Saturday, April 26, 2025

buyers

    One lesson real estate folks have learned, painfully, is that new legislation often brings significant changes.

    One such piece of legislation making waves is the “End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act”.

    Proposed to reshape the housing market, this act aims to address the growing concern that institutional investors, particularly hedge funds, are exerting significant control over residential properties.

    So, what does this mean for real estate agents and brokers?

    Understanding the Act

    In a nutshell, the “End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act”… would force owners of a large number of “… single-family residences to sell their swath of homes to family buyers,” according to Shannon Thayer (New York Post) citing The Wall Street Journal.

    It’s been bad enough that homebuyers face low inventories and high mortgage rates. To have to compete against the deep-pocketed investment firms makes it all but impossible for many buyers to remain in the market.

    Under the proposed act, institutional investors would face restrictions on the number of single-family homes they can acquire.

    Additionally, they would be required to hold these properties for a minimum duration before selling, aiming to prevent speculative practices that can destabilize local housing markets.

    The Get More Listings Series is shown above. To learn more, Click Here.

    What does this mean for real estate brokers and agents?

    1. Increased Opportunities for Individual Buyers.

    With hedge funds facing limitations on their acquisitions, individual buyers may find competing in the housing market easier.

    This could lead to an increase in demand for your services, which is always a good thing, right?

    2. Greater Stability in Local Markets

    By curbing speculative practices and reducing the influence of institutional investors, the act aims to promote greater stability in local housing markets.

    Real estate agents may benefit from a more predictable market environment, where fluctuations in inventory and pricing are less volatile.

    3. Potential Challenges

    While the act holds the promise of a more balanced housing market, it may also present challenges for real estate agents. Adapting to new regulations and navigating changes in market dynamics can require time and effort. 

    Additionally, some real estate professionals who have relied heavily on transactions involving institutional investors may need to diversify their client base.

    Learn more about the Act online at nypost.com.


    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 Strategic 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


     

      Have you ever had something bad happen to you only to find out later on that the event was actually a blessing in disguise?

      Jackie, for instance, was fired from her job. Sure, she panicked during the first few days of unemployment, but a month or so later, she was doing something else for a living. Something she dreamt about but never had the courage to pursue.

      Had she not been fired from her previous job, she may have never gone after her dream.

      The transitional real estate market is a lot like that. What appears to be a time of challenge or, at the least, discomfort may turn out to be an amazing time for real estate agents.

      Coming back down to earth may mean “crashing” for some clients

      Home price gains are shrinking, and sellers are starting to come back down to earth. However, coming back down to earth doesn’t happen overnight, as you seasoned listing agents know.

      After years of media reports of rapidly escalating home prices, multiple offer situations, and uber-quick sales, those sellers who choose to wait until the tail end of the sellers’ market to jump in are hard to convert.

      They’re not going to get that their home is no longer the belle of the local real estate market, that their hoped-for price is now a fantasy, and that it may take longer than 24 hours to get it under contract.

      And, those sellers who put big bucks into the house to ready it for the market are going to be more than a bit upset

      Especially when buyers start nit-picking them over price, terms, and more.


      The Call To Action Series is shown above. To see more, click HERE.


      Then, there are the buyers

      If you’ve been a listing agent for more than a minute, you can recall the last buyers’ market. Newbies, on the other hand, are in for a rude awakening.

      No longer can you chuckle over seemingly stupid requests in an offer because you have three others that are cleaner-than-clean. You will actually be expected to negotiate on your client’s behalf.

      “Good grief, how do I do that?” you may ask yourself as a new listing agent.

      Very carefully.

      While price is the typical hot button in a contract, “the devil is in the details”.

      Details are important

      “Details” when it comes to a real estate purchase agreement are the terms. If this turns into a full-blown buyers’ market, contract terms are where listing agents can work their magic during negotiations.

      And, if you have examples of how you’ve done this in the past, use them for all they are worth. From your clients’ testimonials to full-blown case studies, let potential listing clients know how you’ve met with success in the buyers’ market.

      Now is the time for all good listing agents to figure out how they are going to deal with the oncoming buyers’ market. Don’t put off your planning. Face it and go for it.

      We’ll be with you all the way, so keep checking back.


      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 all of 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

      6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

      Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here


        It’s been one heck of a ride, right? An amazing decade or so of a hot, hot, hot sellers’ market. 

        Imagine the relatively new real estate agent who joined the ranks during this period. The only market they know had homes selling within a week, bidding wars, multiple offers, and staggeringly high prices (and, thus, commission checks).

        Buyers’ agents during this period were, to say the least, stressed out. Clients were repeatedly disappointed with refused offers, having to compete against other, often deep-pocketed, buyers and those whose housing budget was so stretched to the max that they dreaded the results of each Fed meeting.

        How will those new agents, and listings agents in general, adapt to the “new normal” that’s about to smack us upside the head?


        The First Time Buyer Series is shown above. Click Here to see more.


        It’s survivable, and you can still thrive

        Since back in the day, listing agents have known that any real estate market has two sides, and the sellers’ side of a switch to a buyers’ market is tough to navigate.

