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Saturday, December 13, 2025

Lisa Gray

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Lisa is an accomplished marketer with years of expertise in direct response marketing, digital marketing, data analytics and business development working with both B2C and B2B.

    It’s safe to say that most real estate agents aren’t professional photographers. Most do, however, carry smartphones with them – phones with cameras.

    It’s all too tempting to skip the expense of a professional photographer and snap photos of a listing with that handy dandy iPhone.

    So, while your clients work their fingers to the bone to get the home ready for the market, in walks their real estate agent, breezing through the house snapping phone photos, then slaps them on the MLS and calls it a day. 

    Listing Photos DO Matter

    Let’s get into the statistics. The National Association of Realtors has found that 92 percent of homebuyers start their search for a home online. Of those people, 98 percent say that the listing photos are the most important information they find.

    Nearly all of them!

    Then there is the study from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA’s Institute for Behavioral and Experimental Real Estate. This study finds that the typical homebuyer won’t even look at a listing that doesn’t include photos, and when he or she does look at a listing, the first thing viewed is the photos.

    Finally, another study finds that listings that include professional photography get 61 percent more views than those with agent-generated photos.  

    So, ok, we know that listing photos are an important aspect of generating interest in a home that’s on the market. But there’s more.

    The Photo Introduction Series is shown above. To see more, Click HERE.

    Pro vs. Amateur

    Now, here’s the study that should make you pay attention. A while back, the Wall Street Journal reported that “At the closing table, listings with nicer photos gain anywhere between $934 and $116,076 . . . over listings using photos from point-and-click cameras.”

    Your listing clients are paying you to market their homes so that they make the most money possible in the shortest amount of time. The value of hiring a professional photographer is obvious.

    How to choose a real estate photographer

    As you gain experience as an agent, you will hope that home sellers will ask you about your past marketing efforts. So, ask the photographers you interview the same question. Ask for recent listing photos. Then, request the following:

    • Names and phone numbers of agents they’ve worked for.
    • An itemized list of what his or her fee includes. Pay close attention to how much of the post-production work is included in the price.
    • If a licensing fee isn’t on that list, ask if the photographer charges one and how much it is.
    • Ask if he or she will retain the copyrights to the photos.

    Don’t neglect your due diligence; call those agents that each photographer has worked for.

    Choosing the least expensive photographer is easy, especially as a new agent with limited funds. Keep that temptation at bay by understanding that listing agents who use professional photographers earn more money at closing than those whose listing includes bad photos. (Redfin)

    Welcome to the world of real estate!

    PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

    1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

    Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

    Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


    2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

    The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

    3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

    The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

    4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

    The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

    5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

    Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

      Real estate is local – how many times have we heard that one? Real estate buyers, however – especially in certain parts of the country – are increasingly global, and many real estate agents are turning the international real estate client niche into a lucrative living.

      Consider this: foreign buyers spent $59 billion dollars on U.S. residential real estate in the last two years, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

      The association also claims that the average sale price ($598,200) and the median of $366,100 were the highest on NAR’s record.  

      Where is all this money coming from? It depends on, again, local markets. NAR claims that most of it are coming from China, Canada, India, Mexico, and Brazil. 

      Despite the fact that South Americans are flocking to Miami’s luxury condo market, NAR says that most international purchases are for single-family residences. The study also says that the most preferred cities for foreign buyers are Florida, California, Texas, Arizona, New York, and North Carolina.

      So, how does an agent get her fingers in the international real estate pie? Like most niches, it takes time, and it requires a system.

      The Shifting Market Series is shown above. To see more designs, Click HERE.

      How to break into the niche

      Choose an area of specialization. “Because of the wide variation in customs, language, geopolitical and procedural considerations involved in serving international customers and clients, international specialists usually specialize in one or two countries, either related by language or belonging to the same global region,” says Coco Waldenmayer, former managing broker of  Engel & Völkers in Naples, Florida.

      To select a region in the world that you are best suited to serve, Waldenmayer suggests asking yourself the following questions:

      • Are you attracted to one continent over others?
      • What is your familiarity with one or more other cultures?
      • Does your sphere of influence already include individuals from a certain country?
      • Have you traveled to the region?
      • Do you speak the language?

