12 Tips to Make Money in Real Estate

12 Tips to Make Money in Real Estate

When you invest in real estate, you invest in something tangible. You can look at it, feel it, drive by with your friends, point out the window, and say, “I own that”. For some people, that’s important psychologically.

Real estate investments have traditionally been a terrific inflation hedge to protect against a loss in purchasing power of the dollar.

When it comes to real estate investing there are multiple ways to earn a dollar. Here are

12 tips to make money in real estate.

1. Taking calculated risks by implementing the LOANs strategy
This is a real bonafide strategy. Using other’s money can help you get started. You can make a fortune in real estate by taking out loans. You might not even be able to get a credit card so you try to put deals together with no expenses other than a phone number.

If you are going to own real estate, on the other hand, then you need to be prepared to take out a lot of debt — or leverage — to finance your property with the least amount of down payment. This can be risky because there are laws stating the minimum that you must put down to buy property in different jurisdiction. Some articles recommend risking it all by taking out credit cards. This is fine if this fits your appetite for risk and using hard money. Just be respectful of the fact that you have to pay this money back. In most cases loans with higher interest rates are meant for short term uses. Some people buy their property free-and-clear.

Leveraging Other’s Assets Now Strategy

2. Care about your tenants by improving your property
What’s the point taking all of the risk if you don’t care about the property?

Many investors don’t care about the condition of the property. They care about getting paid. Some investors would rather offer discounts on rent than make an improvement to their property. This tells me that they are undercapitalized or just aren’t good business people. If you want to invest in property you should care about making improvements to it to optimize the property’s value.Plan for your property to be damaged, budget to repair your property, and take people to court to recover costs. Real estate is built around contracts. If you want to enforce your contracts you have to take them to court often to get liens, judgments, and help getting tenants out of properties. Make sure to talk to your lawyers.

3. Condos vs SFR (Single Family Residence), make for better rental properties
What property type should you choose? Your property type should depend on the real estate itself, however most real estate professionals prefer a specific real estate niche. If you are in real estate you have probably heard the industry adage, “Never fall in love with real estate…fall in love with the ROI.” So what real estate ventures can provide a return on investment (ROI) a real estate investor can love? It’s been said by sites and realtors that condos make for better investments than single family residences, however, it really is based on the numbers. Decide whether you are a cash flow investor or capital gains investor, analyze your deals and make your decisions. It seems that mobile homes and mobile home parks are popular right now.

4. Find partners that you can trust
At some point during business growth, it may make sense to take on a partner. Too much work, you’re stretched too thin, missed opportunities. A good business partner may be the solution – and you can take a day off once in a while.

Finding a business partner is a lot like finding a partner in life. A solid foundation is based on trust and respect for each other. Your business partner will be an integral part of your life.

Finding partners you can trust is a key element for all types of relationships in real estate. Like all relationships, business partnerships are built on trust and mutual value. The beginning phases of these relationships are critical to establishing that trust and value. You need to prove to a potential partner that working together is in both of your best interests, right from your initial conversations.

Eight Ways To Build Trust-Based Relationships With Potential Business Partners

5. Diversification is key
Diversification is important, as with any investment, so plan to buy lots of property, a big portfolio of real estate assets, or do deals. If you do deals by being the middle man, you only need a few good connections to strike it rich. Consider investing in assets outside of real estate to diversify as well.

6. Start local
Robert Kiyosaki mentioned in one of his real estate courses to focus on your local neighborhood and get to know the market well. Focusing locally is a great strategy because you are not far from your property and know what is going on. It can be more difficult doing out-of-state deals because you have to build trust with the people you are dealing with at a distance. It’s good to be able to fly to meet cash buyers and motivated sellers face-to-face. Once you connect with buyers and sellers, you can meet them face-to-face — it’s up to you! You have the potential to become an international expert when you start local.