        Being shoved out of the driver’s seat into riding shotgun is frustrating, so these sellers are hard to convert.

        They’re not going to go easy into that goodnight of lower home prices when just a month or two ago, their neighbor’s home sold for $50,000 more than your CMA’s suggested list price.

        Agents may find it challenging to deal with buyers who now have the luxury of being able to nit-pick over price and terms. They’ll relentlessly compare desirable homes to the 5 others nearby that are for sale, knowing that time, for once, is on their side.

        It’s all in how you manage expectations

        Flex your relationship-building muscles because instilling trust with clients and potential clients is critical in the early stages of a market shift.

        Earning their trust through being candid, honest, and up-front can help you manage their expectations and lead them to make better decisions.

        You can do this.


        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 all of 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

        6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

        Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here


          “Do You Even Need a Real Estate Agent to View a Home Anymore?” asks Robert Farrington at thecollegeinvestor.com.

          While he admits that “… viewing properties online will never replace checking out a property in person,” he offers two ways to view homes without an agent: “open houses, or you could simply go to the house and peek in the windows!”

          Yes. He. Did.

          Imagine the homeowners at the effect of this advice, with potential buyers creeping around their property, peeking in their windows.

          “The only time you actually need to call a real estate agent is if you want to get inside the house without breaking in!” Farrington concludes.

          One agent bravely responded to Farrington in the comment section: “Getting people who don’t know you to trust you and understand your value is hard enough without articles like this.”

          So true.

          When you meet a new client, there is most likely mistrust from the get-go and your first job is to win them over.

          Let’s take a look at what some of the experts suggest to help you win this battle. 

          1. It all starts with the buyers’ consultation

          Your first lengthy interaction with potential buying clients is an ideal opportunity to distinguish yourself from other agents they may have spoken with. It’s also the start of building the rapport required to instill trust.

          Aside from the routine questions (when they plan on buying, whether or not they’ve seen a lender, etc.) consider asking why they are buying a home. 

          The answer to this may give you valuable information on which to start building a relationship, so pay close attention to what they say.

          Whether your potential buying clients are getting married, growing their families, or just want a suitable space for Fido, the information gleaned from asking this question is something you can use to help build rapport.


          The First Time Buyer Series is shown above. To see more designs, Click Here.


          2. Which aspects of the home/neighborhood are non-negotiable? 

          Don’t be the agent so many real estate consumers complain about– “he kept showing us homes that were too big” “too small” “that didn’t have a pool” or “we’re in the wrong school district.”

          3. You can’t build rapport in separate cars

          As a buyer’s agent, think of all the rapport-building time that’s lost when your buyer takes a separate car and follows you from listing to listing.

          Stop taking separate cars to view homes for sale. Use the driving time to get to know the client:

          • Familial status (married, children?)
          • Pets?
          • Hobbies? Your client tells you she loves to golf. “Have you played [name of golf course]?”
          • Job? Your client tells you what he does for a living. “What made you decide to work in [career choice]?”
          • Where did he or she grow up? “So, what was it like growing up in [name of town]?”

          The time between viewings is so valuable. It provides the perfect opportunity to get to know your client and for him or her to get to know you. 

          In real estate, rapport is the basis of trust. The more that leads and clients get to know and like you, the more they will trust you enough to refer you.


          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 when. Four key market segments are included, 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 all of these boxes, but it is 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

          6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

          Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here


            One thing that hot and heavy real estate markets bring is anxiety for buyers. In slower markets, homebuyers have time to leisurely view homes for sale.

            Today, they have to act so quickly they let common sense fall by the wayside. Remorse sets in and, can you blame them?

            Buying a home is a huge financial commitment and feeling rushed or challenged in a bidding war can make even the strongest buyer develop lingering doubts.

            Think about buying a car. Unless you walked onto the lot knowing exactly which make, model, and year you wanted, you may have had to do some comparison shopping. When you finally narrowed down the choices to one, did you hear that little voice in your head that questioned your choice?


            The First Time Buyer Series is shown above. To send a one-time mailing, Click Here. To send a recurring campaign, Click Here.


            “Am I making a huge mistake? Maybe I should choose the Nissan instead of the Honda.”

            That, my friend, is known as “cold feet,” and it’s the first symptom of a full-blown attack of buyer’s remorse.

            Knowing the signs puts you in a position to help your client and save the deal, so let’s unpack this.

            Watch out for these warning signs

            Not all buyers prone to remorse will exhibit the same symptoms, but do pay attention if any of the following occur:

            • The buyer is concentrating on the minutia when deciding whether to make an offer. “Asking about when the roof was replaced or how old is the water heater are good questions and the buyers are thinking straight,” suggests Conor MacEvilly at myseattlehomesearch.com. 

            “But when they start asking about the wine stain on the living room floor, the hairlike crack in the kitchen ceiling, and the dripping bathroom faucet before making an offer, you are probably going to end up with one extra picky buyer …,” he concludes.

