Get Into Real Estate Now

When there is a huge amount of homes on the market and not nearly enough buyers looking, you may think that it is not the time to purchase an investment property. But that is just the opposite of true. Now is the time to make the jump into investing in the real estate market because now is the time to be getting a bargain on a property. There are prices dropping on properties everywhere, and with so many lenders in the market these days, there is always an incentive to use when purchasing a new property. Most offer competitive interest rates and many offer great financing programs that will entice you into using their lending institution. Use these offers to your advantage by accepting the best one for you. Likely, you will be able to take your pick between several.

There are sellers all over the country, but especially in the Florida area, that have taken some highly creative steps to ensure that their home is the one that a buyer picks. They have realized that it is a very competitive market and they have to do something to win your choice for their home. Not only are they offering the typical incentives of paying closing costs and new dŽcor allowances, some are offering tax and insurance payments for a year, one year maintenance plans, even big screen televisions, boats, and cars on some of the higher end properties. Some of the sellers have even agreed to a lease to purchase plan instead of outright selling the property, just so they can get new owners into their property.

Although it seems that interest rates have been on the rise lately, they are still below their standing just five years ago and these great deals on interest rates make it an even better time to make the decision to invest in property. Some lending institutions are willing to offer even greater deals on the interest rates to gain customers. They may offer below market financing, and if you happen to be a first time home buyer, a great deal is even more likely to be awaiting you. Make sure you ask for any first time homebuyer deals that may be available.

One way to make money in real estate is to purchase land or properties that are located just on the outskirts of somewhere that is vastly growing. The more an area grows, the closer it will get to you and the more in demand your property will be for businesses or homes. If you have a savvy business sense, you may be able to pick up on an area that will be a huge business area in the next five years but is still fertile farmland now. This will allow you to purchase at a cheap price and sell at a very high price. Many people have made their fortunes in ways very similar.

Getting into real estate is not always the cheapest way to make money, but it is a fairly sure bet on getting a positive return on your investment. If you are able to invest in real estate now, you should do so as soon as possible. Make sure that you check out the properties well before you purchase so that you know you can make money on the property and not lose a great deal when you have to do too many repairs.

Indiana Real Estate

The land of the Indians - that is Indiana. Indiana became the 15th state of America on December 11, 1816. It was once home to the mountain lions, bison, and elks. It was also here that great battles were waged over land disputes. The wars routed the native Indians. These wars fill up the history books of Indiana. The people of Indiana are called Hoosiers.

Geography and Demography

Indiana takes up 35,867 square miles (making it the 38th largest state). This is home to some 6.3 million people. Indiana is the smallest state west of the Appalachian Mountains (not counting Hawaii). Bordering Indiana on the north are Lake Michigan and Michigan State. On the south, is Kentucky, and Ohio lies on the eastern horizon. Illinois takes up the west border. Indiana has five urban areas and smaller industrial cities.

Industry

Indiana’s economic stability is founded on several industries:

Mining
Agricultural food processing
Meat packing plants
Textile mills
Farm equipment manufacturing
Transportation facilities
Furniture factories
Pharmaceuticals
Steel
Compact discs
Electrical appliances
Mobile homes

Festivals and sights

Hockey is to Minnesotans while basketball is to Indiana. Every year Indiana holds the Hoosier Hysteria where high schools compete for championship.

Another event that holds the breath of every Hoosier is the annual Indianapolis 500 American Automobile Race. This is held on the weekend of Memorial Day. Indy 500 as it is popularly called was first held in 1911. The race venue is always at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event draws in thousands of people.

The Feast of the Hunters Moon (West Lafayette) recreates the yearly gathering of the French and native Americans. This is held early in autumn along the banks of the Wabash River. During the celebration, thousands of people hear the reports of rifles; smell wood smoke while they have fun watching the reenactment.

Strawberry Festival (Crawfordsville) is celebrated on the second week of June when strawberries abound. Various activities enliven up the festival – there are talent contests, food vendors, craft booths and live entertainment.

There are also different scarecrow festivals in Indiana. In Wanatah, the festival is held every September. Different booths are set up showcasing culinary displays and handicrafts.

Every July 7 and 8 the people of Delphi celebrate the Canal Days Festival. The festival is celebrated with a grand parade. Food, music, and displays are abundant.

In Winamac, Indiana antique tractors take the stage during the annual Antique Power Show. Held at the city park, people will be beholding antiques and other collectibles from tractors to the horse pull. This is held every July.

Little children enjoy the celebration of Swiss Days. The highlight of the celebration are plentiful children’s activities. Swiss foods are sold and sampled. Swiss Days are also celebrated every July.

The August Fun Fest by the River feature a 350 car cruise-in. Live bands spice up the celebration. Crafts and food are available for sale. Entertainment is available for everybody of all ages. The festival is held in the Victorian Village, North Manchester.

Indiana Real Estate

As mentioned above, Indiana has lots of interesting things going on. Aside from all these, the offered Indiana real estates are numerous. Many people have appreciated this opportunity to be part of the city and many are still clamoring to have a home in Indiana. The Indiana real estate industry is definitely a hit.

Know What Is Right Real Estate Deal

We usually focus on investment in any real estate deal and in that course we forget to consider the most important issue that is whether the deal is right or not. If one wants to determine the potential deal is good or not then here are few points that can help you:

• Leverage is important in investment as you can put your money in more number of properties and earn well. See if you invest in one property and that property is not appreciated well with time than you would not get much profit. In case you invest in more than one property then there are chances of earning more profit as the risk is leveraged. One of those properties will definitely appreciate and you will gain profit. So it’s always a better practice to invest fewer amounts in more number of properties. That’s why leveraging is a very important concept in real estate investment. If the property goes up in value then the returns are exponential. Even if the property rates fall down one can always pay back the debts as the real estate is considered cyclical in nature.

• Equity is another important aspect in real estate which can have various forms like discounted property price, foreclosure, poorly managed property. Equity can be created in many ways but its better to buy into equity.

• In real estate deal cash flow is also very significant aspect. Cash flow can be dependent on various factors like rate of interest on finance, the down payment the financial institution ask for and even the local market condition. It even depends on the factor that there are single or multiple occupants.

• Property is always bought with the aim of earning profit for that its value needs to be appreciated with the passage of time. For that the buyer needs to investigate for the surroundings where he is buying the property. With the choice of right neighborhood the other aspect is the time to plan for real estate deal. Both these factors will definitely bring profit to the property dealer. But always consider the risk factor because your assumptions can go wrong even. So always prepare a back up plan. Like if in case some of your property does not get appreciated then the alternative is to rent it out so that you will have some cash flow. So one must always keep an alternative plan ready for that worst that can knock your door any moment.

Out Of Date Real Estate

As with any other possession, whether it's clothing or cars, there are trends in real estate that come and go. These trends eventually make their way down through the levels of home ownership, and mark a property as "clearly hot" or "clearly not." If you're planning on selling or buying, it might be wise to take a look at current "out" trends such as these.

First of all, swimming pools? Not such a big deal anymore. More home buyers today are thrilled with a huge backyard, and not as thrilled with the fact that it's taken up by a huge tiled pool. Although once the symbol of opulent luxury, a swimming pool in the backyard nowadays tends to label your property. It makes it suitable for a certain type of buyer- and the right buyer may very well pay big bucks for it- but it can take away from the general market appeal of a home. Today's family wants a big yard with lots of potential for landscaping, jungle gyms, or gardens; and an inset swimming pool removes that potential.

