How to Write Excellent Real Estate Blog Content

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Writing Real Estate Blog Content

Blogging for real estate is a great way to build a content engine and gain new leads. But how do you go about doing it? The secret is to keep up with the news, find out what people are looking for and write good content. This can be as easy as keeping a notebook or as complex as a custom website. For example, how about a blog highlighting the most exciting facets of the real estate market in your area? Or how about a blog that provides tips and tricks for success in the field? You can also share videos of happy homeowners or a listing of open houses. And, if you invest in a website, make sure it looks good, is mobile-friendly, and is easy to navigate.

It’s worth the small investment. Another savvy marketing move is to have a blog that focuses on women in real estate. If you haven’t noticed, female consumers are responsible for 91% of all home purchases. Plus, they’re the ones who get the biggest bang for the buck. So, why not have a blog that celebrates the women who are making their mark in the real estate industry? A real estate blog is a great way to demonstrate your expertise. For instance, you can write a blog post explaining the best ways to stage your house for sale. Not only does it showcase your knowledge of the local housing market, but it also shows off your sales acumen.

Another way to build a content engine is to write a blog about the most popular homes for sale in your area. Even if you’re not into selling homes, this type of article is a great way to share knowledge with your readers. As with all real estate blogs, you can use a free website building service or a premade theme. Be sure to include plenty of images, videos, and other relevant details to keep people reading. Another good idea is to write a blog about something other than real estate. In this case, it might be about how to find a suitable mortgage lender. Similarly, you might write about how to buy a home with no money down.

Using a keyword research tool, you can find out what people are looking for. You can also find out what people are looking for by checking out other real estate blogs in your local area. Doing so lets you determine which phrases are most commonly searched and, thus, most effective to target. That said, you’ll have to work to determine which keywords are most important for your blog. Finally, you should consider a good SEO blog-writing service. These services can help you push your articles to the top of search results. This is an excellent way to ensure you’ll get more traffic and less competition. Of course, a good website with a relevant blog is a must-have for any real estate agent. You’ll want to create at least one exciting post weekly and regularly update your site.

5 Instagram Marketing Tips For Realtors

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Marketing Tips for Realtors
on Instagram

Creating and using an Instagram account for your real estate business can be a rewarding and efficient way to promote your listings and Engage your followers. It can also help you establish a reputation as a professional and build your brand. Several tips and tricks can be used to make the most of your presence on this social networking site.

One of the most valuable Instagram marketing tools is the ability to target specific demographics. You can create ads targeted to specific zip codes or areas, and you can also use the Insights tool to see what your audience’s demographics are. This is especially useful if you are trying to find new leads.

An Instagram real estate tip is to utilize hashtags. Adding a hashtag to your posts increases their chances of being discovered. Popular hashtags for your real estate posts include #homeforsale, #househunting, and #broker. The best real estate hashtags are personalized and contain keywords your potential clients would be searching for.

Another Instagram marketing tip is to utilize a carousel post. These posts will feature more images, allowing your followers to view a broader range of your properties. Use a 1080×1350 pixels resolution for maximum visual impact. For the most effective Instagram marketing, post photos of beautiful properties. You can add a filter to improve the quality of your photos.

Do not be afraid to get creative with your Instagram content. Take pictures of your listings, events in your community, or charity events. Also, share other people’s content. Users will be more likely to follow you if they know you have a lot of great content.

As with all other types of marketing, if you do not put in the work, your content will not get the attention it deserves. Create content that is informative, engaging, and unique. Make sure to share your website link and contact information with any posts. Whether you are just starting or have been in business for years, establishing a brand and posting high-quality content is essential for your real estate business.

In addition to posting various photos and videos, you can also use Instagram to share other users’ content. For example, when you visit a neighborhood, you can post about upcoming events or the history of a specific street. Even if you aren’t a photographer, you can hire someone to take photos for you. When you are looking for a new house, be sure to post photos of several homes for sale. You can post pictures of the property if you have recently bought or sold a home.