            • The buyer complains of feeling “rushed” or pushed into making an offer. Whether this is because you are actually rushing them (please don’t) or market conditions are putting pressure on them, pay attention to this warning. This is the time to remind them that contingencies are their friends and that nothing is a done deal until those are removed.
            Deal with it

            Always insist on a buyers’ consultation session before viewing any homes for sale. This is your opportunity to learn more about them and to get a feel for their motivation. It’s an important factor when judging whether they will stick with a deal.

            During the consultation, ask them their reasons for buying a home. Here is what you should hope to hear:

            • Their monthly housing payment will remain stable (at least with a fixed rate loan)
            • Build wealth
            • Tax advantages
            • Freedom to own a pet and make changes to the home
            • Starting a family or a growing family
            • Need a larger home to accommodate an aging parent
            • Just moved to the area and need to move quickly
            • Want to cut their commute time

            While there are others, these are strong motivations for a homebuyer. When feet appear to be getting cold during the buying process, remind your client what motivated them to buy in the first place.


            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 esthetic. 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 when. Four key market segments are included, 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 all of these boxes, but it is 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

            6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

            Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here


              There are an estimated 18 million U.S. military veterans, an undisclosed number of surviving spouses, and 1.4 million men and women currently serving on active duty.

              This means that there are in excess of 20 million Americans who may be eligible to take advantage of the VA home loan program.

              The good news for an agent who specializes in VA buyers is that millions of veterans feel that 2021 is a good time to buy a home.

              Nearly 60% say they intend on buying in the next five years and 34% say they will definitely buy a home this year, according to research conducted by data and consulting company Kantar (for Veterans United Home Loans).

              Sounds like a lucrative niche market, right? Not so fast.

              “Real estate agents who aren’t familiar with the details of the VA loan program could waste time showing you properties that have little chance of meeting VA and lender guidelines,” warn the pros at veteransunited.com.

              If this is a niche you are considering in your real estate business, get up to speed on the VA loan now, because half of the veterans surveyed say they will definitely consider applying for one.

              How to become a military-friendly real estate agent

              No, you don’t need a background in military service to work effectively with military homebuyers. Sure, it helps when it comes to communication. The real knowledge you’ll need, however, is about the nuts and bolts of the VA loan program.

              You’ll also want to get to know the needs of this group of people. Many, for instance, don’t know that they are offered a unique home loan program as part of their benefits. In other words, they are completely unaware of the VA loan program.

              “If you have not used the VA home loan program, what was the main reason you did not?” was a question put forth to veterans for the VA’s 2010 National Survey of Veterans. Nearly 34% responded that “I didn’t know about the program.”

              Your first job, then, is to create a direct mail piece letting these folks know about the VA mortgage guaranty and singing the praises of its benefits.

              Learn what’s important to veterans

              Nearly half of the aforementioned survey respondents who did use a VA loan in the past said they did so because there is no down payment required.

              Another big handful of them chose the loan for its “favorable interest rate,” and, coming in third, one group said that they felt their loan was more likely to be approved if it was guaranteed by the VA.

              Since these features of the program are of such high value to applicants, these are points you need to feature in your marketing pieces.

              Especially when it comes to comparing the FHA-backed mortgage with that of the VA (which a substantial number of veterans do), the lack of private mortgage insurance is a biggie.

              Although they didn’t mention closing costs (as is typical with most homebuyers), let your leads know that the VA puts limits on the amount that the lender can charge the borrower.

              It’s not all rosy, however. The VA loan comes with a funding fee. The amount varies and you can learn more at va.gov.

              There is a lot to learn about the VA loan, but it’s all well-worth knowing. The VA makes it easy for you to learn by devoting a section of va.gov to real estate professionals. You’ll find that information at benefits.va.gov.

              RIGHT NOW! Absentee Owner Scheduled Campaigns are on sale 10% OFF the first month (sale ends 4/3/21).
              Launch an Absentee Owner Scheduled Campaign, HERE

              TO LAUNCH AN ABSENTEE OWNER CAMPAIGN:

              Launch an Absentee Owner Campaign by clicking the “GO NOW” button, below (from a desktop or laptop computer).

              And, remember, YOU DON’T PAY until each mailing goes out (cancel or change up until the night before each mailing. The price shown at check out is per mailing, not campaign total).

              Launch an Absentee Owner Scheduled Campaign now, CLICK HERE!

              Please reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 with questions or if there is anything we can do to help you with your success.


              PLUS: When you have time…here are some helpful resources we’ve made available to support your success.

              1. 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 when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

              2. 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

              3. Become a Neighborhood Brand

              Become branded in a specific neighborhood with a 12X15 marketing piece sent automatically each month to an exclusive carrier route. Watch this video to learn more or Click Here.

              4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

              This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Real-Estate-Mailing-List-Guide2-3-D-999x1024.jpg

              The Real Estate Mailing List Guide outlines the top tools for generating targeted prospecting lists including Baby Boomers, Empty Nesters, Investors, Lifestyle Interests, High-Income Renters, Move-Up Markets, and more. The Guide also defines done-for-you marketing campaigns to match these markets. –Click Here

              5. 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

              6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

              This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ROI-calculator-b-233x300.jpg

              Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

              7. The Free Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

              This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is CRUSH-IT-Guide-3-d-298x300.jpg

              The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here

                Become a market maker

                Dean Jackson, Founder of GoGoAgent and Listing Agent Lifestyle, is an expert in educating agents on the importance of becoming a real estate Market-Maker.

