Many rely on the old “Five P” approach — put a sign in the front yard; put it on the MLS; put it in the local paper; put it on  Realtor.com; and pray that it sells.

She’s right, that is just not enough these days. Thankfully, with our team of highly skilled staff members, the Rick Martinez Team goes above and beyond!

You know when you go out on a Saturday and Sunday and see, oh…10 houses or more. Do you remember which is which? I know I wouldn’t! We make sure all of our homes have in-house flyers that clients can take home with them. It gives detailed information about the property, photos and more! It’s very easy to remember and can often times aid in the decision making process.

We make sure there is a contact number so passers-by can call and get information. We work with a lot of agents and even if Rick or Tony are out of the office, we will get potential buyers in contact with someone who can help them FAST!

Got a pool? We’ve got a sign ryder! Obviously you don’t want people walking up and peeking into your backyard, so we let them know upfront what kind of amenities you’ve got to offer! Info-box flyers? Check! We can provide black & white one page information sheets for people who drive by to stop and pick up. Hey! You never know if they might know someone who may want to live nearby!

We do more than just post it in an MLS system!

HAR.com syndicates our listings to many of the major real estate websites out there! If a buyer is looking online, they WILL find our listings! Rick also works in conjunction with a marketing company and has priority key words on Google which is helping bring our team website to the top!

Bernice also mentions that some Realtors do not market to neighbors and this is a costly mistake!

The Rick Martinez Team comes to the rescue yet again! As soon as the listing is up in the MLS system, our team creates a barrage of marketing materials for the property. After insuring that the listing gets properly syndicated to the appropriate websites, those flyers and much more go into production including color flyers mailed directly to the subdivision announcing the new listing and giving some basic property information and photos to inspire neighbors to share with potential buyers! With the Rick Martinez Team, you don’t have to worry about being left behind!

There are many other ways that our team markets our listings, but I’m not going to give away all our secrets!

Until next time…

According to Inman News,

Foreclosures are one of the factors putting brakes on a housing market recovery. According to NAR, distressed sales accounted for 34 percent of homes sold in August, up from 32 percent in July and 31 percent in August 2009. Foreclosures will continue to impact the housing market in 2011.

Check out the full article here: Inman.com

Hopefully a new market will open up as new buyers and sellers decide to make a move once the holidays are over.

Many economists disagree over whether or not the market will rebound in 2011. I guess we will have to wait and see.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

• 
  
   

  Homeowners Insurance: Time for an Annual Check-Up

  An annual check-up on your homeowners insurance can result in a healthier policy and a healthier pocketbook. Read

The Rick Martinez Team has registered with the site to list our residential and commercial lots so that they are featured here, and not only on our regular real estate sites such as Trulia.com, Zillow.com or our own personal website, REHouston.com.

Speaking of Zillow.com, if any of our past clients are reading this, it would be very much appreciated if you could click the above link, go to Rick’s profile page and take a moment to rate his service as your agent. Every little bit counts and it is word of mouth that we get the majority of our clients from. A good recommendation always helps!

We have a beautiful new listing this week: 13019 Mossy Ridge Cove. The owners spent nearly $100K on upgrades for this home that boasts a magnificent custom heated salt-water pool, wrought iron fence, new tile, upgraded master bath and so, so much more!

That’s all for now. Thanks for checking in!

Check out the visual tour below!

• 
  
   

  (New!)

  5 Holiday Hosting Disasters and How to Avoid Them

  Take a look at the most common things that can go wrong when you have guests and learn how to prevent them. Read

• Selling your home? Check out these articles on ways to make sure the sale of your home is a success!
• 

  Fielding a Lowball Purchase Offer on Your Home

  Consider before you ignore or outright refuse a very low purchase offer for your home. A counteroffer and negotiation could turn that low purchase offer into a sale. Read

• 

  Keep Your Home Sale from Falling Apart

  After finding a buyer, all you have to do to make it to closing is to avoid these five traps. Read

• 

  6 Reasons to Reduce Your Home Price

  While you’d like to get the best price for your home, consider our six reasons to reduce your home price. Read

• 

  6 Tips for Choosing the Best Offer for Your Home

  Have a plan for reviewing purchase offers so you don’t let the best slip through your fingers. Read

• 

  7 Tips for a Profitable Home Closing

  Be sure you’re walking away with all the money you’re entitled to from the sale of your home. Read

• Check out these great articles for information that could help you in the purchase of a new home!
• 

  Negotiate Your Best House Buy

  Keep your emotions in check and your eyes on the goal, and you’ll pay less when purchasing a home. Read

• 

  Keep Your Home Purchase on Track

  You’ve found your dream home. Make sure missteps don’t prevent a successful closing. Read

• 

  7 Steps to a Stress-free Home Closing

  By doing homework in advance, you’ll understand what you’re asked to sign when you close the sale of your home. Read

• 

  8 Tips for Finding Your New Home

  A solid game plan can help you narrow your homebuying search to find the best home for you. Read

• 

  Find the Home Loan that Fits Your Needs

  Understand which mortgage loan is best for you so your budget is not stretched too thin. Read

This is a Harris County program that aids in the home buying process. Think you can’t afford to buy? Think AGAIN! Harris County has a program where they purchase foreclosures and then offer them for sale to the public at a 20% discount. H.O.M.E is a great opportunity for those who think they may not qualify.

For more information check out the Harris County H.O.M.E website and see if you qualify.

If you’re interested, please contact my team and we can further assist you.

Regards,

Rick M.

Selling your home this holiday season?

Fall Sellers:

• Replace faded summer plants with fall-blooming flowers and add autumn decorations to the home.
• Expect low-ball offers and be prepared with higher counter offers.
• Freshen up listing photos by shooting pictures that make it less obvious that the seasons have changed.
• Price the home to sell. A price that is a little lower than the competition may be a winning move.
• Be willing to show the property and hold open houses whenever potential buyers are ready.

I’d like to stress the fourth bullet point. Pricing your home correctly is one of the best things you can do to get your home sold! This is a price driven market and we need to be aggressive!

Are you looking to buy? The fall is one of the best times to find a great bargain!

Fall Buyers:

• Look for motivated sellers who have a reason to move on by the end of the year.
• Explore new constructions. Builders are often interested in selling before the new tax year.
• Beware of fall maintenance issues. Consider overflowing gutters and leaf-covered lawns.
• Shape offers carefully. Even in this market it is possible to turn sellers off with a too-low bid.

Source: Frontdoor.com

Regards,

Rick M.