Meriden, CT

Whether your goal is to buy 4 properties a year or 100, you will need a team to help you with creating and implementing your marketing campaigns. What this means is that a lot of your time and attention should be spent in building your team to run this area of your business. You will need a team to help you lick envelopes and make cold calls, because it will be impossible to do it all yourself. Your attention should be on building an organization that runs on auto-pilot and the quality of people you hire and sub-contract will ultimately determine how quickly this happens.

In the beginning, this team will most likely be you and possibly your partner if you have one. However, as you grow your investment business, leveraging people and time will be a crucial and a necessary component of your success. You will find that your time WILL become scarce and therefore much more valuable. As the CEO of your own company, it is vitally important that you handle only the most important jobs and that you outsource everything else. In the house buying business, the most important jobs are evaluating deals, buying houses, and implementing marketing campaigns.

Another reason you must assemble a marketing team is because certain people will bring in more talent in certain areas of marketing. For example, there is no need for you to learn how to do graphic design work when you can hire an experienced graphic designer. As an investor, you should always remember not to "skip over dollars to pick up dimes".

More importantly, the right expertise will help you create and implement components of your marketing plan in the most efficient and cost effective way possible. Sure, you can try to do everything alone and probably in the beginning you will take on many of the jobs and responsibilities, however, in order for the business to mature, you will have to let go of fears and exercise your growth muscle by hiring support staff and sub-contractors who can help you. - Fortune Builders Inc.

Signage:

• Banners for Buildings Being Worked On
• Bus Signage
• Bus Bench / Stop Signage
• Car Magnets
• Bumper Stickers
• Vehicle Lettering
• Billboards / at Local Sporting Events

Internet:

• MLS
• Lead Generator Websites
• FSBO Websites

Print Media

• Flyers Distributed in Newspapers
• Door Hangers
• Flyers Around Town w/ Pull Tabs
• Business Cards
• Value Pack Coupons
• Coupon Saver
• Pizza Box Ads

AD Placement in the:

• Local Newspaper
• Regional Newspaper
• Yellow Pages
• Church Bulletins
• Local Real Estate Publications
• Local Business Journals

TV/Radio

• Commercials on Local TV Stations
• Commercials on Local Radio Stations
• 30 Minute Radio Shows

Direct Mail Campaigns / Cold Calling to Property Owners:

• In Pre-Foreclosure
• Getting a Divorce
• Who Live Out of State
• With Low End Rental Properties
• With Vacant or Rundown Properties
• With Building Code Violations
• With Health Code Violations
• With Fire Damaged Properties
• With Delinquent Taxes
• With Expired Listings
• Evicting Tenants

Networking with:

• Real Estate Agents
• Mortgage Brokers
• Bankruptcy Attorneys
• Probate Attorneys
• Eviction Attorneys
• Real Estate Attorneys
• Insurance Agents
• Real Estate Investor Associations
• Tax Lien Officials
• Contractors
• Property Management Companies
• Developers
• REO Department of Banks
• Postmen
• City Officials
• Moving Companies
• Builders
• Marshalls
• Bail Bondsmen
• Cash Checking Business Owners

Whatever else the mind can fathom!

In today's real estate market, selling your home can seem quite daunting. Keep in mind that like any other competition, your home must stand out from all the other homes that potential buyers have looked at. This is a competition, and something you need to prepare for. Here are a few tips to getting your home ready to sell:

1. CURB APPEAL- Cut back bushes, keep the lawn mowed in summer, sidewalks clear in winter, plant fresh flowers or add a few large pots of flowers to add a splash of color to the front steps. Remove any clutter- kid's toys, extra vehicles, boats, or gardening equipment. This will be the buyer's first look at your home, if they don't like what they see they'll just keep driving.

2. VISUAL CLUTTER- When a buyer walks into your home, that's the first thing they should see ~ YOUR HOME. Not all the family pictures (although they are adorable, they are not for sale!), nor your collections of dolls, toys, dvd's, Elvis and Tupac figurines. If it is not enhancing your home for the buyer, it does not need to be there.