7. Know Your Neighborhood
As we mentioned previously, starting local is a great strategy. Get connected with local experts who know about the specifics of each neighborhood before you invest. There are such drastic demographic changes between close neighborhoods in the U.S. that it’s good to know people in those locations who you trust, you can joint venture with or consult and to visit those locations yourself so you can see the difference in the areas which you are investing. Some of you invest in such big packages which make it prohibitive to visit every single neighborhood but it’s a good idea for smaller investors to visit where they are investing. Even some coaches visit where they invest.

8. Find a niche
Finding a niche is really important. You do not need to be expert in everything. You need to be exceptional at a few things and customers will buy, tenants will rent, cash buyers will invest. You can try to be an expert in many phases of real estate, or you can specialize in a niche market and become the authority in that market. There are many highly successful real estate agents and brokers that have narrowed their real estate marketing niche focus to a specific geographical area, a type of property or a category of consumer. Recognizing the opportunities that are out there and selecting a niche that appeals to you can be a lucrative strategy. Here are just a few niches to get you started…

• For Sale By Owner Properties (FSBO's)
• Resort and Vacation Homes
• Hispanics are a growing home-buying group.
• More and more Singles are buying homes every year.
• Baby boomers, or Seniors are a huge market influence.
• Luxury Homes - A market requiring specialized skills and money.
• Condominium buyers and sellers offer a great niche opportunity.

9. Pick Trending Markets
In tip 6 remember Robert Kiyosaki mentioned to focus on your local neighborhood? Contrary to starting local, Forbes recommends going where the money is. In this article, David Lichtenstein recommends following hot industries in order to know where prices will go up. He believes that trend spotting is very important to accumulating wealth in real estate quickly. Getting a jump on the upcoming trends can have a positive financial impact on your real estate business. Here are Housing Market Predications for 2019.

10. Have good tax accounting
Claim capital expenses on your taxes to defer paying taxes. Rollover your properties to new investment properties so you don’t have to pay taxes on the sale of one property when upgrading to a bigger one with more doors which cash flows better. Learn the different tax laws in each market so that you don’t miss out on investing in all of the hot markets with the biggest price appreciation. Consult your tax professional.

11. Get control of as many properties as you can while mortgage rates are at historical lows
Debt is still debt. You have to be careful of taking on too much debt because interest rates can rise and you can be over leveraged, unable to refinance, and go bankrupt. With so many countries going into negative interest rates, who knows where interest rates will go. With low interest rates it is more affordable to own property.

Good Debt - There's no better example of the old adage "it takes money to make money" than good debt. Good debt helps you generate income and increases you net worth.

Bad Debt - While even "good debt" can have a downside, certain debts are downright bad. Items that fit into this category include all debts incurred to purchase depreciating assets. In other words, "if it won't go up in value or generate income, you shouldn't go into debt to buy it."

12. Build a lead generation system
“Systems and technology have leveled the playing field.” - Josh Altman, the star of the hit TV show Million Dollar Listing. Some real estate investors have their own IDX integrated sites with lists of 80,000 cash buyers, which really help them, get deals done in their local market when a distressed seller calls them. However, you need to have your own lead generation system to make this happen. Placester provides tools that will help you increase your sales however, look to pay an annual fee of $1,200 to $3,000 if you need an entire IDX integrated site and email marketing. Your real estate leads are your bread and butter. However, you don’t have to start from scratch and you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars to get started. This is why RECBL provides verified real estate cash buyers for agents, brokers, wholesalers and investors to help real estate professionals with real estate ventures. RECBL provides real estate cash buyer packages starting at only $10. Also, with each package, we make sure you are able to access the free real estate property software and free real estate email marketing software.

Here is an article on the marketing trends to pay attention to in 2019.

How much are you going to make in real estate in the next ten years?

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3 Facebook Updates That Affect the Way You Advertise

3 Facebook Updates That Affect the Way You Advertise

RECBL - Real Estate News

You’ve spent months, maybe even years mastering the art of advertising your real estate business on Facebook; however, there is one constant that we can always count on in regards to Facebook: change. Change can either benefit your current position by giving you more options to work with, or throw you a couple of months off track while you master the updates that replaced features you were accustomed to using or that worked to your advantage.

In the last couple of months, Facebook has rolled out new updates to their Ads Manager that affect the way you advertise your listings, business, and yourself as a REALTOR(R).

