Wednesday, January 12 · 2:00pm - 3:00pm – online training
Technology is a beautiful thing… the ability to simply log on to your computer and participate in training about new and innovative tools, well, it’s just about as cool as shopping from the convenience of your own home. Almost!
This training provides you a tool that offers something valuable to your buyers & sellers! For buyers, this is a hassle free shopping tool, while providing you a buyer activity trail to see who is serious about buying and who isn’t yet, and incubates the shoppers. For sellers, it gets you in front of buyers, not shoppers and provides a more informed sale!
You’ll receive real-time buyer lead inquiries. Get to buyers before they’ve made a decision about financing.
And you’ll love that it’s FREE to you ~ yes, FREE!
This is 3-tools-in-one, all super simple to use: contact management (CRM), lead generation, and online marketing.
Free app store like the iPhone, BlackBerry and Android...many other apps coming that plug-in and are ready-to-go!
You can also get other professional info from your mobile: Retail/wholesale mortgage rates, property value, calculators, title fees—and more—via text, mobile web.
Please RSVP by sending an email request to events-fntmarketing@fnf.com. We ask that you request a copy of the "Meeting Request" be sent to you - Once you receive and accept the meeting request it should automatically drop into your email calendar. You will also have the access information in the notes section of the meeting request. If you are unable to view the meeting request or it is a challenge to find the information in the meeting request - we can send it to you in a separate email. Contact your Fidelity Sales Representative for further details.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Twitter: Why You Should Be Using It and How
Twitter currently has about 15-20 million users and is continuing to grow rapidly each month. Starting as a simple messaging vehicle Twitter has now become one of the more common forms of communication for B2B, B2C and C2C. Twitter averages almost 40 million Tweets per day, and according to a survey conducted in May 2009, 51% of Twitter user respondents were between 35 and 54 years of age.
Millions of people actively use Twitter as a regular form of communication or medium for news, information and entertainment. In addition to the widespread usage of Twitter, the platform acts as a fantastic way to directly communicate with prospects and clients, and vice versa. Once an attentive audience is developed Twitter becomes a low cost marketing tool for communicating business related information to attain new clients and generate more revenue.
The first step is to set up a Twitter account and customize the Twitter page for consistent branding. Now it’s time to start tweeting! Much like every other aspect of social media, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to how you should run your Twitter account. However, there were some themes that held true in every conversation:
-Twitter has a 140 character maximum for tweets, so tweets need to be a single thought, link, or question
-Your tweets should fit with your brand’s voice.
-Your tweets should have a personal voice that meshes well with the brand voice
-Twitter is meant to be genuine and in real time, information you tweet needs to be current
Just keep in mind that Twitter, like all social media, is a great way to further engage customers, open up new conversations and keep information flowing.
One of the most overlook benefits of Twitter is the ability to do some search engine optimization. As the search engines continue to push forward with real-time search results and social search results, Twitter becomes increasingly important. So what are you waiting for, start tweeting!
You can follow us on Twitter @FidelityPhoenix.
Millions of people actively use Twitter as a regular form of communication or medium for news, information and entertainment. In addition to the widespread usage of Twitter, the platform acts as a fantastic way to directly communicate with prospects and clients, and vice versa. Once an attentive audience is developed Twitter becomes a low cost marketing tool for communicating business related information to attain new clients and generate more revenue.
The first step is to set up a Twitter account and customize the Twitter page for consistent branding. Now it’s time to start tweeting! Much like every other aspect of social media, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to how you should run your Twitter account. However, there were some themes that held true in every conversation:
-Twitter has a 140 character maximum for tweets, so tweets need to be a single thought, link, or question
-Your tweets should fit with your brand’s voice.
-Your tweets should have a personal voice that meshes well with the brand voice
-Twitter is meant to be genuine and in real time, information you tweet needs to be current
Just keep in mind that Twitter, like all social media, is a great way to further engage customers, open up new conversations and keep information flowing.
