Somewhere between being perfectly prepared and completely unprepared is the happy medium for real estate agents!
Leave your thoughts here and we will respond to all of them!
Thanks!
January 21st, 2012
“Real Estate Agent Tip – Perfectly Prepared?”
Comments (2)
-
-
Grant, until we sell to robots we’ll never be replaced!! Thanks for the visit as usual…keep up the good work!
-
Share Your Thoughts:
January 13th, 2012
“Weekend Update – Net Sheets!”
Your success with sellers and negotiation depends greatly on the use of net sheets!
Comments (2)
-
Exactly! Thanks for the reminder! There is a reason that realtors haven’t been replaced by the internet and other technology.
-
Grant, until we sell to robots we’ll never be replaced!! Thanks for the visit as usual…keep up the good work!
-
Share Your Thoughts:
January 11th, 2012
“Will Edina Realty’s Move Make Big Waves?”
Recently, Minneapolis based Edina Realty pushed back against Trulia.com and Realtor.com. Edina’s CEO Bob Peltier decided that something was wrong with these aggregators scooping up listings from real estate companies to attract traffic or as the Internet world likes to say, “lots of eyeballs.” Once that traffic rolls in, the aggregators generate revenue in many ways, not the least of which is by selling advertising space.
At first, it may appear that Peltier’s gripe was with the integrity of the data in that there is no guarantee that the information consumers are seeing is accurate or up to date. Yet the real rub is that Trulia.com charges real estate agents fees to be able to “enhance” their listings. So therein lies the irony. Peltier, along with many other agents, feels no need for a middle man in that his company generates plenty of traffic best serving not only his agents, but more importantly his sellers.
Trulia.com fired back threatening that Edina’s sellers and agents would be put at a great disadvantage by losing the 17 million potential buyers that visit Trulia.com each month, but Peltier and Edina are holding tightly. Edina Realty also made a bold move away from print marketing altogether.
This is a battle worth paying attention to as the Internet plays a more significant in marketing to home buyers and sellers.
So what do you think? Do these aggregators really add value to Realtors and help them do more business or are they just taking advantage of the information that Realtors work hard to assemble!
Comments (4)
-
Exactly! Thanks for the reminder! There is a reason that realtors haven’t been replaced by the internet and other technology.
-
Grant, until we sell to robots we’ll never be replaced!! Thanks for the visit as usual…keep up the good work!
-
Share Your Thoughts:
January 9th, 2012
“Is Technology Helping Real Estate Agents?”
There always seems to be push back against the amazing advances in technology that are reshaping the real estate industry. Is the traditional agent really dead like the new school agent would argue? Maybe the answer has more to do with evolution rather than wholesale change?
Consider social media. I listened to a keynote speech that social media star Gary Vaynerchuk gave for the Inc. 500. He mentions a show down with a number crunching executive who kept pushing him to answer questions about the ROI (Return On Investment) of social media, to which Gary finally replies, “what’s the return on your mother?”
It’s a great point. Some things are just better measured in how you feel about them. Sometimes it’s your gut that says you’re getting a return. Now alone, running your business by guessing could be disastrous, but any great company is always running a good research and development effort and instinct tells them what direction to pursue…just don’t bet the whole house on it.
I’ll argue that today’s agent better embrace technological advances, but in the same breath they should remember how to talk to people because so far nobody has invented a mechanical human that makes home buying and selling decisions just based on an agent’s technical know how.
Have a plan that includes not only the testing of new technologies, but also builds upon your current success and what’s already working…that’s business evolution!
What do you think?
Comments (1)
-
Exactly! Thanks for the reminder! There is a reason that realtors haven’t been replaced by the internet and other technology.
-
Grant, until we sell to robots we’ll never be replaced!! Thanks for the visit as usual…keep up the good work!
-
Share Your Thoughts:
December 16th, 2011
“Values Based Business?”
Do you have a values based real estate business?