                Dean states, “Most agents begin focusing on finding a buyer after they get a new listing. Often agents are only focused on getting listings because their belief is they need these listings to be able to find buyers”.

                “But what if you reversed this thinking?” Dean continues, “What if instead of matching buyers and sellers, listing by listing, you become a Market-Maker who’s truly controlling your market?”.

                Just Listed Color Series

                How incredible would it be to arrive at your listing appointment with a list of buyers, you’ve already been communicating with, from the surrounding area?

                As Dean says, “There’s nothing more powerful than this position because you’ve got the very thing that the seller wants more than anything”.

                “Regardless of who else is competing for this listing they can’t win when you already have buyers in hand”.

                When you begin to see your listing appointments in this way you are changing the game completely and taking your first steps toward becoming a Market-Maker.

                NAR statistics show home buyers, on average, move within 15 miles of their last location. This means there’s a good chance your listings home buyers are renters located in the same area.

                Based on this fact, it only makes sense to create a Renter Prospect List in the area that you are currently prospecting/farming and begin marketing to this list.

                This will allow you to show up at your listing appointments already armed with a list of prospective buyers.

                Renter Prospect List pinpointed on map

                In fact, you can demonstrate this by printing out your Renter Prospect List in map form on ProspectsPLUS!. Use the List Management Tool under your account options to do this.

                Then, take your map with you on your listing appointments.

                Show this map to homeowners and tell them you’ve been looking for their home’s buyer for months.

                State you have a pool of potential buyers you’ve been communicating with that live in the surrounding area. Then, discuss the high probability that their home buyer is on your list (based on statistics).

                Imagine the feeling you’ll have selling this listing to your own buyer – that’s a true Market-Maker!

                Watch this video (below) to see how to build a list of High-Income Renters and then map your list and print it out.

                How to turbo-charge the buyer pool for your current listings

                If you already have a listing and are getting ready to send out your Just Listed postcards, here’s how to increase your buyer pool and the odds of selling this listing to your own buyer.

                FIRST: Choose your Just Listed postcard on ProspectsPLUS! and complete any edits that you may need.

                NEXT: Once you get to the “proof screen”, you’ll see a blue box in the right vertical column (See photo on right).

                Click the yellow “add renters list” button inside the blue box.

                BAM! you just added a list of renters, in the same area, to your Just Listed campaign.

                It doesn’t get any easier than that to increase your buyer pool, and the odds of selling to your buyer, for that listing.

                Bottom line

                Whether adding a renter list to your existing just listed campaign or marketing to renters in your farm area, the most essential item you can have in your arsenal is a large pool of buyers within 15 miles of your listings.

                While other agents are discussing (with fingers crossed) what they’ll do to find a buyer once the listing agreement is signed you stand alone because you’ve already done the work.

                Multi-Photo Series
                Send a Just Listed postcard from the Multi-Photo Series to a radius surrounding your listing.

                Don’t forget to add a list of renters to your just listed campaign to increase the odds of selling to your own buyer.

                Need help targeting a specific niche of buyers or sellers? Use our prospect list tools to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

                By The Way, Happy Giving Tuesday Everyone!

                PLUS: When you have time…here are some helpful resources we’ve made available to support your success.

                1. Become a Neighborhood Brand

                Become branded in a specific neighborhood with a 12X15 marketing piece sent automatically each month to an exclusive carrier route. Watch this video to learn more or Click Here.

                2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

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                The Real Estate Mailing List Guide outlines the top tools for generating targeted prospecting lists including Baby Boomers, Empty Nesters, Investors, Lifestyle Interests, High-Income Renters, Move-Up Markets, and more. The Guide also defines done-for-you marketing campaigns to match these markets. –Click Here

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

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                The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

                4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

                This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Business-Plan-3D-Book-New1-270x300.png

                Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.  – Click Here

                5. 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

                6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

                This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ROI-calculator-b-233x300.jpg

                Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

                7. The Free Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

                This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is CRUSH-IT-Guide-3-d-298x300.jpg

                The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here

                  It may seem like buyers are buyers, from one year to the next. Buyers’ agents understand, however, that no two clients are alike, and that “buyers,” as a group, hold certain commonalities.

                  We’ve already officially entered the decade of the first-time buyers, as millennials aged into the housing market. Classifying “buyers” became immensely easier. We know a whole lot about the largest group of them in the market.

                  Of course, whether buying or selling real estate, who reaches out to you for help depends on the types of consumers you’ve been stuffing into your pipeline this year and last.

                  And, how consistently you’ve kept in touch with these real estate leads.

                  In a perfect world, your CRM is impeccably organized, your leads segmented, your follow-up spot on and you perform multiple touches throughout the year.

                  The Ready to Own postcard from the First Time Buyer Series is available in the postcard section.