One of the most overlook benefits of Twitter is the ability to do some search engine optimization. As the search engines continue to push forward with real-time search results and social search results, Twitter becomes increasingly important. So what are you waiting for, start tweeting!
You can follow us on Twitter @FidelityPhoenix.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Rise of New Home Sales in November Provides Positive Outlook for Home Builders in 2011
Sales of newly built, single-family homes increased 5.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 290,000 units in November, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Commerce Department. The gain represents a partial bounce-back from a near-record low, downwardly revised number of new-home sales in October.
“While builders continue to face a great deal of competition from short-sale and foreclosure properties, the improvement registered in new-home sales in November is a good sign,” said Bob Jones, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). “With consumer interest in new homes expected to continue to revive as the economy and job markets improve, and inventories of new homes for sale near record lows, our concern now is that a lack of construction financing will keep builders from being able to expand the selection of what they have to offer buyers heading into the spring.”
“Builders in our latest surveys have indicated that they are starting to see more buyers who are seriously considering a new-home purchase, and the numbers showing that sales headed in the right direction in November bode well for what the future may hold,” agreed NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “The extremely low inventory of new homes on the market is also a positive sign that builders have been exercising tremendous caution with regard to new construction activity. That said, unless builders’ access to financing for new development improves, many will not have a product to sell when the opportunity arises, which in turn would slow a market recovery as well as potential job generation from new home building.”
This rise is attributed to sales increases in both the South, the nation's largest housing market, which saw a 5.8 percent gain, and the West, which saw an impressive 37.3 percent rebound over October.
According to the National Association of Home Builder (NAHB) the inventory of new homes for sale is now at an 8.2-month supply, at 197,000 units. This is the first time in 42 years the inventory has fallen below the 200,000 level.
Source: nahb.com
“While builders continue to face a great deal of competition from short-sale and foreclosure properties, the improvement registered in new-home sales in November is a good sign,” said Bob Jones, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). “With consumer interest in new homes expected to continue to revive as the economy and job markets improve, and inventories of new homes for sale near record lows, our concern now is that a lack of construction financing will keep builders from being able to expand the selection of what they have to offer buyers heading into the spring.”
“Builders in our latest surveys have indicated that they are starting to see more buyers who are seriously considering a new-home purchase, and the numbers showing that sales headed in the right direction in November bode well for what the future may hold,” agreed NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “The extremely low inventory of new homes on the market is also a positive sign that builders have been exercising tremendous caution with regard to new construction activity. That said, unless builders’ access to financing for new development improves, many will not have a product to sell when the opportunity arises, which in turn would slow a market recovery as well as potential job generation from new home building.”
This rise is attributed to sales increases in both the South, the nation's largest housing market, which saw a 5.8 percent gain, and the West, which saw an impressive 37.3 percent rebound over October.
According to the National Association of Home Builder (NAHB) the inventory of new homes for sale is now at an 8.2-month supply, at 197,000 units. This is the first time in 42 years the inventory has fallen below the 200,000 level.
Source: nahb.com
Monday, January 3, 2011
Real Estate Provisions Included in the Newly Passed Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act
The recently signed HR4853, otherwise known as the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act, will extend Bush era tax brackets and a capital gains tax rate of 15 percent through 2011 and 2012.
It will also extend numerous energy efficiency credits through December 31, 2011 -- the Energy Efficient New Homes, Energy Efficient Existing Homes, and Energy Efficient Building credits. According to NAR the provisions included in HR4853 are as follows:
Energy-efficient New Homes Credit: A tax credit, based on numerous energy efficiency milestones, has been available to some home construction activities since about 2008. That provision had expired, but is now renewed through 2011. The credit is available to builders/manufacturers of new homes that meet the various milestones.
