HomeGain and CyberCity 3D announced a new partnership today (read PRWeb press release), which provides HomeGain’s real estate agent members the ability to display CyberCity’s 3D Virtual Viewing marketing products directly on HomeGain.com.

3D Virtual Viewing promotes homes for sale through the Google Earth™ API virtual globe. It provides an interactive, 3D model of the home designed to increase web advertising exposure and attract consumers searching for their next home.

See 3D home listings on HomeGain.com

HomeGain Realtor members can now link their CyberCity 3D models to their property listings directly from their AgentView product. Agents simply enter the 3D model URL in their HomeGain® account for that listing and a “View in 3D” button will automatically appear on HomeGain’s Search Results and Listing Detail pages linking the Google Earth™ API 3D model to the home listing.

After seeing a Senate vote of 98-0, the House approved the extension & expansion of the home buyer tax credit by a vote of 403 to 12.  The overwhelming bipartisan support was applauded by the NAHB and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

The new bill extends the expiration of the current $8000 tax credit to first time home buyers purchasing a principle residence.  The bill further expands the credit to include existing purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for the past five of eight years.  Existing purchasers will receive a credit of $6500.

The income restrictions on qualifying buyers have also been increased.  Single filers earning up to $125k/year are eligible for the full credit, and those earning up to $145k/year are eligible for a partial credit.  Joint filers are eligible for the full amount with a combined income of up to $225k, and eligible for a partial if earning up to $245k.

The new law has seen wide support, especially from the real estate blogging community. Continue reading this post

HomeGain.com recently conducted its third nationwide home improvement and home staging Home Sale Maximizer™ survey (previously conducted in 2003 and 2007) to reveal the top 12 low cost*, do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvements for people getting their home ready to sell.  Nearly 1,000 REALTORS® responded to the survey. (See complete survey results)

Thousands of REALTORS and Home Stagers use "Home Sale Maximizer" to advise their home seller clients.

Home Staging is reported to be the 2nd most valuable home improvement project to a seller when it comes to selling a home by return on investment (ROI), according to surveyed Realtors.

Home Staging is also the 3rd highest price increase to a home’s resale value ($300 cost / $1,780 price increase to a home’s selling price, which is a 586% ROI)

82% of Realtors nationwide recommend home sellers do DIY home staging.

Staging has rose on the list of priorities over the years. In 2007 survey results, Lightening and Brightening had the second highest ROI followed by Home Staging. Two years later, Home Staging overtakes Lightening and Brightening.

How many Realtors recommend professional home staging the majority of the time? Continue reading this post

Due to popular demand from the real estate community, HomeGain.com regularly conducts its nationwide home improvement and home staging Home Sale Maximizer™ survey. Past findings from the survey have been a guide for thousands of home sellers in preparing their home for sale.

HomeGain recently conducted a new survey of top 12 low cost*, do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvements for people getting their home ready to sell.  Nearly 1,000 REALTORS® responded to the survey.

The top five nationwide home improvements that Realtors recommend to home sellers, based on average cost and return on investment (ROI) to sellers, are:

1. Cleaning and de-cluttering ($200 cost / $1,700 price increase / 872% ROI / 98% recommended)
2. Home staging ($300 cost / $1,780 price increase / 586% ROI / 82% recommended)
3. Lightening and brightening ($230 cost / $1,300 price increase / 572% ROI / 95% recommended)
4. Landscaping ($320 cost / $1,500 price increase / 473% ROI / 94% recommended)
5. Repair Plumbing ($385 cost / $1,250 price increase / 327% ROI / 88% recommended)

Costs are averages and rounded up. For ranges of values, see chart 1 below. For actual price increase, see chart 2 below.

Cleaning and de-cluttering continues to  rank as the top suggested home improvement (since the survey was originally conducted in 2003). This low cost home improvement is recommended by 98% of Realtors and costs less than $200 but has a returning value of nearly $1,700 to the home’s sale price, or an 872% return (ROI).

“Inexpensive cosmetic home improvements and basic improvements greatly enhance the value of the home,” stated Carol Wilson of Carpenter Real Estate in Indianapolis, IN (AgentEvaluator member since 1999). Continue reading this post

We’ve moved! HomeGain has officially moved its headquarters to a new office in Emeryville.  After 10 years in the same office building, HomeGain decided it needed a change of scenery.

Located at 6001 Shellmound Street, on the 5th floor, HomeGain has a beautiful 360 degree view of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, San Francisco and the bay, and the Berkeley/Oakland hills.

Special thanks to Jim Ridley and his team, and everyone at HomeGain who helped make the move a smooth and successful transition!

Questions? Contact us at (866) 512-7918 or agent@homegain.com. Continue reading this post

If you don’t follow up on your leads, don’t complain you are not converting leads.

Those who know me know that my only goal in life these days (ok, I have some non work related) is to have the highest conversion rate amongst Real Estate brokerages in the country.   The better we become with our lead conversion (leads to sales) the more excited I get and the more detailed I get in teaching my Agents how to get the most out of their leads.  It’s always a challenge.

Right now my biggest challenge is getting the right Agents who have the work ethic to become successful.

I’ll give you an example.  I have a new Agent, I think this is her 8th week with me so far.  She has her second closing tomorrow and she wrote 3 contracts this past month.  That gives her basically 5 transactions by the time she finishes her first three months with me (she has 120 leads in her system).  Pretty amazing.

I have another Agent, who started with me 5 months ago.  He has closed 3 sales, has 4 contracts on the short sale board and wrote 4 more contracts in October.  Both these Agents have just started their Real Estate career.  They are brand new Agents!

Now let’s look at my 5 bottom Agents.  Continue reading this post