RECR's Blog: May 2008

One of the more routine activities of a Realtor's(c) job is to write copy for the ads that are used to support your listings.  Whether those be online, print, brochures, or flyers, the goal of these ads is create a positive explanation of the property that will increase the flow of traffic to that ad from interested buyers.  And, let's face it....that is the ultimate goal in this form of advertising. However, it is fairly easy to fall into the 'grey' area and start to make statements that aren't necessarily true...perhaps even blatently false...and even worse, bordering on discriminatory. 

Now, I know that no one actually intends to write copy that is discriminatory.  But, the fact of the matter is that some of the text used can be just that depending upon who is reading the ad. I recently discovered an article written by Roselind Hejl in the November, '07, issue of BROKERAGENT NEWS written on just this subject. 

** QUICK PLUG FOR ROSELIND!!  I have worked with Roselind before on some of my blogs and again contacted her for permission to use some of the information that she had posted in the article for the purpose of this blog. Please check out her and her company by going to www.weloveaustin.com.  Roselind is a fantastic and very dynamic agent with an incredible knowledge about her market and a very passionate love for her profession.

Now, back to the meat of this...Here are some of the reminders that I have compiled both from some of the listings I have seen and the list that Roselind had supplied for this blog:

1. Describe The Features Of The Property -- Remember to stick to the facts about the property.  Obviouisly, you can embelish a bit to make the langue more fun, but dont blow it out of proportion.  Also, don't 'profile' your potential buyer by focussing the ad on one specific style of buyer.  We all have some idea of what type of buyer will suit the need for the property, but isnt every financially qualified person a potential buyer? Here are some examples of what you should say:

• Condo with exercise center and pool
• Historic home with wrap-around porch
• Qualified Senior Housing
• Located On cul-De-Sac
• Bring your Hammer and lots of ideas!
• Extensive Remodeling including windows, new floors
• Bright and Sunny living room
• Comfortable and Spacious
• Designer colors!

 Avoid phrases that focus on the buyer.  Also, consider subtle little things that might be interpreted wrong by a potential buyer:

• Empty Nesters Paradise (Are kids welcome??)
• Great family neighborhood (Will singles be allowed??)
• Hispanic Community (Uhhhh...Do I need to elaborate??)
• Near Indian grocery (Is this the Indian part of town??)
• Pefect for a single guy (Is it not safe for a single female????)
• Bring your kids! (Uhhh....Sorry, but I dont have any)
• Totall remodelled (Really???)
• New heat and AC (The entire system or just the unit itself???)
• New carpet! (Well, it was new last year...)
• Wonderful neighbors (Rock bands are fun neighbors!)
• Kept in perfect condition (Oh yeah??  Is that what the inspection report will tell me???)
• All new appliances (Does that include the water heater and the furnace?)

2. One thing that agents like to do in the ad copy is make descriptions of the neighborhood that the listing is located.  This is all well and good and adds a sense of the community, as well as the home itself.  Some good examples are:

• Gated neighborhood
• On golf course
• Horses allowed
• Tree-lined street
• Secluded off-street location
• Close to Shopping

Now, remember...it's perfectly OK to talk about the neighborhood.  But, it is NOT OK to talk about the neighbors!  Dont use language that establishes a preference to the type of person that will fit with the 'local flavor'.  Phrases to avoid:

• Exclusive area (Really....excluding whom???)
• Elite neighborhood (Who qualifies for this???)
• Country Club location (Are non-members allowed to buy there??)
• Surrounded by young families (So...elderly need not apply.) 
• Mature area (So, you young people...you go somewhere else.)

3. Whatever you do, do not offer up assurances about what CAN be done with the property.  Not only can adding onto the existing home be more difficult that you anticipate, but the buyer could take your statement at face value and then be very disgruntled later on.  Between permits, easements, building codes, and neighborhood opposition...who knows. Anything could stop them from being able to do what YOU said could be done.  So, avoid things like:

• Un-obstructed view of the lake (From now til when???)
• Perfect for a bed and breakfast
• Add a second story and see all of downtown
• Ready for a new master bathroom 
• Plenty of room for a pool (Of course, we ahve to move your sewer line and the underground gas line and the......)

4. Lastly, in the attempt to remain perfectly accurate, dont use brand names in generic ways...

• Jacuzzi tub (Umm, its says Whirlyride on the drain...)
• Jennire grill (Umm, it says COLEMAN on the side...)

