Before I started playing with Twitter I had my doubts. I have had access to the twitter account that I used to encourage the RedX Real Estate Sales Lead generation system. However until recently I hadn’t invested any time in using it. Because of this, I am just learning to implement the technology. In spite of this fact, I now understand the technology and can appreciate how Brokers online should be utilizing this tool to attract leads.

So how do you use Twitter in a promotion campaign? Before we begin you need to understand that Twitter is only a single point of contact for your prospects and that numerous touches are usually desired to draw a client. Also, understand that Twitter protocol indicates that when you follow somebody’s tweets, they may in turn follow you.

With that background, what are the steps? The principal step is to connect your twitter account to any web site where you have an online presence. If you have a site, blog or web presence, add a “Follow me” or Twitter logo with a hyperlink to your twitter site.

To begin utilizing Twitter as a promotion resource, create an auto-responder on your twitter account so that when anybody chooses to monitor you, they will automatically receive a thank you with a call to action. I use TweetLater.Com for my auto responder and it works quite well. The message ought to thank the user for following, and incorporate a call to action. Your may choose to make your call to action an offer for a complimentary report, data, or some other offer that allows you to capture more information about your target lead. For example, my call to action is “Thanks for the Follow! Want a discount on listing leads from RedX? Visit me here for more info.”

The next step is to begin tweeting. You should routinely tweet, but additionally be aware that there is a shortcut that you may utilize when you cannot post directly. If you control a blog that you bring up to date often, you may post the feed directly to your twitter account using TwitterFeed.

The subsequent step in your twitter promotion should be to attract local followers. You can find followers who reside in your area simply by doing a keyword search on the twitter user directory Twellow. Just search the twellow list for active tweeters that live in your area and follow those that fit the bill.

There are a number of other ways that you can incorporate twitter as part of your promotion, together with mobile messaging and even film. We won’t get into those details here, but may address them later.

Originally, the lockbox came in many different forms, whether it was a fake, or a keysafe that fastened to a door handle or utility meter, these boxes made it possible to enjoy a level of security while still proving access to the listing agent to show the real estate.

Early Versions of Lockboxes

Original lockbox systems required a small master key, the lockbox key, to open them. Although the lockbox key is still utilized.

In the 1990’s, the primary lockboxes on home listings were of an electronic variety. The updated lockbox systems were far ahead in the available technology as these new safes would record the access code of showing agents and provide the real estate agent that owned the listing with visibility on the level of interest in the property.

GE Supra Ekey

From this leap toward electronic access, GE Supra Ekey has come forward as the leading lockbox technology in the United States. The new lockboxekey operates using an infra red beam to unlock the unit and record the access. The state of the art systems now allow the real estate agent to open the lockbox simply by syncing up their mobile phone to the ekey device. The Supra Ekey lockbox system then records the access, as well as the details of the agent.

GE Supra Lockbox Ekey System

Early in the nineties, GE Supra with another leading lockbox firm a few years ago to essentially take over the market. The new GE supraekey lockbox and intelligent keysafe system completely integrates with your brokers office to provide complete control and access to all properties listed with that broker.

Rejection can cause a homebuyer to experience heartache. A seller is not forced to shoot down a homebuyer’s offer for the buyer to feel completely horrible. All the seller needs to say is one word “No,” and the offer is null and void. Here are the top four reasons as to why a potential home bid is rejected:

The number one reason why offers are rejected is because of a lower than list price offer. 1.) A seller could feel insulted if an offer is not large enough, the seller may get the impression the buyer is not serious enough. 2.) A seller could be too mad to respond and could reject the offer immediately. 3.) If the house is new on the market, the seller could feel it is a bit too early to entertain offers that are lower than the listed price. 4.) In most provinces , a seller is not required by law to respond to lower offers.

Offer rejection may be because the buying agent is less than pleasant. An agent that has less than scrupulous ethics should have their real estate license revoked because nobody wants to deal with a professional that is like this. Agents who have no ethics or manners are wasting their time and making their potential customers miserable. If the buyer’s agent is annoying the listing agent, especially during an offer dealing with multiple situations, it does not look good on the agent’s buyer. Make sure your agent never does the following things: 1.) Raising of voice or screams on the phone or in person 2.) Forgets to use manners and say “please” as well as “thank you” 3.) Issues demands or delivers ultimatums 4.) Acts insulting towards the listing agent by printing out market data or sale information, making an agent appear stupid or inept ( even though this may be true) 5.) Acts demeaning towards others 6.) Acts aggressive or pushy towards others 7.) Does not act in a professional manner at all times

There is nothing saying a listing agent cannot take two similar offers to a seller saying, “I don’t prefer Agent A, however, Agent B is very professional. Select whichever offer you want.” Do you believe that the buyer is going to select Agent A’s proposal? Do not forget the business of real estate is alot about networking; being polite and ethical earns respect, acting unscrupulous does not. Do not let your agent sabotage your chances of buying your dream home; if it does not have anything to do with price, it could be more than likely the agent!

Reason for having an offer rejected: Listing agent represents the competition A relatively unknown practice among consumers is the variable or dual-rate commission discussion that an agent will sometimes include in the listing agreement. This means the listing agent has an understanding with the seller that if the listing agent also ends up working with and representing the buyer, the listing agent will reduce the fee (because of a dual commission being earned).

An example would be if the listing agent is supposed to receive 6% commission, 3% for listing and 3% that is to be given to the broker, he or she might agree to take only 5% total if working for both sides of the deal. Therefore, if your personal agent writes up an offer, the seller will spend more and net less profit. Ask your agent to check with MLS to see if the commission rate is variable.

Offers are rejected because the buyer didn’t meet the sellers particular needs A buying agent should contact the listing agent to find out if the seller has particular requirements or contentious points. If so, include them in the offer. 1.) If the seller requires a long escrow, offer the seller a long closing date. 2.) If the seller wants to see a large monetary deposit, make an increase in the deposit. 3.) Sometimes the financial terms in MLS are not fulfilled. For example, the seller will accept only offers in cash; do not believe for one second an offer with FHA terms to be acceptable. 4.) If the seller expresses concerns about repairs, make an offer to purchase the property “as is,” after a visit from a home inspector. 5.) The seller may want the buyer to have pre-approval for financing, point being you won’t have any idea as to what the seller wants if you don’t ask.

It is important for a real estate agent to learn more about online marketing as a competitive in housing marketing. There is 70% of buyers use the internet to research or search for listings and services. It has saved a lot of time and more cost effective than traditional forms of marketing.

Are you a real estate agent trying to attract more clients online? I’ll be sharing with you for Real Estate Online marketing that helps you attract more targeted client online. To get a better exposure online, you have to get your website or listing on the first page when your clients search.

First of all, you have to create a website or listing Online. I believe most of you have your own web page. If you do not have, you can create one using site builder, web 2.0 or blog. After that, drive your target segment to your website or listing. For example, a buyer search for listing for his town like x town, so he will type on the Google search textbox: x town house listing. Then several thousand search listing out. If your listing is on the first page of the search, you have chance get higher traffic. “X town house listing” is the keyword.

The tip for select a keyword is finding a keyword with low competition phrase. Write an informative article relevant with your keyword; make sure the keyword phrase appear 3-5 times through out the article. One important thing is you must use the keyword in the article and description.

Once you have written the article, you have to introduce your expertise in this industry and put a link which link back to your website or listing at bottom of the article. Then post or submit your article to several free article directories. It is very powerful when you repeat the process over and over again using different keyword phrases related to Real Estate.

This is just a general idea for one of the online marketing methods. There is competitive in real estate career, you have to learn more online marketing to equip yourself to support your career.

Are you a real estate agent trying to attract more clients online? With the housing market being as competitive as real estate online marketing is so important to a real estate agent. There are 70% of homebuyers’ uses the internet to search for listings and services. It has saved a lot of time and more cost effective than traditional forms of marketing.

Are you a real estate agent trying to attract more clients online? I’ll be sharing with you for Real Estate Online marketing that helps you attract more targeted client online. To get a better exposure online, you have to get your website or listing on the first page when your clients search.

Firstly, you have to create a website or listing Online. I believe most of you have your own website. If you do not have, you can create one using site builder, templates, web 2.0 or blog. Next drive your target segment to your website or listing. Give you an example, a buyer search for listing for his town like ABC town, so he will type on the Google search textbox with ABC town house listing. Then thousands of search list out. If your listing is on the first page of the search, you have chance to get priority your clients to view your site. The “X town house listing” is the keyword.

Find a keyword with low competition phrase; Write an informative article relevant with your keyword; make sure the keyword phrase appear 3-5 times through out the article, keyword in the title and description.

Once you have written the article, you have to introduce your expertise in this industry and put a link which link back to your website or listing at bottom of the article. Then post or submit your article to several free article directories. It is very powerful when you repeat the process over and over again using different keyword phrases related to Real Estate.

This is just a general idea for one of the online marketing methods. There is competitive in real estate career, you have to learn more online marketing to equip yourself to support your career.

The first step to marketing your home is having it staged and professionally photographed. Once it has been professionally photographed you are ready to plan your marketing and start to pull together all of the different marketing materials. There are many different tools that I will use to market a property. Depending on the home and the target market I will pick and choose the right combination of tools. Some approaches work great for selling a home in Summerhill but is the completely wrong approach for selling a loft in Leslieville. Some of the tools that need to be used include: Feature Sheets, Newspaper ads, MLS listings, personal agent websites, company websites, affiliated corporate sites, syndicated sites, custom property websites, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing. This is by no means a complete list, it is just the start.

Developing an extensive Feature Sheet is a true art form that requires a lot of time, but it is time very well spent. A flimsy black and white photocopy of a one page info sheet printed off of Realtor.ca just doesn’t cut it anymore. A proper feature sheet should answer every question a purchaser might come up with. It is drawn up and presented to the seller for approval before it goes to print.

In a high quality feature sheet there should be a room by room written description that catalogues the intimate details of the home. There should also be professional photographs, a property survey, a list of the average annual costs for utilities, a customised schedule B that protects the sellers interests, a neighbourhood summary, a list of exclusions and inclusions, and the appropriate contact information if they have any further questions.

It is very important to have an attractive, unique, detailed feature sheet because quite often this is the piece of marketing that makes the largest impact on the purchasing decision. It will hang around on the seller’s coffee table or dining room while they are comparing and contrasting the different homes they have seen.

Once the final approval for the feature sheet has been given an Agent should develop a Customized Web-Site with its own unique domain name and should reflect the information in the feature sheet. Property specific web sites are great for so many reasons. Through the use of analytic software you are able to understand exactly how users interact with your site. This will tell you a lot about what different aspects of the home are the most important to the average buyer. This knowledge can then be applied to the other aspects of the marketing mix. If the picture of the master bedroom gets clicked on 10 times more than the picture of the front of the house than you know which picture should be on the cover of your next direct mail piece.

You can also use the site to generate leads through creative calls to action. This platform also allows you to also share your home with the world. Someone locating to Toronto from the other side of the world will have an elaborate, interactive feature sheet right at their fingertips.

There are other really cool tools that can be added to the site that can increase the perceived value of the home. Some of these applications include designer software that allows a potential purchaser to manipulate photographs of the home. This lets them see what it would look like if they changed the clay tiles in the front hall to dark hardwood or change the kitchen counter from red Corian to black granite.

Other great online marketing approaches include Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so that the home’s website positions well for search terms related to the property. Another tactic that I typically use is Google Pay Per Click, this generates traffic faster than SEO. I will also usually integrate into my digital marketing mix videos and virtual tours. The opportunities to effectively market a property online are tremendous. It seems that each day there is a new cool trick used in other industries that can be applied effectively to real estate. It is truly exciting being in this business at this time.

Agents must have a clear and defined plan for how the property will be displayed and marketed online. If they don’t than there is a tremendous amount of opportunity lost. Missing that opportunity comes at a steep cost to the client. A great stat from the National Association of Realtors states that 86% of home buyers are using the internet to search for their home. This was in 2008, this is certainly a figure that won’t plunge any time soon. Be sure to ask all prospective Agent how they would market your listing online.

Rejection can cause a homebuyer to experience disappointment. A seller is not forced to shoot down a homebuyer’s offer for the buyer to feel completely horrible. All the seller needs to say is one word “No,” and the offer is null and void. Here are the top four reasons as to why a potential home bid is rejected:

The number one reason why offers are rejected is because of a lower than list price offer. 1.) A seller could feel insulted if an offer is not large enough, the seller may get the impression the buyer is not serious enough. 2.) A seller could be too mad to respond and could reject the offer immediately. 3.) If the house is new on the market, the seller could feel it is a bit too early to entertain offers that are lower than the listed price. 4.) In most provinces , a seller is not required by law to respond to lower offers.

Offer rejection may be because the buying agent is less than pleasant. An agent that has less than scrupulous ethics should have their real estate license revoked because nobody wants to deal with a professional that is like this. Agents who have no ethics or manners are wasting their time and making their potential customers miserable. If the buyer’s agent is annoying the listing agent, especially during an offer dealing with multiple situations, it does not look good on the agent’s buyer. Make sure your agent never does the following things: 1.) Raising of voice or screams on the phone or in person 2.) Forgets to use manners and say “please” as well as “thank you” 3.) Issues demands or delivers ultimatums 4.) Acts insulting towards the listing agent by printing out market data or sale information, making an agent appear stupid or inept ( even though this may be true) 5.) Acts demeaning towards others 6.) Acts aggressive or pushy towards others 7.) Does not act in a professional manner at all times

There is nothing saying a listing agent cannot take two similar offers to a seller saying, “I don’t prefer Agent A, however, Agent B is very professional. Select whichever offer you want.” Do you believe that the buyer is going to select Agent A’s proposal? Do not forget the business of real estate is alot about networking; being polite and ethical earns respect, acting unscrupulous does not. Do not let your agent sabotage your chances of buying your dream home; if it does not have anything to do with price, it could be more than likely the agent!

Reason for having an offer rejected: Listing agent represents the competition A relatively unknown practice among consumers is the variable or dual-rate commission discussion that an agent will sometimes include in the listing agreement. This means the listing agent has an understanding with the seller that if the listing agent also ends up working with and representing the buyer, the listing agent will reduce the fee (because of a dual commission being earned).

An example would be if the listing agent is supposed to receive 6% commission, 3% for listing and 3% that is to be given to the broker, he or she might agree to take only 5% total if working for both sides of the deal. Therefore, if your personal agent writes up an offer, the seller will spend more and net less profit. Ask your agent to check with MLS to see if the commission rate is variable.

Offers are rejected because the buyer didn’t meet the sellers particular needs A buying agent should contact the listing agent to find out if the seller has particular requirements or contentious points. If so, include them in the offer. 1.) If the seller requires a long escrow, offer the seller a long closing date. 2.) If the seller wants to see a large monetary deposit, make an increase in the deposit. 3.) Sometimes the financial terms in MLS are not fulfilled. For example, the seller will accept only offers in cash; do not believe for one second an offer with FHA terms to be acceptable. 4.) If the seller expresses concerns about repairs, make an offer to purchase the property “as is,” after a visit from a home inspector. 5.) The seller may want the buyer to have pre-approval for financing, point being you won’t have any idea as to what the seller wants if you don’t ask.

One of the most important things to do when purchasing a home is to find a great real estate agent to make the process flow smoothly and effectively. A question many people ponder is how to find a good real estate agent. The best agent may not necessarily work at one of the top ten agencies in the area. The agent who will work best for you would be an experienced agent who will listen to your needs, act in a professional and ethical manner and knows the market in your area.

1.)Word-of-Mouth or Referral Most real estate professionals attract a sizable amount of business because of a satisfied client who recommends them to a friend, family member or neighbour. When you are thinking of purchasing a home, it is a good idea to ask those around you who they have used and ask them to elaborate on their specific experience with the real estate agent in question. Successful real estate agents strive to make customer satisfaction their number one priority and will do everything they can to facilitate a good experience for a customer. Try to find an agent that has a proven track record and reputation for delivering quality service, customer satisfaction, and have experience in the neighbourhoods that you are looking in.

2.) Do an Online Search For Real Estate Agents There are many online resources available when searching for a real estate agent referral, but this by no means ensures quality. The agents referred online may have paid a fee to the website owner to be listed in the directory. Performing a Google search of the top agents in your area and then reviewing their websites will give you a good list of agents to interview. Agents who have experience in the field will tell you, but a newer agent will more than likely have the extra time to spend working with you. Review any customer testimonials or feedback about an agent you may be interested in retaining.

3.) Visit Open Houses in the Area You should visit some area open houses where you can actually meet with a potential agent in a non-threatening manner. Here you can see how they work, collect business cards, formulate an opinion and talk with them on a personal basis. If you are thinking about selling a home, pay close attention to how the agent presents the home. Make sure the agent is polite, informative, approachable and professional. Does the agent promote the home by handing out professional looking feature sheets or other related materials? Is the agent trying to play up the features that make the home more enticing? Or is the agent in the corner, back turned and uninvolved in the whole scenario?

4.) Pay Attention to Real Estate Signs Carefully monitor the real estate signs in your neighbourhood. Observe how long from the day they go up until the home is actually sold. An agent who has a high sales turnover might be a better choice than an agent who has lots of for sale signs but few sold signs. An agent who gets results is what you want.

5.) Why Agents Use Printed Advertising There are two main reasons real estate agents use printed advertisement. First is to advertise and sell a specific piece of real estate. Secondly, advertising is used to promote the agent handling the transaction. By checking the local Sunday real estate ads in your neighbourhood and then checking the agents website, you can find the agents who may specialize in your particular neighbourhood. Contact the agent and inquire about their expertise and ask any other relative questions you may have.

6.) Seeking Recommendations from Other Real Estate Professionals Ask around and seek out other real estate agents for a referral. Most agents are happy to refer a buyer or seller to another associate, if the service you require is not a specialty they can provide. Some agents only specialize in resale property, while others work predominantly with the sale of new homes. Other agents work exclusively with commercial or investment properties. Mortgage brokers are a great resource for agent referrals; many brokers have first-hand knowledge and can point you in the direction of a top-quality real estate agent and remember professionals tend to refer like-minded peers. There is also typically a referral fee involved for the referring professional so be careful that they refer you to the best Agent not the one that pays the highest referral fee.

There is a set of steps a Realtor needs to take in to prepare a property to be marketed effectively so that the home can be sold for its highest value in the most efficient amount of time. Although there are a number of variations on this procedure the following steps are needed to achieve the best result. Make sure to review this list and evaluate the Agents answers when you speak with them.

Step 1: Agent Interviews Interview several Realtors, the most satisfied clients are the ones who have interviewed other Agents; by knowing who else was out there they are confident right from the outset that they have made the right decision.

Step 2: Sign an Exclusive Listing Agreement Once you have decided on your Agent it is standard for them to ask you to sign an exclusive listing with them. This document will reassure the Realtor that the homeowner has made a decision and will be loyal to the selected Agent. Once the Agent has this reassurance they will start to invest their time and money into marketing the property.

The property is listed ‘Exclusively For Sale’ at 5% or 6% commission. The exclusive period usually lasts a week or two while the prep-work is done (pre-inspection, photography, home staging, floor plans, decor etc…). If the home is ‘double-ended’ and the Agent is not in competition, the Agent will normally be receptive to discussing a reduction in the commission. Double ended means that the listing Agent sells it to a client during this exclusive period. There is a specific set of rules that will allow the Agent to negotiate in good faith on behalf of both parties. I believe that this is actually not fair to the Seller since you sign a listing with them vowing to work in their best interest. It is appropriate to ask the listing Agent’s Broker to negotiate on behalf of the purchaser. This way both parties still receive fair representation.

Step 3: The House is Staged There are many different things that have to happen before a property can be properly marketed. Most of these items have to do with getting the property shined up and ready to be photographed and subsequently shown. This process is typically referred to as ‘Staging’ a home.

