Realty World Northern California & Nevada

Over the last eighteen months there have been so many shifts in the real estate market, the usual negative media coverage, plus the mortgage meltdown. But, now is the beginning of a new era to become a professional “messenger” and move away from the sales characteristics we’ve built over the years.

The real estate industry has finally transformed the true, committed professional toward an elevated mindset of “service” rather than “sales.” It’s the real estate brokers and agents who are educating and guiding buyers and sellers, most of whom are probably shell-shocked with the blitz of media negativity that they may be concerned with making a move.

Based on all indicators, the market is bouncing into a stable recovery mode. This is indeed the opportune time to be positioned in front of past clients, buyers, sellers, first time homebuyers… even those in distress situations as well as investors to arm them with the information they need to make a sensible decision. Be the leader in this forthcoming recovery, not the follower. Differentiate yourself by the expertise you display in your blog and Q&A communities, and your website.

A fresh addition to your professional arsenal should be a video presentation of you, your listings, success stories, your communities, and your satisfied customers. This gives anyone who visits your site a visual journey! I enjoyed a video the other day where the realtor narrating the presentation gave his audience something I’d never seen before. He spoke about the sounds he heard outdoors, the smell of the mountain air, showed an area where you could relax next to your own stream. Oh, and by the way, he also presented the home, but it was shown with a unique perspective.

Don’t find your direction, know your direction. How will you present rising interest rates to your client base? It’s going to happen, so you’ better start learning how to convey this to consumers.

Be the messenger… the clock is ticking, and the time is now!

Dennis Stewart
Vice President & Regional Director
Dennis.Stewart@rwnc.net

From legitimate celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, Kevin Spacey, and Dr. Drew to the cheesiest hosts on CNN, it seems that everyone is jumping on the Twitter band wagon. For those who are unfamiliar with the new social medium, Twitter is a kind of mini blogging platform where users post their thoughts in 140 character broadcasts or “tweets.” Many real estate professionals have joined the site and many others are wondering if they should follow suit. I recently sat down with James Dwiggins, Chief Strategy Officer for Realty World Northern California and Nevada; and Kevin Boer, Co-Founder of the Internet marketing consultancy firm, Domus Consulting Group, to get their opinions on Twitter.

The two had very different views about the latest player in the social media arena, but both have a lot of validity. James Dwiggins expressed his concerns about the platform. When I asked him about the marketing capabilities of Twitter, James said, “If it’s used correctly, Twitter could be beneficial in marketing online. It’s just that most people don’t use it properly. A majority of things posted by members are irrelevant or of no interest to consumers, which cause them to stop reading what your posting.” He was also concerned with the retention rate that Twitter has for new users. It’s been generally reported that only 40% of those who sign up return to Twitter. In relation to marketing through Twitter, James felt that, “if it’s relevant to tweet about, chances are the user would be better off writing a blog post on the subject because consumers would find the in-depth information more valuable.”

Kevin also expressed his worries about Twitter. Kevin commented that, “its simplicity makes it so that people who are in a marketing mentality flock to it as a spam platform. Also, there are a lot of scam artists charging aspiring Twitter marketers for followers that end up really being ghost accounts set up by the scammers.” Despite this, Kevin is a little more optimistic in his view of Twitter. When confronted with the retention numbers, Kevin, commented that, “those numbers could be flawed because they measure returns to the Twitter.com homepage. They don’t take into account mobile phones and the myriad of Twitter client applications available.” Kevin said the thing he likes most about Twitter is that it is a “serendipity multiplier,” explaining that, “so often in business and marketing, serendipitous meetings at trade groups and other functions are often a component in driving your business forward. The nature of Twitter is to do exactly that, just at an accelerated rate.”

I have my own opinions about Twitter as I use it daily, but I’m curious as to what your opinions are? Is it just another new thing with no relevance to real estate? Is it just another thing to waste your time? Or is it something that allows you to communicate with a mass audience in a more efficient way?

TJ Shanahan
Social Media Manager
tj@rwnc.net

As many of you are aware of the California State Budget crisis and the myriad of media reports from economic shrinking to the increased exodus of business fleeing a tax-heavy environment, I scour to find good news and opportunities for growing our businesses. Here is some news you’ll find interesting and positive:

California’s population continues to expand, despite an economic ill wind and a slowing of immigrants to the golden state. In 2008, according to state numbers, the population increased to 38,393,687 residents. Which means 34,000 people still move to California every month. In fact, San Jose exceeded one million in population for the very first time and Fresno knocked out Long Beach as the fifth largest city in California.

In the Central Valley you’ll find growth in Merced, too. UC Merced is preparing for an expansion that will accommodate 25,000 students by 2035 — up from 3,000 today! That kind of growth is certainly an opportunity for land and income investments that should be considered and shared with clients today.

The Bay Area Ports are incenting cargo and cruise ship traffic. Railroad freight is expected to see fees reduced. And in some areas, builders are able to defer paying impact fees on traffic, sewage, and parks. 

All good news that is covered up by the industrial media complex. Are all these good reasons to reconnect with past clients and share the news? 

The best time to plant an oak tree was yesterday.

Onward!

Scott LeForce
President
Scott.LeForce@rwnc.net