      Remember that many international clients come from English-speaking countries even if you don’t speak a foreign language. Aside from the United States, the countries with the highest percentage (not number) of English-speaking residents are:

      • Australia
      • United Kingdom
      • Ireland
      • Philippines
      • Canada
      • Germany

      Once you’ve decided on an international farm area, consider obtaining the Certified International Property Specialist designation, which offers exceptional networking opportunities.

      There is much more to know about successfully working with international buyers; we’ll be unpacking that in an upcoming article.

      PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

      1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

      Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

      Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


      2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

      The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

      3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

      The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

      4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

      The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

      5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

      Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

        Some real estate agents enter the business with a huge sphere of influence to tap for their first deals. A lot of these agents are members of civic organizations, churches, or philanthropic groups. Even parents active in the local PTA come to the business with a list of potential clients. 

        Sound a bit mercenary? 

        On the contrary, using your community, social and familial contacts to help you cultivate potential clients makes sense. 

        “Involvement” is the operative word

        One would assume that the busier the real estate agent – the more successful his practice – the less likely he is to volunteer within the community. That assumption is wrong.

        Successful agents that understand the power of delegation and hire a staff, even if it’s one assistant, typically have a little time to devote to a community cause or to a personal passion.

        When asked how they give back, those who claim they don’t have time to get into the community say they donate money. 

        While giving to non-profits, charities, churches, and other organizations is commendable, it is not really “community involvement.” 

        So, don’t let us stop you from writing those checks. We just hope you’ll consider giving some of your time as well.

        The Comfort Food Series is shown above. To see more designs, Click HERE.

        Mingling online doesn’t count either

        The internet has changed many things about the way agents run their businesses, including how they stay in touch with past clients and their spheres. Much of it revolves around the use of social media. 

        But is social networking comparable to meeting face-to-face within the community?

        Don’t get me wrong, being social via tech is valuable to your business. So, mingle online all you want, but it should be in addition to in-person involvement.

        Meet and greet

        This is where the meat of your community involvement campaign is – those organizations where you can contribute your time and talent and meet lots of folks from the community you serve.

        Activities are more relaxed than the typical real estate transaction, so people get to know you as a person, not as a real estate agent. 

        Let’s face it – there isn’t much that distinguishes one agent from another, but on a personal level, it’s easy to set yourself apart.

        Network with a passion

        It’s important to pick a cause for which you feel some affinity – preferably a passion. This way, you can focus your efforts on the cause, not the leads. The leads will come – just give it some time.

        Of course, if you have a passion – say for helping veterans or tutoring children – half the battle is won right there. If you have lots of interests, do some online research to help pare down the choices. Here are several places to start:

        • AmericaCorps (ideal for Baby Boomers or those specializing in that niche) 

        There are numerous civic clubs to consider as well, such as 

        Finally, ask your local church or school what kind of help they may need, and if you’re athletic, become a volunteer soccer, baseball, football, or tennis coach.

        PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

        1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

        Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

        Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


        2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

        The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

        3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

        The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

        4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

        The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

        5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

        This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

        Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

          Recessions used to be painfully easy to spot. Lately, however, the definition of the word “recession” seems to stymie even the most experienced and well-regarded economists.

          Is it any wonder that the general public, and real estate consumers in particular, are now confused about the economy? 

          Whether or not your real estate practice is feeling the financial pinch that many other small businesses are experiencing, it very well may be in the future. 

          Should you discontinue marketing during the downturn? 

          Your competition may be tempted to do so. Which is the biggest reason you should absolutely not stop marketing.

          Over the next few weeks, we’ll be bringing you several tried-and-true real estate business marketing methods that, although some are time-consuming, will be easy on your budget.

          The Market Update Series is shown above. To see more, Click HERE.

          Consider increasing your content marketing

          Content marketing, by definition, is not meant to promote your brand (although it often does) but to attract and spark interest in your real estate services.

          Right now, consumers (whether ready to buy or sell or wait it out) want to be kept abreast of the economy and the housing market and get tips on how to solve challenges in buying or selling in this market.