Another trend that is suddenly disappearing from the market is the age-old trend of bay windows. These high-maintenance windows, while beautiful from both inside and out, can be a negative on today's market. That doesn't mean having one will lower your property value, but if you're considering installing one, you might want to think again. The more glass in a window, the more likely it is to break, be broken into, and leak warm air during the cold months. If you have a bay window, make sure it's properly sealed and has good insulation, and try to plate it with the heaviest glass you can afford.

Another "trend" on its way out, although it's so old it can hardly be called a trend, is carpeting. Home owners today are conscious of the fact that carpet styles come and go, but wood floors will always remain. Carpeted rooms require more maintenance than wood floors, and cost more money; a carpet wears out and goes out of style much more quickly than a wood floor. If your house has carpet over floors that you'd just as soon not expose, installing wood floors for the sake of higher property value can be a tremendous expense. In that case, the shrewd home seller may simply choose to re-carpet. If you go this direction, make sure to pick a durable carpet that wears well and doesn't adhere to any particular style.

Whether you're buying, selling, or building, the best advice is to keep an eye open for what's popular today, and use those trends as starting points when it comes to making decisions about your house. Each property is different, and each home owner has his own sense of style. In the end, regardless of trends, it all boils down to what works for the home, as well as for the people living inside it.

Real Estate Course

You have decided you want to pursue a career in real estate. Before you go out to match a newlywed couple and their dream home, get ready to study.

In the United States every state requires you to pass a licensing exam and take a basic real estate course. Then after you have obtained your state license you will need to periodically take a real estate course to fulfill your continuing education requirements associated with your real estate license. You can see that it's not just being able to sell; you must be able to study also.

Considering that there are hundreds of classes and real estate courses going on every day. These courses are to assist you in gaining adequate knowledge to pass the required state test. This then makes finding a real estate course that will provide you with the best and most appropriate information, very important. Check around before you decide on which real estate course you will take. Cost, location, and especially important is the passing rate of its other graduates on the state exam all need to be considered. You also want to be aware that there is a difference between a real estate broker's license and a real estate agents license. You certainly do not want to sign up for the wrong real estate course and find out you have studied for the wrong state exam. Each state is also different in the number of real estate course hours that is required prior to you taking their state exam.

A real estate course taken from an approved real estate school is the preferred method of preparation. It can be online or offered in a classroom type setting in your local area. Many of today's large real estate brokers offer a real estate course to prospective agents. Some technical colleges also offer the necessary hours in Real Estate Principles for your specific state.

To find the right real estate course for you there are three basic ways.

There is a joint endeavor by many real estate educators to create a database of current and accurate information in regards to real estate courses. This is meant to be convenient and allows you to find the real estate course you need. The real estate course list may vary, but on an average there are over 2,500 courses going on in the United States as any given time.

You may also want to use a website that has national listings of real estate schools. Contact the specific school and see it the real estate course you need or want is offered. You can then ask any questions you may have about the school. You can also get the dates the real estate course is being offered and the cost.

Then as we stated there is the option of taking a real estate course online. The advantage of this is, you would progress at your own pace or need to worry about the drive. There are well over 2,000 online real estate courses.

Four Steps To Real Estate Investing Success

The following article is the result of years working in the real estate business. It was written to answer some of the most frequently asked questions, as well as address common issues that people have with this topic. I hope that you will find the information in this article helpful.

Real estate investing is always good and sometimes it's red hot. When it's hot dozens of real estate seminars begin rolling across the country and thousands of people spend thousands of dollars for investing education.

It's startling to learn that of all those thousands of eager folks who attend these seminars only about 5% buy even one investment house. Why? The real estate gurus sell the "sizzle" and make profiting from real estate sound easy. The truth is that it's simple, but not easy.

Here's a quick plan that will enable anyone to begin building financial independence.

There are basically four steps to investing in single family homes:

1. Buy homes below full market value. Yes, people really do sell homes for less than the home's full value. The key is to understand that most home owners will only consider a purchase offer that is all cash and within 5% to 10% of their asking price.

The successful investor learns to find financially distressed home owners who have no choice but to sell for less than market value. They have lost their job or been suddenly transferred; they are divorcing; they been living beyond their income; the family has been overwhelmed with medical bills and, not uncommonly these days, their money has gone to support a drug habit.

Those are examples of motivated sellers. They have to sell and they will accept something other than a conventional, all cash offer.

2. How do you find motivated sellers? You work at it! Like any business it is important to develop a little marketing plan. One that is simple, yet very effective, is the one that was proven 75 years ago by the Fuller Brush company; door to door sales.

You are selling your skill as a home buyer to people who must sell. Your are there when they need you and you have the skill to help them solve at least part of their problem. With door to door prospecting you will learn more and buy more homes quicker than any other method. However, most people just won't walk door to door for three or four hours per week. OK, there are other ways.

You can watch public notices for the announcement of foreclosure sales. Meeting with a home owner right after they've received a notice that they are about to lose their home allows you to deal with a very motivated seller. Other public notices that provide buying opportunities include probate, divorce and bankruptcy. You can follow the Homes For Sale listings in your local newspaper or Internet site.

You can telephone the names found in these notices or, and this is the least time consuming, send a postcard expressing your interest in buying their property. It will produce buying opportunities, just not as many as personal contact.

3. After you've found a motivated seller you must understand how to frame offers that provide benefits for both you and for the home owner. A good real estate investor quickly learns that this is not a business of stealing property, but of solving problems in a way that benefits the seller.

The home owner is in a tight spot of some kind and you can save them from public embarrassment and, in most cases, give them at least a little cash to get a new start.

No investor can afford to leave cash in every deal. No one but Bill Gates has that much available money. You must use creative techniques like, leases, option and taking over mortgage payments. Little or no cash is needed for those deals. You can find plenty of reasonable priced educational material on those subjects in book stores or on EBay. The same education that seminars sell for thousands of dollars.

4. You make your profit when you buy! Never make a purchase until you've carefully determined exactly how you will get to your profit. If you hold it as a long term investment will the monthly rental income more than cover the monthly mortgage payment? Will you sell the deal to another investor for fast cash? Will you do some fix-up and sell the property for full value? Will you quickly trade it for a more desirable property? Have a plan before you buy.
There you have four steps that even a part-time investor can execute in three to four hours per week. What's the missing ingredient? Your determination and perseverance. If you will unfailingly follow the plan for a few months you will be well on your way to financial independence.

OK, now that you have finished reading this article I want you to find more resources on this subject. Within just a short period of time you will have all of the answers that you need!

Bad Credit Real Estate Investing: Stop Dodging The Bullet & Clean The Gun

If I had a dollar for every email I was sent, message board post I have read, or telephone call I have received asking how to invest with bad credit, I would have retired 10 years ago. If most of these individuals would learn some age old truths, it would make their investing lives so much more productive.