                  Since the world isn’t perfect (nor are most agents’ CRMs), 2020 may be feast or famine time (as usual, right?).

                  Here’s what the “experts” are saying

                  Don’t you love reading the year-end prognostications about next year’s real estate market? While in late 2018 the experts were far more committed to their guesstimates of the 2019 market, this year, they are all hedging their bets.

                  Nobody is really sure what the real estate market will be like in 2020. Except for Nobel-prize winning economist Robert Shiller.

                  In September, he stated “that the U.S. housing market could start to see a fall,” according to Harsh Chauhan at CCN.com. Chauhan bases his predictions largely on the fact that existing home sales fell 2.2 percent in September.

                  Hey, isn’t that the time the market slows every year?

                  The Six Move-Up Mistakes Homebuyers Make Report is available in the Free REport section.

                  The truth is, Americans, by and large, are optimistic about the economy. NAR’s latest quarterly survey finds that 63 percent of buyers “feel optimistic” and 52 percent are happy with the way the economy is humming along.

                  So, will 2020 be a buyers’ market or a sellers’ market?

                  I really wish that the media would survey the country’s real estate agents when putting together their year-end roundup of expert opinions.

                  What are the chances that an economist or other “expert” sitting behind a desk, set in front of a wall of framed college degrees, has actually worked with real estate clients? Day in, day out, over the past year?

                  It’s agents who are closest to the market’s pulse, who feel the changes as they happen. It often takes a month or more for the media to catch on.

                  Agents across the country have told us they agree with Freddie Mac’s forecast of “a projected upward tick in housing supply” next year. While it may not be upward enough to balance the market, it will bring relief to many buyers.

                  Speaking of which, look for demand to remain high for homes in the lower price ranges. In Chicago, for instance, this includes anything priced lower than $325,000

                  Who are these buyers and what do they want?

                  “If you’re selling a house next year, expect to see a lot of young couples walking through your doors during open houses,” claims an unnamed writer at AZBigMedia.com.

                  Oops. Millennials, by and large, don’t like open houses. Members of Generation X, on the other hand, love them. According to NAR studies, 63 percent of Gen X homebuyers claim to have visited open houses before buying.

                  Which is great news for open-house holders

                  Unlike Millennials, Gen Z clients are more likely to have a home to sell before buying, giving their lucky agents a twofer.

                  They’re buying more expensive homes as well. They require less hand-holding. Hopefully, you’ve been pursuing this cohort because they and baby boomers will be the clients who bring you the best commission checks.

                  Yes, Millennial first-time buyers are expected to still loom large in the 2020 real estate market, so if the cohort is among your target clientele, relax.

                  If, on the other hand, you’re pursuing the more-bang-for-the-buck type of Gen X transaction, get to know the master-planned communities in your market. Specifically, those that offer homes with:

                  • Three to four bedrooms in a minimum of 2,300 square feet
                  • Single-story homes for the older members of the cohort (many hope to age in place)
                  • Plenty of nearby amenities, such as parks and good schools
                  • Quick commutes to the nearest city

                  Baby boomer homebuyers, on the other hand, are typically looking to downsize, so they’re competing with Millennials for those low-priced smaller homes.

                  Many in the cohort have decided to rent while others are aging out of the housing market entirely.

                  Boomers’ hot buttons?

                  • Efficient floorplans with lots of storage options
                  • A laundry room is a must
                  • Energy-efficient appliances and windows
                  • Homes that offer smart-home technology
                  • Home office
                  • Lots of natural light
                  • Single-story homes with no stairway access
                  • Homes in walkable neighborhoods near shops and eateries

                  The cohort’s cold buttons are just as important, so don’t show them:

                  • Homes in golf course communities (unless they voice a preference for them)
                  • Homes with an elevator or wine cellar
                  • Anything with more than one story

                  The Perfect Timing postcard from the First Time Buyer Series is available in the postcard section.

                  Fortunate is the agent who steadfastly targeted the older demographics this year and last. Next year may just be your most prosperous yet.

                  Send the Perfect Timing postcard from the First Time Buyer Series to a targeted list of renters.
                  Need help targeting the perfect list of renters? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

                  PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

                  1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!

                  The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

                   

                   

                  2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!

                  Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.  – Click Here

                   

                   

                   

                  3. Get the ALL-NEW “Insider Secret “Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

                  The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here

                   

                   

                   

                  4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                  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

                   

                   

                   

                  5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

                  Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

                    It’s not as if listings were a dime-a-dozen over the past few years. You worked your rear end off to even generate seller leads, let alone actually list them.

                    Sellers had it so easy – fielding multiple offers and selling lightning-fast and for major bucks.

                    But the times they are a-changin’, and you may need to dip a toe or two into the buyer pool in the future.

                    It naturally depends on if increases in inventory outpace demand. And, there’s a whole bunch of stuff that could happen to impact that scenario.

                    Just in case the “experts” are correct in assuming we’re headed for a buyers’ market; do you remember how to work with them? Let’s take a crash, refresher course.

                     “Buyers are liars” – or are they?

                    Sure, it’s a common saying since real estate agent caveman (and women) days, but it’s still creepy.