These updates include the removal of key options in detailed targeting and the addition of new options to target audiences and new ad layouts that give audiences a more engaging experience.

Facebook Updates

1. Detailed Targeting
In September 2017, Facebook exposed anti-Semitic ad targeting options in the job title/employer sections of their detailed targeting options. Anti-Semitic groups used these options to target ads to hate groups. Facebook quickly took action and removed "self-reported targeting fields" to help the fight against hate speech and discrimination.

However, in the attempt to fight hate and discrimination, Facebook removed a lot of the job title/employer options real estate professionals use to target ads to their audiences. For instance, targeting using job titles such as "real estate sales agent, agent/broker, broker/owner, REALTOR(R)" (options that were once available) are not available anymore.

As winter approaches and you create your 2018 social media marketing plan, this is the perfect time to get organized with Ads Manager and start researching the options available to create the perfect, detailed targeting list.

2. Event Interaction
A great way for agents to bring in leads for open houses is by using Facebook events. Sending all your followers an event invite for your open house can give you insight into those who are interested in the property. Facebook has seen the potential for advertisers to target followers who show interest in the event and are now allowing ads to be targeted to anyone who has marked the invite as "interested," "going," or both.

After the open house, take the list of "interested" invitees and send them a promoted ad of the listing. That way, you gain lead information from those who attended and possibly even those who showed interest in the event, doubling your chances of getting the property sold before the slow winter season.

3. New Canvas Layouts
Canvas ads are beautiful, interactive ads that not many REALTORS(R) seem to use. This ad type takes more time to create, but allows audiences to engage with the ad by choosing the direction they want the ad to take them (you can watch a video of canvas ads here). The only issue with canvas ads was the limited number of templates Facebook had available. Seeing the potential, Facebook released new templates for users to pick from.

Imagine using canvas ads to take your audience through a virtual tour of a home. The first image is the front of the house; followers can then click through the ad to see the home, room by room, in the order that they want to go, falling more in love with the property. This ad type pairs well with the event ad-targeting update to reach followers who couldn’t make it to your open house.

Facebook has been busy this third quarter releasing update after update, and there’s only one thing we know for sure: they will continue to release updates. As a professional using Facebook to advertise your business, you need to grow and expand your knowledge of their ad services, or you can let Homes.coms Social Fuel handle all your Facebook advertising needs. Social Fuel creates ads and posts social content for you so you can focus on selling homes.

For more information, please visit connect.homes.com.

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Bigger Isn't Always Better

Bigger Isn't Always Better

RECBL - Real Estate News

The National Association of REALTORS(R) reported that existing-home sales finished 2017 at 5.45 million, up from 2016 (5.25 million) and the highest since 2006 (6.48 million).

This was certainly good news for the health of our industry, but creates a math problem for those keeping score on the leading real estate portals. How? Let’s run the numbers.

​With about 5.5 million homes sold in a year, that means there are 11 million sides to a completed transaction.

If we assume that there might be two partners on each side of the home-buying and -selling process, then we have a total of 22 million actual participants in a completed existing-home transaction-in a full year. That begs the question: What are 180 million unique users doing on the largest real estate portal brands websites-in a month? We can safely draw the conclusion that most of them aren’t buying and selling a home this month, or next month, or even this year. Trying to find an actual consumer with intent to buy or sell a home in a sea of more than 100 million users per month can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack...and might yield diminishing returns for brokers and agents who advertise on these sites.

Which is why at Homes.com, were not focused on generating a bigger and bigger audience; were focused on delivering the right audience-a transaction-ready consumer for faster conversion to a closed transaction. Through the second quarter of 2017, we’ve averaged around 9 million unique visitors per month, a number that aligns well with the actual number of active homebuyers and sellers in a month. And these visitors are actively looking to buy, rent and sell homes, not browsing home value estimates or looking at home design styles. Over 90 percent of page views on Homes.com occur in our Homes for Sale or Rent sections.