The truth of the matter is, there are ways for a wannabe investor to begin investing with bad credit. There is wholesaling, flipping, subject to investing and a host of other guru related theories and techniques. The ultimate thing that will happen though, at one point or another, is that they will run into a wall where credit will be needed. If they really want to take their investing to the next level, they need to be the ones financing the properties and realizing the nice gains. Are there mortgage companies that will lend to poor credit clients? Sure, as an owner occupant. Try getting a 90-100% ltv loan for an investor property with a poor credit score...It just ain't gonna happen kids! Ah yes, but some wise person will point out that they indeed do have a program that will do this. Great! So, what is the interest rate and how many points are rolled into this and can I hear what the closing costs will be? Exactly my point. These loans, if they do exist, would be so expensive, that most all deals would not work using them.

Why not take a proactive approach and get yourself cleaned up “creditwise” before you attempt to do any investing? Yep, it can be done and yep, it will take some time, but it will make a huge difference in your financial future. By cleaning up your credit first, you will have the time necessary to gain the knowledge and direction that you want to head once you are ready to begin. It will open up a world of opportunities that are now closed off to you due to your credit. Once you make the intelligent decision to restore your credit first, you must then take a closer look at how you should accomplish this.

Let's step back and take a look at the big picture for a minute. Forget all the hype that you hear, both positive and negative, and let's face the facts. There are ways to clean your credit. 90% or more of all credit files have errors and these errors are NOT in your favor. There are also old debts that should drop off due to statue of limitations as far as how long something can be on a report. There are people that had filed a bankruptcy and all of the negative items were not included, there are things listed twice, collection companies that are no longer in business and will not verify the debt. The list goes on and on. The bottom line here is that you need to either learn how to get things removed off of your credit files yourself, or have a competent company that follows the law to the letter, do it for you. Do note that if you are going to do it for yourself, it is much more than sending in letters and waiting for items to magically drop off. You will want to arm yourself with knowledge of the laws: The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003, Fair Credit Reporting Act, removal via section 609, the HIPAA and the Fair Debt Collections Practice Act. You will also want to be knowledgeable of what it means to validate a debt, as this is much more than a creditor verifying that they have a debt on record. Validation makes them prove the fact that a debt is owed (used properly, this technique can remove a great deal of items not known to be your debts).

For those individuals that opt to have their credit cleaned by an outside agency, there are a few things that you should consider. Contact the companies and actually interview them. Before you actually begin the questions, see if they are hiding behind the net. Ask them: Will they review your credit reports for free, BEFORE you sign up with them or pay them any money? If they say yes, go on with the following questions:

Do they only send dispute letters to the three credit reporting agencies, or will they dispute directly with creditor, collections agencies and courthouses if necessary? If so, is this at no extra charge?

If they charge a continuous monthly fee, what is their incentive to repair your credit quickly?

How many accounts will they work on at one time?

If you are going to hire a Law Firm, will they be representing you or sending the letters on your behalf?

Do you have to fill out your own disputes on-line?

Do they offer a TRUE 100% money back guarantee?

Do you have 24 hour, 7 day a week access to your account?

Remember...Do not EVER let a credit repair company pull your credit reports for "free"! They do not have a permissible purpose and it will count as an inquiry against you. It will actually LOWER your credit score.

You will be amazed at the amount of so-called professional companies and firms that will fail these questions miserably. Do not give up though. Once you find a company that answers these questions correctly, then guage your comfort level when speaking with them. You will be conversing with them for the next few months, so make sure it's a good fit. You will also want to feel that the company you choose truly has their clients needs as the #1 priority.

Finally, you should remember one main point. There is NO MAGIC BULLET that will clean your credit report overnight. Ask yourself this question: How long have you had bad credit? I would imagine that it has been a year or so if it has been a day. Wouldn't it be crazy to think that it can be erased overnight? It will take some time (3-6 months generally), but it is worth it when done correctly.

Make the right decision, learn a little patience, and get your credit restored before you attempt to enter the real estate game. Take the time to learn what it is you want to gain out of this amazing field, and do it the proper way.

Sell Real Estate FAST With A "Seller Second"

The real estate market has been showing signs of slowing and more and more properties are advertised for sale; however, one real estate transaction type is gaining in popularity and that is the "seller second". In such a scenario, the seller holds a second mortgage allowing the buyer to purchase the home with little or no-money-down. The down payment or a portion thereof is effectively financed with the "seller second".

Since the first mortgage balance will be less than 100% of the sale's price, there is a lower inherent risk to the first mortgage lender who in turn is willing to approve a buyer who would otherwise not qualify for a no-money-down first mortgage. This dramatically increases the pool of potential buyers and that leads to a quick sale in today's market.

Typical minimum credit score requirements for a no-money-down loan are 580 or above; but, with the assistance of a 5% (5% of the sale's price) "seller held second", a buyer can purchase a home with a 550 credit score. With a 20% seller held second, a buyer with a 500 credit score can buy a home no-money-down. With a 35% seller held second, there are no credit score requirements for the buyer.

After closing, the buyer will have two monthly mortgage payments, one payment to the first mortgage holder and a second payment to the seller. The second mortgage is typically structured as a thirty-year amortization with a five-year balloon. At the end of the first year, the buyer can refinance the first and second mortgage into one new first mortgage and at that time the seller will recoup the balance of the "seller second". In the meantime the seller will receive interest only payments from the buyer.

A year ago, it was a seller's market. Properties were selling as soon as the real estate 'for sale' sign was planted in the yard. At that time, it was not uncommon to hear of bidding wars in the driveway and the subject property would end up selling for more than the asking price. Now we are in a different market. We have entered a buyer's market. Properties remain listed for sale for periods of time that exceed a sellers comfort level. Driving down a typical street in Any Town, USA, one might see numerous 'for sale' signs and even signs reading the likes of "price reduced". Reducing the price of a house does not significantly increase the pool of buyers that potentially qualify for financing for that property and therefore, demand remains unchanged as the result of a price reduction. The solution can be found through offering a "seller second".

A "seller second" effectively increases the number of buyers that qualify for financing and subsequently increases the demand. FICO statistics seem to indicate there are approximately 25% of the scorable population in this country that have a credit score between 500 and 649. Offering a "seller second" to buyers in this range can turn them into qualified borrowers and happy homeowners.

To offer a "seller held second", a seller will need to have sufficient equity in the property. Also, sellers need to understand that there is a risk of default by the potential buyer.

How can You Dominate the Real Estate Market on the Internet?

Would you like to learn how to dominate the Real Estate market on the Internet and drive substantial traffic to your Real Estate Web-site? -without spending thousands of dollars on SEO firms a month.

So, what is "substantial" traffic anyway? Do you know how much traffic your Real Estate Web-site gets a day, a week, a month, a year right now?

It could be 50, 300, 1,000, 10,000 a day; I guess it all depends on how much traffic you need to make your business and financial goals a reality. How many of those potential clients do you want who are looking to buy or sell on the Internet right now? The 75% of potential clients whom are surfing the Internet looking for you but can't find you because you don't show up in the search engines high enough.

It's all about rankings not just socializing and writing articles hoping that the social networks that you have blogs on carries enough power with the search engines with their traffic to have your posts be ranked. You must have your own personal BLOG!

It's about you being found not just through your name, business name, affiliations, social networks, listings..etc, but hundreds and even thousands of searches per month on longer, more unique keyword phrases. That is the kind of action you are looking for to dominate the Real Estate market in your local area and beyond.