 

Keeping your Instagram feed active throughout the year can also be a great real estate marketing strategy. You can create festive posts during peak seasons, such as the holidays. Keep your feed bright and cheerful. Try posting photos of new restaurants, homes for sale, and open houses.

Top 10 Real Estate Agent Best Practices

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Real Estate Agent Best Practices

There are many ways to generate leads as a real estate agent, from cold calling to social media. It’s up to you to pick and choose which tactics will work best for your business. The key is to find a few that fit your budget and personality. One simplest yet most effective lead-generation strategies are building name recognition locally. You can do this by participating in events, networking with other agents and homeowners, and using the internet to promote yourself. Another effective lead generation strategy is to focus on open houses. Not only will this help you meet new clients, but it will also provide you with referrals.

Ensure you use the proper keywords in your ad to ensure your target audience finds you. Another excellent lead generation technique is to host a housewarming party. This event is a great way to generate passive leads and show your clients how much you care about them. While it’s a time-consuming event, it can be very beneficial. A predictive analytics tool such as SmartZip is another excellent way to generate leads. These tools analyze hundreds of data points to determine which homes are likely to sell. They’ll even list people interested in your listings, allowing you to focus your marketing efforts on those potential buyers. One of the best ways to build a name for yourself as a real estate agent is to ensure your website is up to date. You can do this by including your URL in promotional materials and publishing blog posts. A well-designed site can help you reach your target audience and maximize your marketing potential.

You can also utilize Facebook and Twitter to drive more traffic to your site. Having a presence on social media is an excellent way to build your local community, but it can be time-consuming. However, you can create a social media strategy that will allow you to keep on top of community events and get a lot of attention in return. If you’re new to the real estate industry, you may be unsure how to generate leads. In addition to learning how to do this, you’ll also want to know why it’s essential. After all, it’s not enough to be a good agent; you’ll need to do all you can to stay in front of your potential clients. Finally, it’s a good idea to start thinking outside the box regarding lead generation. For instance, you might consider establishing a business relationship with a vendor who can refer clients to you.

Similarly, you can develop a network of local contacts willing to share their names, jobs, and contact information. Generating leads as a real estate agent can be a challenge. However, if you’re eager to do a little research, you’ll be able to find a strategy that works for you.

AXIOM - The App for Real Estate Agents

5 Financing Options For Buying A House!

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Since, for most, the value of their home, is, one of, if not, their single – biggest financial/ economic asset, wouldn’t it, make sense, for a potential homeowner, to know, and understand, as much as possible, before buying any house? Although, most consider, owning a home, of their own, is a major component, of the so – called, American Dream, to ensure, the best – possible results, it is important to proceed, in an informed manner! With, that in mind, this article will attempt to briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, 5 potential, financing options, which are often, available, for making this purchase, and some of the factors and relevant considerations.

1. Friends and family: Traditionally, for – many, first – time homeowners, find it, extremely challenging, to put together, the combination of the down – payment, and closing costs, involved, as well as qualifying for a mortgage with the most – favorable terms! Many of us, have been fortunate, enough, to have parents, who are able to, and willing, to help out, financially, etc! Some have influential, close friends! Before purchasing, it is wise, to realistically, fully consider, your personal circumstance, and your options, and opportunities!

2. Owner – financing: In, certain real estate markets, especially, when it is, a Buyers (rather than a Seller) Market, some homeowners, are willing to finance, some, and/ or, all of the buyer’s financial needs, for financing. This may be, in addition to, more – conventional possibilities, or, the entire entity! Examine the terms, advantages, and disadvantages, before proceeding, and, realize, this option, is very rarely available, in times, like we are currently, experiencing, with record, activity, in the real estate/ housing markets!

3. Conventional mortgage: We normally, refer to something, as a Conventional Mortgage, when, it is the so – called, standard, for the industry. This has generally, meant, the buyer, puts – down, 20% down – payment, and finances, via a mortgage the balance, usually, for about 30 years (although the term may vary, either, up, or down). Lending institutions, normally, have specific standards, in terms of the borrowers, credit history/ rating, income – to – debt ratio, etc. One should know and understand these, from the start!

