Category Archives: Pound Ridge

Email marketing ideas for Realtors | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Leave a reply

 

Email has been proven to be a tremendously powerful real estate marketing tool. In fact, it’s the No. 1 way people share content with their friends and family members. Additionally, this 2012 survey shows 77 percent of consumers want to receive emails from companies they have an interest in.

In this article, I’ll go through four great real estate email marketing ideas to help you generate new leads, convert those leads into clients and stay “top of mind” with your entire database.

1

1. Provide value with an e-newsletter
A monthly real estate newsletter filled with useful and interesting articles for homeowners will help you stay in touch with your database, continue to provide value to past clients over time and position yourself as an expert in your industry. The content of the newsletter shouldn’t be promotional in nature but instead contain helpful tips and ideas for homeowners. If you don’t have time to write and design an e-newsletter, be sure to choose a customer relationship management (CRM) platform that comes with one preloaded and relevant to your business. You’ll likely be pleasantly surprised at how many replies you’ll get!

2. Send Just Listed and Just Sold e-cards and e-fliers
A whole lot of agents are not doing this, but if you’re careful about who you’re sending your Just Listed and Just Sold e-fliers to, they can be extremely valuable in getting some motivated leads.

If you know that certain people in your database are likely to be interested in a certain area, next time you get a listing or sell a home in that area, let them know about it.

Then, look at who opened your email and how many times they opened it and clicked on its links. You may find that certain people have read your email multiple times, clicked on the hyperlinks and even forwarded it to someone else. If this is the case, be sure to give these leads a call, as they’re potentially very hot!

3. Assign every new lead to a drip marketing plan
Whenever you get a new lead, be sure to assign it to a drip marketing campaign in your CRM immediately. Effective drip campaigns include a mix of emails that are sent automatically and periodic prompts to make keep-in-touch phone calls. And remember, with drip marketing, it’s not a “one size fits all” approach. Each campaign should be tailored to the individual prospect type, such as a first-time buyer, FSBO, seller and so forth.

Automating your lead nurturing with drip marketing frees up a lot of time, and ensures no lead falls through the cracks.

 

 

read more….

 

 

http://www.inman.com/next/the-way-to-a-clients-heart-4-fantastic-email-marketing-ideas-for-realtors/?utm_source=20140701&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailyheadlinesam

The reality behind NAR’s spin on home sales | Pound Ridge Homes

Leave a reply

 

No matter what housing market conditions we are experiencing at any given time, one thing is as predictable as the sun rising and setting each day: The National Association of Realtors will say that “Now is a great time to buy or sell real estate.”

In Trey Garrison’s piece “4 charts show the phony thrill of existing home sales” appearing online in HousingWire on June 23rd he wrote that NAR recently put out a news release announcing existing home sales were up 4.9% in May over the previous month.

He then gives graphic evidence through several charts that actually show when sifting through additional data, the NAR “good news” turns out to be no more than spin. Supporting that notion is his comment that although the May 2014 increase over April is happy news indeed, it is actually 5% below the figure of May 2013.

While this constant spinning is no surprise to anyone who has been in the housing business for as long as I have (30-plus years) and who has extensive experience in public relations, it should give one pause when trying to determine the true health of the housing market and overall economic conditions.

It is one thing for the Obama administration to continually put out misleading (at best) information trying to convince the American people that we are in the middle of not just a housing recovery, but an economic one as well when nothing could be farther than the truth, it is another when the private sector follows suit.

NAR, which has long been a distinguished organization, serves an exceptionally large constituency – Realtors across America.

And, yes, it is true that they would rather disseminate positive, encouraging information about why it may be desirable to buy or sell real estate to be supportive of their membership.

 

read more…

 

http://www.housingwire.com/blogs/1-rewired/post/30426-effinger-the-reality-behind-nars-spin-on-home-sales

5 Questions Every Real Estate Agent Should Ask a New Client | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Leave a reply

There are many articles out there suggesting questions that buyers should ask their real estate agent, but now it’s your turn!

