Posts from October 2019

Many different people contribute to a successful real estate transaction.

When it comes to the best outcome for the buyer, though, three figures are most important. First is the buyer or buyers. Next is the sales associate, who helps them protect their interests throughout the process. And finally: the mortgage lender.

Many buyers are intimidated by the lender's role in the process. That's especially true of first-time homebuyers. But the right lender is truly the unsung hero of a home purchase. He or she can help put buyers on a trajectory to better financial health for years to come.

It's easy for buyers to come into the process with an adversarial mindset. Some of them even start in this mode when it comes to their friendly neighborhood sales associates. But, like it or not, most of them will need a lender--and that...

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Every home a person will ever buy is a snapshot of their needs at a particular time in life.

After college or work experience, rising professionals will buy their first homes. Young families will look for larger places to move into. Elders will downsize so they can enjoy the spoils of retirement. And more "found families" are choosing to go it together in bigger homes.

All in all, a house is doing well if it meets everyone's needs for five to seven years.

With that in mind, all sales associates should ask themselves:

How will I know when my latest client needs another home?

In all the celebration that follows closing day, it's essential not to overlook the opportunity to keep the relationship fresh. It might be many ye...

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Imagine what the conversation would be like, if, at your next sales meeting, your broker said, "Who here doesn't want to bother holding open houses any longer?" Whoa! Depending upon which side of the fence—pro or con—you sit, what a heated discussion that might be.

Across the industry, you'll hear varying opinions about whether the need for holding open houses in our modern digital age still exists. Some people feel it is passé and just an industry tradition. Others think it's a great way to market a home. And, let's not forget, those superstar sales associates who get contracts signed because of an open house.

Here are some facts about open houses:

• In an April 2019 article in the Washington Post, John Smaby, President of the National Association of REALTORS®, said, "Fifty-two percent of buyers...

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I have spent over 20 years helping a wide variety of companies grow their businesses on the Internet. Today, let's take a look at answers to two of the most frequently asked questions I receive:

1. What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
2. Why Does SEO Need to be Approached Differently within the Real Estate Industry?

What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

First, let me define what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is from my perspective. SEO techniques are used on and off websites to make a site more appealing to search engines. The more search engines like a website, the more they visit to index its pages.

The result of SEO work done correctly--search engines push your website higher in search r...

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Yes, Corinna, I'm Looking at You

The other day, I found myself in a conversation with a business partner and friend, Corinna Decker from Wagner Realty, which led down a path we don't often go.

As the Technical Support Manager at Delta Media Group, our marketing and technology partners often bring to light new ways about how to use our DeltaNet® platform.

Corinna pointed out we should not view the DeltaNet's functions and features as a handful of steps to get a job done. We should look at it as several steps working together to create a complete workflow. It occurred to me that it is a road we should travel more often.

After all...

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