          Blogging is one of the best and least expensive ways to accomplish this. Before you put your fingers to the keyboard, however, let’s take a look at some of the plusses of blogging:

          • Have a blog on your website? If you consistently add content to it, you may receive 97% more inbound links than the agent who doesn’t have an active blog. “Inbound links boost a website’s authority, which is a major page-ranking factor.” (Fundera.com)
          • Marketing advisory firm DemandMetric finds that “… companies with blogs generate 67% more monthly leads than those without.”
          • Their research also finds that you’ll spend 62% less on content marketing than on other forms of marketing.
          Structure your blog posts for easy-reading

          Most of us have landed on a blog post that hits us like a wall of words. And many will pass it by for just that reason. 

          Blog content needs to be easy to read, so break up long paragraphs and create additional interest by inserting bullet points, numbered lists, and lots of white space. 

          The folks at SEMRush find that a bulleted list every 500 words produces an average of 70% more traffic than posts that don’t contain these breaks.

          Then, vow to add some spice to each post

          Plan on adding images to each post. Types of engaging images include:

          • Stock photos
          • Screenshots that help explain the content
          • Infographics
          • Charts

          According to the SEMrush State of Content Marketing 2020 Global Report, your blog posts’ images are critical to getting more traffic.

          Blogging consistently during an economic downturn shows your website visitors that you’re still engaged in the industry, despite the slowdown. It demonstrates that you understand their concerns and are ready to assist them.

          PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

          1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

          Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

          Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


          2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

          The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

          3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

          The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

          4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

          The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

          5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

          Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

            Some call the current housing market a “correction,” while others describe it as “in transition.” The truth is, none of us know for sure what’s coming. 

            We know today’s real estate market is nothing like what we’ve become accustomed to. If you’re the adventurous type, this is an exciting time.

            To help you weather the current market, let’s unpack the various forecasts floating around online and try to make some sense of them. 

            Concessions, concessions everywhere

            When was the last time you saw an offer to purchase replete with buyer concessions? It’s pretty much unknown to new agents who’ve joined the industry in the past couple of years. Today, however, rate buydown requests, money for repairs, help with closing costs, etc., are making a comeback, according to research by Redfin.

            “Home sellers gave concessions to buyers in 41.9% of home sales in the fourth quarter … That’s up from just over 30% in both the previous quarter and the fourth quarter of 2021,” claim Lily Katz and Taylor Marr at Redfin.com.

            In 2022, San Diego saw concessions included in 73% of home sales, while 62.9% of Phoenix contracts contained concessions.

            The Real Estate Times Campaign is shown above. To see more, Click HERE.

            Will rates quit their upward trajectory?

            Experts are all over the place on this one. Greg McBride, Bankrate’s chief financial analyst, says that rates for a 30-year mortgage will sit at 5.25% by the end of 2023.

            Between now and then, our survey of various experts shows:

            • “Fannie Mae sees the average rate of a 30-year fixed getting to 6.8% in 2023,” claims Kevin Graham at Rocket Mortgage.
            • Freddie Mac is predicting the 30-year rate will be 6.4%. 
            • Bob Broeksmit, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s president, projects a 5.2% 30-year rate by the end of this year. (HousingWire.com)

            As you can see, the experts are all over the map when it comes to predicting future mortgage rates. To get a better feel for what to expect in the spring real estate market, the pros with Motley Fool urge us to keep an eye on the March Fed meeting (March 21 and 22, 2023).

            Will there be buyers?

            The ShowingTime Showing Index®, at the time of this writing, reports that home showings fell by more than 30% nationwide. This drop is due, in large part, to the typical winter slowdown, so it’s not as scary as it appears on the surface.

            According to a survey at NBC.com, more than half of homebuyer respondents say that the economy is causing them to reconsider buying a home. The good news is that nearly 1/3 of respondents replied that they are still considering buying.

            If the Fed plays nice, we may just have a decent spring real estate market. Keep in touch with your sphere and farm, and you’ll be way ahead of the game.

            PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

            1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

            Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

            Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


            2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

            The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

            3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

            The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

            4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

            The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

            5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

            This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

            Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

              There really is nothing quite like that “high” agents get while walking away from a home with a signed listing agreement. No matter how often it happens, I highly doubt any agent becomes jaded.

              The only problem is getting the home sold in a rapidly changing market. This is especially true of agents who were uber-busy during the hot sellers’ market. There was often not enough time to put a marketing plan to work before selling the home.