Whether you’re an experienced realtor or not, it’s important to always be crystal clear on a new client’s background information and preferences. Know where you stand before jumping into a relationship with a lead.

Here are 5 questions you should ask a new client:

  1. Why are you buying and why is now the right time to move?

    Learning WHY they are buying a new home at this specific time is very helpful in tailoring your real estate services to fit their needs. It will also help you determine how many hours you can expect to work. For instance, some may be looking for a REALTOR® way before they sell their current home, while others may wait until the last minute. Everyone’s timing is different.

  2. How many houses have you already seen and what are your 3 favorite neighborhoods?

    You’ll gain a better understanding of their recent real estate experience and at the same time, you’ll find out if they have already been working with another agent. Also, ask them to list their 3 favorite neighborhoods – this is an easy way to begin discussing the importance they place on schools, demographics, and where they want to live.

  3. If we found your perfect home tomorrow, what would you do?

    Ask this question so you can evaluate their readiness to actually move and better grasp their preferred timeline. If you’re speaking with a first-time home buyer, use this moment to go over the closing process and any other details they need to know about buying a new home.

  4. Are you working with a lender?

    Now you’ll can make an easy transition into a financial conversation. This is a great opportunity to learn whether or not they are pre-approved. If they have not been pre-approved, suggest a lender of your choosing.

read more…

http://blog.realestatebook.com/2014/06/18/5-questions-every-real-estate-agent-should-ask-a-new-client/

Former Forbes Party Yacht Gets a High-Design Makeover | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Leave a reply

 

item3.rendition.slideshowVertical.highlander-yacht-renovation-04-sky-lounge.jpgPhoto by Lisl Dennis/ Architectural Digest

Once treasured by the legendarily wealthy Forbes magazine publisher Malcolm Forbes, The Highlander has long been the decadent, floating setting for elite parties, fancy vacations, and—of course—some seriously expensive decor. Now owned by interior designer Joanne de Guardiola and her husband, Roberto, the yacht unfortunately no longer hosts as many flashy parties, but definitely looks better, trading in Wolf of Wall Street-esque eighties interiors (ok, it wasn’t actually as bad as that “sumptuous” ship) for sleek, modern style.

All aboard! >>

Done up in a colorful array of priceless artwork, designer pieces, and custom accents, de Guardiola’s take on the ship is cleaner, but still playful and slightly funky. The “sky room,” for example, pairs Brazilian blue onyx floors, angular Holly Hunt cocktail tables and couches, and rainbow-hued chairs. In the glassy dining room, there’s a mirrored dining room table and chairs upholstered in Missoni. Architectural Digest has the full tour, right this way.

 

read more…

 

http://curbed.com/archives/2014/06/16/former-forbes-party-yacht-gets-a-highdesign-makeover.php

 

Where are Baby Boomers moving? Absolutely nowhere | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Leave a reply

 

 

Some 10,000 Baby Boomers reach retirement every day, exiting a world dependent on jobs and kids and into a new lifestyle that drastically adjusts their housing choices, a commentary by Patrick Simmons, director with the Economic and Strategic Research Group of Fannie Mae, said.

The common perception is that the generation born between 1946 and 1964 is starting to downsize from suburban single-family homes to urban multifamily residences as they become empty nesters.

But this assumption is not true, and in fact, the truth is quite the opposite.

Simmons explained, “Despite these life transitions, one key metric of boomer housing consumption – the proportion of the population residing in a single-family detached home – has yet to decline.”

And instead of the downsizing perception, the percent of Baby Boomers residing in single-family detached homes was at least as high in 2012 as at any time since the onset of the housing crisis.