We will train you and/or do most of it for you to become a presence on the web, with a higher traffic site then you likely ever had before and the resources you need as a Professional Web 2.0 Real Estate Marketer, to get the buzz out, rankings, links, and all the traffic you want for you Real Estate web site.

what is Web 2.0:

•the transition of web sites from isolated information silos to sources of content and functionality, thus becoming computing platforms serving web applications to end-users;

•a social phenomenon embracing an approach to generating and distributing Web content itself,characterized by open communication, decentralization of authority, freedom to share and re-use, and "the market as a conversation";

•enhanced organization and categorization of content, emphasizing deep linking;

•a rise in the economic value of the Web, possibly surpassing the impact of the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. “

In more simple terms: generally speaking, if people can submit links to content, submit content, make comments and vote good/bad content up/down thus affecting the amount of traffic that content can generate, it’s Web 2.0. Voting, commenting, and actions the visitors take that control of what shows up in the most prominent places on any given site is Web 2.0.

As a Real Estate web2.0 Marketer, being aware of the best places to show up and how they work will bring you traffic. More traffic than you ever got without social marketing in many cases. Being linked to by a lot of authority sites in their own right, your site climbs the rankings in the engines as well. It gets spidered more often.

Our goal with this service is to provide something of such value and importance to the real estate community, who wants more real estate related Internet traffic that a week after your training you will say; “I have no idea how I got this far in my business on the Internet without this knowledge and experience.”

Hopefully by now you’ve made up your mind that you will build a web presence that will dominate your real estate business on the Internet.

Some Valuable Real Estate Secrets

Making a good investment is of great consequence to people these days. When it comes to money people often act differently. Others may invest their money aggressively while others tend to be more cautious. The key is finding an investment that suits your style.

The modern world presents plenty of opportunity for investing your capital. Among the best possible ways to invest your money is through real estate. But before you do so, learning a few real estates secrets will be of immense help.

One of the real estate secrets used by investors is buying and reselling homes. You start by buying a home in a popular location. Then you start fixing it up by repainting it or by adding a few tasteful designs or sections. Wait for a few years as your house’s value rises then sell it to an interested buyer for a profit. Doesn’t sound complicated at all does it? If you have doubts if this is feasible, let me assure you that people do this all the time. My father uses real estate secrets to earn some serious money.

He bought a nice house in Kansas about seven years ago for a quarter of a million and recent appraisals of the house he bought total about 800,000 dollars. Quite impressive, wouldn’t you agree? What do you think do you have any real estate secrets you want to use? If you play your cards right you can even double your investment, the real estate business can be really lucrative.

It’s also important to indigoid location in the real estates business. Beauty and design are not the basis of a Finding a potentially profitable house. Beauty may be crucial in other business, but in real estate it’s all about location. A well made house located in an inaccessible place will unlikely gain any investor money. Real estate value rises on a house‘s proximity to amenities, school districts and safety. This is a major real estate secret. If you want to boost your knowledge about the real estate business by knowing more real estates secrets, start searching about it in Google. All the advise on investments are waiting for you.

Local Real Estate Agent Marketing

Local real estate agent marketing to increase your commissions by 25% to 50% this year, interested?

I’ve concluded that 99% of real estate agents’ local marketing challenges are because they are you using A) “push marketing” B) not getting a tangible ROI in the name of “getting their name our there” (are advertising on benches???).

Furthermore, only 1% of real estate agents solve both of these challenges, not surprisingly they are also a part of the top 1% of commission earning agents. By the end of reading this local real estate agent marketing article, you will have a simple solutions for getting “local leads” and increasing your 25% to 50% in commissions this year.

SOLUTION: Internet Marketing for Real Estate Agents

Typical Internet Marketing for Real Estate Agent Approach:

WEBSITE + NO TRAFFIC = FANCY BROCHURE

Top 1% Internet Marketing for Real Estate Agent Approach:

WEBSITE + LOCAL GOOGLE + BIG ACTION = NEW BUSINESS

WEBSITE. If you have one, I’ll let you in on a little secret, it doesn’t matter what your website looks like (within reason), all that matters is getting “targeted local traffic” and having clearly defined “BIG actions” for successful local real estate agent marketing.

NO WEBSITE. Before you hire anybody to design it, consult a website design company that specializes in real estate agents and internet marketing because they will be able to incorporate the next three solutions.

GOOGLE. What is it and why is it so important? Google is a search engine, where people search for websites, information, videos, etc. It’s important because “67% of U.S. adults use search engines as a research tool before making a purchase decision*."

When potential clients (targeted traffic) search for the keyword “your city + real estate agent” (example, “Miami real estate agent”) wouldn’t it be great if they found your website? When your website appears, let me say “welcome to the 21st century of local real estate agent marketing”.

(*iCrossing, ”How America Searches: Online Shopping", August 2005)

If you’re not found in Google™ for terms such as, “your city + real estate agent”, and within the first three pages of results, it’s like a selling a home without putting a “for sale” sign on the lawn or a listing on MLS, only a select few are going to know it’s for sale. Getting ranked in the first three pages doesn’t just happen, you need to incorporate two simple solutions: Google pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and search engine optimization (SEO).

SOLUTION #1: GOOGLE PAY-PER-CLICK (PPC) ADVERTISING.

Pay-per-click (PPC) is an online advertising format, where you buy web traffic that's 100% customer targeted. Immediately (within minutes) after signing up with an account, your Ads will be placed on search engine result pages (SERP) for the searched "keywords" (phrases) relevant to your business.

The best part is that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad and not for the number of times (impressions) it appears on the screen. Secondly, because it’s a bidding system, you only pay as much as you want to, with no monthly minimum. To set-up a Google Adwords account go to: http://www.google.com/intl/en/ads/

SOLUTION #2: SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION.

Instead of paying for being in the “sponsored links” portion, you could appear in the natural (aka organic) portion of the search engine result page (SERP), internet marketers use a simple and powerful marketing concept called search engine optimization (SEO). There are two forms of SEO techniques, I only recommend using "white hat" (ethical) SEO. The other form called "black hat" SEO, will most likely get you banned from search engines and tarnish your brand image.

How to search engine optimize your website is well beyond the scope of this article, entire books have been written on the subject of SEO. I highly recommend Michael Wong’s “Search Engine Optimization Strategies” eBook.

SOLUTION #3: BIG ACTIONS.

What is the one action you want a first time visitor to take at your website? How are you going to get their email address or phone number?

A “BIG action” will answer both these questions. Here is a sample list of “BIG actions” for real estate agents' websites:

-- Call for a free “property consultation”
-- Sign-up for new housing listings
-- Sign-up for home buyer and seller education
-- Sign-up for a free “current market assessment” (CMA)
-- Sign-up for free virtual tours of property listings
-- Sign-up for a free “property consultation”
-- Sign-up for a free “first time home buyers” eBook

What your website’s “BIG actions” are, needs to be the #1 answered question. If you don’t know what your “BIG actions” are, then a first-time visitor to your website won’t know either. If you have a “BIG action” it also needs to be up front on your homepage and limited to a maximum of three “BIG actions”.