4. Other types of mortgages: Some choose, a different type of mortgage, for various reasons. These include: Variable mortgages; Balloon – type; shorter or longer – term ones, etc. It may, also, permit, a lower, or demand, a higher, down – payment, instead of the more – traditional, 20%!

5. Combinations: Some may, either, choose to, or need to, use some combination of methods. Often, for example, one uses, a combination of owner – financing, for – part, with a regular mortgage, for the rest. This, is, often, used, when one does not have the necessary down – payment, or other factors, etc!

If, you decide, to buy, a house, be prepared! Do your homework, and hire, the best real estate professional, to meet, and exceed your needs, and expectations!

AXIOM - The App for Real Estate Agents

Tips To Help You Achieve Success As A Real Estate Investor

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Success As A Real Estate Investor

Investing in real estate is an excellent idea if you are looking for a great way of building your net worth. You can make a lot of money if you do it correctly. However, this venture can cost you a lot of money if you don’t follow the proper techniques. Therefore, we have shared a few tips to help you succeed as a real estate investor.

Opt for a Good Location

People first consider location when buying a residential, vocational, or commercial property. Ideally, your purchase property should be near a workplace and school. Similarly, if it’s close to the marketplace, people can go there without burning gas or wasting time. Therefore, it’s much better to choose a better location.

Upgrade or Renovate Your Property

You should upgrade your property features to make them more appealing. For instance, you may add home automation, such as automated lighting. The same is true about commercial real estate as well.

If you offer wheelchair lifts, for instance, it can make your property more useful for people with disabilities. This will attract many more buyers. It all depends on how convenient your parcel is. If your property offers features that can help people make their lives easier, more people will show their interest in what you offer.

Improve Property Conditions

More buyers will contact you if your house or apartment is well-maintained. However, make sure you don’t go beyond the limits. In other words, you may not want to spend an arm and a leg to make your property more beautiful. It won’t increase the value of your property exponentially. Although it may be worth it in certain situations, spending too much is not a good idea.

Let’s look at a few tips to help you maintain your property well.

Kitchen: if you do it right, your kitchen can increase the value of your property by up to 80%. Therefore, if you renovate your kitchen by spending $15,000, you can sell your house at an 80% higher price.

Plumbing: we all need clean running water. Remember that rusty pipes pose a health hazard in addition to reducing the beauty of your house.

Landscaping: If you maintain your landscape correctly, it can add ambiance to your house or apartment. In addition, landscaping helps reduce your energy bills.

Do Your Research

Consider the type of people you think will suit you if you want to sell or rent your house. If you’re going to get the highest return on your investment, contact the right people. Otherwise, you won’t be able to earn a lot of profit or find suitable buyers. Opting for the right clients can help you find a great deal.

Conclusion

So, these are a few tips you can follow to get the most out of your investment. Hopefully, you will find these tips pretty helpful.

Buying a HUD Home – Advantages

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HUD Home

This type of home has been foreclosed, and the new homeowner may be eligible to purchase it using an FHA loan, which stands for Federal Housing Administration. The term HUD means Department of Housing and Urban Development. This department is responsible for providing affordable housing for those who want to become homeowners. The process of selling this foreclosed property is not like regular real estate deals and foreclosed properties. If the FHA has approved the loan, HUD takes the home as it must be a foreclosed property. HUD will use an asset management company to sell the homes for them. The potential homebuyer will have to work with a real estate agent that is HUD registered.

After a property inspection, you can place a sealed bid on the home or look for another one. You will have settlement time if you receive notice that your offer was accepted. This is when you must purchase the house and close the deal. Before bidding on the house, ensure you are eligible for some home loan unless you can afford to pay cash.

