Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
NEWS BREAK: Congress Extends Floor Insurance Program
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Friday Five: At 11th Hour, Congress Extends Flood Insurance Program
Flood insurance extension expected to be signed by Obama; housing prices reach their highest figure in 20 months; and mortgage rates hit record lows — again. Read
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Copyright 2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
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Mobile Marketing: The New Frontier
From google.com
The mobile Web is growing eight times the speed of the Internet, showing how digital marketing is quickly becoming a mobile-first world.
In recent months my team began implementing our new “mobile strategy,” taking The Rick Martinez Team yet again, one step ahead of the pack. These new technological marketing strategies are critical for doing business in the 21st century.
Does your agent have a mobile strategy? Do you know what it is? Is it working? Don’t sit in the dark, ask questions! My team is forging ahead every day and you’ll see in the end who comes out on top… we do.
Ready to sell? The Rick Martinez Team has it all!
From MSN.com
The woods are full of agents these days, and many are beginners. Here are the eight questions you can ask to separate the average agents from the experienced heavy hitters.
Referrals: Good as gold
“The best way to find an agent, real-estate professionals say, is by getting a recommendation from someone you trust. Not only is your friend’s experience the best predictor of your satisfaction, but, since an agent’s personal network is his lifeblood, he is likely to work harder knowing that a friend or client will hear about his performance. But even with a good referral, you owe it to yourself to find one or two other promising candidates to screen.”
My lifeblood is my referrals. I take pride in knowing that I provided excellent customer service to each and every one of my clients. I have years worth of recommendation letters to prove that me and my team go above and beyond. I’m starting to get my clients to leave feedback online, here are some relatively recent comments: Zillow Reviews
Q1: May I see your resume?
Absolutely! When I meet with potential seller’s I have a wonderful presentation that includes a copy of my resume, recommendation letters from past clients and more! I want you to feel 100% confident in me and my team and my experience says it all!
Q2: What’s your commission?
“Traditionally, a seller pays around 6% in commissions when using a real-estate agent — 3% goes to the seller’s agent and 3% to the buyer’s agent. But commission amounts aren’t cast in stone anywhere.”
Q3: What makes you special?
I have been in Real Estate for over 25 years. I have been successful because I take into account that each of my clients, their homes and potential homes are all different. I’m a multifaceted agent. I know what works and what doesn’t work. I know when something isn’t working, and when things need to be changed. I am pro-active and always doing my due diligence to get the job done.
Q4: How often will I hear from you?
When I sit down with my clients, we determine the best mode of communication. Do you prefer calls, texts or e-mails? I have an advanced system set up that notifies seller’s when their homes are scheduled to be shown. Still live in the house? My team and our showing service will set up the most convenient way to show and market your home without putting you out. I provide my clients with weekly feedback, I e-mail or call them with any updates/questions/concerns. I treat these homes like my own. I do my rounds weekly to check on each property to make sure everything is alright, to see if there is room for improvement. Little things like having the yard landscaped or the grass mowed are quick fixes that help with first impressions.
Q5: What’s your plan for marketing my home?
I won’t give away all my secrets but I do go over a detailed marketing plan with each of my clients that I have tailor made for their particular property and/or situation. Again, not every home is the same and there are so many factors to be weighed.
Q6: How many transactions did you complete last year?
The question isn’t how much, but how many! I am a high volume agent. Me and my team handle a significant number of transactions each year. What does this break down to? The answer to the next question.
Q7: What do you know about the neighborhoods where I want to live?
I have lived and worked in and around Houston, Texas for almost 30 years. I am particularly suited to help people find the right place to call home. With a focus on the West side of town including Katy, Sugar Land and Richmond, I have worked with many buyer’s, seller’s and relocation companies to successfully grow this community I am proud to call my home.
Q8: Are you a solo agent or part of a team?
“Teams are good for engaging several individuals’ expertise at once and for allowing high-powered salespeople to concentrate on what they do best, offloading to associates tasks like filing and tracking documents, dogging details and showing houses. Being part of a team lets a salesperson handle more listings. When you get right down to it, it’s that sparkle that distinguishes the superstar agents, and there’s no way to find it without sitting down with a few of them and asking questions.”
I am thankful to call myself part of a team. I have assembled a wonderful group of people who help me reach my goals and be successful. If you work with The Rick Martinez Team, you will get to know us. I have been in Real Estate for over 25 years. I work with both buyer’s and seller’s in primarily residential real estate. I own and operate a Management Company along with being an investor in some local residential complexes. Along with myself, you’ll interact with my Office Manager, Sarah who handles the daily ins-and-outs of our inner-offer, without whom things would not run as smoothly. Ever notice those article updates on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn? That’s my marketing director, Mari. She makes sure your home is out there for all the world to see. She researches new and interesting ways to market our listings and help buyers find their perfect fit. Tony Cogliandro is our buyer’s agent. With a background in residential and commercial real estate, Tony really helps round out the team. We have a network of business associates we have worked closely with over the years including Lenders, Brokers, Title Companies and more. If you’re looking to buy or sell, you’ve come to the right place!
Is it finally time to buy? Survey says yes!
From MSN.com:
March Buying Advice: Pending sales are up, and experts say the economy is stronger. With mortgage rates still pretty attractive, it might be time for some fence-sitters to become homebuyers.
Three reasons to buy now:
- The economy is stronger
- Banks are more willing to lend and;
- Mortgage rates are still hovering near historic lows
More houses should hit the market in spring, analysts say, including a large number of bank-owned, or REO, properties that were held up in processing last year. With these distressed properties padding supply, prices should remain low for buyers this season.
The Backlash Against Online Real Estate Sites
It used to be a given for anyone selling a house that a real-estate agent would put the listing on national real-estate aggregator websites like Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com to maximize exposure and sell the home quickly. But that could be changing fast as aggregators and agents face off.
We have found out that many of these complaints are TRUE! We have been battling with these syndication websites for a long time now, but what we have found is that at this time, it’s still worth it to keep our listings out there. My team works diligently to make sure the information on those websites is accurate. The fact of the matter is, people are still searching online for their homes and less traffic is showing up on personal websites. We will do our best to stick with the current trends that will BEST get your home SOLD! You can count on me and my team to be on top of these things.
See the rest of the article here…http://money.msn.com/home-loans/the-backlash-against-zillow-and-co-fiscaltimes.aspx#scptig
Home Sale Marketing Mistakes
Inman News’ Bernice Ross posted an article recently on mistakes Realtors make when marketing a new home.
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…
Holiday Update
Well it is getting to be that time of year again. Christmas cards have been all sent out. If you would like to be added to the list, please let me know. With the end of the year, comes a lot of changes.
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!
Where Do YOU Stand with your Insurance?
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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
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Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
The Katy Texas Real Estate Blog 