What Shall I Put In My House For Sale Infographic?

Yesterday, we tackled the importance of an infographic towards a successful home sale. You've known that the combination of textual and visual information results into a stunning, eye-catching and lively presentation of your selling stance. It's like giving your sales talk a louder vice without actually speaking out. In this entry, you'll be given some insights on what you can put in your infographic.

The reason why you are selling it

Honesty matters a lot and yes, it transcends even in an advertisement you are sending out. More than being true to your prospective buyers, be true to yourself as to why you are selling your house. Cite the reason like you are liquidating the house to buy another property, to move into another place, to fulfill job duty, or even to repay other debts.

The strongest selling points of the house

Your infographic should also have attractive flavors. More than the visuals and colors that make it lively an entertaining, you should also focus on giving it an essence. You are selling your house and you should market it the way you were compelled to buy it sometime ago. Highlight its strengths such as the number of rooms, bathrooms, and square footage.

Present some trivia

Home buyers will be more interested if you can present some odd facts about your house. There are many sources of unusual information within your house. You should be observant. For instance, tell why you are growing one kind of flowering plant only, who frequents your house during vacation times, and what tourist attractions are reachable nearby. If there is an important person living nearby or perhaps dropped by your house or lived in it before you owned it - tell these pieces too!

Have a point of comparison

Numbers always present a great deal of information especially in the comparative aspect. Convince your buyers that your house is the right fit for them. Compare it to other homes for sale and capitalize on the good aspects such as its lower price, tax benefits, and insurance coverage. Match it with nearby homes in the village or community which have quite the same features as your home.

An infographic can be very much used as an advertising platform. It can be used to tell other people that you are ready to depart from your home to seek a new one and that their ownership is warranted to take over the piece of property you lived and loved!

Aerial Photography Is the Next Big Thing in Real Estate

Photography for Real Estate Marketing

Real estate photos can make or break a listing. Bad (or no) images can lose a potential buyer as fast as they can click on to the next offering. The best agents put up the maximum number of images, and make sure they showcase the best features of the home.

The least successful agents whip out a cell phone and snap a few poorly-lit pictures, and hope that people browsing the listings will just use their imagination.

The best agents hire the photography out - to make sure that the images are as good as they can be. After all, the object of marketing a sales listing is to entice potential buyers to pick up the phone and call for a showing. Good photos can make that happen, and bad ones simply won't.

In the latest trend for this competitive business, the top-of-the-top agents are also making sure to include aerial photography images, especially with higher-end listings.

The Images Every Real Estate Listing Should Have

•     Front view, back view
•     Door, nicely framed, inviting the viewer to come inside
•     Kitchen, especially if recently updated
•     Appliances, especially if upgraded
•     Landscaping, with as much color and interest as possible
•     Outdoor spaces like porches, patios, cabanas, pools
•     Accessory buildings, guest quarters, casitas
•     Master bedroom and master bathroom, especially if tilework is fancy or custom
•     Architectural details such as sweeping staircases and ceiling details

Once those have been added to the marketing campaign, the next step is to add aerial photographic images to really step up the presentation of the property for sale.

The Benefits of Aerial Photographs for Real Estate

•     Show the area around the property
•     Show architectural details
•     Entice potential buyers to request a showing
•     Showcase a pool, or a spectacular view
•     Showcase amenities, such as a golf course
•     Share the view of the back of the home, especially if near water

Aerial Images Set a Marketing Campaign Apart

Imagine that you have a new listing - a waterfront property with over 6,000 square feet and a gorgeous pool. Imagine that this high-end property is on the waterfront, with sweeping views of the water.

Do you want to pop up a dozen photos from your cell phone and hope for the best, or do you want to present the property with such breathtaking photos that well-heeled buyers will be compelled to pick up the phone and call for a private showing?