Comments (2)
-
Exactly! Thanks for the reminder! There is a reason that realtors haven’t been replaced by the internet and other technology.
-
Grant, until we sell to robots we’ll never be replaced!! Thanks for the visit as usual…keep up the good work!
-
Share Your Thoughts:
Comments (2)
-
Exactly! Thanks for the reminder! There is a reason that realtors haven’t been replaced by the internet and other technology.
-
Grant, until we sell to robots we’ll never be replaced!! Thanks for the visit as usual…keep up the good work!
-
Share Your Thoughts:
December 7th, 2011
“Piers Morgan, Micheal Moore & #OccupyOurHomes”
Share Your Thoughts:
December 6th, 2011
“Realtors® Need Money!”
As the real estate market begins its slow turn back upwards, Realtors® are beginning to consider their future and all of their business challenges. In a sea of options it’s often hard to choose which venues through which they can brand themselves and compel would-be buyers and sellers to take action.
The plot thickens as most Realtors® are confronted with limited resources with which to invest in marketing. So like any small business it’s time to consider OPM: Other People’s Money or OPR: Other People’s Resources. Although Realtors® may think that nobody in their right mind would consider investing in them in a recession, they should reconsider.
One single transaction triggers an enormous flow of opportunities for the real estate agent’s support cast. There are home inspectors, maintenance contractors, attorneys, title companies, and of course the ever important loan officers and mortgage brokers. What about their money and resources?
The banks! That’s where the money is! So rather than malign the banks, just ask them for some of their money to help you build your real estate business. Offer to do some co-branding where you are both sharing in the success. You’re more valuable than you think even if you are brand new and have never sold a house!
How? Do the banker’s math. Spend $500 a month on the proper type of marketing (more on that later); get leads; convert even one to a sale; you collect a commission check and so does the loan officer and I’m fairly certain that in most markets those banker’s commissions are more than $500. Now there’s a simple risk any banker would like!
Share Your Thoughts:
November 23rd, 2011
“Builders Betting The Market Upside!”
The Commerce Department announced that permits for future housing construction jumped to a seasonally annual adjusted rate of 653,000 last month up 10.9% from September’s revised annual rate of 589,000. This number was higher than economists expectations of an annual permit rate of 603,000.
According to Doug Roberts, chief investment strategist for Channel Capital Research, the increase in permits does not translate into increased construction until the builders actually begin to build. He likened the permit increase to an engagement rather than a marriage.
In fact the Commerce Department reported a slight decrease in annual housing starts from 630,000 to 628,000. Nevertheless, it’s certainly noteworthy when insiders, in this case builders, start to aggressively bet the upside.
Share Your Thoughts:
November 21st, 2011
“Mortgage Loan Delinquency Rate Falls!”
We continue to look for and expect good news for the real estate industry to begin to creep in. Of course there’s an abundance of foreclosed homes yet to be pushed on to the market, but that news, along with the continued problems with the three stooges, Freddie, Fannie and FHA, is on the table and out there for all to see. Of course at anytime a “Black Swan” or unexpected bad news bomb could hit the industry again but postive news is beginning to take a firmer stand.
According to RIS Media, the national delinquency rate in the third quarter declined to 7.99%, the lowest level since the fourth quarter of 2008 when the industry jumped on the greased skids downwards. This was a 45 basis point decline from the second quarter of this year and a 114 basis point drop from the third quarter of last year (Click Here for Definition of “Basis Point”). The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that the 30 day delinquency rate reached its lowest level since the second quarter of 2007 at 3.19%.
This news comes along with the Commerce Department announcing that the economy grew at 2.5% from July to September which is nearly 2x the growth rate of 1.6% over the previous three months. Although there’s nothing earth shattering about these announcements, it should come as welcomed news for the real estate industry as smart buyers continue to come off the side lines and take action.
Share Your Thoughts:
Exactly! Thanks for the reminder! There is a reason that realtors haven’t been replaced by the internet and other technology.