                    First, don’t we all pretty much lie when we’re thinking of buying anything? Think about it: you may know exactly what you want when you walk into Macy’s.

                    Say what’s on a home buyers mind (Available in the postcard section under Fence Sitter Buyer Series)

                    Even when you can’t locate the item or even which department it’s located in, you’ll tell a salesperson that no, you don’t need help, because you’re “just looking.”

                    Americans, by and large, don’t like salespeople. We don’t trust them.

                    When will real estate agents get it that the vast majority of consumers consider you salespeople? Every year when that “most disrespected” professions list comes out real estate agents rank among the most despised.

                    Yeah, it sucks, because we know better – we love you. But they don’t know you, so don’t take it personally. Again, people don’t like being sold to (which is why used car salespeople rank on that list every year as well).

                    So, when a buyer tells you that he or she isn’t “ready” yet or is “just looking,” it’s not fair to think of him as a liar.

                    Your best defense here is to do everything in your power to banish the perception of real-estate- agents-as-sharks. Take off the sales and promotion hat for starters.

                    Buyers are time and labor-intensive

                    Listing agents have it made. Breeze in, get a signature on the contract, stick a sign in the front yard and let all the town’s buyers’ agents sell the home.

                    Help a renter become a home buyer (Available in the postcard section under the First Time Buyer Series)

                    Yeah, I know, that’s pretty simplistic and not entirely realistic, but you have to admit that a listing agent’s job (especially if he or she is good at it) is a whole lot easier than a buyers’ agent.

                    While other agents are working on selling your listing, you’re out taking more of them.

                    Compared to listing clients, buyers are time and labor-intensive. And first-time buyers will gobble more of your time than repeat buyers.

                    The key to saving some of your precious hours is by putting the proper systems in place:

                    • Prepare a buyers’ consultation that nails it. Create handouts or website content that walks the buyer through the process, step-by-step and answers every possible question he or she could have.
                    • Consider creating in-depth buyer guides – one for How to Buy a Fixer, How to Buy a Newly Constructed Home, How to Buy a Waterfront Home, How to Buy a Home on a Septic or well or whatever.
                    • And, don’t forget Mortgage 101 guides on the various government-backed loan programs.
                    • Get your preferred vendors lined up so you won’t waste time trying to round up a lender or home inspector or contractor for your buyers.
                    • Stick all these valuable guides on your real estate website to make it even easier for buyers to access them. Education is power (and a time-saver for you).

                    These things not only provide a better client experience but save you time in the long run.

                    Buyers have totally unrealistic expectations

                    Don and Joan want to buy a condo in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. High on the wish list is panoramic views “We need lots of natural light, low fees and on-site amenities, such as a gym, pool, and a pet spa,” Joan said.

                    Don chimes in with some of his must-haves: “We also really want heated floors, a gourmet kitchen with granite countertops, a wine cooler, and a walk-in pantry,” he says.

                    “We would love a media room, a sauna, and a fireplace in the master bedroom. Our lender says we can pay up to $250,000,” adds Joan.

                    Yes, uneducated home buyers tend to be unrealistic. Sadly, when Don and Joan actually lay eyes on what that $250k will buy them (it won’t be in Beacon Hill, where the lowest-priced home right now is $1.5 million), they’ll be crushed.

                    Although “buyers are unrealistic” may be an accurate statement, whose fault is it? They don’t, after all, work in the real estate market every day so naturally, they don’t understand it.

                    It’s why the pros create a buyers’ consultation

                    Back to that, again, huh? A consultation should be the backbone of every real estate agent’s buyer’s system.

                    With the market potentially changing, as a listing agent, you’ll also be facing unrealistic expectations from your listing clients. They will no longer have the luxury of demanding top dollar for homes that need work.

                    2020 is going to be an interesting year in real estate.

                    Help them take the next step (Available in the postcard section under the Move-Up Market Series)

                    Send at least 100 Considering a Move postcard from the Move-Up Market Series to an area where you want more listings.

                    Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

                    PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

                    1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                    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

                     

                     

                    2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

                    “Get MORE Listings & Begin to Dominate Your Market!” Free online webinar. Learn the 3-7-27 strategy for explosive growth, why 95% of agents have less than 20% market share, and how to become the agent everyone competes against. – Click Here

                     

                     

                    3. The 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 when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

                     

                     

                    4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

                    Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.  – Click Here

                     

                     

                    5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

                    Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

                    Give Them the Facts

                    We are a nation of DIYers and fixer-uppers (or folks who think they are). We’re also a thrifty bunch, looking for any possible way to save a buck on purchases.

                    Put these two characteristics together and we end up with the real estate consumer seeking a bargain in the form of a fixer.

                    As an agent, you know which of your clients can take on all the work and money that a fixer might require.

                    “A fixer can be a perfect solution when your clients have long lists with a lot of requirements and if they’re willing to do the work,” David Bailey with Keller Williams, Beverly Hills tells HGTV.

                    So, yes, sometimes suggesting purchasing one is wise.

                    But it’s up to you to determine if it’s right for each client that hopes to buy one and then how to help that client make the decision.