Now, imagine that in addition to the standard interior and exterior photos, you also have some taken from over the water, showing the gorgeous architecture of the back of the home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8708826

News Corp Buying Realtor Dot Com - What This Means for You

As a consumer, you probably don't bother keeping up to date with Real Estate news or acquisitions of big name real estate advertising companies, but this one, along with the pending Zillow and Trulia merger, is going to affect the consumer, no matter which way you slice it. News Corp, a company that owns big name media outlets all throughout the world, including Dow Jones & Company, as well as the Fox Entertainment Group is purchasing Move Inc., the company that runs realtor.com. This acquisition will revitalize how consumers search for homes on the Internet.

Recently, third-party websites such as Zillow and Trulia, have become the punching bags of regional, national, and local real estate brokerages. Brokerages have been pulling their listings left and right from these third party websites, citing inaccuracies in listing data and the syndication techniques as reasons behind ending the relationship. Zillow, being the number 1 real estate website (in traffic) still reigns supreme, and Trulia being acquired by Zillow means the companies will continue to be powerhouses in the market, pooling resources while keeping separate web entities to give consumers more options when searching for their next home.

You may ask, "why are all the real estate brokerages moving away from Zillow and Trulia?". The answer is, they are tired of inaccurate listing data, and paying to get the leads from their own listings. Unfortunately, since the birth of these real estate search powerhouses, consumers have flocked to the websites to harness the ability of looking at homes on the market throughout the country in one place. The problem for the consumer is, once on the website, you really don't know if you are looking at accurate data, which causes big problems for customers and brokers alike. Let's say you are searching Zillow, and find a home you fall in love with. The pictures are immaculate, the floor plan looks supreme, and the neighborhood is in the best school district in your area. You look to the right, pick an agent, and click to contact with them. They call you back after receiving your information, just to tell you that the home you fell in love with, for a price that seemed almost to good to be true, sold 6 months ago, and is not on the market. This is a big problem, as it not only causes delays in the home buying process for the consumer, but it also takes time away from the agent who is focusing on getting homes sold.

The acquisition of Move Inc to New Corp will, hopefully, revitalize the trusted resource for searching homes on a third party website. The way that realtor.com syndicates is directly from the MLS, which means that the data seen by agents in the area, is available on Realtor.com to consumers to freely search.
 

Marketing Tips for New Real Estate Agents

Congratulations! You are a newly-licensed real estate agent and have signed on with a well-known, quality brokerage. You're even scheduled for some floor time and open house support. Are you feeling a little lost, wondering how to begin marketing your business?

Find a mentor

Take a look around your new office and notice who are the successful agents and what they do to be successful agents. A mentor knows the local market and can provide insight into its challenges and opportunities. Your mentor can offer marketing strategies and tips, and cheer your successes.

    "First, establish a relationship with those you would like to learn from." Find an opportunity to create a win-win: your real estate career isn't all about you. Think of what you can do to help your mentor and your clients.

Develop a Plan

A solid business plan is your GPS for success. It should include realistic goals for marketing, professional development, expenses, and sales. Review your plan weekly and take note of what works and what doesn't work in marketing and client building. Your plan should be pliable, adapting as goals are met and projects fail or succeed.

    Your mentor may be the best resource for helping you develop a realistic business plan.

Know your market

This may seem an obvious, even trite statement. But how can you market your real estate services if you don't know your market?

    Consider becoming a niche specialist. You may discover a real talent for marketing and moving short sale and foreclosure homes, condominiums, or light industrial properties. Look to the underserved areas of your local real estate market and how you can become known as a specialist in that particular property market.

Tech savvy

You don't have to be an IT guru but you should be able to use all current technology with ease. You and your clients need to be able to communicate quickly and easily with each other. More importantly, learn as quickly as possible, how your clients wish to communicate with you - how often, and through which media.

Social media can be one of the more cost-effective ways to market your real estate services and build the agent/client relationships that will be important to your success.

•     All your social media profiles should be updated to include your new real estate company and contact information.
•     Use social media to post blogs, pictures, videos, and buying/selling tips.
•     Create brief YouTube videos with tips for selling or buying property.
•     Write a 500-word article to email to your database; update monthly with fresh content.

Don't worry about preparing different material for each social media. One theme can be used for all your media, slightly edited to fit the individual media criteria.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8751320

Tips for Real Estate Marketing Newsletters

What's happening on your real estate beat? Did you make a note of it? Great! It's another excellent idea for your newsletter.

