The Wave of Un-Syndication

January 28, 2012 Leave a Comment

.
A couple of days ago, I posted four real estate predictions for 2012 that I thought would ‘Rock’ the industry this year.  I’ve heard from a couple of my colleagues that told me that my observations on listing syndication were not an accurate reflection of how the industry feels.  Well – - – it didn’t take long for the first prediction to start manifesting itself right before our very eyes.

Abbott Realty Group (ARG), a well-respected, residential brokerage company in San Diego, CA posted the following video on its YouTube channel.  Take a look:

 

.
Still think that brokers across the country will never pull out of REALTOR.com, Trulia, Zillow, et. al.?  Jim Abbott, the President of ARG, outlines some compelling points in favor of yanking a firm’s listings from these aggregators.  As the year unfolds, it will be interesting to see how many other brokers follow ARG’s lead.  Stay tuned.

 Related articles

Filed under Agents, Buyers, Consumers, Sellers, Technology Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Four Trends That Will Rock the Real Estate Industry in 2012

January 23, 2012 Leave a Comment

If there is one thing that I’ve learned in the real estate business over the years it’s that change is constant.  New tools, programs, regulations and innovators make this an industry that doesn’t stand still.

From computerization of Multiple Listing Service data to smart phones to mortgage preapprovals to digital signatures; innovation waits for no one.  You either embrace it or get out of the way.

So without further ado, here are my predictions for the upcoming year and some of the things that I believe will rock our industry (again):

1.  Listing Syndication and Internet Data Exchange (IDX) Will Come Under Fire

It has been commonplace over the last couple of years for companies and agents to syndicate their listings to as many real estate web sites as possible to increase the chance that their properties will get noticed by home buyers who will in turn contact an agent to buy a home.  Sounds like a plan – right?

Enter Edina Realty.  Edina is a mega broker with 60 real estate offices and over $5 billion in sales located in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota.  In late 2011, Edina stopped syndicating their listings to national websites.  Why would one of the top ten real estate companies in the US decide to shun syndication?  If you listen to them, there are three reasons: Read more of this post

Filed under Agents, Buyers, Consumers, Financial, Financing, Market Conditions, Sellers, Technology Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

‘Tis the Season to Add to Your Database

December 18, 2011 Leave a Comment

The holidays are upon us, and chances are you will be attending a number of holiday-related business or social events.  From your spouse’s office party to a Super Bowl extravaganza, maintaining a balance between having fun and seizing a networking opportunity as a real estate agent is critical.

How you approach these gatherings may mean the difference between making a lasting and positive first impression that could drive new buyers and sellers in your direction, or turning off future, present or past clients.

Here are some simple ways in which you can convey a friendly, polite professionalism while you’re networking during holiday events:

Dress the Part.  This may sound trite, but people will judge you by your appearance.  Let your personality and what you say at these events be the things that people remember; not your inappropriate attire.  If you’re going to err, make sure you do it on the side of overdressing.

Be Punctual.  I know many people make it a habit of showing up “fashionably late” at these get-togethers; however, showing up on time to events demonstrates that you are responsible and reliable.  Moreover, it communicates that you respect the person who is hosting the event and the people attending it enough to make it a priority. Read more of this post

Filed under Agents, Buyers, Sellers Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spring Advertising Campaign Set to Kick-Off

March 6, 2011 Leave a Comment

Real people with a real message!  That’s the theme of these three television commercials that are starting to run on WGAL, Fox 43, WHP 21, Comcast and Viamedia.  They will run through the Spring buying season and end during the latter part of May.

.

.

.

Filed under Agents, Buyers, Consumers, Financing, Market Conditions, Sellers Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What’s Really Happening in the Real Estate Market?

September 2, 2010 Leave a Comment

The national media is constantly bombarding its readership and viewership with stories that will scare the you know what out of you.  Here’s a slideshow that presents facts on what is happening right now in the real estate market.  No fluff or unsubstantiated wild statements.  Just facts!

Filed under Buyers, Consumers, Financing, Market Conditions, Sellers Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Prudential Homesale Website Recognized

August 5, 2010 Leave a Comment

Sometimes you  live with something so long that you just take it for granted . . . that is until somebody else points out what you have is pretty special.  Such is the case with our website, www.prudentialhomesale.com.  Here’s a toast to all our IT people who work tirelessly to give us the best tools in the industry.  Here – Here!