Advantages of HUD homes for sale

For financial help, if you are eligible for an FHA loan, they have many different programs, so you may be able to get some capital to buy the home. Suppose the HUD home needs repairs; check if you qualify for the FHA Rehabilitation Loan. This loan will provide the money necessary for fixing and repairing your new home. Check the criteria for getting an FDA loan before buying a HUD home, and if you qualify, you can complete the loan process. If you are an EMT, legal officer, or teacher, getting a HUD home may be simply because they offer discounts to people in these careers. HUD may also pay up to three percent of your closing costs, but this may only be for low-income people. Your escrow fees may also be paid, depending on the situation.

Many HUD properties are available, so you will have several choices of homes for sale. Some are left in poor condition, while many are in good condition.

Homeowners- When a person buys a HUD home and plans to live there, they generally have an advantage over one who wants the property as an investment. The homeowner is given priority because HUD requires the buyer to stay in the home for at least a year. When buying HUD homes for sale for investment purposes, they can bid on the house after it has been listed for thirty days.

Generate Real Estate Leads Easily With These Tips

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Tips to Generate Real Estate Leads

The generation of real estate leads has gone digital. You might feel overwhelmed with different lead generation tools and some mobile marketing apps. So, how can you decide which tools to add to your strategy on lead generation to attract or nurture potential prospects?

Concentrate your core strategy on the basics of real estate marketing. Methods that are tried and true are ageless and should still be part of your plan, even if they are dressed up for digital consumers.

Video

It’s worth investing in high-quality professional videos to showcase yourself as a real estate agent. Buying a house is often the most significant purchase an individual will make in their time, and they like to work with the one who heights they trust, like personality and authenticity. They’re also looking to see if you’re the agent they want to work with, so make sure to put your best face forward. Some agents create YouTube videos to show expertise and knowledge blended with their relatable and honest style. Videos may humanize an individual much more than the static site profile. Numerous realtors showcase the area’s beauty they specialize in on videos. Videos also bring a high ROI and have proven to be an essential marketing technique to generate leads.

Client Testimonials

You cannot beat a passionate, heartfelt statement from satisfied clients. Reviews and testimonials must be part of your presence online. Video testimonials are perfect so potential sellers and buyers can resonate with that individual. If you do not have video capability, there are many ways to show your happy customers. Make a page on your social media or website to share testimonials and share them on more important sites. Sellers and buyers will appreciate the customer’s honesty and have a high probability of reaching out.

Social Media

It is highly recommended to use social media. Facebook is one of the most dominant communication forms globally, and paid ad platforms are cost-effective ways to generate some real estate leads. Use this when targeting your core demographic. Most marketers include Facebook strategies in marketing plans, and you should also. It is a worthwhile, practical advertising investment that would pay off when generating new leads. Although you do not spend money on the ads, you may still improve the generation of leaders on Facebook with fresh content, engagement, and optimization.

Real Estate Lead Capture Forms

Most people used to look for homes for sale in a newspaper, yet now many consumers start their home search over the internet. Having some forms on your site for lead generation is an excellent way to bring in new business. It’s one of the best lead-generating strategies, yet never forget to ensure that your site is fresh and updated so people would keep visiting and you can boost your repeat traffic.

Blog

It can improve your online presence and show your expertise as a real estate agent. Use this to communicate your grasp of everything related to real estate consistently. Never forget to end your blog with a compelling call to action. Fill out the form for lead generation or make phone calls.

8 Benefits of Having a Real Estate Website

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Real Estate Website Benefits

Whether you are old school or on the cutting edge of technology in your dynamic real estate business, everyone needs a website in this day and age. A real estate website has many benefits, and the risks of getting left behind without one are genuine. So, what exactly are these benefits? Read on for a brief sample.

1- Build a Strong Web Presence
Get found easier and instantly via Google searches or links on other sites. Have your office’s address, phone number, e-mail address, logo, current listings, and specialization displayed at the click of a mouse. Show up in more places, under more categories, and associated with specific strategic keywords. If you combine your real estate website with the rest of a comprehensive marketing campaign, people can find you in so many different ways; your business will be hard to miss!

Create a listing on Google My Business for area-specific local listings. You can select who sees you first, depending on where they live.