A real estate marketing newsletter is an opportunity for you to be in regular contact with past and current clients, and introduce yourself to future clients. But for your newsletters to be a valuable marketing tool, they have to serve a purpose for your readership. Let's look at some strategies for your newsletter.

Supporting your marketing campaign

Real estate marketing specialists recommend that you have a clear strategy for your newsletter marketing campaign before you start writing.

    Target market - identify who you are trying to stay in contact with. One newsletter can't serve many markets.

•         First-time buyers
•         Retirees
•         Investment buyers

    Paper vs email - your format decision may be determined by your budget. Both paper and email newsletters have their merits and challenges:

        Paper newsletters are a tangible item that can impress readers with their physical presence. They can be shared with others, left in waiting rooms, and given out at client meetings. They also are expensive to produce.
        Email newsletters are less expensive and less formal. Many people disregard email newsletters that are poorly designed or arrive with spam-like frequency.

This is a budget-friendly option for communicating with clients but you should consider what clients will best be served with this format.

NOTE: Be cautious about forwarding e-newsletters by PDF attachment. Many email recipients are particularly cautious of PDF downloads, and rightly so.

Attention-grabbing content

Your mission is to provide content that is engaging to your readership. But when writing a regular newsletter, it can be difficult to keep coming up with fresh ideas.

•     Topical interest - write about what interests your clients. Your email may also provide excellent subject lines and topic material.
•     Customize-include local topics like area schools' high state exams results, new business and shop openings.
•     Real estate news - include the latest data on interest rate trends, home values, neighborhood statistics.
•     Listing posts - include a few listings that would be of interest to your prospects. Be sure to include a link of the listings back to your website.
•     Tips - offer some help tips like simple projects that can boost curb appeal, keep the drains clean, etc.
•     For fun - include a simple game or puzzle, a cartoon or short article to personalize your newsletter.
•     CAT - a call to action should be included to invite readers to contact you for some reason like a free home value consultation, comment on your newsletter, or to watch a video on your website.

Effective value

This newsletter is from you but it isn't about you. It should be:

•     Informative, something your readers will look forward to reading with every new edition.
•     Attractively and professionally presented.
•     Easy to read and in a friendly and conversational tone, as if you were speaking directly to your readers.
•     Proof read for correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Now, start collecting your next newsletter content!

Kondapur - A Haven for Investors Due to Its High Rental Returns

Surrounded by established localities like Miyapur, HITECH City and Gachibowli, Kondapur has significantly evolved as a commercial and financial hub of Hyderabad. The influx of many IT (Information and Technology) companies has pushed the vicinity into becoming one of the most sought after residential destination for working professionals. With the realty market essentially driven by workforce, Kondapur is luring many real estate developers who are now keen on creating many extraordinary residential projects. According to a recent report, the vicinity has over 15 new projects that are currently under construction. With a number of apartments in Kondapur now mushrooming, the demand for homes is growing day by day.

Strategically located close to many IT hubs, the neighbourhood is a preferred destination for many IT professionals. The white collared professionals working in nearby IT/ITEs and software companies are looking to reside in a vicinity that offers the perfect blend of modern homes with all the basic civic amenities. And with apartments in Kondapur offering the same, the area is witnessing a major influx when it comes to housing. Both local and national builders are now pushi ng themselves to create more affordable homes to cater to the needs of these young home buyers. Real estate developers are now cashing on this demand and are offering 2 and 3 BHK homes at Rs 50 lakhs including all your pre-purchase costs like registration fee, tax and stamp duty.

According to current data, 70% of the demand is driven by end users, while the remaining 30% is propelled by investors and second time home buyers. And with the growing commercial belt attracting many families and retired personnel, the urban crowd is driven by the presence of many schools, colleges, banks, eatery joints and shopping malls. The cosmopolitan environment in drawing many, pushing the property prices through the roof. For instance, a property for sale in Kondapur has witnessed a hike of 6.28 % in the past one year. Emerging as a realty market that is favourable towards investors, the locality has become a rental hub.