Define and implement up to three “BIG actions” today, get their email and follow-up with automated emails, and get them to call you or sign-up for a “property consultation”, it’s that simple.

Implement these three local real estate agent marketing solutions and become a seven or six figure commission earning agent today.

Real Estate Investing for the Beginner

Real estate investments are often termed low risk investments that can potentially yield good returns. A lot of people think that real estate investing is an easy business where you don't really need to do anything. However, the truth is that real estate investing does need you to put in some effort (if you really want to make profits). The most important thing is to be able to uncover the real estate for sale that will yield the highest profits.

So how do you go about looking for real estate for sale?

Generally, a lot of people start looking for 'real estate for sale' through the internet. And why not, the internet is after all the hub of all information. So, you could look for real estate for sale using the search engines on the internet. You could also specify your requirements in search criteria on the real estate sites in order to get very specific results on real estate for sale. You can even view images and video of some of the properties thus reducing the need for personal visits for viewing.

However, not everyone is tech-savvy and there are a lot of people who still take the approach of putting up an ad in the local newspaper. In fact, there are some newspapers that are dedicated to just that i.e. real estate for sale. You could even go ahead and put up a 'wanted' ad in these newspapers. Sometimes, looking for real estate for sale in old newspapers (like 1-2 months old) can help you get a good deal (in case the property owner has not been able to sell the property and has become a bit more 'motivated' to sell it).

MLS, the multiple listing service is one the best ways to look for real estate for sale. These are published by the real estate boards. If you can lay your hands on a MLS book as soon as it is out, you can expect to get really good deals. The key is to act fast.

Open houses are another good way of getting the best out of your time. You can see dozens of 'real estate for sale' properties in a very short period of time. And you never know when you might come across a property that is real gold.

Investor groups are yet another rich source of real estate for sale information.

Of course, how can we forget the real estate brokers? Real estate brokers are one the most popular (and sometimes most effective) information resource for real estate for sale. Not only do they provide information about 'real estate for sale' but also assist in getting the deal finalized and closed.

Besides that, you can also get very good deals through public auctions, bank foreclosures, FHA and VA foreclosures and distress sales.

Real Estate and Your Retirement

Many people are looking for ways to increase their retirement income. For most of these individuals, their homes are the greatest asset. A large section of the aging population has failed to plan effectively in order to have sufficient savings at retirement. They now are looking to their real estate to supplement their retirement income.

Real estate values are very unpredictable, especially now with the decrease in the real estate bubble. Prices are falling in some cities and flattening in others. It will take some planning to get the most from selling your real estate to supplement your retirement.

Be Realistic. To plan effectively, you must be realistic about the price you may get for your home. Real estate is an up and down market, so you should assume a traditional real estate market for valuating your home, with gains in value equal to the inflation rate. At retirement, you will have the same purchasing power you currently have. If gains in real estate values are better than the inflation rate, then you will have more. Just don’t count on it.

Get the Most from Your Real Estate. People used to work hard to pay off their mortgages for homes they planned to raise their children in and retire. Since 1989, the number of people 65 and older with mortgage debt has nearly tripled, adjusting for inflation. Making payments on real estate in retirement years will deplete your savings and retirement income faster than any other expenditure.

There are three reasons to pay off your real estate mortgage — (1) decrease expenditures in your retirement years, (2) use the mortgage interest rate that you will save to increase your retirement savings, and (3) build more equity, in case you need it as income on which to live later. Paying off your mortgage is a good thing to do, regardless of what the real estate market is doing.

Downsize Your Home. If you are living in a home that is larger than what you need, do not hold on to it for sentimental reasons. Selling the larger home for a smaller one can: (1) give you a smaller mortgage payment than you currently have, or (2) purchase a smaller home outright with no mortgage. It also means less physical upkeep by you, as well as less maintenance and repair costs in the future during retirement. Please keep in mind that there will be selling, moving and new home renovation costs that must be deducted from the sale proceeds.

Sell the Extra Real Estate. If you have a second home or vacation real estate that will not be your retirement residence, you may wish to sell this extra real estate now, putting the sale proceeds into your retirement savings. You can put the mortgage and annual upkeep payments for this property into your retirement savings, too.

Reverse Mortgages. Though these products have been around for some time, we are hearing a lot about them lately. Such mortgages give you 50 percent or more of your home’s value with no mortgage payments, which are collected by the lender at your death or if you sell the real estate.

Beware! Reverse mortgages should be used only as a last-ditch effort at survival. The interest and fees added to your mortgage debt can be very costly. If you must consider a reverse mortgage,

here are a few smart tips:

• There are only a few reverse mortgage products now on the market, but others are coming soon. So, wait two or three years to garner more options and possibly better products.

• You must be 62 to qualify for a reverse mortgage loan, but wait as long as possible to take such a loan. The younger you are, the smaller the loan and higher the cost over time.

• Check out all of the products on the market and get independent financial counseling on the best one for you. They may look the same upfront, but the number of years and the loan value differ greatly between products, as well as the costs over time.

• Do not buy into the hype! Mortgage brokers receive a large commission on these products. If you feel you are being pushed in this direction, check out other lenders.

• Plan ahead. If you move and sell your real estate, the lender receives all that is due on the reverse mortgage from the sale proceeds. This could actually leave you in a worse financial state.

Real Estate Email Marketing Maximizes Your Exposure

There's little doubt that the U.S. real estate market is undergoing a profound transformation. After several years of freewheeling lending practices and unsurpassed increases in home valuations, the real estate market is undergoing a major correction. Home values are dropping in many areas around the country, and some homeowners are facing an impending uptick in their adjustable rate mortgage payments, placing them in an untenable position.

In short, it's a volatile market. Lenders are tightening the criteria for mortgages, and the window for subprime lending is closing. Some homeowners who are holding subprime mortgages are facing foreclosures, while others are trying to sell their homes before they find themselves in a negative equity situation. As a result, real estate professionals, investors, and home sellers are scrambling to gain an edge in a competitive marketplace.

Real Estate Marketing

Long gone are the days when traditional methods of real estate marketing are sufficient to move properties. A sign on the lawn, a Multiple Listing Service listing, and an open house still have their place, but they comprise only one facet of an effective real estate marketing campaign.

Just as in most other areas of business, the Internet is playing a crucial role in real estate. Online listings of homes for rent, homes for sale, and foreclosures draw an increasing number of buyers and investors. Photographs and video are increasingly being used to whet the appetites of potential buyers. Still, online listings and multimedia presentations are relatively passive forms of marketing in this competitive era. Those who are on the cutting edge are utilizing the Internet to their best advantage, and taking strategies from the playbooks of those in other fields.

Email Marketing as a "Push" Strategy

If drawing potential real estate buyers to an online listing is a "pull" strategy, then real estate email marketing is a "push" strategy - one that makes sense in today's marketplace. After all, retailers and e-tailers use email marketing to their best advantage. Email inboxes are stuffed with large and small business emails alike. It makes sense that real estate email marketing can also be effective, in that it delivers information about agents, developers, sellers, and their respective properties directly into the hands of interested potential buyers.

Email Marketing is Easier than it Seems

At first blush, real estate email marketing may seem out of reach for many people. After all, their expertise is in real estate and they may not be very tech savvy. On the contrary, there are online real estate services that make email marketing a cakewalk for virtually anyone.