Energy-efficient Existing Homes: The tax credit for homeowners who make specified energy-related improvements to existing homes was scheduled to expire December 31, 2010. It has been extended through December 31, 2011. The qualified investments include replacement windows, doors, or skylights, some roofing materials and some heating and cooling equipment. The amounts of the credit vary depending on the asset and its energy rating as determined by the Energy Star program. The standards for qualified property are tougher than they were in 2010, so homeowners will need to exercise great care in their acquisitions. The credit is available only for improvements to a principal residence and only if the improvement is original to the property and only if the property will last for at least 5 years. The credit is not available if the improvement is financed using any form of subsidized energy program.
Energy-efficient Buildings: Owners of commercial buildings may qualify for tax credits for investments in designated insulation, windows and roofing improvements. Improvements to the heating/air conditioning systems, water heaters and air circulation fans may also be eligible for the credit. As with the home improvement credits, these credits require compliance with a variety of energy efficiency standards. Investors should exercise great care in determining what assets will satisfy the given criteria. The improvements must be in place on or before December 31, 2011.
It will also extend numerous energy efficiency credits through December 31, 2011 -- the Energy Efficient New Homes, Energy Efficient Existing Homes, and Energy Efficient Building credits. According to NAR the provisions included in HR4853 are as follows:
Energy-efficient New Homes Credit: A tax credit, based on numerous energy efficiency milestones, has been available to some home construction activities since about 2008. That provision had expired, but is now renewed through 2011. The credit is available to builders/manufacturers of new homes that meet the various milestones.
Energy-efficient Existing Homes: The tax credit for homeowners who make specified energy-related improvements to existing homes was scheduled to expire December 31, 2010. It has been extended through December 31, 2011. The qualified investments include replacement windows, doors, or skylights, some roofing materials and some heating and cooling equipment. The amounts of the credit vary depending on the asset and its energy rating as determined by the Energy Star program. The standards for qualified property are tougher than they were in 2010, so homeowners will need to exercise great care in their acquisitions. The credit is available only for improvements to a principal residence and only if the improvement is original to the property and only if the property will last for at least 5 years. The credit is not available if the improvement is financed using any form of subsidized energy program.
Energy-efficient Buildings: Owners of commercial buildings may qualify for tax credits for investments in designated insulation, windows and roofing improvements. Improvements to the heating/air conditioning systems, water heaters and air circulation fans may also be eligible for the credit. As with the home improvement credits, these credits require compliance with a variety of energy efficiency standards. Investors should exercise great care in determining what assets will satisfy the given criteria. The improvements must be in place on or before December 31, 2011.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
NAR 2010 Homebuyer Survey Results
NAR conducted their annual Homebuyer survey and the results for 2010 were just released. If you haven’t had a chance yet to review, below is an overview of some of the key findings.
- In 2010, first-time homebuyers constituted 50% of the market. There are a number of factors to explain this significant increase, one of which is that first-time buyers don’t have to sell a home before they can buy. Moreover, prices have been dropping while interest rates remain low by historical standards. Especially, government policies such as tax credits have played a major role.
- Only 4% of buyers purchased a home that had been foreclosed or that was in the process of foreclosure. That is actually lower than a couple of years ago. In 2010 a full 39 % of buyers did not even consider buying a home in foreclosure. Of those who did consider making such a purchase, but did not ultimately do so, the primary reason (26%) was that they simply could not find a home that was right for them. Nineteen percent did not purchase a foreclosure home because the process was too difficult or complex. Another 17% did not buy because the house was in poor condition.
- This year 74% of buyers said that they used the internet frequently during the search process, about the same as 76% last year. In 2003 that number was 42%.
- 36% of buyers went to the internet as the first step in the home search process. 19% contacted a real estate agent first, and 7% began by driving through neighborhoods looking for homes for sale.
- Buyers use multiple sources of information in the process of looking for a home. Far and away the most used sources are the internet (89%), real estate agents (88%) and yard signs (57%).