When it comes to marketing a home, the goal of the ad copy is to describe the features of the home and to attract quality buyers.  It is increasingly important to use accurate language.  But, more than that, it is vitally important that you do not violate anything within the COE or the Fair Housing laws. NEVER refer to the sex, racial origin, family status, or age of ANY potential buyers or current residents of a particular area.  And remember, if you direct your advertising to target a specific type of buyer, you are discriminating against other buyers that may be just as capable -- perhaps even more capable -- of buying the same property. And even more importantly, if you submit an offer from a potential buyer, and the offer is rejected, the buyer could feel that the rejection is a result of some form of bias against them based on the descriptions put in the ad. 

Roselind had one of the best lines when it came to writing ad copy. Ignore the ambiguous meanings...Remember that YOUR REPUTATION IS AT STAKE!

If you would like information about www.recr.com and how we can bring you more buyers, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058

In a study conducted by the NAR in 2006, it was discovered that neighborhood quality was the number one factor in the choice of whether or not to puchase a home.  You could have the absolute gem of a home...but, if the neighborhood isnt up to par, it will reflect on the selling ability of the home.

So, if your neighborhood lacks a bit....or alot....check out this quick list of ideas that can help improve the area your listing is sitting in...and potentially help selling your home for the highest amount possible.

1. Make a deal with your neighbors -- If it is the neighbor's homes that are dragging down the perception of the area (and dragging your listing down with it), why not approach them with an offer to pay for a landscaper to give thier yard a good quality makover?  Now, many of you may ask at this point why you would do something like that.  Well, the answer is quite simple.  Improving the look of the homes around your listing will improve the over-all perception of the neighborhood...thus improving the perception of your listing....making it easier to sell it for the highest amount possible.
   
   
2. Team up with others -- If you are not the only one looking to sell a home in the area and the entire lot of you are faced with the same problem, then team up with one another and do something about it.  An organized effort for a weekend or two picking up garbage, painting fences, covering grafitti, pulling weeds, etc., could have a huge increase in the over-all likability of the area.  Not only that, but its good for the community and you would probably inspire others to assist in keeping thier 'hood cleaner and neater.
   
   
3. Call your Chamber of Commerce -- Many cities have organized neighborhood clean-up programs that are sponsered by the city.  They usually work with a good number of volunteer oraganizations that select an area each month -- or adopt and area permanently -- to clean up or improve.  Ask if you can nominate your neighborhood for such an endeavor.

If you need any help getting buyers for your listings, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058 or go directly to www.recr.com for more information.

This is one the best symbols that we at www.recr.com can come up with for Ken Isaacman of Samson Realty...MONEY!

Ken is a consumate professional...and one of the nicest agents that I have spoken with in a very long time!  He and his wife, Angela, are multi-million dollar producers out of Chantilly, VA.  Check them out online at www.isaacman.com.

I highly recommend him and his team for anyone looking to buy property in that area.  They truly are one of the good ones...

Luckily, Ken and Angela have seen fit to send us yet another testimonial!!!  So, I figured I would post it here for everyone to see.

"I signed up with www.recr.com in January of this year...and to date, I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the leads I've received so far.  I've already had one closing and one ratified contract in my first 3 months with RECR.  I made over $13,000 on my first contract and am waiting to close on the second.  Not bad for a $2,000 investment!  I will continue to use them for leads!"

Ken Isaacman, ABR
Samson Realty
Chantilly, VA

Thanks, Ken and Angela!!!  We appreciate you and all you have done for us and our clients!!!! 

If you would like to recieve additional information about www.RECR.com, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058.

I have had a sudden increase in the people contacting me via AR requesting information about www.recr.com and how we can help them.

Therefore, I wanted to send everyone access to our FAQ section on our website so that you can do a little due diligence on us.  Please click on the link provided....or go to www.realestateclientreferrals.com/faq.php.

Here is how we help agents like you succeed: 

	Professionally-created websites help consumers take advantage of free real estate offers such as a free list of "just listed" homes (from your local MLS) or performing a CMA. This helps the client become more engaged in the buying or selling process and opens the door to working with a real estate agent.
	Referrals are exclusive to one agent per territory - you never compete with other local agents over a referral. This gives you the crucial edge you need to make that all-important "first contact" that gets the listing
	Every week, we email clients on your behalf with interesting, relevant content through our custom-crafted drip campaigns. Each drip campaign is branded with your contact information - including your name, phone number, email address, website, photo and company logo. So it looks like it came from you - without any extra effort on your part!
	Superior web-based contact management system helps you stay in touch with customer easily by making notes and setting up appointment reminders. The information you post can also be exported to Top Producer or an Excel® spreadsheet.
	The more you spend - the more you can earn in potential commissions! What if, for every $1,000 you spent, you got $7,000 in returns? It happened for one agent and that's not an isolated case!