Lancaster, PA, July 30, 2010 –(PR.com)– Prudential Homesale Services Group, a local realty firm operating twenty offices throughout south central and southeastern Pennsylvania, was recently recognized as a finalist in The Central Pennsylvania Business Journal’s 2010 Best of the Web Awards.

The Best of the Web Awards are designed to recognize local companies and organizations that have excelled in building a strong, quality and productive Web presence. This was the second year for the awards and included additional categories like “Best Use of Social Media” and “Best Recurring eNews Product.”

An independent panel of judges reviewed all entries and scored them on their design creativity, usability, innovation and overall experience. Winners were announced at the Best of the Web Awards luncheon on Monday, July 26, 2010.

Prudential Homesale was the only real estate company to be honored as a finalist. Homesale’s website, www.PrudentialHomesale.com, is the only local broker website offering real estate listings for all of south central Pennsylvania. The site receives more visitors than any other local real estate broker website. Their unique map search technology offers easy search capabilities for users of all skill levels.

Representatives from Homesale who were present at the event were Sandra Troccoli, Director of I.T. & Web Services; Rod Messick, CFO; Christine Sneeringer, VP of Marketing & Advertising; and Laurie Czaplinski, Project & Training Director.

According to RealTrends, Prudential Homesale Services Group is the 16th most successful Realtor in the country in the combined delivery of home services: real estate sales, mortgage closings, title closings, and home warranty sales.

Filed under Agents, Consumers, Technology Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Considering Selling Your Home as a FSBO? Hmmm – - maybe not.

June 3, 2010 2 Comments

Hmm! This isn't as easy as I thought it would be.

So you’re thinking about putting your home on the market and moving to that condo/farm/new build/quiet neighborhood/high-rise/bigger home/smaller home (select one).  Even though prices on homes seem to be stagnant and you won’t be able to get as much for your home as you could just three years ago, the deals you can get as a buyer after you sell your home seem too good to pass up.

Your natural inclination is to save the commission and try to sell your home yourself which will leave extra cash to put toward your next home.  Simple math says that if you don’t pay a REALTOR® a commission to sell your home, you’ll have more left over to buy your new home.  You may want to reconsider your strategy.

In a recent article posted on FORBES.com, they make the case that going it alone has drawbacks that most potential ‘For Sale By Owners’ don’t even consider.

Here is the article posted in its entirety:

Five Reasons Why You Still Need a Real Estate Agent ¹

The proliferation of services that help homebuyers and sellers complete their own real estate transactions is relatively recent, and it may have you wondering whether using a real estate agent is becoming a relic of a bygone era. While doing the work yourself can save you the significant commission rates many real estate agents command, for many, flying solo may not be the way to go–and could end up being more costly than a realtor’s commission in the long run. Buying or selling a home is a major financial (and emotional) undertaking. Find out why you shouldn’t discard the notion of hiring an agent just yet.

1. Better Access/More Convenience

A real estate agent’s full-time job is to act as a liaison between buyers and sellers. This means that he or she will have easy access to all other properties listed by other agents. Both the buyer’s and seller’s agent work full time as real estate agents and they know what needs to be done to get a deal together. For example, if you are looking to buy a home, a real estate agent will track down homes that meet your criteria, get in touch with sellers’ agents and make appointments for you to view the homes. If you are buying on your own, you will have to play this telephone tag yourself. This may be especially difficult if you’re shopping for homes that are for sale by owner.

Similarly, if you are looking to sell your home yourself, you will have to solicit calls from interested parties, answer questions and make appointments. Keep in mind that potential buyers are likely to move on if you tend to be busy or don’t respond quickly enough. Alternatively, you may find yourself making an appointment and rushing home, only to find that no one shows up.

Read more of this post

Filed under Agents, Buyers, Sellers Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

The Incredible Shrinking House

April 25, 2010 Leave a Comment

The average sized home in America is starting to shrink.  No longer are homeowners demanding square footage and soaring open vaults in their living spaces.  McMansions are OUT – - – efficiency and versatility are IN.  MarketWatch’s Amy Hoak recently reported on this fast-evolving building trend.

Filed under Buyers, Construction, Consumers, Harrisburg, Market Conditions, Sellers Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

← Older posts

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.