When I became the administrator for 55 Community Guide, a retirement communities resource website, I committed to providing a fun, convenient, hassle-free home-hunting experience for seniors or those looking ahead to retirement. 55CommunityGuide’s free services -- and access to our extensive nationwide database of homes, apartments, condos, and communities on the market – make buying and selling homes a straightforward, efficient affair (something many retirees really appreciate – especially the “technologically challenged” folks). Homebuyers, sellers, and real estate professionals have at their fingertips all the connections, listings, tools, and resources they need to match up potential buyers with just the right retirement situation and home style for their “golden years” lifestyles.
I also decided to make it as easy as possible for realtors to advertise their listings. It’s a win-win situation when real estate agents list with 55CommunityGuide: The more listings that are available to site visitors, the better a resource the website can be – and the more potential buyers (and other agents) see the ads, the quicker the sale. The site is so much more than simply listings – with information specifically pertinent to retirees, such as tax breaks for seniors, availability of healthcare, and types of recreation in different states and regions, as well as the benefits of different types of age-restricted communities. It also links to relevant articles that will improve both search engine rankings and user experience. All of these differences mean that 55CommunityGuide.com will draw many to peruse the listings who may otherwise never have considered certain areas or communities.
With a more specific market like retirement homes and age-restricted communities, it can be hard for Realtors to reach as many potential local buyers with their ads as they can for average homes in ordinary all-ages communities. The great thing about advertising specifically to retirees – whether the home being listed is in a true age-restricted community or is simply in a place that may appeal to active seniors, is that a Realtor does not have to focus primarily on local buyers, because many people relocate when they retire. The internet has revolutionized the real estate business – brokers can now strategically post listings in the most effective channels to reach a large number of potential buyers across the nation – and 55CommunityGuide.com can be one of the most effective channels for certain types of properties and many homes in senior-friendly locations.
However, making the sale is not the only reason Realtors take advantage of the free listing opportunity at 55CommunityGuide. Agents place ads for several reasons. First, sellers love to see that their real estate agent is doing more than putting up a sign in the yard, so they are excited to see their properties listed in online databases. An agent can point to these free ads online to show clients they are aggressively marketing their properties. Second, when realtors have links on many sites pointing to their own agency’s web pages, they can also attract other potential sellers. When other sellers repeatedly see ads from a particular Realtor, it gives them a sense of authenticity and authority regarding that agent, and they will be more inclined to list with that Realtor, as well.
Robert Fowler
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