What Sets You Apart?

Feb. 6, 2012 – What sets you apart from other real estate agents? I’ve asked this question to a few agents and the response varies. It’s either: “I’m organized” or “I’m tech savvy” or “I’m on a team where one of us is always available”. These are all great attributes but are they really setting you apart?

RISMedia proposes that it is getting harder to make yourself unique. A lot of fingers point toward social media and encourage agents to join Facebook and Twitter in order to be on top of their client’s minds. But when does top of mind become extremely annoying? And what do you post?

Remember the Head On commercial? All you heard was “Head On – apply directly to the forehead”. If you don’t remember, it’s posted below. I warn you, it’s gives you a headache.

It’s memorable although I’m not sure how effective the marketing strategy actually was. I don’t recommend you standing in front of a camera and repeating “Your Name, a great real estate agent”, I do want you to be memorable.

RISMedia proposes agents should post pertinent real estate information on their social media sites like “should I remodel or sell ‘as is’?” Information that grabs readers and doesn’t make them resent you for taking up room on their news feed.

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Information is Power…Again

Smaller Homes: The New Trend

Small homes are in. Photo Source: tinyhousefloorplans.com

Feb 3, 2012 – There was once a time when most people wanted a big house. It was sort of a status symbol. Scratch that – it was a status symbol and still is in some towns. A bigger house meant the family had more money and distinguished them from the working middle class.

Based on developer surveys, that desire has now dropped. 43 percent of Americans want a big house while the rest, 67 percent, prefer smaller houses like condos and apartments, according to Chris Nelson, head of the Metropolitan Research Center at the University of Utah.

The decrease in demand is partly due to the desire for shorter commutes and walkable neighborhoods.

Nelson proposed that there is a need for more small homes, 4,000-square-foot or less, to meet future demand.

What’s your take on it – Go big or go home or is small the new big?

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Small homes pique your interest? Contact one of our REALTORS® today and inquire about this new eco-friendly trend! Call 915.834.4000 or visit www.cbelpaso.com.

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Are You Recognizable?

Feb. 2, 2012 – As an independent business owner, you have to be unique yet recognizable in your marketing strategy. As a REALTOR®, you have to be unique, recognizable and approachable in your marketing strategy.

What is recognizable? I’m not talking about your face in a crowd. I mean, if I looked at your logo, would I know you’re a real estate professional or would I need to play the guessing game? Is it unique enough that I would know you buy and sell residential real estate? Do you look welcoming and reachable? These are attributes that people want in their real estate agent (link to what people want).

Check out the following video from AGBeat.

Some of those logos represent companies that do business worldwide. Would you be able to recognize them?

Take a look at AGBeat’s article, Impressions of Brand Logos from a Five-Year-Old for a eye-opening comparison on real vs. cartoon figure.

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Impressions of Brand Logos from a Five-Year-Old

What People Want in Their Real Estate Agent

Nurture Leads into Clients

Feb. 1, 2012 – As a Dream Home Matchmaker or a Super Seller, you continuously receive leads. Now it’s time to focus on what you do with that lead to turn it into a client.

First off, there are different types of leads. For an easy example, let’s break that down to Warm and Hot.

Nurture your leads. Photo Source: corporatewellnessmagazine.com

Think of Warm leads as though you need to incubate them until they become Hot! AGBeat  proposes the following incubation process:

1. Add lead to your Contact Management System (CRM)
2. Assign lead to nurture program or marketing campaign (this should contain relevant and useful information that’s catered toward that specific lead. For instance, you don’t want to send put a Buyer Lead into a group with Seller Leads).

Hot leads are those that need sell or buy their house NOW. AGBeat says that you’ll want to “win their business right away”. Once you understand they are looking Hot, suggest (firmly) that they work with you. If you don’t get a clear decision, start them on the nurture program/marketing campaign as you would a Warm lead.

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Nurture Your Leads to Turbo-Charge Your Business Growth

Consider Yourself a Dream Home Matchmaker

Jan. 31, 2012 – Helping someone find their dream home can be rewarding and frustrating. It can sometimes take 30 homes to find “the one” and other times take 3. Whichever it is, it’s a process – a matchmaking process.

You can start referring to yourself as the dream home matchmaker or the dream home specialist. AGBeat makes the comparison to Patti Stanger, the matchmaking star of the hit reality show The Millionaire Matchmaker.

Get into the role a little bit with this excerpt from “Fiddler on the Roof”.

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Looking for a matchmaker to match you with your dream home? Whether you’re looking in El Paso or elsewhere, contact a REALTOR® today through our website, http://www.cbelpaso.com or phone, 915-834-4000.