Wanna know more??  Go to www.realestateclientreferrals.com/testimonials or www.realestateclientreferrals.com/news for additional information or testimonials from around the country and in Canada.

If you would like more information about www.recr.com and how we can assist you, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058.

So...Many of you know already that I am a huge fan of hunting sapphires.  I have written about it in the past....and spend a good portion of my summer at the mine doing nothing but washing gravel and finding treasure like these....

It is about a 75 mile drive from my house to Phillipsburg, home of The Sapphire Gallery.  That is where I go to have all of my gems judged for quality, schedule all of the heat treating that I need and arrange to have all of the treated stones cut and mounted in jewlery. 

But, that is all beside the point....On the way there, you have to travel through the thriving metropolis of Hall, MT.  OK...so, its less of a metropolis and more like a ghost town with a couple stragglers.  You have a better chance of seeing about 1,000 head of cattle for every person in Hall, MT.  The entire town is comprised of a boarded up grain elevator, a rusted out train stop, a broken down garage turned into a house, and about 10 houses...most of which are boarded up. 

However, despite the over-all shambles of the town...there is one house just north of the city center that is worth seeing.  (Just north of the city center equals roughly about a 47 second walk stumble crawl from downtown....or, what was downtown...) Anyway, you get the point....

In the yard of this house is this sign...

Im not entirely sure exaxtly what this is supposed to be telling me...But, I had to venture a couple guesses...

1. CAUTION -- CHILDREN PLAYING WITH LAWNMOWERS??
   
2. CAUTION -- WOMEN MOWING AT HIGH SPEED??
   
3. CAUTION -- LAWNMOWERS RUN AWAY FROM USER??

(Feel free to add a few of your own guesses.  Im sure someone out there is more creative than I am...)

Anyway....Make sure when you are on your way to Phillipsburg to stop and take a picture of this sign and show it to your friends...While your at it, get pictures of the steel rhino, grizzly bear, and blue heron that are 5 miles north of this sign.  (Im hiding the pictures of that from you....you have to go there yourself for those.)

 **********UPDATE***********

I submitted this sign to the following site... http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CUTS/signs/

And, if you have a minute, click on that link and see some of the other hilarious signs that have been submitted...the one about whale watching is a riot!  That one and the one that tells you to remove your dentures...LOL!

If you have any questions about www.recr.com or getting more clients, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058.

In this business, it is important to recognize those that do well with our program.  www.RECR.com would like to thank Elaine Ladwig for her continued business and would like to congratulate her on her success!!

Elaine is still with us today after sending this testimonial in November.  THANK YOU, ELAINE!!!  We appreciate it!!

Elaine is looking to earn a commission of $48,000!

""One of the referrals I received in June wanted a CMA. I just listed the property on October 1st for $685K. I showed the property the day after it listed. If I get both sides, the commission will be just under $48,000! Thanks so much!  What I have found compared to other lead sources, is your leads seem to be more of a "warm" lead, than other types.  I feel the price I have paid for your service and the income received has already more than made this an excellent investment in my overall marketing program!"

- Elaine Ladwig
Prudential NW Real Estate
Oregon

If you would like info about www.RECR.com, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058.

Let's face it, unless you have been living under a rock, you have some idea of what Web 2.0 and the power of social networking can do for your bottom line as well as your exposure on the net.

Social networking sites are springing up all over the place -- and there are far too many to name individually -- ranging from the norm (www.myspace.com, www.facebook.com) to very specialized social networking sites like www.classmates.com and www.rivals.com.  Many of us have profiles on some site like this...many of us use LinkedIn.  Many of us have blogs we post to frequently, whether they be on AR or outside sites maintained by us or others.  And, all of that is awesome! 

But, lets not forget about our OTHER social network...REAL PEOPLE!  Real people that we speak to and see daily.  From the grocery store clerk to our mechanic to our hair-dresser, we see potential clients on a daily basis...and we FORGET TO NETWORK THEM!!! 

Have we gotten so used to technology doing our job for us that we have forgotten how to interact with actual humans???  We are in the business of helping PEOPLE!  If you dont know how to interact with them and make them feel comfortable interacting with you, you are not going to be very successful in this business.