 

 

read more…

 

Where are Baby Boomers moving? Absolutely nowhere

 

Enjoy a Rustic Vacation in This Cave-Like Renovated Stable | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Leave a reply

 

Retreat-in-Tinos-Island-by-Ioannis-Exarchou_dezeen_784_11.jpgPhoto via Dezeen

At first glance, this modest, abandoned stable certainly doesn’t look like much of a holiday getaway spot, despite its location on the beautiful—and vacation home-packed— island of Tinos, Greece. Inside, though, Athens-based architect Ioannis Exarchou meticulously renovated the so-called Retreat to provide everything a couple on holiday might need, without any frivolous extras. “My main objective was to retain and preserve the cavernous unique feeling of the space,” says the architect. True enough, the building team focused on maintenance over changing the actual look of the stone dwelling, plastering only the interior walls, putting in new flooring, and patching up the dark (unwittingly trendy) exterior stonework.

Take a look inside. >>

The white plaster walls and concrete floor inside are hardly luxurious, but look undeniably cool and minimalistic. The lower level of the home is reserved for a sitting area and a small bedroom—with wooden cupboards, a sunken bed, and not much else in the way of furniture—while the upstairs offers a kitchen dotted with arched windows. Dezeen has the full gallery, this way.

 

 

read more….

 

http://curbed.com/archives/2014/06/09/enjoy-a-rustic-vacation-in-this-cavelike-renovated-stable.php

 

Foreclosures skyrocket in Northeast, West Coast | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Leave a reply

 

 

Foreclosures of all types were filed on 109,824 residential properties in May, a 5% decrease from the previous month and a 26% decrease from May 2013, which brought it to the lowest monthly level since the early days of the housing bubble and crash in December 2006.

The quick read – Northeastern and West Coast markets are having the most trouble with rising foreclosure activity, along with Chicago. The healthiest markets are in the flyover states, the sand states and the Sunbelt. Florida is still healing but still hurting.

The monthly RealtyTrac report also shows one in every 1,199 U.S. housing units with a foreclosure filing during the month.

Foreclosure activity recorded includes all default notices, scheduled auction and bank repossessions.

Despite the decrease in overall foreclosure activity nationwide, 21 states posted monthly increases in overall foreclosure activity, and 11 states posted annual increases in foreclosure activity.

The four major metros with the biggest increases are all northeastern and seaboard cities – Boston, New York City, Washington D.C, and Philadelphia. Boston increased 44%, New York 23%, and Washington D.C. and Philadelphia both 15% year-over-year.

 

 

read more….

 

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/30258-foreclosures-skyrockets-in-northeast-west-coast

 

Good News for Sellers: Listings Sell Faster Despite Weak Sales | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Leave a reply

 

Despite weak demand and an infusion of new listings over the past two months, listings are selling nearly as fast as a year ago and prices are still rising.

Realtor.com reported this week that in April the total U.S. for-sale inventory of single family homes, condos, townhomes and co-ops rose by 8.56% over March, from 1,841,844 units in March to 1,999,548 units in April. As a result, the median age of the inventory dropped by 15.69% over the month, although it remains 6.17% higher than it was a year ago. Yet the median list price rose significantly over the month, from $199,900 to $207,500 despite soft demand. On a year-over-year basis, the median list price and the size of the for-sale inventory were up by 6.46% and 14.21%, respectively.

NAR reported that, with little inventory relative to demand, in April properties sold faster for the fifth straight month. Listings typically sold in 48 days compared to 55 days in March, falling to nearly the same level as 43 days a year ago. NAR’s monthly survey of Realtors found that short sales were on the market for the longest, at 96 days (112 in March), and foreclosed properties were on market at 56 days (55 days in March). Non-distressed properties were on the market at 45 days (53 days in March). Conditions varied across areas. Approximately 41 percent of respondents reported that properties were on the market for less than a month when sold, and about 6 percent were on the market for more than six months

 

read more….

