Tag Archives for " marketing "

Toronto Real Estate-Did your agent tell you they charge a marketing fee to the Selling Agent?

By Andrew John Cocks | Richmond Hill Mls Listings

Toronto Real Estate-Did your agent tell you they charge a marketing fee to the Selling Agent?

Article by Diane Plant, Broker

What is a real estate marketing fee?Simply put-it is an arbitrary amount of money a Listing Agent will charge a Selling Agent for helping him/her market the property they are listing on MLS.

My question to the Seller is-why did you hire that Listing Agent if they were going to charge another agent to sell the listing?

Did your agent disclose the fact that they were going to charge a marketing fee? Did you Mr./Mrs. Seller know that that marketing fee could negatively impact your listing, no showings or reduced shoings?

The marketing fee is found on the Broker’s portion of the listing and these are just a few examples of how it looks when a realtor sees your listing. Note:The 2.5% is what the Selling Broker gets, and that is on the MLS Agreement you signed, but the -$ 50, or -$ 300 or -$ 100 is the amount being deducted from the Selling Brokerage commission and probably was not disclosed to you.

CB Comm: 2.5% -$ 50

CB Comm: 2.5% -$ 300

CB Comm: 2.5$ -$ 100

We all know that the Code of Ethics forbids us from “black-balling” a listing. Let’s get real. If there are 5 listings in a given area that an agent is looking at to show, 4 do not have a marketing fee and 1 does. Is the Selling Agent going to bother showing the one with a fee, unless it is written up to pre-sell that it can not be passed over?

I think that agents should fully disclose what the Listing Brokerage receives, what the Selling Brokerage receives and what the Listing Agent is going to charge (if any) another agent for selling their listing. Oh, by the way, Mr/Mrs Seller-did you get an accounting of exactly what your agent is going to do for you to market your property. That marketing fee might just be a money grab and your listing agent just puts your property on MLS and hopes it will sell.

**********************************************************************************

I proudly server buyers and sellers in the Toronto Neighbourhoods of: Forest Hill, Cedarvale, North York, North Toronto, Summit Heights, Wilson Height, Bathurst Manor, Leaside, Bayview, Thornhill, Richmond Hill and all surrounding areas.

Whether you’re buying or selling and looking for a Toronto Realtor or feel free to e-mail or phone us and we will be happy to guide you through your real estate experience.

Diane Plant, Broker Forest Hill Real Estate, Brokerage (416) 488-2875Email: diane@team-plant.com

Visit MY Website http://www.propertysearchintoronto.com

Internet Marketing Ideas for Real Estate Business

By Andrew John Cocks | Real Estate Business Listings

by iPostcodes.com.au

Internet Marketing Ideas for Real Estate Business

Article by Rick Castro

Internet marketing ideas in real estate businessThere is no doubt that internet marketing captures greater attention of propagating one’s business and superior exposure online. This approach has taken advantage by businesses in various sectors and one of them is the real estate industry. Real estate as we all know generally deals with selling and leasing properties such as apartments for rent, condominiums, also house and lot for sale and now because of the emergence of internet and its effective marketing platforms, real estate professionals sees it as good marketing tool.

Marketing your real estate business online is fun and exciting activity to deal with but then, competition is within the line for all businesses (just like life-blood on their veins). Therefore as you’ve experienced tough fight and competition in the conventional way of marketing, as a result you must prepare for a hard line fight online. In this world what matter most is being on the top page on major search engines and it’s not enough to only have website, it must be competitive with others with unique features, stunning appearance and most of all thorough real estate marketing ideas.

Here are some useful internet marketing ideas you might consider

1. Updating your home page – your home page serve as your face in presenting your services. People always wanted to see lovely and attractive characters. Since this is the very first thing they could see and if they when they found it not appealing then you might have busted or obtained big turn-off! Therefore to avoid this drastic incident, much better when you bring up to date with your home page by adding fresh contents with regard to updates, news, special offers and happenings etc. in your business, also adding up some pictures (must be attractive and can see in reality) would do help boost your ranking and positive leads.

2. Uploading video – videos can serve an informative source as people sometimes lazy of reading and finding written resources so this could be a good alternative solution. Simply be courageous when you put videos make sure that’s it captures the attention of viewers once they opt and click it, make it real that the main theme is within it.