              It’s different now, as you know, and ever-changing. Depending on your local market, you may need to pull out that marketing plan, dust it off and beef it up.

              Let’s look at some of the basics you may need to spiff up to ensure your listings sell this year.

              The Looking For Listings Series is shown above. To see more, Click HERE.

              Getting the price right

              Pricing the home appropriately for the market may be a listing agent’s most challenging task right now. It’s not impossible, but the job is certainly unlike the one you’ve become accustomed to. 

              First, you may run up against a lack of available sales data. “A declining market will likely exhibit very little sales activity,” suggests the Appraisal Institute’s Guide.

              The writers go on to offer two solutions to help determine the home’s current market value:

              “1. Expand the geographic area for comp search, then adjust for location as appropriate and/or

              2. Use less recent sales, then adjust for market conditions as appropriate.”

              A lot of your calculations will depend on how much competition there is in surrounding areas. Get to know all you can about those homes and their prices. If there’s a lot of competition, “Start by pricing below the competition,” suggests Neal Templin at Rate.com.

              “If that doesn’t work and you need to adjust the price after a month or two, lower it by enough to attract a new group of buyers. It’s brutal. But you’re likely to end up with more money by getting out in front of a falling market rather than chasing it,” he concludes.

              Naturally, you want to get the highest price you can for your client in a changing market. Remind your client that speed is important right now because the market will most likely not be getting better in the near future.

              The listing description and photos

              The agent’s online listing description is many buyers’ first introduction to homes for sale. 

              “This one won’t last!” is no longer an appropriate or truthful listing description headline. Because buyers are keeping a close watch on the real estate market now, they know that the home may last much longer than the seller hopes.

              Skip the hyperbole and use that valuable real estate to talk up the features of the home, the lifestyle it offers, and the neighborhood.

              If you photograph your own listings, consider hiring a pro for any home you feel may be challenging to sell. Professionally photographed homes sell quicker and for more money, according to a Redfin survey taken a few years ago.

              Yes, the market may be challenging to get a handle on right now. But if you are taking listings, focus on the basics, such as appropriately pricing the home and nailing your best marketing tool, the MLS listing description, and photos.

              PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

              1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

              Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

              Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


              2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

              The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

              3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

              The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

              4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

              The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

              5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

              This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

              Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                Think back to the days before you got involved in the real estate industry. Did you truly understand the workings of the housing market? 

                Sure, there are the economic geniuses among us, but many, many agents come from careers far removed from that. It’s safe to say that the teachers-turned-real-estate agents didn’t have the time or energy to pay attention to the real estate market.

                Congratulations! You’ve just put yourself in the typical homebuyer’s and seller’s shoes.

                Imagine how they’re feeling right now, and you can understand why “housing market bubble” has been a highly-searched term on Google.com in recent months.

                This is despite agents across the country doing their best to let folks know that the odds that we’re facing another burst real estate bubble are slim to none.

                If you have clients who have decided to watch the market instead of getting in it to sell their homes, you have some convincing to do.

                As we all know, if they hope to sell for a reasonable price, the time to jump into the market is right now.

                The Fence Sitter Campaign is shown above. To learn more bout this series, Click Here.

                If I were you

                I’m not. But if I were, I’d send a postcard to every potential home seller in my CRM.

                It would be simple yet effective.

                Perhaps the front of the card would say, over a lovely real estate-ish graphic, something along the lines of:

                “Home prices continue to climb”

                Under that headline, I would place this recent quote from Devon Thorsby at US News and World Report:

                “Home prices are down month-over-month but still up year-over-year annually.”

                Additional salient points to make, space permitting, of course, include:

                • Ignore month-to-month figures. As Thorsby says, “… month-to-month data is more volatile and does not signal a drastic shift in the market on its own.”
                • Home price growth is slowing, but it’s a sign of current economic conditions (higher mortgage rates, inflation, etc.), not a housing bubble.
                • The national median home sale price in November “… is 3.5% higher than the same month the year before. This represents “… the 129th consecutive month of a year-over-year increase in the median home price, the longest-running streak of increasing year-over-year prices, per NAR data.” According to Thorsby.
                • Finally, Realtor.com’s economists claim that the median list price nationwide was $416,000. This represents an 11% increase compared to the same month last year.