                    Guess who likes fixers? Yeap the Millennials

                     The National Association of Realtors conducted a study a while back and discovered, in their efforts to avoid “cookie cutter” homes, Millennials were interested in fixers.

                    In fact, “about 30 percent of millennials surveyed say they prefer a ‘fixer-upper’ home rather than a home that needs only a few repairs,” according to RealtorMag.

                    Since Millennials make up the lion’s share of the first-time buyer pool, counseling and supplying facts will be your most important task when working with them.

                    To get your client thinking realistically, ask the following questions:
                    • Does your client or his family or friends have carpentry, flooring, painting, plumbing, electrical skills? They can hire professionals, but doing some work will keep costs down.
                    • Speaking of costs, does your client have rehab funds set aside or do they need to borrow the money?
                    • Is your client willing to wait to move into the home (maybe six months)?

                    If your client becomes fixated on a home in need of work, yank her back to reality by helping her understand the scope of the work required.

                    Bring in a contractor to help them determine if it’s possible to bring the home up to standards and to get an estimate of the cost.

                    Not only does this offer a reality check, but it gives your client an idea of how much to offer for the home.

                    How to finance the purchase

                    Unlike in the past, homebuyers have some attractive options when it comes to financing a home that needs work.

                    “Future value” loans are the most popular. These loans aren’t based on current market value but on the future value (after rehab) of the home.

                    First-time buyers and those on a budget typically opt for a government-backed mortgage that wraps the cost of the rehab into the loan. These programs include the Fannie Mae HomeStyle Renovation and the FHA 203(k) programs.Just Listed Just Sold Property Showcase Real Estate Postcards

                    If your client opts for one of these

                    These programs aren’t quick, easy or painless. If your client goes with the FHA 203(k) loan, he or she will need to come out of pocket to pay for a consultant.

                    The project must use the same contractor, from start to finish. If the client becomes dissatisfied with her choice, she’s stuck.

                    Then, the entire amount of money needed for the project is determined in advance and it’s a set amount. As one homeowner who used the FHA program notes “it is to the contractor’s benefit to do cheap work so they can pocket larger margins.”

                    Choosing a contractor will be one of your client’s biggest challenges.

                    Getting the loan

                    Rehab loans take far more time to complete than your typical residential purchase loan, so remind your client to get the loan process started as soon as possible.

                    You’ll have tasks to complete as well, such as helping your clients come up with a list of the work required and an estimate of cost. This will help you counsel them on how much to offer on the home.

                    You’ll need to structure the offer so that it’s subject to FHA 203(k) loan approval and the seller’s acceptance of any other HUD or lender-required improvements to the home.

                    Of course, FHA isn’t the only option for a client who falls in love with the idea of rehabbing a home to fit their lifestyle. Recommend that he or she meet with a lender and always consult their accountant.

                    Do you need to attract buyers interested in a fixer you have listed?

                     Send a Property Series postcard with an offer for the Free Report, “Top Ten Renovations that Reap Returns”.
                    Extend the offer to your Facebook audience and on your website, as well.

                    Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

                    PLUS: When you have time…here are 2 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

                    1.  The 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 when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here

                    2. The Free Online ROI Calculator. 

                    Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! – Click Here

                    Also…check out these cool tools 

                     Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

                    MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

                    Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

                    Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero (BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too, now that’s what I’m talking about)!

                    Dean Jackson takes your game up another notch by disclosing the steps to becoming a “Market-Maker”.  Learn how to differentiate yourself, become the wise insider, and disrupt your market.  Dean Jackson is the founder of GoGoAgent and Listing Agent Lifestyle

                    Reverse your thinking

                    On a fundamental level, the real estate business consists of finding one person who wants to buy a home and finding one person who wants to sell a home and matching those people up.

                    Most agents begin focusing on finding a buyer after they get a new listing. In fact, often agents are only focused on getting listings because their belief is they need these listings to be able to find buyers.

                    But what if you reversed this thinking? What if instead of matching buyers and sellers, listing by listing, you become a Market-Maker who’s truly controlling your market?

                    Bring what the seller REALLY wants

                    How powerful would it be to show up at a competitive listing appointment with a buyer who already wants to buy the house or a list of people who are interested in a house like their home?

                    There is nothing more powerful than this position because you’ve got the very thing that the seller wants more than anything.

                    Even if you brought this buyer to an appointment where the seller was thinking of listing with their mother, if all they had to do was sign with you and their house was sold, mom would be out.

                    Yeap, they would sell their mother out in a second because self-interest always wins, and their self-interest is to find a buyer.

                    That’s an extreme example but I guarantee you if you line up the four best listing presentations in your marketplace to compete against and you arrive with a buyer who says, “How much would you like for the house?” and “I’ll take it,” nobody’s getting that listing but you.

                    When you see listing appointments from this perspective, it makes the most sense to focus on already having buyers whenever possible. It will always give you an advantage on the listings.

                    A case study

                    As an internal case study, I spent some time running my “Getting Listings Program” with the intent of find lakefront home sellers in Winter Haven (where I live). At the same time, I marketed home and land ads for buyers looking for lakefront homes.

