Real Estate News And Views

Realestatelicense.com has created this blog to keep you informed on recent real estate news, views, and topics. Real estate is a very dynamic field. Everyday there's something new and exciting happening in the world of real estate. Use this blog to stay on top of current real estate events, news, and views and support your real estate license and career. As a licensed real estate professional, you need to know this information.

6 Competitive Selling Tips

Get a real estate agent license and you'll quickly learn the art of competition - especially in a market where inventory is a smorgasbord of choices for picky buyers. Get creative and make your listings stand out with these six competitive tactics.

1. Pump up your online presence.

You completely filled out the MLS data for your new listing plus you posted a few extra photos and spent time describing features. Great, now it's time to get down to business. Get your client's home on as many websites and real estate blogs as possible with a personal Real Simple Syndication (RSS) content feed. Companies like www.myrealtyfeed.com offer an easy way to start showcasing listings and open houses via news readers all over the Internet.

2. Stage to impress.

Fresh paint, mold-free bathrooms, clean windows and spotless carpeting - your listing must have all this and more. Don't be shy when it comes to advising clients on the virtues of staging. Small changes can make the difference between months on the market and a full price offer.

3. Lure buyers with stellar photos.

With a staggering amount of buyers beginning their home search on the Internet, why wouldn't you post an array of quality photos? Quality photos are clear and capture features that matter most to buyers - that doesn't include a cute family pet, a pretty rose bush or the front view of your listing blocked by a car in the driveway.

4. Attract buyers and agents with incentives.

Once you're satisfied your seller's staged home is ready to impress, invite other agents to take a look. Lure them with food, drinks and a gift certificate raffle. The main objective is to get your client's home on the radar of as many local agents as possible. To lure buyers, see what your sellers are willing to include in their price. A flat screen television for the living room, new appliances for the kitchen or even a year of paid association dues can make a fickle buyer take notice.

5. Set a price that reaches your target demographic.

When setting a price for your listing, consider more than just nearby comparable home sales. Who's your target audience and what can they afford? If you set the price even $5,000 to high, some multiple listing services will place your listing in a higher bracket than where your target audience is looking.

6. Advertise to your target demographic.

Find out how your listing's target demographic prefers to receive information. For example, if you specialize in 55+ communities, door knocking with flyers may be more effective than the Internet. Also, if your listing is in a community that caters to foreign language speakers, seek out websites and/or local media that will specifically reach them.

By Danielle Macklin, Allied Schools, www.realestatelicense.com

Labels: How to sell your house, Real Estate Agent License

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Your Time is Worth a Buyer Representation Agreement

Obtain a real estate agent license and you'll be the one managing your time. So how do you know if a buyer is really serious? Ask them to sign an exclusive buyer representation agreement.

Say you've been working with a client for nearly three weeks. You've spent over 70 hours on their behalf researching the MLS and you've chauffeured them through various neighborhoods looking for the "one." Then out of the blue, you find out another agent submitted an offer on the buyer's behalf for a home you showed them. You've lost time, potential leads and gas money.

Although unfair, a buyer has no obligation to use your services, regardless of how long you've worked with them, if you don't have a buyer representation agreement in place. So, how does an agent get a client to work with them without scaring them off with a contract?

First, when meeting a new buyer/potential client, interview them and gage how serious they are about buying. If you decide they're worth your time, set a limit on the amount of work you'll perform on their behalf. After you've proven your dedication to their home search, it's more than appropriate to present them with an exclusive buyer representation agreement.

If the buyer declines the agreement, and you've assisted them to the very best of your abilities, take it as a sign to move on to new prospects. Your time is precious and you want to beat housing market challenges. Hopelessly fickle buyers are red flags that productive real estate agents avoid.

By Danielle Macklin, Allied Schools,www.realestatelicense.com

Labels: Real Estate Agent, Real Estate Agnet License

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How to Choose an Online Real Estate School

Whether you're looking to renew your real estate agent license, or interested in starting a real estate appraisal course, an online real estate school offers a convenient way to quickly meet your goals.

Not all online real estate schools are equal. So when selecting the right online school, make sure they offer the following:

Accreditation

If your online real estate school is not accredited by a qualified accrediting agency, find another school. Why? Accreditation means the school operates on a sound financial basis, has an approved study program, has qualified instructors, approved recruitment and admissions policies and advertises its courses in a factual manner. Accreditation is your assurance that the course you're taking will lead to a viable certificate or diploma.

Student Support

What if you need assistance in selecting your online real estate course? A student support department helps your online experience run smoothly. Make sure your online school's support department is staffed by more than one person. Also, you should have multiple contact options including email, phone and fax.

Educational Support

With an educational support department, you're never alone during your studies. So if you don't understand the escrow process discussed in chapter six, an online school's educational support department will walk you through the steps.

Tech Support

The last thing you want to deal with while pursing a real estate license is technical problems. That's why your online school should offer a tech support department that quickly answers your questions and remedies your computer frustrations via phone, email or fax.

Guarantees

You did your research, but how do you know if the course you purchased is really worth it? Your online school should have a money-back guarantee that allows you to return the course materials within a specific timeframe. Make sure to inquire about your online school's guarantees and take the time to understand how they work.

An online real estate school is an ideal choice for those who like to manage their own time, enjoy learning from home or must attend to other responsibilities while pursuing their education. Choose your online school carefully and you'll be on your way to a rewarding career in real estate in no time.

By Danielle Macklin, Allied Schools, www.realestatelicense.com

Labels: Accredited Real Estate School, Online Real Estate School, Real Estate Agent License, Real Estate School

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