                Express the urgency of listing sooner rather than later. Few economists expect the price growth to last, so getting the home on the market now gives your clients the advantage of getting the most money possible for the foreseeable future.

                And this good news comes just in time for these folks to take advantage of the spring market. 

                Reach out if you need help with your postcard campaign. We are happy to help.

                PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

                1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

                Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

                Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


                2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

                The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

                3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

                The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

                4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

                The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

                5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                  We’re big proponents of real estate farming. Whether it’s circle geographic farming, niche farming, or something else, we repeatedly hear stories about the hefty benefits of this marketing method.

                  While researching different real estate farming niches, we came across one that we found especially brilliant: long-time homeowners in good school districts.

                  The advantages of this niche real estate farm

                  Homes located in a “good school district” increase in “value over time,” according to Jamie Johnson at QuickenLoans.com. This is especially important to a homeowner who needs to sell during a market in decline.

                  About 31% of homebuyers surveyed by the National Association of REALTORS® for the 2022 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report have at least one child under the age of 18.

                  The study also found that 23% of the buyers surveyed said that the quality of the school district was a factor that influenced their choice of neighborhoods.

                  When broken down by age, 41% of homebuyers aged 32 to 41 expressed the importance of buying in a higher-quality school district.

                  The higher demand for homes in a well-respected school district also means the home for sale may remain on the market for less time than other homes. Which homeowner and listing agent doesn’t want a quick sale for a decent price?

                  The Empty Nest Series is shown above. To see more designs, Click Here.

                  The kids grow up, eventually

                  When they do, they will (hopefully) strike out on their own. Mom, Dad, and an empty nest are what they leave in their wake.

                  Once you’ve chosen a school district to focus on for your farm, you’ll need to narrow down your “audience.” Start by using the median tenure of homeowners. Nationwide, it’s 13.2 years.

                  Coincidentally, that’s just about the same amount of time that it takes for a child to progress from kindergarten through high school graduation.

                  Homeowners with a 10-year or longer tenure should be among your target audience.

                  How is the sales activity in the prospective farm area?

                  Known as the turnover rate, this is an important metric when choosing a geographic farm area. 

                  Take the number of homes sold in the past 12 months and divide that number by the number of homes in the prospective farm area. Multiply the result by 100.

                  “You typically want to see a 5% turnover rate or higher,” according to the experts at Realtors Property Resource®.

                  The next step

                  If the number of homes left is too large for your liking, weed out smaller homes and concentrate on those with square footage large enough to make these empty nesters want to downsize.

                  Now that you have your farm area nailed down, it’s time to get a prospect list. We would love to help you with that. to get started quickly and easily creating your prospect list using the Demographic Search Tool, Click Here.

                  Empty nesters in large homes within highly-rated school districts are a micro-niche that, if approached right, can be quite lucrative. And just in time for the spring market!

                  PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

                  1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

                  Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

                  Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


                  2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

                  The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

                  3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

                  The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

                  4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

                  The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

                  5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                  This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                  Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                    As a real estate agent, establishing a strong rapport with clients and potential clients is key to building a successful career. Rapport is all about creating a sense of trust, understanding, and connection, which can ultimately lead to successful, long-term relationships. 

                    Today we dive into some practical tips on how to build rapport with real estate clients.

                    Active Listening

                    “Active listening is a communication skill that involves going beyond simply hearing the words that another person speaks but also seeking to understand the meaning and intent behind them,” according to Arlin Cuncic, MA at verywellmind.com.

                    In other words, avoid thinking about your next appointment during the current one. Cuncic goes on to give some additional tips to help you listen actively:

                    • “Being fully present in the conversation.” Give every bit of your attention to the person speaking.
                    • Maintain eye contact
                    • Show the speaker you were listening by paraphrasing what was said.

                    The Join the Market Series of postcards is shown above. To see more, Click Here.

                    Show Empathy

                    Empathy goes a long way in establishing rapport with clients. Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand their perspective. 

                    Buying or selling a home can be a significant emotional experience, and acknowledging and validating their feelings can help create a bond. 

                    Offer support, reassurance, and a compassionate ear when needed. By showing empathy, you build trust and let clients know that you genuinely care about their well-being.

                    Tailor Communication Styles

                    Everyone has a unique communication style. Adapt to your client’s preferences and mirror their communication styles to establish a comfortable rapport. 