One key to the high-quality traffic on Homes.com is how we source our users. We don’t spend money to advertise on broadcast and cable television, where the majority of viewers aren’t currently in the market to buy or sell a home. Nearly 90 percent of our traffic is organic-either users typing Homes.com directly into their browser or finding Homes.com via natural search results on Google or Bing, often searching "homes for sale" in a particular city, zip code or neighborhood.

Another key to quality traffic is providing an outstanding user experience. The most important component of the real estate search experience is the quality of the property data. Local MLSs are the best source of local listing data, which is why we work closely with local brokers and MLS executives to earn the right to display the content you work so hard to generate. We know we aren’t entitled to your data, and that we must earn your trust by doing what’s right. That’s why, for example, listing agents always receive all leads from their listings on Homes.com, whether they’re a paid advertiser with us or not. I encourage you to ask your other real estate portal partners if they do that.

Speaking of quality user experience, well be unveiling some exciting changes to Homes.com in the coming weeks. We’ve been hard at work building the most engaging and user-friendly home search site available, and were just about ready to share it with the world-but you still won’t see us advertising it on TV. Instead, well be targeting actual homebuyers and sellers, connecting them with the best brokers and agents in our industry.

We won’t be chasing the biggest audience-just the most transaction-ready.

David Mele is president of Homes.com.

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4 Tips for Mastering Marketing

4 Tips for Mastering Marketing

RECBL - Real Estate News

Technology is changing the face of the real estate industry more and more every day, and it’s also changing the way real estate professionals sell homes.

While prospective buyers used to simply browse their local newspaper to find their dream home, the internet has changed the game by providing an endless supply of online tools buyers can use to facilitate the process.

Social media in particular has become the go-to medium for home searches around the world.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a few technical considerations that will help you use technology to reach prospective buyers.

Maintain Current Relationships
While it’s easy to get caught up in the buzz, it’s important to remember that the relationships you’ve built with current customers are more important than any new web technology, smartphone app or electronic craze. In the end, it’s these relationships that will keep your business growing.

Reinforcing existing relationships with customers is just as important as updating your Facebook status or pinning on Pinterest. A simple thank you card or personalized magnetic notepad will not only provide a lasting impression and reminder of you and your business, but also go a long way toward keeping you relevant in today’s fast-paced environment.

Build Your Online Presence
Take the time to build your online presence in order to keep up with the growing population of buyers who are on social media and perusing websites and other digital sources of information that are relevant to the real estate industry. While building business via grassroots marketing strategies can still work. The potential for doing so online far outreaches any traditional marketing strategies.

Social media provides the perfect place to promote your business and current listings. As you build your online presence, you will undoubtedly attract a bigger audience, which will help spread the word about your listings.

Incorporate Video Into the Mix
Video is another great strategy that can help you boost your business. Typically drawing a larger audience than text-heavy pieces, videos provide a more effective way of building relationships with new and existing customers. In addition, videos offer a more personalized approach to promoting your business or listings.

Utilize a CRM System
Customer relationship management systems provide you with the tools you need to keep information related to your customers organized and easily accessible. A good CRM will not only ensure you’re always prepared for whatever the situation may require, but it will also help you stay on point by providing the best customer service at a moment’s notice. A CRM system can also help you capture and follow up on more leads than you’d be able to if you weren’t using one.

Technology is becoming more and more essential in the real estate industry, and it’s important that you learn to embrace it and incorporate it into your everyday business activities. Mastering the latest trends in technology and making yourself visible online will not only grow your business, but also help build upon the relationships you’ve already cultivated.

John Bunker is marketing director at RealEstateCalendars.com.

For more information, please visit www.realestatecalendars.com.

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How to Promote Your Listings on Facebook

How to Promote Your Listings on Facebook

RECBL - Real Estate News

Agents are forever in need of new methods to generate more business and close more deals. The rise of digital marketing has created a big splash, and for good reason. It’s incredibly powerful and should not be overlooked. Why, and how, should agents be using Facebook to boost their business? With over 2 billion active users, the power of Facebooks audience is undeniable.

Approximately 30 percent of Facebook users are between the ages of 25 and 34, making it the largest age demographic on the social network.