When looking for an online email marketing service, choose one that can help you create emails, manage your contact lists, and obtain tracking reports. Essentially, you should be able to send your first email marketing piece in less than an hour. The best services have "wizards" that allow you to, for example, put together email newsletters using a Web interface and on a single screen. Templates and click-and-drag functionality allow you to easily arrange text, upload photos, and instantly see what your recipients will see when they receive your email.

Once you've sent your emails or newsletters, the service should enable you to track the results, telling you how many emails you sent, how many bounced back, how many people opened the email, how many clicked on the links, and how many forwarded it on to others.

There's little doubt that real estate email marketing is a cutting edge tool that helps push your message into the inboxes of potential buyers. And in today's competitive environment, it's an advantage you can't afford to be without.

Understanding Real Estate Terminology

Purchasing a home can be a complicated and confusing process, especially for first-time buyers. Throughout the process, first-time home buyers will encounter a variety of unfamiliar real state terms. There are several key terms associates with purchasing real estate that are helpful to learn.

For example, many buyers confuse the terms broker and salesperson. A broker is a properly licensed individual, or corporation, who serves as a special agent in the purchase and sale of real estate, a salesperson is an individual employed or associated by written agreement by the broker as an independent contractor. The salesperson facilitates the purchase or sale of real estate.

Once you decide to purchase, a salesperson will prepare a sales contract to present to the seller along with your earnest money deposit. The sales contract is the document through which the seller agrees to give possession and title of property to the buyer upon full payment of the purchase price and performance of agreed-upon conditions. The earnest money is a buyer’s partial payment, as a show of good faith, to make the contract binding. Often, the earnest money is held in an escrow account. Escrow is the process by which money is held by a disinterested party until the terms of the escrow instructions are fulfilled.

After the buyer and seller have signed the contract, the buyer must obtain a mortgage note by presenting the contract to a mortgage lender. The note is the buyer’s promise to pay the purchase price of the real estate in addition to a stated interest rate over a specified period of time. A mortgage lender places a lien on the property, or mortgage, and this secures the mortgage note.

The buyer pays interest money to the lender exchange for the use of money borrowed. Interest is usually referred to as APR or annual percentage rate. Interest is paid on the principle, the capital sum the buyer owes. Interest payments may be disguised in the form of points. Points are an up-front cost which may be paid by either the buyer or seller or both in conventional loans.

In general, there are two types of conventional loans that a buyer can obtain. A fixed rate loan has the same rate of interest for the life of the loan, usually 14 to 30 years. An adjustable rate loan or adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) provides a discounted initial rate, which changes after a set period of time. The rate can’t exceed the interest rate cap or ceiling allowed on such loans for any one adjustment period. Some ARMs have a lifetime cap on interest. The buyer makes the loan and interest payments to the lender through amortization, the systematic payment and retirement of debt over a set period of time.

Once the contract has been signed and a mortgage note obtained, the buyer and seller must legally close the real estate transaction. The closing is a meeting where the buyer, seller and their attorneys review, sign and exchange the final documents. At the closing, the buyer receives the appraisal report, an estimate of the property’s value with the appraiser’s signature, certification and sporting documents. The buyer also receives the title and the deed. The title shows evidence of the buyer’s ownership of the property while the deed legally transfers the title from the seller to the buyer. The final document the buyer receives at closing is a title insurance policy, insurance against the loss of the title if it’s found to be imperfect.

Buyers should plan on at least four to twelve weeks for a typical real estate transaction. The process is difficult and at times, intimidating. A general understanding of real estate terminology and chronology of the transaction, however, will help any real estate novice to confidently buy his or her first home.

Real Estate Investing LIES Unveiled

Let's get REAL about something - and quelch the LIES you have been told about Real Estate Investing… What I am going to reveal to you are some basic truths about Real Estate investing - truths that may totally affect the Real Estate investments you have now - and certainly I intend to modify the way you do Real Estate investing in the future. Let's get right to it - and into the heart of the real estate investing issue… You have been programmed all your life to become what you are today - from school, friends, relatives and, yes, your parents. Recent studies show that you are who you are now, more from what you learned prior to age 8 than in anything else you have learned since. Now, that may surprise you, but it is true that what you learned at the earliest ages affects the way you make Real Estate investments today, and the type of Real Estate investing success you will have going forward! Yes, that's a bit shocking… You see, if you grew up in an environment where you heard things like “We can't afford it”, “Be sure you have saved enough and have the cash to buy it (i.e., never use credit)” or numerous other phrases that you now hear yourself saying (you know what I'm talking about - those times you catch yourself "becoming your parents"…), it is because of your early programming (from 0-8 years) and what you were told about money, success and life in general. That is controlling your current income - and your success - or lack of it... The things you were told at that early, most influential age, are now creeping out and affecting how successful you are in business, in life and yes, in your Real Estate investing. THERE IS GOOD NEWS The greatest thing about this fact - as horrible as it seems - is that you can change the 'programming' - you have the power to do it! You can reprogram yourself in any way you want - have anything you want - do anything you want… All it takes is simply to 'reinstall' the right kind of thinking. And, it is easier than you might think! One of the best ways to do that is to get a CD audio set from someone you like to listen to - someone that thinks positively and speaks of the life you want to live. Many home study courses are available (yes, including mine) that are designed to inspire and motivate you, while they teach you the methods and secrets of real estate investing. Purchase one - listen to it, over and over - until you hear yourself speaking that way, too. You see, we are all simply creatures of habit and environment - if we allow junk to get into our heads, all we will ever say is junk coming out. If all you listen to is the bad stuff in life (like the TV news, most 'talk radio' shows, those TV 'real life' shows that end up in fights - you know the ones…, and even violent movies where the language is nothing you'd ever expect to hear from your own lips…), that is exactly what you will wind up sounding like! It is true - 'you are what you eat' - and that counts just as much for what you put in your ears as it does for what you put in your mouth! If you spend your time around 'bar people', you'll speak and act like them. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as long as you made a conscious thought that it is what you want, but I think you'd be much more successful at Real Estate investing if you were listening to a successful person teaching you about Real Estate Investing! Now, let's get right to the point about the various methods and concepts you have learned about Real Estate Investing… You may call yourself a 'real estate investing expert', but if you have to get up every morning and wonder where your next check is coming from, you aren't making real estate investments, you are being employed in a Real Estate Investing JOB! Yes, that's a hard-hitting statement. You see, I want you to 'get real' with yourself and simply admit it - Real Estate investing is when you put money into a Real Estate investment and then get some money out - 'real estate investing' defined… Yet, it seems that most people I meet want to attend my real estate training or purchase my real estate courses that have to do with 'No Money Down' (NMD) “real estate investing”… Now, that kind of talk just proves the point - you can reprogram yourself to speak a different language - even if it doesn't make sense! A bunch of 'gurus' have told you over and over again that 'No Money Down' is real estate investing - even though you learned at an early age that 'invest' means to put money into something and get money out (see http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=invest for other definitions - none of them say 'No Money Down'...) Now, it's not that 'NMD Real Estate investing' is all bad - heck, my students and I make several thousand dollars from these types of 'Real Estate investing' transactions every year, too. Just don't lie to yourself and say they are 'real estate investments', we know very clearly that these are simply 'earned income' from one portion of your real estate investing business - the real estate 'job' portion - earned while in transition from your 'corporate job' to your 'real estate investing job' and on the road to true Real Estate Investing. In other real estate investing articles, I cover some of the methods and techniques you, too, can explore while moving from your 'corporate job' to your 'real estate investing job' and you'll learn some insider secrets for taking that leap quickly.