Tina Lo Sasso, Managing Editor for www.SalesDog.com supplied me with a couple of fantastic ideas on how to "network your network".  (By the way, you can sign up for SalesDog for free and recieve helpful hints like these weekly for FREE!  Go to www.salesdog.com for more information.)

1. Everywhere possible, get business cards and give business cards!  Write notes on the back of the card that help you recall details about your conversation with your contact.
   
2. Don't try to sell them right then.  Pit your sales pitch in your back pocket.  Get your new-found prospect to talk about themselves and relate to them on common ground.  This will help you solidify the relationship PERSONALLY before you go at them PROFESSIONALLY.
   
3. Ask questions! -- Keep the focus of the conversation on your new contact (NOT ON WHAT YOU DO).  Talk about their business, interests, hobbies, things that impact thier business/lives.
   
4. If at a social gathering, CIRCULATE!  Don't monopolize one person or allow yourself to be over-come with one person.  My suggestion, spend 10 minutes or so per person on #2 and #3 above.  You can always make an easy exit by saying something like, "If you will excuse me..." or "Its been a pleasure speaking with you...".
   
5. Follow up immediately and in a memorable way.  This is where your notes come in.  If you promised them a report, information on a list of homes, mortgage info, etc, get it to them!  Didn't promise them anything?  Send a brief handwritten note, even a referral to help with a thier business or help them with a problem they had mentioned.  A prompt follow-up shows your professionalism and is the key to capitalizing on your contact.

One last hint that will increase not only your personal network, but also your web 2.0 network -- put your profile locations on your emails, business cards, and correspondance.  Allow those you speak with daily to access your MySpace page...give them a link to your blog.  Who knows...maybe they will send it to their friends...And, isnt that what Networking is all about???

If you would like more information about www.recr.com and how we can increase your bottom line and provide you with clients, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058.

Thanks to the price of gas, the costs of food, and the economy in general...More and more people are choosing to stay near home for thier vacations.

"Staycations" seem to be the latest trend in family-oriented "time away".  Basically, a "staycation" is a vacation from work...taken at home.  Many people are choosing to spend time with thier families and do activities that are close to home rather than jump into the Sport Family Truckster and drive all over the country.  Touring local attractions rather than spending mass amounts of money to get to a typical "tourist trap" and then not being able to afford to do anything when you get there sounds appealling now that the economy has suffered like it has recently. 

The real winners?  Local businesses!  More money is being spent in the local economy rather than spent outside while more and more familes take advatage of the "staycation".

The real losers?  Any business that relies on tourism dollars to stay afloat.  With the way things are looking...Tourism is going to take a huge hit this season...

I know I have 3 weeks of vacation coming to me in the following months.  I have no plans on going anywhere far from my house.  In fact, there are restaurants and museums and water slides and all kinds of things in my back yard I have not even seen yet...and I plan on "staycating" at home this year.  (For info on my main "staycation" destination, check out this blog http://activerain.com/blogsview/402174/Sapphires-Sapphires-Everywhere).

Id like to send a shout-out (ThemThem) to two of RECR's newest agents and most recent success stories...Thank you much for the endorsement!

Joe says : It's simple! These leads are real and it's true that about one out of five produces a closing. I've only bought 10 leads and I already have one closed and one ready to close. Plus, I've been very happy with the drip e-mail campaigns for the longer term buyers that doesn't take up my time. I've tried a lot of lead generators and this one I'm sticking with.

Joe F. Bottorff
CRS, Certified EcoBroker
DOC Real Estate, Inc.

Joyce says : I recently signed up with Real Estate Client Referrals and have to say I am impressed with this company.  RECR is sending me quality referrals.  In just the first month I have received 14 referrals and have relationships started with 10 of them.  While I have not yet had one come to close I will soon be turning at least 4 of them into transactions.  So any referral you receive should turn out to be an actual workable client.  It is then up to you, the Agent, to get it to close. 

Also I have found since it is a qualified referral, the relationship with the client right from the start is a positive one because you don't have to convince them that they need a realtor, they are actually looking for one.  So even if I don't turn every  lead into a transaction, I am having positive and pleasant conversations and that is so much better than cold calling and having people say, "I'm not interested". 

So although all of this is still new to me, I am having a great time with it and look forward to the next referral I will receive!

Joyce Goodwin
RE/MAX Select

If you would like to speak with Clint in regards to getting clients from www.recr.com, please contact me at 800-977-7058.