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Your Real Estate Clientele is Ever-Changing.

Investors are taking advantage of the low prices in today's buyer's market. Photo Source: http://www.greekshares.com/

Jan. 30, 2012 – As a REALTOR®, you own your own business and you have your own clientele. You can call them your base – your friends, family, past clients, etc. Anyone who would buy or sell real estate from you would be part of your base clientele.

Millennials are getting older and buying their first homes. Photo Source: http://www.comerecommended.com/

In the article, Your Base is Changing. Are You Changing With It? RISMedia makes the point   that your clients are getting older and thus their real estate wants are changing. The millennial generation are graduating college, starting families and buying their first homes. While the investors are also buy-crazy in this market.

Cater to your clients and remember people are ever-changing so you must change with them. Alter your marketing strategy and customize to each group of people.

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Read More: Your Base is Changing. Are You Changing With It?

Homes Fit For Man’s Best Friend

Jan. 26, 2012 – Have you heard the saying, “fit for the queen”? Well, what if something were fit for dogs and/or cats? Inman News presents Japanese home design company, Fauna Plus Design, that builds houses with dogs in mind – A House That’s For The Dogs.

Photo Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CatDog

Things like converting floor cabinets into a dog kennel and creating a doggy layer with glass windows so they can see into the main house and it’s accessible from the outside.

Makes sense – you should treat your pet like a member of the family.

Cats aren’t left out either! Check out theses homes built with cats in mind – A Home That’s Fit for a Cat. The same company takes ordinary wall shelves and turns them into cat stairs that lead around the house.

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Are you ready to buy? Contact an agent today to see the great inventory of houses in El Paso. Call (915) 834-4000 or visit www.cbelpaso.com.

Paying Cash May Elevate Your Offer

Jan. 25, 2012 – Along with the low home values, another trend has been noticed – buyers are paying cash! RISMedia notes “nearly one out of three home sales in December went to buyers who paid all cash”.

This may be to completely bypass the chaos with lending nowadays. Who knows. All cash offers do, however, catch the eye of the seller. RISMedia states, “the combination of all cash and shorter closing timelines convinced many sellers to accept lower bids”.

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Are you ready to buy? Whether you plan on borrowing money or not, a Coldwell Banker de Wetter Hovious REALTOR® will help you through the buying process. Call (915) 834-4000 or visit www.cbelpaso.com.

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Real Estate Trend: More Buyers Pay In Cash

What People Want in Their Real Estate Agent

Jan. 24, 2012 – One consumer told Inman News that he’d like to see agents and clients connect like people connect through online dating.

“That’s an interesting model … online dating — a way to match myself up with the best profile for me. Fill out this (information), then we’ll do a consultation with you. I would be a qualified lead for that agent,” he said.

Educate clients on the entire process. Photo Source: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/

According to an Inman News article, Real Estate Consumers Tell It Like It Is, this particular consumer has had his share of untrustworthy real estate agents.

Here are some take-aways from the Inman News article and REALTOR® Magazine article, What Buyers, Sellers Want From Real Estate Agents:

Educate – Educate the client; That’s why he/she hired you. Don’t expect him/her to know anything about the process.

Build trust – Bond and make a connection with the client so he/she trusts you can help and won’t waste time

Be accessible – Communicate even if you think there’s nothing important to say.

Paperless transactions (electronic) – Use the resources provided to you by NAR like DocuSign

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What Buyers, Sellers Want from Real Estate Agents

Real Estate Consumers Tell It Like It Is

Cater to Your Clients’ Learning Styles

Asking for Testimonials

Cater to Your Clients’ Learning Styles

Jan. 23, 2012 – Do you know your clients’ learning styles? Are they visual or auditory learners or a mixture of both? What is your learning style? Be aware of your own learning style too because you may have a tendency to cater to that particular style.

Be aware of your clients' learning styles as well as your own.

Despite the common theory that there are two different types of learners – visual and auditory – NPR asks “where’s the proof?”

Whether the theory is true or not, your job depends on your ability to communicate clearly. From explaining the reason for inspections to breaking down documents. This also applies to the way you speak, act, and even dress. You want your clients to respect you, of course. You want them to feel comfortable also. If you live in El Paso and are in a suit and tie (or for us ladies, suit and heels) everyday carrying a briefcase and no smile, you probably won’t be your client’s favorite person.

RISMedia shares some key sayings for you to listen for when talking with your clients to better understand their learning type. Check them out – Engage Your Prospect’s Learning Style.

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Engage Your Prospect’s Learning Style

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