3. Mingle with social networks – as we know the mere fact that social networks greatly influence people lives therefore it could be use as an effective internet marketing tool of getting in touch with your prospective customers. You can have your own business profile account within those well-known social sites such as Facebook, Twitter or others you opt. In order to be active in the community you certainly need to have connections and guest what? As an online business marketer you are obliged to start new connections by inviting friends, colleagues and others who might be interested in your service based on their profile and what they are looking for. The process would not end as you successfully acquire new connections; people always want active response so you must be active all the time making certain updates with regards to products and services you’ve offered. Additionally making good social connections might generate to earn more exposure also good conversion as your satisfied customers might be your asset in marketing your products from all of their friends list and that’s define infinite success!

4. Create your own blogs – this is another great and helpful resource to consider, having a blog. This defines wide coverage and one of the useful blog to create is guest post as you can reach to new contributors who found in need of service that matches what you provided. Writing a good guest post means like extending your service and relating the occurrence in your own area in a certain location. By doing this you might obtain another great source and asset in marketing your services as you’ve possible get positive response and referral connection with some professionals agents on that area.

www.digmarketing.com Google Business Directory Listings are a great way for real estate agents to get free traffic to their real estate website and find clients online. Get more information on selling homes online and Internet marketing at www.digmarketing.org

Positive Features That Define A Qualified Real Estate Marketing Agent

By Andrew John Cocks | Real Estate Sales Agent

by Show Appeal Realty

Positive Features That Define A Qualified Real Estate Marketing Agent

Article by Dave Spearson

Any kind of house requires the help of a real estate marketing agent for it to be successfully sold at a profit. However, only qualified agents can deliver the sale of the house in good time. To become a good agent, be sure to observe the key features.

You should start by getting the best education in line with job. In the current market, many firms offer learning to their marketing staff. This has always enabled them come out with the knowledge of how to carry out the trade and how to treat their clients well.

In line with this, good experience is always key to get the job done effectively. If you want to become the best agent, start by looking for an internship program to familiarize you with the actual market. This way, you will get working experience and use it when you come to doing the real work. Many of the firms that will offer you internship will expose you to the real work and not the theoretical part. This will sharpen your skills well when it comes to marketing.

Good communication will ensure that you get to keep your clients. By knowing what to say, you will find out that the clients get to trust and enjoy your company when seeking a good house. Check on this when it comes to offering services to the clients.

In line with this, to be a reputable trusted agent, always ensure that you have the available options at your fingertips. Different clients will always have different tastes and needs. Thus, you should be in a position to offer them with options that will suit their immediate needs.

You also must be good at Math if you want to stand out as the best agent. Many of the clients will try asking for price cuts and discounts before making the payment. Be sure that you give them the right price tag and that you are ready to bargain with them so that you do not incur losses at the final end.

Another key feature that defines a reputable agent is how well he makes the follow up. Many of the clients forget on the deals and will require that you update them on the new developments. This will always act as a reminder to them and even help them make the purchase in due time. However, when making follow-ups, ensure that you use the right tone and call at the convenient time. Some of the clients may raise complaints of you make constant calls to them. Therefore, be sure to avoid such actions.

In line with these, you should also be ready to adopt with the happenings in the market. Some clients will always talk negatively about your home while others will tend to give you a very low price for a good house. Be ready to understand and move on from the negative aspects related to the trade.

Good real estate marketing agents will always enjoy a good client base. You should ensure that you give your clients the best services so that they will always come back for more. You can use the Internet to learn on the latest trends and business languages that the agents use to keep their consumers at hand.

Dave is a real estate expert who specializes in real estate marketing tools.

Methods Of Real Estate Mobile Marketing

By Andrew John Cocks | Photos Of Real Estate

by Ron Sombilon Gallery

Methods Of Real Estate Mobile Marketing

Article by Dave Spearson

One of the major achievements in communication industry is the invention of cell phones. Most people in the world uses a phone or in position of a phone. The developments of internet enable cell phones have improved communication. This communication device can be purchased by any average individual hence communication through this medium has become convenient to very many people. Therefore any advertisement or business done through this medium can be received by very many people. This gives a reason why real estate mobile marketing has developed into a common practice and applies as stated bellow.

The use of text messages by potential buyers and sellers to communicate and exchange in formation on demand and supply of property. The introduction of automated message services has greatly improved this marketing method. A potential investor gets all the required information about a property via SMS.

The use of mobile web has also enabled home seekers and sellers to communicate. Since most phones have access to the internet and very many people have access to internet as compared to those accessing the net via computers. Advertisement s can be accessed via phone web thus investors have resorted in the development of related sites to advertise the homes. It is however advisable that one uses sites compatible with all browses to enable easy view of their site.