2- Generate More Leads
This is a no-brainer. Gone are the days of paying thousands of dollars for Yellow Pages ads and highway billboards, hoping enough people will see it and call your office. Do you also want to pay someone to answer your phone full-time and rely on methods the average client no longer uses? Your real estate website is like your modern-day “head office.” This should be the first and most important place your potential clients find you, and if you use an online form to collect client info, then the real estate leads are immediate, accessible, and warm. A website can also serve as the place where you direct clients to your social media, or vice versa, and have the public sign up for your impactful newsletter for regular announcements.

You’ll also now have a thorough database of potential client info for ongoing listings distribution or announcements.

3- Provide More Exposure to Your Properties
The bulk of a real estate website should be dedicated to property descriptions. This is the opportunity to display full-detail descriptions, brilliant digital photography, and 360-degree virtual tours. You can use as much or as little space as you like, provide clickable links, and make it a more interactive experience for the visitor. The listing created on your real estate website can also be shared (for free) via external links to your social media pages, other real estate websites, community websites, or anywhere else your marketing efforts lead you.

Again, gone are the days of paying for paper advertising in a weekly or monthly magazine with black and white photos, lost among thousands of other listings in the same book. This isn’t effective anymore and can even be a waste of money.

4- Tell Them More About You
A real estate website is the perfect place for potential clients can learn more about you as a professional. This is more important in real estate than almost any other service business. Talk about and splash photos displaying awards you have won, events you participate in, community involvement, and your background and qualifications. When people get to know you this way (as an individual), they get to like you and trust you. This complements your social media and other real estate marketing strategies perfectly.

5- Tell Them About Your Business
Why wait for a local journalist to write an article about you in the paper or local magazine? Want to be known and respected in the local community? Modern technology puts the power back into your hands. Put the information out yourself, and draw readers to see it through strategic web techniques.

For no extra cost, you can regularly publish and update details such as the regions you work in, your years of experience, and areas of real estate expertise. Do you have a knowledgeable team? Are you influential in a hot part of town? Do you specialize in condos, revenue properties, or commercial buildings? Put that out there, forever and visible to the entire world. Include high-definition photography and videos to reinforce the message and make a solid first impression they won’t forget.

6- Create a Brand for Your Practice
If you’ve never succeeded in transforming yourself (and your practice) into a brand or maybe never thought about it, this is the way. Think about your area’s biggest, most successful, “celebrity” real estate brokers. They are household names, aren’t they? The public is familiar with their terms and faces, as they know the name of the local grocery store, florist, or school. Top-of-mind awareness is ultra important in any business.

Think about it. Your picture is everywhere; a logo people will remember, a slogan that rolls off the tongue. A properly executed real estate website can begin this process and position you and your agency as the brand of choice in your local market.

7- Use It as Part of Your Listing Presentation
A listing presentation is what an agent shows to the home seller to convince them they are qualified to sell their home. It usually includes stats, a marketing strategy, pricing, relevant experience, and the added value the agent brings to get the job done. You save time and effort if much of this information is already on your website. Maybe your potential seller already saw many of these details and is already impressed by you before placing the first call.

8- Exchange Information More Easily
No need for potential new clients to call and wait to speak to your receptionist. This small gesture alone can turn off the ultra-busy and impatient 25 to 50-year-old shopper, who is used to instantaneously having questions answered. No more need to set up an appointment, drive to meet each other, and invest time just for some initial “this is how we work” info. All this can be accomplished with a few short lines on your real estate website, which people can read within seconds and move on to the next step.

No need for clients to wait for a form to arrive by fax, or stay on the phone during business hours, to fill in their info.

This also allows existing and potential clients to provide feedback in an open forum, so you know what they’re looking for. All this can be done seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and not just during your office hours (when potential clients themselves are most busy).

What Could You Possibly Put On Your Real Estate Blog

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Real Estate Blog Ideas

Are you running out of creative juice for your needed daily or weekly blog? Do you have some repetitions just after two months or so? If you are in this situation, you’re probably thinking of sustaining readership by writing ideas or topics that will entice readers to follow you. Here are some cases you can write about for the following few days.