Thirty-four percent of homebuyers are under the age of 36, according to the National Association of REALTORS(R) (NAR). Those two trends go hand-in-hand and should be dictating real estate agents marketing efforts.

Agents need to be experimenting with Facebook advertising in order to meet client expectations and remain competitive. It’s easy to get left behind in today’s fast-moving market. Agents should be improving and scaling their marketing efforts to keep up with competitors and maintain a positive reputation.

Client expectations are changing. Efforts such as social media marketing are now not only preferred, but expected. Homeowners want to be confident that their agent is digital-savvy and will go above and beyond to market their listing. Gaining massive exposure through social media channels provides that necessary peace of mind for homeowners. The more eyes an agent can get their listing in front of, the better.

The reality is, Facebook has built their advertising interface for digital marketers. The majority of agents don't have the know-how or time to properly advertise their listings on a regular basis because they’re juggling hundreds of other tasks and it isn’t their specialty. This doesn’t mean they’re exempt from the need to execute in this area, however. It means that they need to leverage tools that help them up their marketing game efficiently and effectively. Moxi Works recently released a new feature, called Advertise Your Listing, within the Moxi Engage CRM that simplifies and expedites this process. Advertise Your Listing empowers real estate agents to leverage Facebook advertising to reach massive audiences, impress their clients, and, in turn, win more business.

So where do agents even begin? Once they have a tool that is simple and efficient, they can begin promoting each time they win a new listing. Here are a few tips for agents getting started:

• Select a great image - Social media is visual. A great image of the property is what is going to catch people’s attention and drive engagement online.

• Focus on gaining reach - You already know how to sell a home. What you really want to do is impress your clients by showing them how many thousands of people saw their listing.

• Make sure your website is up to date - Improving your presence online through Facebook is great, but make sure your agent website is up to date as well. This way, if people want to learn more about you, see other listings, or contact you, it’s easy for them to do so.

If they’re using a tool like Advertise Your Listing, which is connected to the MLS, agents won’t have to worry about any manual data entry, making the process quick and painless.

Facebook advertising needs to become a part of an agent's repeatable marketing flow in order to stay competitive and efficient. It’s an inexpensive way to exceed client expectations and drive more business. Reaching a massive audience means exposure for both you and the listing, and happy clients means more referrals and a positive reputation.

For more information, please visit www.moxiworks.com.

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The Power of Listings

The Power of Listings

Cash Buyers Lists The Power of Listings
#realestate #cashbuyerslists #listings #luxurylistings #property #house#home #fsbo #forsalebyowner #mls
One thing you’ll learn to do as a team is track everything. By developing great tracking systems, we learn to duplicate the right actions and activities that will generate the business needed to be successful. Your job as the leader, or CEO, of your team is to focus on business development and people development. By tracking the activities which generate business, we learn most team leaders find the greatest success when they focus on listings.
Read More> http://bit.ly/RECBL-March1


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SECRET TO CLOSING MORE DEALS: A PERSONALIZED CMA

Comparative Market Analysis

Cash Buyers Lists News

A birthday card from a loved one, a pair of tickets from your boss to watch your favorite team for completing that big project. The suggested items on Amazon right before completing your purchase. Each of these strikes a particular spot all with a common theme: they’re uniquely personalized to each of us. 

Buying or selling a home is an overwhelming process. Clients today seek out more than just a reputable brokerage; they also want someone whom they can personally identify with to fulfill their aspirations and concerns.

With so many choices available for clients today to represent them, what are you doing to not only earn their trust, but also show a genuine desire to represent their best interests?

Two words: personalized CMA.  A concise, impactful CMA can go a long way towards achieving both with clients. By crafting a personalized, high-quality presentation, it shows your professional and personal investment in their future. Relevant data to consider when crafting a client CMA:

• A thorough description of the property or neighborhood
• Competitive comparison of similar properties in the area
• Impactful, high-resolution images and videos
• Local market trends (average listing time, financial forecasts, etc.)
• Cost breakdown and expectations
• Marketing plan for the house (if a listing CMA)

Each client and market is different, so listening to clients and catering your presentations to their criteria is crucial. Be it drive times to/from work, or educational options in the area, all of it shows your investment in their happiness.