Some development brought about by the use of this technique includes; a link between a property seller and potential buyers. All the facts information and possible inquiries about a property can be easily exchanged via short message services this help to control pricing system of different holdings and no specific individual can influence the price to sale the asset, this is left for price mechanism i. E., price and supply analysis. A home seeker can also subscribe for SMS alert service whereby one receives updates about any home on sale. Sellers also get through this service providers relevant information on potential customers

Upcoming investors in home development can syndicate their investments to top real estate websites. This enables advertisement of assets online to be accessed by more people. One major advantage being popularity of this websites, these agencies equally have modern application software enabling full cell phone browser functionality.

The invention of quick response codes abbreviated as QR codes i. E., a potential investor uses mobile scanning device to scan a bar-code square on flairs, bill board or on actual property. All the required information is displayed via cell phone, hence easy access of detailed information of a property. This system work best on property signs, and uses realtors to sale the property.

It allows for Personal Branding of t property. Brand of a Firm or seller should appear in SMS sent to consumers. And all text replies to consumers should have links to their cell phone websites. This websites have different functions and have relevant photos maps and vivid description of the property with search engines for property searches, mortgage valuation and possibly linked to social networks.

Professionals should take advantage of the chances to take advantage of the technology. More investors can benefit from this advantage of real estate mobile marketing to improve their business using display ads and search engines.

Dave is a real estate consultant who specializes in real estate marketing tips.

Marketing Your Barrie Waterfront Property

By Andrew John Cocks | Ontario Waterfront Properties For Sale

Marketing Your Barrie Waterfront Property

Those lazy, hazy days of summer have long passed on Lake Simcoe and our thoughts have now turned to the Holidays, family get togethers and perhaps a trip to the sunny south to get away from the ice and snow.

Just as the seasons change, so do we. For many different reasons such as health, lifestyle change, economics or retirement, a Barrie waterfront property may not have the same appeal it did at one time. If this is a recreational property and you are maintaining another residence, the property taxes, maintenance and insurance costs can really add up. Perhaps freeing up some of your investment so you can enjoy more of your retirement is something worth considering. If this sounds like your situation you’ve come to the right place!

When it comes to marketing Barrie luxury homes and waterfront properties, you are dealing with an entirely different market than the average home.

Less than 1% of potential buyers are looking for luxury homes in the City of Barrie and surrounding area making that market very narrow.

There are currently 1477 homes listed on the Barrie & District MLS system with 192 having a listing price of over $ 600,000, and 50 of them being waterfront properties. * That’s 13% of our inventory currently available on the market giving potential luxury Buyers lots of choices. So, how do you make sure your home attracts the attention of those buyers?

That’s where an experienced Realtor comes in! First of all, setting the right price is the most important factor in the marketing of your home.

Pricing the property to sell involves more than just a “For Sale” sign and some ads in a Toronto paper hoping that a suitable buyer will be sitting down reading a small ad in the “out of town properties” section, calling an agent and then putting an offer in on your home.

Today’s luxury home buyers are affluent and educated. They’ve done their homework. The first place they will look is the Internet at www.Realtor.ca or Google using specific key word searches like “Barrie waterfront property for sale” or “Lake Simcoe luxury homes”, to see what is available in the area they are interested in.

An experienced Realtor will show you the comparable sales and current listings of waterfront properties similar to yours and together, will set a realistic sale price to get your home sold! Potential sellers should also do their homework and know the competition in their neighborhood. For luxury and waterfront homes, many factors come into play, not just the proximity to waterfront or the square footage of the home, but the quality of the high end finishing today’s high end buyers demand. Check out some of the neighborhood open houses one weekend and see how your home compares!

Coming soon. Look for Part 2 – Marketing your Luxury Home – Preparing the Home for Sale.

Find More Ontario Waterfront Properties For Sale Articles

Should You FSBO or Use A Realtor?

By Andrew John Cocks | Selling

When it comes time to sell your home, should you try to sell it on your own, or should you list it with a licensed Realtor? Consider the following factors to help you decide:

EXPOSURE

Realtors, or real estate agents, are part of an office of agents, and each of them knows of buyers that are currently in the market for a home. Their buyers are pre-qualified, that is, they have already seen a lender and have qualified for a loan so the buyer knows exactly how much they can afford, and the Realtor does too. In many areas, a realtor won’t even show homes to a buyer until they pre-qualify. The process saves a lot of wasted time on everybody’s part.