- Multiple Listing Service (MLS) websites were the primary source of information for buyers who used the internet in their search process. 59% of those buyers went to MLS sites. 45% used Realtor®.com, 43% went to real estate company websites, and 42% went to sites hosted by individual agents. Aggregators such as Zillow, Homegain, and Yahoo were visited by 41% of buyers.
- In 2001 only 8% of buyers found their home on the internet. In 2010 37% of buyers learned about their home through the internet.
- In 2001, a yard sign was the third most likely source of information leading to the home that was purchased (15%). This year it is still the third leading source at 11%. Print media may not be dead, but it has shrunk to insignificance in this arena. In 2001, 7% found the home they purchased through a newspaper ad; in 2010 it was 2%. Fewer than 1% found their home through a home book or magazine.
- In 2010, first-time homebuyers constituted 50% of the market. There are a number of factors to explain this significant increase, one of which is that first-time buyers don’t have to sell a home before they can buy. Moreover, prices have been dropping while interest rates remain low by historical standards. Especially, government policies such as tax credits have played a major role.
- Only 4% of buyers purchased a home that had been foreclosed or that was in the process of foreclosure. That is actually lower than a couple of years ago. In 2010 a full 39 % of buyers did not even consider buying a home in foreclosure. Of those who did consider making such a purchase, but did not ultimately do so, the primary reason (26%) was that they simply could not find a home that was right for them. Nineteen percent did not purchase a foreclosure home because the process was too difficult or complex. Another 17% did not buy because the house was in poor condition.
- This year 74% of buyers said that they used the internet frequently during the search process, about the same as 76% last year. In 2003 that number was 42%.
- 36% of buyers went to the internet as the first step in the home search process. 19% contacted a real estate agent first, and 7% began by driving through neighborhoods looking for homes for sale.
- Buyers use multiple sources of information in the process of looking for a home. Far and away the most used sources are the internet (89%), real estate agents (88%) and yard signs (57%).
- Multiple Listing Service (MLS) websites were the primary source of information for buyers who used the internet in their search process. 59% of those buyers went to MLS sites. 45% used Realtor®.com, 43% went to real estate company websites, and 42% went to sites hosted by individual agents. Aggregators such as Zillow, Homegain, and Yahoo were visited by 41% of buyers.
- In 2001 only 8% of buyers found their home on the internet. In 2010 37% of buyers learned about their home through the internet.
- In 2001, a yard sign was the third most likely source of information leading to the home that was purchased (15%). This year it is still the third leading source at 11%. Print media may not be dead, but it has shrunk to insignificance in this arena. In 2001, 7% found the home they purchased through a newspaper ad; in 2010 it was 2%. Fewer than 1% found their home through a home book or magazine.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Top 10 Real Estate Marketing Tools
1. Relationships- Go The Extra Mile!
2. 95% of your time should be spent getting the listing and 5% finding a buyer; Telemarketing, Mail, Door Knocking and GET THE PHONE NUMBER!
3. Keep in touch with People
4. Internet leads-track where your leads come from
5. Get more by saying less on your marketing materials
6. Quality of service and office consistency
7. Know your business and the business will find you
8. Investors...Do you know anyone that wants to make a 30% return on their investment? To learn more about this, go to www.cias.com
9. Deal of the week- Offer a deal of the week, let one of your listings stand out for the week.
10. The Million Dollar Real Estate Agent-READ IT!
Top Panel of Real Estate Agents (Kenny Klaus, Russell Shaw, Shavani Dallas and Brett Tanner).
2. 95% of your time should be spent getting the listing and 5% finding a buyer; Telemarketing, Mail, Door Knocking and GET THE PHONE NUMBER!