Local activities which kids and teenagers would probably ask permission from their parents to join. Every community conducts activities for children and teenagers. These activities are geared to enrich the knowledge and skills of the participants. Most of them are conducted during the summer months. But some activities are also conducted during the other months of the year. These activities include art workshops, sports clinics, dance competitions, and talent shows.

Current news in your local community and even important events of the nation. News affects all. Whatever is happening in the community and the country impacts everybody. Discuss how these events can affect the families and individuals in the community. Assert your point. Give insights on how these events can shape the local real estate industry.

Present places of interest to your readers. Make your real estate blog a reference for readers to familiarize themselves with the community’s various exciting places. Let your writings take them to the best restaurants, entertainment hubs, museums, shopping destinations, and tourist spots. These local crowd drawers deserve to have their spotlights on your blog. It will also help if you’ll notify merchants, establishments, or entities which you’ll mention in your writing. Through this, you are getting them fueled to share your reports on their respective platforms. This will eventually increase redirects from their spaces to yours.

Dissect local market studies. Different studies present various insights. They send signals to buyers and sellers alike. Present statistics, data, and other information which will be valuable and influential to the decisions of your readers. Will this month be good for buying a house? Will next month see home prices increasing, at least for your market?

Give tips, suggestions, and advice. Your blog can also serve as a communication line between you and your readers. Engage them in your posts through tips about home staging. Suggest ways on how they can better rearrange the room of their sons or daughters. Advise on how to deal with noisy neighbors. There are plenty of topics for your expert opinion and advice.

Your Online Reviews Can Make or Break Your Real Estate Deals

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Real Estate Online Reviews

If you want to purchase a product different companies offer, how would you decide who to buy it from? If you are like most of us, you would pick up your smartphone, read online reviews about each company, and decide based on those reviews. Well, the same goes for anybody who will possibly use your real estate services.

With the internet and technology making it easy and quick to access information about anybody, your potential clients will search for reviews on you. The reviews and testimonials they find online could be the difference between getting new clients or losing them to someone else.

Get a Testimonial From Your Client After Every Closing
After every closing, you must obtain a testimonial if your clients are happy with your real estate services. Typically, the closing time is a happy time for the client and, therefore, a perfect time to ask for a testimonial. It is always harder to obtain that testimonial later down the road.

Tell your clients that it could be short and be a few sentences. Many don’t like writing long reviews and may not give you one because of that. A short testimonial that’s to the point is just as effective.

Take a Picture With Your Client In Front of the Property
Along with asking for a testimonial at closing, you should take a picture with your clients. It is always preferred to take a shot at the property. A compelling vision is to take a picture in front of the property while your clients hold the SOLD sign or the keys. The image can be taken when you meet your client at the property to deliver the keys.

Displaying Your Testimonials on Your Real Estate Website
Your real estate agent website is the most important place to display your reviews and testimonials. Your real estate agent website is typically ranked higher in search engine results than your Facebook page and profile pages on Zillow, Trulia, realtor.com, and other prominent real estate marketplace websites. Therefore, you’ll want to display your testimonials on your agent’s website.

It would be best if you had testimonials visible on your homepage, along with a separate page that displays all of your testimonials. Your real estate agent website platform should contain an interface that allows you to enter reviews, testimonials, and pictures of your clients.

Post to Facebook
Anyone looking online for reviews about you will most likely land on your Facebook page. Therefore, creating a “Just Sold” post after every closing is significant. The post should contain the testimonial by your client AND the picture you took with them in front of the property. Be consistent and do this every time you close on a property.

Ask Clients to Submit a Review on Zillow, Trulia, and realtor.com
Anybody looking for online reviews about you will likely end up on Zillow, Trulia, and realtor.com. All these sites accept checks, and you must build up the number of reviews and ratings on these large marketplace real estate websites.

Your clients submit the review from your profile page on each site. A client can submit a review by clicking the “Submit Review” button on your profile page. To make it easier for your clients, email links to your Zillow, Trulia, and realtor.com profile pages.