Today’s real estate market is different than just a few short years ago. Before the downturn, seller’s knew they could sell and buyers didn’t worry about risk in real estate because everyone believed prices would always go up. If Buyer A didn’t want the house, you need not wait long before Buyer B submitted an offer. When the market began the turn as demand shrank and prices began falling, many agents made, what I think was a big mistake – they acted like cheerleaders. Instead of offering professional advice to a growing number of upside down homeowners in a confusing market, it seemed as though agents across the country were using their marketing materials to look out for a paycheck more than trying to help consumers

You may remember ‘Baghdad Bob’ from the Iraq War days holding press conferences where he would tell everyone how the Iraqi Army was destroying the infidel Americans and pushing them back to the sea. You could also almost hear the American tanks rolling by in the background as he was on TV. He wasn’t telling the truth. Everyone new he wasn’t telling the truth. Jay Leno had a great video of Baghdad Bob if you don’t remember.

Even in today’s real estate market, it’s still common to see agents say “It’s a great time to buy!” That has to be the worst possible thing we can say in this market. It’s so transparent – and it appears to be looking out for the agent and not the consumer to market with this message. Don’t be a real estate Baghdad Bob. The market may not be great for many potential buyers. If a consumer asks about the market or you are trying to convince someone that this is a great time do buy, you have missed the mark. Consumers want and need information more now than ever. They seek out agents who can distill information in a way they can understand and they want the truth. They also can sniff out Baghdad Bob the real estate agent a mile away. The truth is, it may not be a great time to buy. Maybe it is, may it isn’t. Don’t you think you should find out a little more before spouting off like that? Be real.

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I was reading a recent HomeGain article about the relationship between social networking and SEO, and it made me think about the anxiety many real estate brokers must feel as they work hard to position their company and agents for success in this rapidly evolving online world.

Even though agents have been told that they should be blogging, understanding all of the tools, tricks and systems required for implementing an effective Social Media strategy is an overwhelming challenge that most busy real estate agents simply don’t have enough time for.

However, for a real estate company, building a strong web presence must be a priority if they want to help their agents gain a competitive advantage in the local marketplace.

While there are several DIY trail-blazers that are willing to openly share the process of how they failed their way to success on the web, brokerage owners don’t necessarily have the luxury of being able to test a few Internet Marketing strategies until they get it right.

Agents, support staff, listing clients, landlords…. are all counting on their real estate firm to execute an online agenda that provides measurable results.

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A picture is worth a thousand words. The importance of the photographs in a real estate listing can’t be underestimated. The primary image must stand out among the page after page of listings a potential home buyer is likely browsing through, and the additional photos must motivate them to schedule an appointment to see the house in person. Images help make that emotional connection and make a property look like “home”.

Here are a few ideas to make your listing photos unique, and hopefully get the attention of home shoppers:

1. Highlight Details. Does the home have a beautiful custom sink in the kitchen, architectural detail in an archway, or gorgeous drapery that stays with the home? They could be missed in a shot of the entire room. Take close up photos of the most special details in a home.
2. Night Lights. If the property is well lit in the evening try a picture at dusk or even after dark. The glow of landscape lighting can be beautiful and something home shoppers would miss if viewing the home during the day.
3. Include The View. Pictures of the view from a deck or porch are common when they include water, mountains, or city skylines, but think about showcasing even a less remarkable view. Can you see a nice garden, the lovely homes across the street, or attractive greenery? The more positives you can show a home shopper the more likely they are to put the home on his or her short list.
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We ended up 2010 with 329 sales and a lead conversion rate of a little over 4.25%. Not bad. I’m excited about this year because I think we will start seeing a rise shortly in business. There seems to be a little bit of confidence out there. I sure hope I’m right.

Every January we get a good amount of new members who want to make changes in their careers. Welcome to all of you who are new! One of the things I think is a MUST, is understanding your numbers. It’s almost impossible grow your business without understanding the numbers.

So what do you need to know? Well in my case, I always want to know my gross number of leads per year. Then of course I look at our total sales. Once I know my sales per leads numbers, I can make adjustments from there.

Let’s look at real numbers:

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Per the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) course “Local Markets”, glocally means:

• Awareness of the opportunity in your marketplace
• Knowledge of the market dynamics
• Outreach to potential clients, customers and other real estate professionals

Despite the present market conditions, the process of globalization continues to persevere as reported in The National Association of Realtors® report “2010 NAR Profile of International Home Buying Activity” released earlier this year.

At the 2010 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in New Orleans they recently awarded the largest number of CIPS designations with 460 NAR members receiving the Certified International Property Specialist designation.

The numbers are big; $66 billion of U.S. residential property was sold to International buyers since March 2009. The median purchase price of these properties was $219,400, 26% higher than the overall median sale price of existing homes. 55% of International buyers used cash to cover the full purchase price.

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When you are representing a buyer or seller, it is important to remember that the other side will develop an opinion of your client based upon your communications. Carefully chosen words will help to maintain a realistic and positive impression. When negotiations get hairy, you want the other side to feel positively about your client. Nobody wants to help the bad guy, and we all root for the underdog. By carefully choosing what you share and how you say it, it will preserve the reputation of everyone on your side of the transaction.

With this in mind, here are a few ways that I design my communications:

• If you have to say something negative, (let’s face it, sometimes it is necessary), be objective and offer an explanation that focuses on contract terms and legal rights.
• Refrain from giving your opinion or added color to the statements; stick to facts.
• Be considerate and respectful of everyone’s feelings and rights.
• Be fair and honest.
• Disclose anything that is necessary and required; know what that is and give nothing more.
• Take concerns and issues raised seriously; put out all fires early.
• If you can’t say something nice, you probably don’t need to say it.

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