India - The Real Estate Player

In the new millennia of real estate India has emerged as strong, swift and bold player. Industry expert’s believe that the Indian real estate has huge demand potential in almost every sector, be it commercial, residential or retail.

"India is the most exciting real estate market in Asia," says Michael Smith, head of Asian real estate investment banking at Goldman Sachs. "It's one of the last major countries in Asia with an improving market."

The Real Estate explosion

This spurt of growth in the Indian real estate is in large part due to the by the burgeoning outsourcing and information technology (IT) industry. By 2010, the IT sector alone is expected to require 150 million sq.ft. Of space across major cities .New companies means new offices, houses, shops in short commercial, residential and retail space.

This growth is facilitated by favorable demographics, increasing purchasing power, existence of customer-friendly banks and housing finance companies, professionalism in real estate and reforms initiated by the Government to attract global investors. People have more purchasing power and exposure to organized retail formats has redefined the consumption pattern. Even small towns want to emulate the culture of their big city cousins. As a result, retail projects have been mushrooming across even B-grade cities.

This new way of life has quite drastically changed the face of India’s real estate, may it be the city centers the urban areas or the new yuppie towns. Small shops, old fashioned bungalows and office blocks have all changed into luxurious apartments, with club-houses, pools and sprawling greens. Instead of small shops we have humongous sprawling malls and office complexes.

The Global Effect

When Farallon Capital Management, a U.S. hedge fund, and its joint-venture partner, Indiabulls, snapped up an 11-acre property in central Mumbai in March 2005 for $54.5 million an acre, the purchase was called an act of idiocy by local developers. A few months later, when the same joint venture offered $95.5 million an acre for a nearby property, this was the second-lowest bid.

The first dynamic impact that announced a global change in the Indian real estate sector came when the Government introduced new policies in February 2005. It allowed 100 per cent foreign investments in construction projects with fast-track approvals. But the fatal attraction for foreign investors was the potential investment returns of 25 per cent or more in Indian projects that were nearly impossible to achieve in the US and European markets today.

Industry sources more than 90 foreign investors are already in the country tapping into the real estate investment avenues in India. Dozens of US funds are being raised for investments in Indian realty. Those raising the funds include Blackstone Group (US$ 1 billion) Goldman Sachs (US$ 1 billion), Citigroup Property Investors (US$ 125 million), Morgan Stanley (US$ 70 million) and GE Commercial Finance Real Estate (US$ 63 million) JP Morgan, Warburg Pincus, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Colony Capital and Starwood Capital, and believe it or not this is just the tip of the ice-berg.

Morgan Stanley closed a deal worth about US$ 150 million with Oberoi Constructions in Mumbai. The Nakheel Group in Dubai entered into a US$ 10 billion deal with DLF for residential projects in Tier I and II cities. This was followed by three financial institutions -- Khaleej Finance and Investment (KFI) from Bahrain, Kuwait Investment Company (KIC) and Kuwait Finance House (KFH) -- from the Middle East promoting a US$ 200 million fund for investing in India.

Players At Home

Investors back home have also sat and started taking active participation in the real estate segment. Indian financial institutions are competing with each other. Prominent companies promoting real estate funds in India are HDFC Property Fund, DHFL Venture Capital Fund, Kotak Mahindra Realty Fund, Kshitij Venture Capital Fund and ICICI’s real estate fund, India Advantage Fund.

The Tata group has also joined hands with private equity firm, Xander, to raise US$ 1 billion for an institutional retail real estate fund. DLF has raised US$ 2.24 billion in the country's largest initial public offering and has also entered into a joint venture agreement with Indian pharmaceutical major Ranbaxy group company Fortis Healthcare to set up hospitals across the country with investments of about US$ 1.5 billion.

Conclusion

But with the boom comes the crunch, property prices in India are rising fast, real fast and not just in the biggest cities. As the tech boom spreads across the country, and as more Indians buy homes, and as the economy grows at faster than 8% a year, real estate is attracting more investors, many of them from abroad.

The Real Estate Mom’s Back to School Guide

As a long summer of lazy unstructured afternoons comes to an end, Real Estate Moms all across this nation celebrate the return of routine in their families. In order to prepare for that event, you have inventoried the kids’ closets, had them try on their shoes, collected the supplies needed by the new teacher and received the school calendars. How can you as a real estate agent and as a mom get off on the right foot this school year?

There is no doubt that you need to make a little extra time during those first few weeks to get everything heading in the right direction with the kids. Here is a quick back to school guide that will help you to keep the necessary focus on your business while helping your children have a successful start to the school year.

Schedule for Peace of Mind

One of the most important aspects of getting all of your goals accomplished as a real estate agent is planning and scheduling. This folds into the “mom” part of your life as well. It is important to know how to blend both the business and personal parts of your life. For example, your calendar, such as Top Producer or some other contact database software, is a key instrument for you to use in organizing your business. Not only should you use it to plan your client meetings, but you must also use it to schedule those important events for your child such as parent/teacher meetings, recitals and pick-ups from school.

When you keep your family and work calendars separate, you will inadvertently schedule a meeting with a client, over a child’s school activity and vise versa. By color coordinating all of your Realtor appointments and mother appointments on the same calendar you can easily see where your focus is on a daily basis. By syncing your Top Producer with your Treo, you will have all of your appointments, work and personal, with you wherever you go.

Organizing For At Home Success

Next, use your Top Producer system to keep you organized. Take a few minutes to record the teacher’s contact information. Most real estate agents would not leave home or the office without having all of their client’s information in hand and it’s vital that all necessary information for your child’s school be in your electronic calendar as well. Include the school’s phone number and any direct teachers’ numbers, email addresses and details that you need.

Establishing Routine as A Real Estate Mom

One of the most crucial times for you to establish family routines is during those first weeks of school. Set up such things as the after school routine with homework, snacks, and chores. My daughter has her “daily five” that she needs to do everyday after school that includes homework, cleaning her room, cleaning her bathroom, unloading the dishwasher and feeding the dog. Once the foundation of this time of the day is set and becomes a habit for your child, you are more able to focus on your job as a real estate agent with minimal time following up on the “daily five.” Getting them into a routine will also create lasting habits in your children

Your job and your clients can be demanding. That doesn’t need to stop you from being a good parent and getting your home life in order. Take the time necessary to organize each of these aspects of your life, by being a real estate agent and being a mom. Spend some time planning, organizing and scheduling by doing the things listed here. A little extra effort now will help in creating a great school year for your child, yourself and your business.

Internet Marketing for Real Estate Agents – The 7 Figure Agent Approach

So you have a website, how come it’s not making you any money? It’s your real estate internet marketing solution.

I’ve concluded that 99% of real estate agents’ internet marketing challenges are either: a) a lack of “targeted traffic” b) ill-defined “BIG actions” c) both.