                    Some clients may prefer a more formal approach, while others might appreciate a more casual and friendly conversation. Pay attention to their tone, pace, and word choice, and adjust your communication accordingly. 

                    Be the Agent they can Count On

                    Timeliness and reliability are critical factors in building rapport. Few things in the business world are more frustrating than someone who doesn’t promptly respond to phone calls, emails, and messages.

                    Keep your clients informed throughout the buying or selling process, providing regular updates and addressing any concerns promptly. 

                    By being responsive and reliable, you instill confidence in your clients, reassuring them that their needs are a top priority.

                    Building rapport with clients and potential clients is an essential skill for real estate agents. Thankfully, it’s one that can be developed over time.

                    When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

                    1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazin

                    Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

                    2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Real Estate Marketing Planner

                    The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

                    3. The Free Online Real Estate Business Plan

                    The Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your financial goals.   – Click Here

                    4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                    Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                      Maybe it’s because Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday all happen so close together that shoppers believe that winter, in its entirety, is bargain-shopping time. Even for real estate.

                      The media doesn’t help when every year we read stories of how much more money a homebuyer saves when buying in winter than at any other time of the year.

                      If you have clients willing to transact at this time of year, bravo! If you have folks who are fence-sitting, trying to time the market, or otherwise hesitant to jump in, educate them on just how brilliant selling in winter can be.

                      As a new agent, however, you may find yourself in negotiations with bargain-hunting buyers. If this is a new situation for you, read on to figure out how to deal with it.

                      Let’s make a deal!

                      So, how should you react when you, as a representative of the seller, receive a ridiculously low offer on their home? 

                      The appropriate response depends on several things, chief among them is the type of market we’re in at the time. 

                      Right now, we’re in a weird transitional market. This means depending on the state of the market in your region, your client may or may not still be in the driver’s seat. 

                      First, get a handle on what’s happening in your market. Read local news stories, and listen to other agents’ conversations at the sales meetings and in the office. 

                      The Shifting Market Series is shown above. To see more designs, Click Here.

                      Here are some of your client’s options:

                      • Entertain the lowball offer by remaining firm on the price. In other words, counter the buyer’s offer by stating that you want full price. This one is more appropriate in a hot sellers’ market.
                      • If your clients really need to sell the home sooner rather than later and offers are few, counter the offer by lowering the price by a small amount and let the negotiations begin.
                      • Ignore the offer. If offers are few and far between, this may not be a suitable option. Still, this option should be included when counseling your client.
                      • If the buyer is requesting concessions, consider granting them or some watered-down form of them (again, according to market conditions). In case you haven’t heard, “Buyers received concessions—such as money for repairs and mortgage-rate buydowns—in a record 42% of home sales in the fourth quarter,” according to Lily Katz and Taylor Marr at Redfin.com.
                      • Accept the offer.

                      Other ways to counter an offer to purchase include countering the contract terms. 

                      But, before you present any of the aforementioned responses, and depending on how long the home has been on the market, you may want to run a new check of recently sold homes to ensure that the market value hasn’t changed since the home was listed.

                      PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

                      1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

                      Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

                      Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


                      2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

                      The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

                      3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

                      The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

                      4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

                      The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

                      5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                      Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                        Home sellers, so used to being in the real estate market’s driver’s seat, have no idea that they may soon be riding shotgun instead. The days of multiple offers for a home that sold overnight and for well over the asking price are dwindling.

                        This doesn’t stop the runaway enthusiasm they’ll feel when Joe down the street lets them know about the crazy high price he got for his home. Neighbor Joe failed to remind these sellers, however, that his home sold months ago when prices and demand were still high.

                        Now, this isn’t to say that the market is full of nothing but doom and gloom for home sellers. In fact, there’s an urgency in the air for homeowners who truly need to sell to get their homes listed before the market is full of doom and gloom.

                        The good news for listing agents and their clients

                        “Home prices will continue to rise, but at a slower pace,” according to Realtor.com’s 2023 Housing Forecast. With the recent barrage of negative media reports about the housing market, you at least have this silver lining to offer your listing clients.

                        Here’s an example, and although it’s hyper-local to Minnesota’s Twin Cities, it’s an apt anecdote to pass on to your clients.