                    It wasn’t too long before I received responses from interested parties.

                    One of those responses was a phone call from someone who’d seen my marketing about the “new lakefront homes that were coming onto the market”. He told me he sold his house in Stuart and was looking for a lakefront home in Winter Haven.

                    Then literally within an hour of getting that call, I received an email from a home seller on Lake Ruby. She stated, “I’ve been getting your marketing pieces for the last few months and we’re ready to sell our house.” This house actually was a perfect fit for my buyer from Stuart. It was such a perfect coincidence I couldn’t have scripted it better.

                    Become the insider

                    The results of my case study really solidified my understanding that the very best thing you can have in a competitive listing arena is a buyer or access to buyers. While everyone else is talking to sellers about, “Once I list your house we’re going to do this and this, and this to find a buyer”, you are going to set your self apart.

                    Your talk track will be, “I started looking for the buyer for your house 180 days ago by doing this, and this, and this, and right now I have a pool of these buyers who are looking for homes just like yours”.

                    To be able to match buyers and sellers up in this way, triangulating them, that’s where true “Market-Making” lies. Now, you’ve got insider information and access to people who are thinking about buying a home, and you’ve got insider information on people who are thinking about selling their home.

                    All that is left is to match these people up. And that’s where you’re adding value and differentiating yourself because no one else will be attacking a market in this innovative and far-reaching way.

                    To learn more about the other incredible tools and resources Dean has available for agents go to GoGoAgent.com  and ListingAgentLifestyle.com.
                    Start collecting your pool of buyers now by sending the When Moving Makes Sense postcard from the Move-Up Market Series to at least 100 prospective buyers.

                    Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

                    PLUS: When you have time…here are 3 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

                    1. The Free 2018 Real Estate Business Plan.

                    Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan  – Click Here

                    2. The Free Online ROI Calculator. 

                    Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! – Click Here

                    3. The 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 when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here  – Click Here

                    Also…check out these cool tools 🙂

                     Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

                    MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

                    Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

                    Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero!

                    The right audience

                    Before you can sell anything to anyone, you must reach the right audience.

                    Your first step in creating a marketing plan for your new listing is to figure out and target the right buyer. The following are some avenues that will help you narrow down the buyer pool.

                    Go to the source

                    Talk to your listing client about their neighbors – are they primarily young families, older couples with kids still in the home, retirees, singles?

                    Location, as you know, is very important in determining a home’s value, but it can also help you pinpoint the likely buyer. Make note of it’s proximity to anything that is popular with homebuyers:

                    • Quality schools
                    • Shopping, dining and entertainment venues
                    • Parks
                    • Walking/biking paths
                    • Beaches
                    • Recreational opportunities, such as ski resorts, golf, equestrian center

                    The home holds clues

                    Everything from the price of the home to the square footage can serve as clues to help you narrow down your target market. For instance, smaller, single-story homes may be attractive to older clients while larger, roomier homes in the suburbs are hot with Gen X.

                    Also, consider any amenities the home offers. Homes with playrooms or a den are ideal for families. Backyards might lure pet owners, but backyards with space for entertaining are magnets for several different types of buyers (young professionals, families, etc.)

                    Then, use demographics to help you further define the buyer. Is this person single or married? Children? How old would you say the buyer is?

                    You can figure this out by using some of the various studies you’ll find on the internet.

                    • Luxury home? A female between the ages of 50 and 60 may be your target. This group of Americans controls more than half of the country’s wealth. One study found more than 60 percent of luxury home clients were age 45 to 54.
                    • A home with more than 2,000 square feet of living space, especially with close proximity to a decent school, your likely buyer will be a member of Gen X, with children.
                    • Starter home: If it’s located in the suburbs you’ll be visited by both Millennials and baby boomers. If it features a walk-in closet in the master bedroom and a front porch, you’ll attract the former, while a dedicated laundry room, air conditioning, and a patio will attract the latter.

                    If you find your buyer will most likely be a Millennial, hire a professional photographer to snap the marketing photos. According to a Zillow study, nearly 60 percent of buyers in this generation say professional pictures are an important factor in their homebuying decision.

                    The bottom line

                    You may need to come up with profiles for two or more buying groups. If so, distill each one into one persona and keep those specific personas in mind when targeting your marketing.

                    Once you figure out who to target when marketing your listing, you’ll find that many of your other listing duties fall into place naturally. You can more confidently recommend which items need to be repaired, for instance, and how to stage the home to appeal to the likely buyer.

                    Now it’s time to determine your target market and create the perfect mailing list, Go Here.
                    Then send the Waiting, Waiting Waiting postcard from the Fence Sitter – Buyers Series to at least 100 buyers that you have targeted.

                    Need help targeting those buyers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

                    PLUS: When you have time…here are 3 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

                    1. The Free 2018 Real Estate Business Plan.

                    Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan – Click Here

                    2. The Free Online ROI Calculator. 

                    Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! – Click Here

                    3. The 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 when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here

                    Also…check out these cool tools 🙂

                    Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

                    MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

                    Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand