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The Latest Windermere Visit to BizFit 1700 | real estate and business talk
Posted by The Windermere Team | Leave A Comment »
The Windermere team joined Biz Fit 1700 AM this Monday to discuss San Diego real estate. The business talk show is hosted by Kory Kavanewsky, who interviews local and national real estate and business professionals on his live radio show.
In this show, Windermere President Steve Rodgers shared local market reports and news on housing prices. Then Kory and cohost Alex asked the team about the big changes technology and social media are having on the real estate industry. Rich Johnson (Director of Business Development) and Erica Vautier (Director of Marketing) talked about how mobile technology and text messages allow buyers to get instant property details for any house on the market.
Give it a try. Text WIN to 59559.
You can ask for info on any property by address or street name. If you have an iPhone or Droid – you’re phone can geo-locate you and give details on all properties for sale in your area.
Other topics the Windermere team touched on with BizFit:
- Mobile phone applications for Real Estate
- Security issues with Social Media
- How new media is effecting real estate marketing
In this photo: Kory Kavanewsky, Erica Vautier, Alex Martinez, Steve Rodgers and Rich Johnson.
TUNE IN!
The show airs live every Monday from 12-1PM on San Diego 1700 AM.
Archived and live shows can be found at bizfit1700.com
Related Posts: Activities & Events, Area Statistics, Market Trends, Marketing, Technology, Windermere Managers
Listen to Windermere’s President and Director of Marketing Talk about Social Media on BizFit 1700
Posted by Erica Vautier | Leave A Comment »
Steve Rodgers and I joined the Bizfit 1700 radio hosts for a special show about Social Media and real estate. Steve gave an update on the San Diego real estate marketing, citing the latest home sale reports and predictions for foreclosures.
Then we dove in to how the rise of social media has moved conversations into new playing fields. Content has become more important than cash and user-generated information is the most trusted. The trend is moving away from directory style portals and into human narratives. Video is king and Facebook is the fifth largest country.
You can download the show as a Podcast from iTunes. Or tune in to 1700 AM on Saturday, September 12th @ 11:00 a.m. to hear the replay. (original air date was August 24, 2009 from 12-1 p.m.)
BizFit San Diego is hosted by Kory Kavanewsky and airs every Monday from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Kory, a Branch Manager for the Frendsdorf Group, uses his financial background and broadcast savvy to interview industry professionals. With humor and good taste he explores popular issues in what has been called “San Diego most fun and entertaining business talk show.”
Learn more at: www.bizfit1700.com
Windermere affiliates are big fans of the show and we look forward to coming in to the studio each month. Expect to hear from our experts in real estate, marketing, mortgages, insurance and more!
Related Posts: Activities & Events, Marketing
Consumer Support is at the Heart of Real Estate Technology
Posted by Steve Rodgers | Currently 1 Comment »
In a local real estate landscape that has changed dramatically in just a few short years, the way homes are bought and sold has also changed. With user-friendly online home searches becoming the norm, consumers have taken the initiative when it comes to finding their prospective new home.
Agents are looking into new technologies as a means to supplying information but maintaining a heartfelt approach. It’s a new twist with tools and we see this combining of technology and culture as a real benefit to the consumer.
“Americans use internet search engines on a regular basis, and online home listings have become a natural extension of this behavior,” said Erica Vautier, Director of Marketing for Windermere Exclusive Properties.
“It has become much easier for consumers to get a head start in their home search thanks to these technological advances.” This research phase can help the consumer define what they are in the market for from price, to style and location; therefore allowing the time with the agent to be much more productive for the consumer in helping them meet their true needs.
In fact, 75% of Americans now begin the search for their new home online, and this has created a demand for more in-depth and informative online search results. In addition to extensively detailed online listings, virtual tours have offered the ability to get a much more comprehensive feel for the home, enhancing the overall effect of the listing.
“Consumers now have much more flexibility when it comes to obtaining information before even going to visit a home that is for sale,” continued Vautier. “This makes a big difference in time management, both for the consumer and for the agent. Online listings have become so detailed that prospective buyers will feel like they’ve already spent time in the home.”
Shifting demographics have also supported the continuing rise of technology in home sales. 60% of today’s buyers were born after 1964 and 54% of first-time homebuyers are in the tech savvy generation between the ages of 25 to 34.
The integration of internet technology and real estate is also benefiting agents by giving them an opportunity to attract customers in a comfortable and convenient way. Some brokerages are recognizing the value of social networking for their agents and are even offering classes teaching them how to capitalize on the technological side of networking.
“Buying a home is a very emotional decision for the buyer, and our agents. At our company, we give our agents the training they need to use social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook to broaden their business and manage contacts,” said Vautier.
“These and other sites are vital components of an organic growth plan that doesn’t require major funding or advertising. We recognize that the best agents are going to look for ways to connect with consumers by aligning with their lifestyle.”
In today’s real estate market, individuals on both sides of the transaction are looking for an edge that will save them time and maximize their efforts. By utilizing the benefits of online listings, virtual tours and website networking, both homebuyers and real estate agents are accomplishing those goals while making the American Dream of Homeownership a reality.
Related Posts: Homeowners, Marketing, Real Estate News
Just How Pervasive is Technology in Today’s World? Let’s look at the numbers…
Posted by Erica Vautier | Currently 1 Comment »
Everyone knows how powerful technology has become … or do we?
We see strangers having conversations over tiny blue tooth head sets; we carry the internet with us on our smart phones; and we let our cars give us directions and make dinner recommendations.
But do you really know how pervasive the virtual world has become?
Do you know how many people are using search engines every day?
Do you know how many blogs are on the world wide web?
Do you know how many videos are actually on YouTube?
Here are some facts that will help you better understand how technology has infiltrated our lives.
Google Search Statistics:
- 2,000,000,000 (two billion) – very rough number of Google searches daily
- 24,400 – number of people employed by Google (December, 2008)
- 68,000,000 – the average number of times people Googled the word Google each month for the last year (source: keyword tool)
Wikipedia Statistics:
- 2,695,205 – the number of articles in English on Wikipedia
- 684,000,000 – the number of visitors to Wikipedia in the last year
- 75,000 – the number of active contributors to Wikipedia
YouTube Statistics:
- 70,000,000 – number of total videos on YouTube (March 2008)
- 200,000 – number of video publishers on YouTube (March 2008)
- 112,486,327 - number of views the most viewed video on YouTube has (January, 2009)
Blogging Statistics:
- 133,000,000 – number of blogs indexed by Technorati since 2002
- 346,000,000 – number of people globally who read blogs (comScore March 2008)
- 77% – percentage of active Internet users who read blogs
Search Engine Statistics:
- 75% - percentage of Americans use search engines on a regular basis
- 56% - percentage of Americans use Search Engines every day
- 40% - percentage of all search engine searches are for local businesses and services
- 54% - percentage of Americans regularly use the internet instead of the phone book to find local services
- 92% - percentage of all local searches will eventually convert into a sale
- 85% - percentage of searchers don’t click on paid links.
- 63% - percentage of links that are naturally displayed at the top of search engines get clicks
Twitter Statistics:
- 1,111,991,000 – number of Tweets to date
- 3,000,000 – number of Tweets/day (March 2008 from TechCrunch)
Facebook:
- 140 – number of new applications added per day
- 150,000,000 – number of active users
- 100 – number of friends the average user has
- 52,000 – number of applications currently available on
Now that you know how many users the virtual world is attracting —
what are you going to do about it??
If you are a Windermere agent and want to learn how you can use the internet to better serve your clients (and even meet new clients) come in to one of our training classes. We have classes each month on Twitter for Real Estate, Email Signatures that Sell, Virtual Farming and loads more!
Not a Windermere agent?
Just shoot me an email and we’ll see what we can do!
.
Thanks to Adam Singer for sharing these statistics and other great information about social networking!
You can read Adam’s blog at: http://thefuturebuzz.com
Related Posts: Marketing, Training
Sell Your Home without the Hassle
Posted by Erica Vautier | Leave A Comment »
To make selling your home a hassle free experience, spend your time on qualified homebuyers and sell your home to someone who is well informed. The best way to attract these serious buyers is with a marketing plan that reaches a large group of people and provides them with detailed information about your home.
Hire a licensed Realtor to sell your home and within 24 hours they will begin promoting your home on the Multiple Listing Service, the official site for broker property searches. Close to 90% of buyers chose to work with a real estate agent and most home sales can be attributed to broker referrals, so make sure that you are represented by someone who will market your home to this key audience.
More people are moving into San Diego than leaving for the first time in five years and the share of internet buyers surpassed 72 percent in 2007. To reach these homebuyers directly, a professional agent can create a website all about your home. Single property websites, now commonplace in real estate marketing, let potential buyers “tour” your home from their personal computer.
Buyers consistently say photo galleries and video tours are the most important features of property websites. Not only will you attract more buyers when you include these visual elements, but there are other benefits as well. People who view a virtual tour online before viewing a home in person are more likely to be serious buyers. Another plus to marketing with photos and videos is that they often lead to higher sales prices. A survey by VHT shows that professional photography increased the perceived value of a home by 12% and video tours increased the perceived value of a home by 6%.
Maps and area information are also rated very highly by people searching for a new home. Buyers want to see what a neighborhood looks like, check out their work commute, and read about the nearby schools. They are interested in more than just the standard features of your home; they want to know what it would be like to actually live there.
Realtors are local area experts and will incorporate a lot of valuable content into your marketing material. By providing more complete information about your home upfront, you’ll spend less time in person with buyers who aren’t right for your home.
Moreover, when you disclose everything early in the selling process, you’re positioning yourself for a satisfying home sale and a hassle-free transaction. An informed buyer can make an educated decision to buy or not because they are knowledgeable about your property and the area lifestyle. This is a person who is serious about your home and wants to buy what you are selling.
When you release complete information about your home upfront, the selling process runs more smoothly and at the end of the transaction both the seller and the buyer are happier. You save everyone time and avoid the stress of last minute disclosures.
To make selling your home a hassle free experience, make detailed information about your home easily available and attract a well informed buyer.
Related Posts: Buyers, Marketing, Technology