Need help to find creative inspiration for your next CMA? Check out this great listing presentation or example buyer presentation to help guide you in creating your next client presentation.

For more information, please visit moxiworks.com.

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HUD AND VA WORK TO FIND PERMANENT HOMES FOR HOMELESS VETERANS

Cash Buyers Lists News

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced a second round of funding to help provide permanent homes to an estimated 108 veterans experiencing homelessness in seven states.

The rental assistance announced today is provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA (see attached list of HUD's voucher awards).

Recently, HUD, VA and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) announced the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States has been cut nearly in half since 2010. The data revealed a 17 percent decrease in veteran homelessness between January 2015 and January 2016-quadruple the previous years annual decline-and a 47 percent decrease since 2010. Additionally, while answering the Obama administration'sMayor's Challenge to End Veteran's Homelessness, several mayors have declared their cities have officially ended it.

"There is momentum across the nation as community after community effectively ends veteran homelessness," says Secretary Juli?n Castro. "Today's funding will help more cities reach this important goal and ensure that we serve the brave men and women who have served and sacrificed for us. HUD and its local partners are determined to give every veteran the opportunity to secure a safe, stable place to call home."

"The dramatic reduction in Veteran homelessness in recent years would not have been possible without the pairing of housing choice vouchers with case management and supportive services under the HUD-VASH program to help the most vulnerable Veterans become and remain stably housed," says VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. "The HUD-VASH awards announced today will support the ongoing and important work underway to ensure that homelessness among Veterans is rare and non-recurring."
In June, HUD awarded nearly $38 million to help more than 5,200 homeless veterans find homes. That funding ensured that communities could provide the critically needed housing assistance and case management services to those veterans and their families experiencing homelessness.

In 2010, President Obama and 19 federal agencies and offices that form the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) launched the nation's first comprehensive strategy to prevent and end homelessness.Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness serves as a roadmap for how the federal government will work with state and local communities to confront the root causes of homelessness, especially among former servicemen and women. To support communities as they progress towards the goal of ending veteran homelessness, USICH has identified strategies that increase collaboration and coordination among programs serving veterans experiencing homelessness.

Since 2008, more than 79,000 vouchers have been awarded and approximately 111,000 homeless veterans have been served through the HUD-VASH program. Rental assistance and supportive services provided through HUD-VASH are a critical resource for local communities in ending homelessness among our nations Veterans.

In the HUD-VASH program, VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) assess veterans experiencing homelessness before referring them to local housing agencies for these vouchers. Decisions are based on a variety of factors, most importantly the duration of homelessness and the need for longer term, more intensive support in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing. The HUD-VASH program includes both the rental assistance the voucher provides and the comprehensive case management that VAMC staff offers.

Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. VA offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

For more information, visit www.hud.gov.

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WHAT SHOULD HOMEOWNERS KNOW ABOUT ENERGY EFFICIENCY?

Cash Buyers Lists News​

Q: What are the top five things new homeowners need to know about energy efficiency?

A: First-time homebuyers have many questions, ranging in scope from a home's square footage, what the neighborhood is like, whether the asking price is negotiable, and more. Typically, it's not until they receive the first electricity bill that they begin to think about energy efficiency.

As many REALTORS(R) know, new homeowners are one of a kind. They're excited about their purchase, but perhaps nervous about the costs ahead. At Reliant in Texas and NRG Home in the Northeast, we want the electricity bill to be one less thing that causes concern. That's why it's helpful to understand what drives energy use, and how to be more efficient. Naturally, new homeowners consider their REALTOR(R) the go-to source for all things home-related, so here are five energy efficiency tips you can share with first-time homebuyers.

1. Insulation is tops.
For re-sale homes, it's important to make sure the home is well insulated. The most cost-effective improvement any new homeowner can make is adding insulation. Without proper insulation, a home can lose up to 40 percent of cooled or heated air.

