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.
You
obtain your real estate license and take on your first listing. You're excited. However, there's a problem. From a showcase cabinet full of dusty dolls that are straight out of a horror movie to heavy drapery that defies sunlight and the faded, 1970's couch that's way past its peak - the living room is a designer's nightmare.
Don't worry. By mastering a few, simple staging techniques, you can turn that eyesore into a comfortable setting that's more inviting than scary. Check out this video from Realtor TV and see how staginhg can transform a space for the better.
Source: Realtor.org
Once you
obtain your real estate license, you may disciver that a little creativity can go a long way. And when it comes to getting a house sold, open houses and marketing flyers are just the beginning. Check out these out-of-the box ideas from www.realtor.com and see how agents from coast to coast are successfully selling homes using some uncommon tactics.
1. Organize a Raffle. Partner with a charity to raffle the house. That's what Tom and Dianne Walters did when they needed to quickly sell their 4,500-square-foot, six-bedroom home in Edgewater, MD. The couple partnered with the Annapolis, MD., charity We Care and Friends, which administered the raffle and received 10 percent of the ticket sales. We Care sold 23,000 tickets through the site www.fiftydollarhouse.com. Although the Walterses needed to sell 31,500 to break even on the property, all parties involved felt it was a win-win.
2. Have a Sleepover. Take inspiration from the HGTV show "Sleep On It" and give buyers a chance to try out a house. Apparently, some sellers are doing just that, allowing one-or-two-night stays to give serious buyers a feel for the house and the neighborhood. As a special touch, owners can leave a gift certificate to a local restaurant or a free gym pass for prospective buyers to enjoy.
3. 'Invite' a Celebrity. Real estate practitioners are pros at editing garbage cans and lawn clutter out of photos, but have you ever thought about adding whimsical images to your interior shots? In her Ink blog, media maven Barbara Corcoran of New York suggested this example: a photo of Marilyn Monroe in the listing's living room. Tip: Expect to pay for celebrity photos, and remember that copyright laws apply to photography as well as text.
4. Appeal to Their Good Taste. Some practitioners are serving high-end lunches at their high-end listings. One salesperson in Florida parked a latte cart outside her listing and sold the house nine days later for $23,000 more than the asking price. Have multiple listings on a block? Team up with colleagues to host an open house block party.
5. Go for More Exposure. That huge billboard that you drive by every morning could be yours for less than you think. Typical suburban billboards rent for as little as $400 a month and cost about $100 to produce. Another tactic: Use a car magnet that advertises your Web site. For a few dollars, you can advertise your listings all over town.
Source: www.realtor.org
Want to
obtain your real estate license? Now might be the right time. In an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, Michael Lea, director of the Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate at San Diego State University, says he is encouraging students to study real estate because we are at the bottom of a cycle. By the time these students have graduated, he believes the industry will have recovered.
"I don't think we'll ever again see the 2005-2007 heyday in real estate. That was an anomaly, and actually, I hope we don't go back to that. But within real estate, there are a lot of opportunities, such as property management and lending," he says.
Lea sees apartments as a particularly bright spot.
"I think as more people realize that homeownership is not quite what it was cracked up to be, we're not going to have marginal people buying homes any more," he says. "That's ultimately going to mean more people going back to the rental sector. We're growing as a population, and people have to live somewhere, so I think the rental market is in relatively good shape and will strengthen as we go forward."
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune, Roger Showley/www.realtor.org (02.08.10)
Want to get your
California resl estate license? Now might be the right time. For example, the median home price in the nine-county San Francisco Bay area increased 15.2 percent in December compared to a year ago, reaching $380,000, according to MDA DataQuick. And in Southern California, the median home price increased 7.5 percent to $360,000.
Economists say the improvement in coastal California was driven by jobs and the increasing availability of venture capital. California is often considered a bellwether of trends in other areas of the country.
Source: The Wall Street Journal (C. Tuna 02.02.10)