Archive for July, 2007

Real Estate Letter Writing – Direct Mail Tips for Agents

Many real estate agents are still using direct mail letters to market their services. While this may seem old-fashioned in the material envelope in the Internet age, there are certain advantages in the use of real estate letters for marketing purposes.

In this article we look at some of the advantages of this method, as well as some tips for success.

Advantages of using letters

So why would real estate agent are concerned with this approach in the first place. What are the advantages of this message is secondary compared to other marketing channels? Here are some of the key advantages.

* Accessibility – When you send a letter by mail (as opposed to color postcards), you save money by avoiding the work of graphic design with a high gloss paper, etc.

* LIVE – They do not call it “direct mail” for nothing. When someone pulls your letter from her mailbox, there is a 99 percent chance they would be open and give it a look. The same is not true for other marketing technologies.

* Simplicity – You can buy a list of Internet through one of the major suppliers of data. You can write a letter to your office computer, or pay a professional writer to do that for you. You can stuff the envelopes and put the stamp itself, or to pay direct mail company to do so. This is a simple, low-technology strategy.

* Results – Letters have been used as a means of marketing decades. The reason, they are still used today (even in the Internet age) is that they still work.

Of course, you have to work hard to develop a clear message before sending these letters OUT. This is the most important step in this process. Here’s where you’ll enjoy time-tested techniques of professional texts:

1. A proper study.

Research and planning is 75 per cent of the recording process. Develop a message that and putting words on paper, is the remaining 25 percent. So if you skip the research, you skipped most of the direct mail process of writing.

To begin with, you need to know everything about your property. You must identify the key benefits to people when they want you to another agent. This should come from the consumer point of view, not yours. So step out of your shoes, and in them.

In addition, it is necessary to examine the current housing market in your area, median home values in the area you are targeting, changes in the economy, as well as other information necessary to write your message and convincing arguments for its services.

2. Identify your audience.

What do you know about the people who will receive your letter? There is a homeowner or potential home buyers? What kind of neighborhood they live in? What is happening in their area recently, in the new development and sales activities? What do these people? What do they fear? What do they expect from the real estate agent in this day and age? You’re not ready to write your letter until you have solid answers to these questions.

3. Define your goals.

So now you have identified several key factors about yourself and your audience. The next question – what do you want them to do? In other words, what the main purpose of your letter? You want people to visit a special landing page on your site that was designed to support your campaign’s direct mail? You want to request additional information or otherwise? You can not write your message in particular purpose, if you do not have it.

Conclusion

This might seem like a lot of work, but it should be. Professional writers have been going through this process for decades, and with full justification. Today, the world’s information overload, it is more important than ever to take these steps before mailing your letters. Consumers have seen and heard all this before, so you have to go the extra mile to establish themselves – and your messages – in addition to what they have seen before.

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U.S. Real Estate Forecast From A Supply

On any given day, people can easily find articles and news stories describing an impending bust of the so-called real estate bubble. Despite this gloomy prediction, many experts believe that the recent slowdown in housing will be a gradual and modest readjustment rather than sharp bust or decline. These experts believe that factors that lead to a sharp decline in the real estate market are just not present in the current economic outlook. In fact, a recent study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University noted that “despite the current cool-down, the long-term outlook for housing is bright.”

The rise and fall of the real estate market is subject to the forces of supply and demand, and these factors point to stable and positive growth in the real estate segment.

SUPPLY FACTORS

Limited supply of real estate makes it scarce and usually pushes home prices up. In contrast, an oversupply of real estate tends to put downward pressure on home prices. Despite the current slow down in the real estate market, factors that impact limited supply favor continued growth in the real estate market. Some of these factors include:

1. Builders have readjusted growth plans in regions that have an oversupply of new housing. Over time, any excess inventory is likely to be depleted and equilibrium achieved between supply and demand.

2. The availability of land in certain regions, as well land use regulations and associated compliance costs will continue to restrict the supply of new homes.

DEMAND FACTORS:

Housing located in regions with high demand tend to be more expensive than homes in regions with low demand. Factors that impact the demand for housing suggests a favorable long-term housing outlook. Some of these factors include:

1. No current evidence of significant and across-the-board job losses; forecasts of relatively low unemployment rates.

2. Long-term increased demand for second homes, vacation homes and senior housing by baby boomers.

3. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by the children of baby boomers.

4. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by immigrants.

5. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by second-generation Americans.

6. Forecasts that the outflows and inflows of the US population in and out different regions will not significantly impact the overall US real estate housing market.

7. Relative stability in interest rates.

8. Continued stability in long-term home appreciation rates.

9. Overall, rising rate of wealth across all age groups.

SUMMARY

In summary, strong household growth, overall rising incomes and wealth, and a stable economy all bode well for continued long-term growth in the real estate market. While the overall housing outlook is favorable, affordability will continue to be a challenge, as wages, especially in the lower income levels, have not kept up with housing costs.

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Do You Need A Real Estate Appraiser When Buying A Home Or Condo?

When considering buying or selling homes, condo or any other type of real estate, you will likely need the services of real estate appraiser. An appraiser performs an assessment of the property and other real estate to help establish its value. Although there are several ways to use appraisers to determine the value of real estate (for example, the cost method, income method and the method of comparison), accommodation, comparison method (also known as market value) is the most common approach. Estimator job is to provide an opinion on the value of the property based on its “highest and best use.” If funding for the purchase of property, your lender typically requires an assessment to make sure that the property actually worth the amount temporarily.

Real Estate Appraisers charged with a fully objective assessment of the property and typically provide a written report on the evaluation. This is accomplished by physical inspection of the property, as well as comparison with other similar properties for which the cost has already been established. For the determination of the cost, the appraiser collects information such as size of property, size of the lot, location, condition, the most efficient use of property, facilities, etc.

After this initial inspection, appraiser May Scout neighborhood of ownership compared to other similar properties in the neighborhood of age, size, price, etc. Then the appraiser collects additional data from several sources, such as the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which provides information on current and recent comparable sales. An appraiser also collects information from its past experience in the local market. All these sources of information were taken into account when writing the evaluation report, which will provide estimates of the value of the property.

There are many reasons to use the services of a qualified appraiser. When buying real estate appraisal provides you with a negotiating tool and helps ensure that the price you pay is necessary. If you sell your property, the assessment will help you determine a price. In addition to real estate and mortgage transactions, you may need to order the evaluation of reducing the tax burden (when actually cost less than the limits set by tax authorities) to determine the replacement cost of insurance, real estate, and so resolved Estimator only assesses the value of the property. Real Estate Appraisers, should not be confused with a home inspector.

When considering buying or selling homes, condo or any other type of real estate, you can use the services of a qualified real estate appraiser, who will assess the market value of your property.

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