2. Heating and cooling account for most energy use.
Did you know that heating and cooling your home can account for up to half of its energy use? Save energy by following these simple tips:

• Follow the 4x4 principle. Setting your thermostat four degrees higher when away from home for more than four hours can help reduce electricity costs.
• Rotate ceiling fans. Turning your fan counter-clockwise during the summer helps create a wind chill effect for a more comfortable living environment. In the winter, set your fan clockwise to move hot air downward.
• Always use the automatic A/C fan setting. Keep your A/C fan on the "auto" position. Turning it to the "on" position can increase energy costs and make it harder for your A/C to maintain the desired temperature.

3. Air filters and vents should not go unnoticed.
Homeowners often overlook replacing air filters, but it's important to change filters regularly to keep your system working efficiently. Also, ensure return air vents are free from obstructions. If air flow is hindered, the system can't operate properly, and your energy bill will suffer.

4. Energy-efficient appliances matter.
If appliances are more than 10 years old, it may be time to invest in new, energy-efficient models, from refrigerators and dishwashers to washers and dryers. Look for the ENERGY STAR(R) label when upgrading.

5. Small actions add up.
Turning lights off when leaving a room and shutting blinds to block summer heat are just a couple simple ways to decrease energy costs and make your home more comfortable and efficient.

For more information, visit www.nrghomepower.com.

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VISUAL STORYTELLING: TIPS FOR MASTERING THE ART OF INSTAGRAM

Cash Buyers Lists News​

Creating and implementing a consistent social media strategy is vital for REALTORS(R) looking to cultivate online leads while maintaining current relationships. Social media has re-shaped the way business is conducted, both nationally and globally, across all industries. For real estate agents wanting to reach every type of buyer possible, social media is a resource you can't go without, or else money will be left on the table and marketshare will surely decrease.

For agents merely tolerating social media or for newbies wanting to dip their toe into the pool, Facebook is probably still the number one place to start. But if you want to target a younger, savvy audience, one with an itchy trigger finger, Instagram should be your new best friend. Instagram can help you connect with the millennials and first-time buyers that your business may be lacking. Though trite, the ol' saying still rings true: "A picture is worth 1,000 words." With Instagram's photo and video sharing capabilities, you can easily share the unique amenities your listings have to offer, while also displaying snapshots of your own life to help buyers and sellers get to know you, building trust.

Keep in mind that out of its 500 million users, 70 percent check Instagram at least once a day?, with half of those checking multiple times per day. Get in front of these prospective leads with these tips:

#Hashtags
Sure, we cringe when people use hashtags in spoken dialogue (#worst, right?), but don't let the informal culture of hashtags turn you off from their intended purpose: to organize, draw attention and promote. Using hashtags on your Instagram posts will help your target audience find you, and may even double your click-through rates, according to research from Buddy Media. Use hashtags on every Instagram post, if possible, such as #luxury, #kitchenremodel, #losangeles (insert your market here), #realestate, and #openhouse to help pinpoint your message and connect your post with other similar posts and the users browsing that topic. If you don't use hashtags on Instagram, you might as well not use it at all (but spoiler alert: you should!).

Get in the Grid
Using your phone's grid feature will help you take much more attractive photos. Go into your smartphone's camera settings and turn on the Grid feature. This splits your camera view into nine blocks (aka, into thirds). You can now abide by photography's Rule of Thirds by aligning the subject of your photo with the four guidelines and their intersection points. These intersecting points are the areas where the eye is naturally drawn to. The grid will help you get the perfect off-center shot of that waterfall feature tucked away in your new listing's backyard. You may not be a professional photographer, but you can still post heaps of quality photos that will really wow your followers.

http://blog.rismedia.com/2016/mastering-instagram/

Edit Before Filtering
Ideally, you want to be aware of natural light when taking photos of homes. With the right natural lighting, a photo will need very little editing and filtering, hence, the #nofilter hashtag (go ahead and brag a little!) Also, be aware of how different artificial lights affect a photo. Some may give off a yellow-y glow.

If you want to improve a photo without drastically changing it, click "Edit" and adjust things like contrast, warmth, brightness and saturation first. Once your colors are popping just the way you want, click on "Filter" and fiddle around with different looks. Always opt for natural light first, if possible; otherwise, Instagram's sharp editing and filtering features can help you polish your masterpiece.