As per recent data, in the year 2013, properties here recorded a high rental return of 4%. However, with the property rates dropping due to the unstable government, the locality has attracted many IT professionals who want to rent out properties. Investors are now cashing on the growing demand and are investing in a number of homes so they could earn formidable rental income. For example, a 1,000 square feet properties in hyderabad is estimated to fall under the price band of Rs 3,500 and Rs 3,700 per square feet, but the same house is capable of churning out a rental yield of Rs 13 per square feet per month, making the market conducive for investors.

Seamless connectivity is another factor that is driving the realty market. The locality's close proximity to the MMTS (Multi-Modal Transport System) train station at Hafeezpet and closeness to the ORR (Outer Ring Road) has eased access to other parts of Hyderbad drastically. The state owned buses and private auto rickshaws improve intra-connectivity.

How Inflation Affects the Real Estate Sector

Inflation has always been the tricky devil that haunts all business and commodity sectors of the world. Economists have studied this phenomenon for years and theorized in abundance to explain its effect on our lives.

When you reach that stage in life when you're ready to invest in real estate, keep in mind that inflation cannot be overlooked. Any realty investment should be made cautiously. Let's look at how inflation affects the real estate sector.

Understanding Inflation

There are umpteen explanations for inflation, ranging from the concise dictionary definition to more complex explanations in economic textbooks. Put simply, inflation dictates how the buying power of your currency decreases with changes in demand or supply of basic serviceable goods. So, when you hear about a price rise in any commodity, it is considered to be because of inflation.

More specifically, price rise can be attributed to two things: increased demand or reduced supply. But how does inflation play into your equation with real estate? Let's look at it from three different perspectives:

Buyer's Inflation

When a buyer decides to purchase a house, he or she looks to strike a favorable chord between the money at hand and the price put up for the property. Typically, if there is a rise in property prices, you as a buyer will be unwilling to invest in one. What you need to understand here is that during inflation, not just the price of the property, but also your wages are rising. The only difference is that the wages are rising at an undetermined rate.

Buyers generally don't face the repercussions of inflation by themselves. They go through a lender, a bank, or a financial agent. The lender's terms and conditions would affect your buying decision more than the inflation itself.

Lender's Inflation

A lender, in this case, is the middleman in real estate business. A bank is an example of a lender. During inflation, lenders increase the one factor they have complete control over - interest rates. For instance, if the lender knows that the inflation is going to be 10% next year (based on the current market trend), they would hike up the interest rate in order to reap profits. This leads to a dilemma for the buyer. Invariably the buyer ends up not taking the loan, and thus creating a loss for the lender. But where does the real estate agent fit in all this?

Seller's Inflation

Sellers have a hard time during inflation because of the rising prices. Naturally the buyers will back out. If a seller wants to run a profitable business, they will have to reduce the prices. That explains how real estate prices stay stagnant or fall, but never rise during an inflation.

Thus, you can see that inflation has a cyclical effect on the real estate market. Are you still planning on buying that house? Be smart. Assess how the banks will play you, and make the right buying moves.

Federal Mandates For High Performance Buildings

Nearly 7 years ago, in 2007, the Federal Government passed executive orders which required newly constructed Federal buildings meet high performance standards. The goal is for Federal buildings to meet Net-Zero energy by 2030, relying on efficiency and sources of renewable energy to negate their environmental foot print. This is a lofty goal spurred by the fact 40% of the primary energy and 75 of the electricity in the U.S. is consumed by commercial buildings, schools and homes. The government hopes to spearhead the movement toward energy independent buildings, and push the U.S. toward energy independence. A bi-partisan congressional caucus exists to support the process.

Stated goals of this caucus include:

Pursuing resource and cost saving strategies, such as addition of solar panels, thermal heating, water recycling, reflective and vegetated roofs, etc.

Managing existing building systems to reduce waste of resources-from lighting, insulation, even recycling and composting. As an example, in 2002, the carpet industry formulated a plan along with the EPA and state environmental ages, to repurpose and recycle used carpets salvage from renovations.