Staging can mean anything from a new coat of paint and some fresh flowers to entirely re-decorating and furnishing a home. There is great value in staging because it helps market a home to a broader audience then the current owner’s individual taste. This can be a very touchy subject because most people take great pride in their home, as they should, and think that it already looks its best. Unfortunately a lot of Buyers might not have the same appreciation for lime coloured paint or they may have trouble seeing how big the room is past all the boxes of receipts and tax papers from 1976.

It is usually the clutter and minor deficiencies that the home owner doesn’t notice anymore. They tell themselves they will get around to fixing it eventually and just never do. This is where the Agent has to be cautious not to overstep their boundaries, but make it clear that the goal is to sell the home for the most amount of money and it is therefore necessary to appeal to the widest audience possible. Quite often an agent will recommend a ‘Fluffer’ or ‘Stager’ to do this because that way they don’t have to be the bad guy. The goal of staging is to make the house desirable to everyone who would be looking in their market.

The Agent should shoulder the costs of all the marketing, but the homeowner is expected to pick up the costs of staging and any pre-inspections. These are suggestions that will net them more money at the end of the day and stay with the house after sale.

At this point the house is ready to be professional photographed and subsequently marketed. Don’t underestimate the value of having your home professionally photographed. Pictures form the basis of any marketing campaign. To sell your house for the most amount of money in the least amount of time you need you home looking its absolute best.

1. Location, Location, Location! Look for a location in Toronto that has the potential for growth, this is the best advice when investing in real estate. If the house you choose in Toronto is not exactly as you’d like it to be, you can always renovate and change things. You cannot renovate an entire neighborhood.

2. The best Toronto investment properties are sometimes the ones that require the most work. Sometimes you can find a great fixer-upper in a popular area. When investing time and money into remodeling, not only will you have a great place to live, but you have a home that has been designed to your liking and will get a much better return on your investment.

3. Remember you can always expand Typically it is a good idea for clients to think into the future and see the broader picture. Will the property be suitable within the next few years? If not, it is a good idea to see if the house can be expanded to accommodate a larger living space. This could be in the form of a finished basement or adding an addition. If major renovations are required, check into whether or not there are any building restrictions for the neighborhood. It is a good idea to find it beforehand than when you are actually facing the prospect of buying Toronto building permits.

4. Check into the schools in the area. Even if you do not currently have children, if you are thinking about it in the future, it is a good idea to check into the local schools. Having a good school in the area is something a potential homebuyer should never overlook. Oftentimes, a family will move into a particular neighborhood to be within the district of a favorable school.

5. Perform a personal credit check now. Before applying for a mortgage in Toronto, it is a good idea to perform a personal credit check. If your credit report contains any errors, you can have it rectified before any financial institution makes the discovery.

6. Clean up your credit. Making any credit report repairs can sometimes be as easy as making timely payments. Even if you have had bad credit in the past, you can turn it around and the bank or financial institute can be surprisingly forgiving. This is why it is imperative to check on a credit report prior to shopping the Toronto real estate market.

7. Never underestimate the value of an energy efficient home. An energy efficient house can save you thousands of dollars over the course of time. More and more people are seeking energy efficient homes, it is a common request more real estate agents are hearing every day.

8. How far is the daily commute to work? If you are giving serious thought to a particular home, a good idea is to make a test run to see how the traffic flows in both directions during the average daily commute.

9. How low are the rates? Lock in a secure mortgage rate for as long as possible, if the rates are low and there is no chance of rates dipping any lower it can equal to saving a substantial amount of money over time.

10. Avoid Toronto houses that tilt. Gaze at the house you are interested in from across the street, if the house tilts you definitely need to move on to the next property. Just because the floors of a home are uneven does not mean the house necessarily tilts, to verify if this is the case you will need to have an inspection done. A tilt is indicative of foundational issues; it is a problem with the potential to drain finances when it comes time for making repairs down the road.

11. Remember resale value. When you are considering purchasing a Toronto property, keep the potential for resale in mind. Do not let it determine your every thought, however, at some point you may want to sell the home so it is a good idea to keep the thought in the back of your mind.