Be Consistent with How Often You Post...
As with other social media platforms, consistency is key. According to studies by Union Metrics, most major brands post an average of 1.5 times a day to Instagram. To start, try posting once a day. Once your routine is set, try expanding to twice a day. Reports also indicate that some popular brands that post as much as 10 times per day did not notice a sizable loss in engagement as long as quality was still present.

...and Also with What You Post
Whether you're a part of a large real estate franchise or a small boutique firm, consider what your own personal brand is. Are you known for luxury listings? Certain neighborhoods? Working with first-time buyers? Move-up buyers? Your Instagram feed should represent both who you are and how you operate. Prospective buyers and sellers should be able to get to know you (albeit, virtually) via social media. Instagram photos are a huge component to that.

Sharing Is Caring
Instagram should be one element of a larger social media plan. A cog in the wheel. Using Instagram's Share feature, you can post your beautifully edited and filtered photos to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or Flickr. You can also email them or quickly copy a link. Connect your social worlds by posting photos on your other pages. This will widen your reach by helping your Facebook friends, Twitter followers, etc., find your page on Instagram, which in turn will fuel engagement across the board. In the end, it's all about engagement.

Instagram is a unique and wildly addictive social media platform that allows agents to promote themselves in a creative way. With a little bit of time invested, agents can make new connections and start turning leads into dollar signs.

This post was originally published on RISMedias blog, Housecall. Check the blog daily for top real estate tips and trends.

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PRICING A HOME? STUDY REVEALS BEST TECHNIQUE

Cash Buyers Lists News​

The best technique for pricing a home when listing it for sale is setting the asking price just below a round number, according to recent research published by the Journal of Housing Research, an official publication of the American Real Estate Society (ARES). 

The best technique for pricing a home when listing it for sale is setting the asking price just below a round number, according to recent research published by the Journal of Housing Research, an official publication of the American Real Estate Society (ARES).

"These findings will help real estate professionals and sellers of homes develop more informed listing and marketing strategies to better suit sellers needs," says Ken Johnson, Ph.D., ARES publication director, real estate economist at Florida Atlantic Universitys College of Business and co-developer of the Beracha, Hardin and Johnson Buy vs. Rent Index. "The results of this study take a lot of guess work out of the marketing of homes for real estate professionals."

The study looked at 1,000 buyers in Virginia considering a pool of more than 370,000 listings. The researchers were able to determine the impact of "rounded pricing" listing strategies versus "just below pricing" listing strategies.

"Our study suggests that by using the just below pricing strategy sellers can price their home slightly higher without driving away potential buyers," says Eli Beracha, Ph.D., of Florida International University, who conducted the study with Michael J. Seiler, Ph.D., of The College of William & Mary. "As a result, they end up selling their house for more."

How does dropping your asking price ever so slightly impact the final outcome?

"On average, buyers are more attracted to a house priced at $199,000 than to a house priced at $200,000 and it appears that just below pricing works out favorably for sellers in terms of their bottom line," Beracha explains. "Based on our research, the just below pricing strategy yields a selling price that is, on average, roughly 2.5 to 3 percent higher, $5,000 to $6,000 on a $200,000 house, compared with a rounded pricing listing strategy."

While residential real estate agents widely disagree on the appropriate pricing strategy to use when listing residential real estate for sale, the researchers found that homebuyers more often prefer homes priced using a "just below" pricing strategy. This preference allows sellers to list their home for a higher initial listing price.

On the other hand, due to the demand effect, rounded priced homes typically have shorter time on the market and a lower discount relative to listing price. Their findings suggest that sellers ability to set higher listing prices for properties using a "just below" pricing strategy outweighs the lower discount and shorter time on the market associated with similar rounded priced strategy homes.

"We tested the age-old debate concerning the best technique to price a home when listing it for sale," Seiler says. "We find that using a price just below a round number works best, particularly in connection to the left-most digit in the price. So, $199,000 works better than $200,000."

For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

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