 

 

http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2014/05/good-news-for-sellers-listings-sell-faster-despite-weak-sales/

A Bland Condo Gets Color and Personality | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Leave a reply

 

After spending almost a year exploring the real estate market in San Francisco, Eunice Chang finally found a place she could call home. Although the condo looked like a bachelor pad and was located in a nondescript 1990s building, it was on the top floor, and the building sat on a small side street straddling the city’s vibrant Castro and Mission districts. “I loved the idea of a walking neighborhood,” she says.

With a hands-on attitude, treasure-hunting know-how and an ongoing desire to improve her space, the homeowner filled the interior with meaningful pieces and a soothing palette of blues and neutrals. “I don’t know if my home will ever be done,” admits Chang, the lead user experience researcher at Opower. “Every time my friends come over, something at my place has changed.”

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Eunice Chang
Location: Castro neighborhood of San Francisco
Size: 1,073 square feet (100 square meters); 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Year built: 1992

transitional living room by Hoi Ning Wong
Hoi Ning Wong
Save to Ideabook

Email Photo

Excited by the potential of a south-facing living room, Chang tried to make the most of all the natural sunlight. Hardwood floors replaced old, tired carpeting, and fresh paint gave the walls new life. Pale aqua paint at the rear of the bookcase creates a vibrant backdrop for an ever-growing collection of mementos.

Wall paint: Muslin, Dunn-Edwards; accent wall paint: Opaline, Dunn-Edwards; leather chair: Cavett, Crate & Barrel; resin deer head: Z Gallerie; striped pouf: Target

transitional entry by Hoi Ning Wong
Hoi Ning Wong
Save to Ideabook

Email Photo

Although the structure of the entry hall could not be altered due to strict condo rules, visitors are greeted by a bright aqua door.

Door paint: Fountain City, Dunn-Edwards

transitional entry by Hoi Ning Wong
Hoi Ning Wong
Save to Ideabook

Email Photo

Chang’s design sensibilities and love of travel are apparent as soon as you enter the foyer. The sculptural piece of driftwood was a gift from a friend, and the woven bag is a souvenir from a vacation to Africa with her family.
transitional entry by Hoi Ning Wong
Hoi Ning Wong
Save to Ideabook

Email Photo

This wall-mounted rack was a quick DIY project. The piece of wood is an old floorboard found at Urban Ore, a salvage yard in Berkeley, and the decorative hooks are from Cost Plus World Market. The groove in the top holds postcards from family and friends. The rack extends the length of the entry hallway, making it both impactful and practical.
read more….
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/27386186?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u518&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery6

Down Payments Squeeze First-time Buyers | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Leave a reply

 

It’s no secret that raising the cash for a down payment is the toughest hurdle first-time buyers face on the road to home ownership. For many, government programs like FHA, USDA Rural Development guaranteed loans, VA loans and down payment assistance programs sponsored by state and local housing authorities have made all the difference.

Yet requirements by lenders in the wake of the QM Rule and overall tighter loan-to-value ratio standards are taking their toll. Average down payments are rising again, making it tougher for millennials who may face student loans and other financial hurdles.

Fewer first time home buyers are putting low down payments, according to the latest Realtor Confidence survey. About 60 percent of first time home buyers put down 6 percent or less compared to about 74 percent in 2009. Realtors reported that buyers who pay cash or put down large down payments generally win against those offering lower down payments.. For buyers with sufficient financial resources, a higher downpayment also means saving on mortgage insurance premium payments.

Down payments have already increased when last year, when the media for first-time buyers was 5 percent for first-time buyers and 14 percent for repeat buyers, according to NAR’s Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

Last year first-time buyers used a variety of resources for the loan downpayment: 78 percent tapped into savings; 27 percent received a gift from a friend or relative, usually from their parents; and 7 percent received a loan from a relative or friend. Nine percent sold stocks or bonds and 8 percent tapped into a 401(k) fund. Among entry-level buyers who said that saving for a downpayment was difficult, 54 percent said student loan expenses delayed savings.

 

read more…

 

http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2014/05/down-payments-squeeze-first-time-buyers/