                        Both the number of listings and the number of sales in the Twin Cities have declined. In fact, pending sales in November were the lowest in more than a decade, according to Jim Buchta at StarTribune.com. 

                        Interestingly, home prices there continue to rise (the median sales price in November was 4.1% higher than this time last year), and homes are selling quickly.

                        To add even more silver to the lining that nobody seems to be noticing is that Freddie Mac tells us that “… the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage declined again to 6.31%,” Buchta says.

                        The Real Estate Times Campaign is shown above. To see more, Click Here.

                        More misconceptions

                        A recent Zillow survey of real estate agents finds that home sellers are still operating under the assumption that they will receive more than their list price, entertain multiple offers and enjoy a quick sale. 

                        They also don’t anticipate the possibility of having to eventually cut their list price to get the home sold.

                        Although Zillow’s “… research finds a rapid drop in home values is unlikely,” the analysts there also predict that prices will pretty much flatten throughout 2023. By the end of next summer, prices will have increased by only 1.3%. 

                        Additional rises in interest rates should also serve as a caution to any of your listing clients who are sitting on the fence. Urge them to put their home on the market now.

                        Keeping your clients and potential clients up-to-date on market conditions is critical in a changing market. Providing the information against a backdrop of what it means to them personally is immensely valuable.

                        PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

                        1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

                        Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

                        Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


                        2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

                        The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

                        3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

                        The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

                        4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

                        The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

                        5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                        This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                        Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                          It’s crazy how many blog posts nowadays seem like they were written by the same person. Have you noticed that?

                          They contain the same stilted language, the same lack of real substance, the same repetitiveness and they reveal a similar lack of knowledge about the real estate industry.

                          Welcome to free content via ChatGPT. 

                          If, on the other hand, you are still writing your own content, good for you. Not only will yours stand out more than the robot-written stuff but it will be immensely more sharable.

                          Overcoming writer’s block

                          Believe me, I am quite familiar with those dreaded days when I just couldn’t come up with a topic. One way around that is to swipe from someone else. No, I’m not advocating plagiarism. Never.

                          But what I do recommend is that you read other blogs to get ideas for topics that you can then make your own.

                          Start by visiting Zillow.com. Why?

                          Consider the amount of research the company does when coming up with blog topics and keywords. They’ll check the amount of traffic they can expect for those keywords and choose the highest ranking to assign to a writer.

                          Take advantage of their hard work and write your own blog posts on these topics. Make it longer, meatier, and more engaging and you’ll have yourself a winning strategy!

                          Oh, and by the way, don’t stop with Zillow’s blog. Any large real estate related corporation that posts a blog will have swipe-worthy topics.

                          The Real Estate Times Series is shown above. To learn more, Click Here.

                          Using book reviews

                          Now you need to head over to Amazon.com. Head to the books section and search for books on buying and selling homes. Pick out the books with low ratings and read the reviews. 

                          It’s amazing the information that people are craving and not getting from these books. Let’s take a look at a few snippets from Amazon reviews of real estate books. This first is a review of a book for FSBOs:

                          “Most of the content is either basic common sense or so lightly covered that it is of no real value. I thought I might gain some real insights into things like effective pricing strategies, marketing, or how to best leverage the digital tools and platforms available today.”

                          Bingo! Take a look at the bolded words, above. Those are some amazing topics.

                          Let’s take a look at another review.

                          “There should have been more content such as, what is the 28/36 rule, and should you follow it? What is a jumbo loan? or How should you think about HOA fees?”

                          Again, some excellent blog topics.

                          This last review is more of a cautionary tale for the agent when composing content.

                          “The authors have decades of marketing and real estate experience, but it doesn’t feel like they have worked with first-time homebuyer clients recently. Like the ivory tower professor, the author’s long years of experience away from the trenches causes them to focus on a different set of details and concerns than what you might care for.”

                          In other words, be very, very basic in your vocabulary, grammar, and in your explanations of topics. These may come second nature to you because you deal with them daily. But the average real estate consumer needs a beginner’s walk-through.

                          Remember your audience and their concerns and your blog posts will be amazing!

                          When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

                          1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

                          Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

                          2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

                          The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

                          3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

                          The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your goals.   – Click Here

                          4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                          Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

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