Contrast this with the prospect of you putting up a “For Sale” sign in your front yard, and having to deal with people that will be calling you to talk about your house and want to walk through it, even though they don’t have the resources to actually buy it. In the end, they are just wasting your time.

Realtors also have contact with many people from out of town who are relocating to your area. Each realtor in town gets contacted frequently through their website, by people that are looking for a home by long-distance. They may be coming to town soon to look at available homes for a few days. The Realtor lines up a number of homes for them to tour that fit their criteria. One of them could be yours.

But, if you FSBO, that potential buyer won’t know your house is on the market until they get to town, if then.

EXPERIENCE

A real estate agent will be able to assist in setting the right price to list your home, according to the current market conditions.

A real estate agent is a trained professional who will spend the necessary amount of time it may take to get your home SOLD.

The agent understands and will take care of all the necessary paperwork to complete the buying process. The agent will also act as a liaison between you and the inspectors, thebuyer’s agent, and between attorneys, if they are involved.

Most buyers prefer to deal with a real estate agent because the agent will give them the unbiased professional opinion on a house, and how it stacks up against other houses on the market.

Agents understand all the different types of loans and financing options. They can provide information to buyers about local lending institutions to fit their needs.

ADVERTISING

Realtors have many ways to advertise your home, not just a newspaper ad and a “For Sale” sign in the yard. They also utilize the following ways to advertise a home:

The Multiple Listing Service

Open Houses

Web sites like Realtor.com and Yahoo Real Estate

Direct mail

Newspaper inserts

Regional Real Estate Magazines

Cable TV

Realtor “Caravans” where 30 or more Realtors will tour your home and then match it to their prospective buyers.
How much of this marketing muscle can you flex if you FSBO?

SHOWING YOUR HOME

Agents have expertise to help you get your home in top shape before your prospective buyers arrive. They can help you “stage” your home to look more like a model home that would appeal to a larger group of buyers. They know how to emphasize and focus on your homes good points.

If you FSBO you will be learning the process as you go, a costly education when you are trying to sell your own home.

SUMMARY

With all the time, knowledge, effort, and paperwork it takes to sell a home, you should take some of the work, frustration and fear out of the process, and hire a professional!

Home Staging: Making Your Home Sellable

By Andrew John Cocks | Selling

You’ve listed your home and the agent wants to start showing it to prospective buyers. Here’s a few tips to help it look its best.

You may have already read the importance of clearing out clutter. Well, that’s because it can’t be stressed enough. It is one of the most important aspects of making your home appealing to buyers, for two reasons. First, not just papers and dishes, clutter includes decorations and furniture too. Too much of it can block a persons view of the house itself. If everywhere they look they see stuff, a buyer doesn’t see your home. It is imperative that they have a clear view, or they won’t want to buy. Second, all that clutter screams personality. Your personality. And this is not what a buyer wants to see. When someone is looking over a home, what they need to do in order to be motivated to buy is to imagine themselves living in that home. If the house is so full of the current owner, a potential buyer can’t get past that and make the mental leap to visualizing themselves in the home.

Because of this, some sellers choose to box up a lot of their personal goods and put them in professional storage. This gets it right out of the house, so even the boxes aren’t clogging up the spare rooms and closets, which are also important selling features.

It is also important to fix things around the home. Keep in mind how well the doors around your home work, as buyers will almost always open closets and cupboards. If the doors are sticky or squeak, that gives a bad first impression. Obviously, your front door is the first candidate for a good hinge-oiling.

While you certainly don’t want to enter into major renovations, a new coat of paint can really brighten up a home and make it more appealing. Consider both the outside and inside of your home. And as tempting as it is to choose trendy colors or things you are personally attracted to, neutral tones are best. White or off-white are your safest bets as they will help a home appear bright, and give a new owner a good base if they wish to paint the home more uniquely.

Speaking of a bright home, be sure to leave all the lights on when your home is being shown. Open all the curtains, too, so that viewers feel that your home is bright and welcoming, and they can see clearly. Dusting every surface also helps your home look brighter.

Consider smell, an important sense that impacts our first impression. Do a good deep cleaning, especially if you have pets or smoke indoors. Air the home out a bit. You may wish to install some air fresheners, but be sure not to choose anything too overwhelming, as more and more people have sensitivities to scents these days.

Good luck with showing your home!