Furthermore, only 1% of real estate agents solve both of these challenges, not surprisingly they are also a part of the top 1% of commission earning agents. By the end of reading this internet marketing for real estate agents article, you will have two simple solutions for getting “targeted traffic”, and one simple solution of turning your website traffic into leads.

Typical Internet Marketing for Real Estate Agent Approach:

WEBSITE + NO TRAFFIC = FANCY BROCHURE

Top 1% Internet Marketing for Real Estate Agent Approach:

WEBSITE + GOOGLE + BIG ACTION = NEW BUSINESS

WEBSITE. If you have one, I’ll let you in on a little secret, it doesn’t matter what your website looks like (within reason), all that matters is getting “targeted traffic” and having clearly defined “BIG actions”.

NO WEBSITE. Before you hire anybody to design it, consult a website design company that specializes in real estate agents and internet marketing because they will be able to incorporate the next three solutions.

GOOGLE. What is it and why is it so important? Google is a search engine, where people search for websites, information, videos, etc. It’s important because “67% of U.S. adults use search engines as a research tool before making a purchase decision*." When potential clients (targeted traffic) search for the keyword “your city + real estate agent” (example, “Miami real estate agent”) wouldn’t it be great if they found your website?

(*iCrossing, ”How America Searches: Online Shopping", August 2005)

If you’re not found in Google™ for terms such as, “your city + real estate agent”, and within the first three pages of results, it’s like a selling a home without putting a “for sale” sign on the lawn or a listing on MLS, only a select few are going to know it’s for sale. Getting ranked in the first three pages doesn’t just happen, you need to incorporate two simple solutions: Google pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and search engine optimization (SEO).

SOLUTION #1: GOOGLE PAY-PER-CLICK (PPC) ADVERTISING.

Pay-per-click (PPC) is an online advertising format, where you buy web traffic that's 100% customer targeted. Immediately (within minutes) after signing up with an account, your Ads will be placed on search engine result pages (SERP) for the searched "keywords" (phrases) relevant to your business.

The best part is that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad and not for the number of times (impressions) it appears on the screen. Secondly, because it’s a bidding system, you only pay as much as you want to, with no monthly minimum.

SOLUTION #2: SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION.

Instead of paying for being in the “sponsored links” portion, you could appear in the natural (aka organic) portion of the search engine result page (SERP), internet marketers use a simple and powerful marketing concept called search engine optimization (SEO). There are two forms of SEO techniques, I only recommend using "white hat" (ethical) SEO. The other form called "black hat" SEO, will most likely get you banned from search engines and tarnish your brand image.

How to search engine optimize your website is well beyond the scope of this article, entire books have been written on the subject of SEO. I highly recommend Michael Wong’s “Search Engine Optimization Strategies” eBook.

SOLUTION #3: BIG ACTIONS.

What is the one action you want a first time visitor to take at your website? How are you going to get their email address or phone number?

A “BIG action” will answer both these questions. Here is a sample list of “BIG actions” for real estate agents' websites:

-- Call for a free “property consultation”
-- Sign-up for new housing listings
-- Sign-up for home buyer and seller education
-- Sign-up for a free “current market assessment” (CMA)
-- Sign-up for free virtual tours of property listings
-- Sign-up for a free “property consultation”
-- Sign-up for a free “first time home buyers” eBook

What your website’s “BIG actions” are, needs to be the #1 answered question. If you don’t know what your “BIG actions” are, then a first-time visitor to your website won’t know either. If you have a “BIG action” it also needs to be up front on your homepage and limited to a maximum of three “BIG actions”.

Define and implement up to three “BIG actions” today, get their email and follow-up with automated emails, and get them to call you or sign-up for a “property consultation”, it’s that simple.

A Very Critical Step When Evaluating Commercial Real Estate Property

Commercial real estate operates very differently than residential property when it comes to assessing its value. There are more variables to examine, and often more legal conditions. This is where due diligence comes in – you have to make certain not to overlook any details. Verify everything about your property. This includes doing research on local markets as well as local absorption rates. Get and verify information on the sales prices of comparable properties to make sure that you're getting a good deal.

In addition, it's vital to speak to local officials about the legal requirements of the area. If the zoning laws will not permit the use you have planned for the piece of commercial real estate, you could be up a creek without a paddle. Likewise, find out how long it will take to get the right clearances and paperwork through for that use. There are a number of different problems that might crop up over the course of time. These include environmental issues, failure to obtain all necessary permits, and lack of approvals for the intended use. Avoid these by checking and rechecking requirements for the piece of land.

Make sure that the property is what you're expecting. It might not be in the kind of condition you'd like, or the seller may have misrepresented it. Find out how much, if any, repair is needed to get the property operational. You may find that only some of the land you are buying is useful for your purpose. Verifying that you will have enough is very important.

Remember that due diligence begins when you start negotiating. Check with the seller to make sure that they are willing to agree to your terms. Many sellers will balk at a proper due diligence list, but most will eventually return to the bargaining table. A seller may not be comfortable allowing you to look at personal business related documents, but this is vital for making certain you have done everything correctly.

When you negotiate your contract, it's important to provide enough time to examine all the details and recheck your facts. Thirty days or more after the delivery of all necessary documents is common. One good thing to include in an agreement is a statement that you must specify in writing that due diligence is satisfactory and complete, or you will not be obligated and will be able to get your deposit returned. Requiring your written acceptance makes sure that you control the deal.

In addition to hiring professionals to inspect the building's physical condition, it's important to make sure you look over every document that concerns the property and the operation thereof. This means that you have to look at leases and all modifications of them, including extensions. Most leases have peculiar specifications included that the original owners may have forgotten about. This can include unexpected expenses or sources of income – from a tenant, for example. You must examine mortgages, even if you are not assuming them.

If a certificate of occupancy, title or insurance policy, license, or tax receipt is involved, you need to request these from the seller. Likewise, look at all contracts with maintenance people, parking lot providers, and other service providers – if you're not careful, you could find yourself bound to a contract you're not prepared to honor. Read every word of an official document, mark anything you have questions about, then have someone else do the same. Do this multiple times if necessary, to be sure that you have all the information on the property's legal obligations and terms.

Insurance documents can also provide a good deal of information, not just on the obligations of the property, but on the structures themselves. Insurance inspectors can provide their estimation of what may go wrong, and a claims history lets you know what has happened in the past, including a number of repairs. If the seller has recently changed insurance companies, consider it an increase in risk to you.

If your seller doesn't have all this information, you've gained the chance to bargain. A property that was a good bet has just become riskier. You can either back away, or, if you're prepared to take a chance, bring this up as a reason that you require a discount on the property's price. You may find that the seller is able to find the “lost” records suddenly, and if they can't, you get a better price.

Of course, at the end of the due diligence process, you will often find that you're missing some information. This is unavoidable. The most important thing is having enough information to present to investors, partners, and lenders so that an informed choice can be made. Performing due diligence permits you to mine that data which is so important to the success of a commercial real estate project. Without this kind of careful analysis, you could end up paying too much, or getting a property that's so entangled in legal problems it becomes useless. Due diligence is an important way to protect yourself when you make a commercial property deal. No one can ask all the questions that need answering, and sometimes those facts are nowhere to be found. However, you can certainly make headway. Protect yourself and your firm by verifying all pertinent information, then checking it twice.