3. Keep in touch with People
4. Internet leads-track where your leads come from
5. Get more by saying less on your marketing materials
6. Quality of service and office consistency
7. Know your business and the business will find you
8. Investors...Do you know anyone that wants to make a 30% return on their investment? To learn more about this, go to www.cias.com
9. Deal of the week- Offer a deal of the week, let one of your listings stand out for the week.
10. The Million Dollar Real Estate Agent-READ IT!
Top Panel of Real Estate Agents (Kenny Klaus, Russell Shaw, Shavani Dallas and Brett Tanner).
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Greening Your REO and Short Sale Properties
Cheryl King, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Realty East Valley/KW Commercial
www.hybridhomeliving.com
It is that time of year when we prepare our business plans for the coming year. We plan out how many transactions we need to close to reach our financial goals, set our budgets for online services and marketing and plan our 33 and 8x8 touch campaigns.
With the growing number of listed properties being REO and short sales, many of us will be focused on buyers or adding buyer’s specialists to our teams. These can be challenging transactions, however the distressed inventory is actually an advantage if you know how to “Green” the properties. Over the next few months, I will share with you how integrating Green into your business (residential and commercial) will grow your business and your bottom line. First, since “Green” has many different meanings, we need a common definition. When I refer to “Green” I am referring to a high performance home – one that saves energy, lowers monthly utility costs and increases the value of a home.
Tip #1: Rebates and tax incentives: A lender recently told me that 25% of the REO homes in the Arizona market fail to close because the homes do not have an AC unit or the existing one needs to be replaced and the buyer doesn’t have the funds to purchase a new AC. If the home is in an APS service area, APS will subsidize the cost of the new AC (www.aps.com) and there are federal tax credits as well (SRP will have a program similar to the APS program). Truly win/win: the buyer gets their home, a utility company rebate check after closing (some contractors will even advance the rebate), lower monthly electric bills and a federal tax credit. You close a sale and make a client for life. Next month, I will provide more information about how your buyer can benefit from energy efficient loans in addition to the utility company rebates and federal tax credits. Many tax credits expire on 12/31 so suggest that your clients contact their tax accountant today!
If you have a question you would like answered, please send me an email at cking@hybridhomeliving.com or call me at 480.747.8339. Also, watch our events page for the next Greening Your REO and Short Sale class.
As you brush up on your buyer mastery skills for 2001, add a touch of Green!
www.hybridhomeliving.com
It is that time of year when we prepare our business plans for the coming year. We plan out how many transactions we need to close to reach our financial goals, set our budgets for online services and marketing and plan our 33 and 8x8 touch campaigns.
With the growing number of listed properties being REO and short sales, many of us will be focused on buyers or adding buyer’s specialists to our teams. These can be challenging transactions, however the distressed inventory is actually an advantage if you know how to “Green” the properties. Over the next few months, I will share with you how integrating Green into your business (residential and commercial) will grow your business and your bottom line. First, since “Green” has many different meanings, we need a common definition. When I refer to “Green” I am referring to a high performance home – one that saves energy, lowers monthly utility costs and increases the value of a home.
Tip #1: Rebates and tax incentives: A lender recently told me that 25% of the REO homes in the Arizona market fail to close because the homes do not have an AC unit or the existing one needs to be replaced and the buyer doesn’t have the funds to purchase a new AC. If the home is in an APS service area, APS will subsidize the cost of the new AC (www.aps.com) and there are federal tax credits as well (SRP will have a program similar to the APS program). Truly win/win: the buyer gets their home, a utility company rebate check after closing (some contractors will even advance the rebate), lower monthly electric bills and a federal tax credit. You close a sale and make a client for life. Next month, I will provide more information about how your buyer can benefit from energy efficient loans in addition to the utility company rebates and federal tax credits. Many tax credits expire on 12/31 so suggest that your clients contact their tax accountant today!
If you have a question you would like answered, please send me an email at cking@hybridhomeliving.com or call me at 480.747.8339. Also, watch our events page for the next Greening Your REO and Short Sale class.
As you brush up on your buyer mastery skills for 2001, add a touch of Green!
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