek humor gets peoples attention.

Jim, I love that site. Wish it had mentioned Ann Arbor, we tend to think we're an island unto our selves. But, the home prices are dropping here too. What are you doing to be creative in the advertising of your listings ?

Ana You are more than welcome. 

Daniel It is a very good site.

Kausik I don't do a lot of advertising.  The Internet usually moves our listings.  There are too many now.  I'm going to try Craigslist.

Randy  I need to try that!

Missy It is a great site. Pricing in a market like this can be like trying to shoot a moving target.  No easy task.  YOu have to be ahead of the curve.

Thanks for the tip on the site--good information there.  We've not had any success with Craig's list but hey, it's free so I continue to use it.

Cynthia Anytime...I still think I will try Craigslist.

I am constantly on craigslist, almost had a property sold week after putting it on the market.  Greedy buyer and Greedy agent it didn't work.  I am offering a one day sale on a property this weekend at my open house 20k under market.  I have also offered a car no success there, no offers, no showings and the home is gorgeous with motivated sellers.  I am looking forward to seeing other responses, I've been wondering if offering mortgage payments for 4-6 months would work.

Ava  Thanks I will givbe it a try!  Why not special financing 3-2-1 buydown etc?  Call your loan officer for incentives!  Good luck!

Thank Jim, I will call my loan officer about that.

What's wrong with the oldtime approach; price it correctly, make sure it shows well, treat your fellow agents well, and pray.  Has there been a resurgence in sales of Saint Anthony statues (or was it Saint Joseph?).  Don't forget, bury it upside down too.

Thanks Ed!  It has been said that 92% of all marketing is price.

I've started a farm beyond my database and send postcards each week. I feature a different  listing each week.

Hand adressed and siggy. The front features the property and the back has a little blurb to attract buyers or sellers. I've only started a few weeks ago. Data so far is 4 phone calls for apprx 200 cards. I thought it would work better than that but I'm not giving it up yet. Sellers really like them.

I also create a listing flyer that I leave copies of in our visitors center...pictures make it stand out among the all text menus. And Being with Re/Max I am able to create them the way I want to with my lisitngs so I get control over the ad copy. I've done one set and gotten one call. 

The best response advertizing I got was from www.greenhomesforsale.com

Oh, and I do slide shows for all my listings. IDX compliant and on my web site , www.googlebase.com

and on localism. 

I'm thinking of seeing if the office would like to do a project where we put our listings on a cd and mail them to database.

When the market picks up I figure I will be doing really well ...lol 

Mary Ann you are light years ahead of me.  Several years ago I assisted in setting up a direct target mailing that mailed from the home listed to a radius around the home.  As soon as the listened was entered, it pulled down the data and created the mailing.  It worked very well. When the home went under contract and sold... other cards went out.  Then the company was bought out.

Jim, that could hardly be true....look at that list of knowledge in your tag list. I am, however, happy to be able to share something. :)  I recieve much more than my experience allows me to give her on AR. 

If the compnay was bought out why did those activities have to end? 

It just did!  Since most of the marketing materials used was mine, I can still use all of it!  They dod not purchase or pay any copyright from me.