When adding assets, identifying opportunities to dispose of existing assets to optimize property usage-I.e. repurposing buildings from one function to another, recycling materials. Ensuring effective retrofitting of older buildings.

Key concepts and phrases include:

Energy Intensity - energy consumption as measure by square foot, including industrial and laboratory enterprises.

Environment - environmental aspects of facility operations related to every aspect from usage of outdoor space to transportation.

Sustainable - the maintenance of conditions were humans and nature can exist in a mutually beneficial relationship, preserving resources for present and future generations.

Zero-Net-Energy - A building designed and constructed to operate efficiently on the most minimal amount of energy, and meeting the balance of energy needs from renewable sources.

The CAFM industry, with its focus on efficiency and cost-effective building maintenance, has a significant role to play in the evolution of high performance buildings. A collective overview of all aspects of building management, the accurate gathering of data across all modalities, is a crucial element in true efficiency. A concrete example of the intersection of Federal legislative efforts is and CAFM processes are the High Performance Buildings Database found at eere.buildinggreen.com.

This database is research sponsored by the U.S. department of energy which collects data on various factors that affect a buildings performance including, energy, materials, waste removal and land use. The information is collected from buildings around the world from homes, to industrial complexes, schools, commercial interiors and even whole neighborhoods and campuses. The facilities may be notable because they are certified "Green" or because they have one or more remarkable environmental features. Anyone may submit a project to this website which currently lists over 130 buildings. As the demand for high performance buildings continues to expand, a comparison of approaches and data can be an invaluable tool in CAFM development.

Saturated Neighbouring Localities Push Medavakkam's Realty Demand

With the growing property price within the city limits pushing individuals to hunt for better economical alternatives - peripherals and suburbs are cited to be ideal destinations. And one such suburban locality that is bustling with a lot of construction activity is Porur. Located on the south western side of Chennai city, this neighbourhood is cited to be one of the fastest growing suburban localities thanks to the developing infrastructure and seamless connectivity. The presence of many small and medium scale industries along with many SEZs (Special Economic Zones) have lured many potential home buyers to invest in Porur's realty market. Reputed local and national real estate developers are now cashing on the growing demand and are creating a number of flats in Porur.

Being a major transit point, the vicinity enjoys great connectivity. Arterial roads like Arcot Road and Mount Poonamallee Road help ease access to areas like Nungambakkam, Guindy and Vadapalani. A number of private and state owned buses that lead to Bangalore pass through the Porur Junction. The presence of many bus stations in sub localities like Lakshmi Nagar and Shakti Nagar has converted these sleepy neighbourhoods into catchment areas that is home to a number of residential projects. Porur properties for sale are now being purchased by real estate developers in large parcels so they could build extraordinary living places.

Apart from localites, the realty market of this neighbourhood is driven by employees working in the nearby SEZs and other IT parks. Close proximity to IT hubs like OMR (Old Mahabalipuram Road) has also attracted many working professionals to invest in Porur. With the real estate market scenario catering to the working professionals, builders are now creating a number of 1 bhk flats in Chennai. Smaller homes that spread over 600 square feet are estimated to hover anywhere between Rs 15 lakhs and 25 lakhs. The existence of many educational institutions and reputed healthcare units has attracted many families and retired personnel. To ensure the cosmopolitan crowd is entertained, the builders are now walking that extra mile and are offering world class facilities.

Despite the area being a hit amongst many working professionals thanks to the varied residential options, home buyers are now postponing their home buying decision due to the multistorey building that had collapsed recently. With the neighbourhood's soil not being too suitable for high rise apartments, property seekers are now moving towards investing in residential lands and villas. In the past tow years, capital values of residential plots have appreciated over 23%. According to the current market trends, Porur properties for sale are estimated to fall under the price band of Rs 30,000 and Rs 37,500 per square yard.

The developing industrial and commercial belt is luring a number of real estate developers to enter the market. And with the vicinity providing an array of residential options the real estate sector of Porur is all set to flourish. The developing infrastructure and the presence of standard social environment has made this locality an ideal destination for the cosmopolitan crowd.