3. WALLPAPER- This is a big one. When buyers walk into a room and see wallpaper, they're actually thinking "ok, how much time/money will this take for me to get this down?" Now, there are some wallpapers that are very neutral and non-affending, you may want to ask your realtor me :) or Home Stager's opinion there. I'm talking about the ones that have pastel flowers, swirls, stripes, or anything that's been on your walls since the 70's. Don't make the buyer offer you a lower price because they know there's a lot of work involved.

4. WINDOW TREATMENTS- It's not to often that a REALTOR will hear a buyer say " I really want a home that has windows completely covered with frills, ruffles, panels and drapes". The windows are a huge part of the house, and need to be seen in order to help sell the home. Even if you are planning on including the window treatments in the sale of the home, they should still be simplified. Panels on either side of the window will soften the look without covering the window. If the windows are in bad shape, they should either be replaced or repaired. And don't hide a beautiful view!

5. TOO MUCH FURNITURE- We often have extra furniture in our homes for ourselves; for entertaining, for comfort. But when it comes to selling your home, less is often more. It's best to create a good traffic flow. Oftentimes the room's furniture layout can maximize a small space or create a warm cozy feeling in a large space.

Did you ever hear the saying "don't judge a book by its cover?" Well don't get wooed by a house just because it shows well! Underneath that lovely exterior you may have problems; potentially serious problems. Buying your first home is one of the most important purchases you will make in your lifetime. A qualified home inspector will take an in-depth and impartial look at the property inside and out! You should be sure that the home you want to buy is in good condition.

The first really cold winter day you wake up in your new house and your furnace isn't working, you'll be kicking yourself for not having your home inspected. An inspection limits the number of negative surprises you may discover when you move into your new home.

The cost of a home inspection is dependent on the size and characteristics of the property. Generally speaking it's a few hundreds dollars, which is a BARGAIN for the benefits you receive! A licensed home inspector will examine for any structural concerns, plumbing issues, functionality of the electrical system and heating and cooling, check for mold and mildew, roof damage, leaks in doors or windows, etc. As the inspector goes through the mechanicals of the home (electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning) he or she will give you an estimate of the remaining useful life. The inspector will also provide you with other invaluable details about your new home including location of shut off valves, where utilities are located, and general house operation.

You will be given a report containing the inspector's findings, identifying what items should be repaired or replaced. Find out how much it will cost to fix any defects. You can then request that the seller have them fixed by a licensed professional before you close or you can request the estimated cost of repairs be deducted from the final price you offer. If the seller won't help bear the costs and you want to go ahead with the purchase, make sure you can afford the necessary repairs on top of your mortgage payment. Bottom line, make sure and insist on a home inspection.

If you would like more detail on the content of this report don't hesitate to contact me, I am here for all of your real estate needs.

Once you've made the decision to start the home buying process and begin the search for your dream home, you need to evaluate what your needs and wants are in a home.

Keep a notepad where you will write all of the information regarding your search. As a first-time buyer it's important that you keep in mind what characteristics of a house are permanent and which ones can be modified. For example location is permanent! Do you want to live in the city or a suburban area? Do you want to live in a rural area away from the hustle and bustle, or do you want to be close town? How far away is the neighborhood from your workplace or schools? What is the transportation system like? What will your commute be? The location you prefer depends on your specific lifestyle, so establish what you NEED upfront.

Open up your notebook and list some of your NEEDS such as the ones below:

• Where do I want to live? (community/general area)
• Are schools a factor?
• Is being close to public transportation important?
• Do I have special physical requirements, such as wheel chair access?
• Do I have pets to consider?
• How many bedrooms/bathrooms do I need?
• How big a house do I want? How many rooms? How many square feet?
• How much renovation and remodeling am I willing to do?

Then lists the WANTS that are a priority to you:

• Do I want an older home or a new one?
• What style of home do I prefer? (ranch, colonial, split-level, multi-level, town home, condominium, multi-family)
• What sort of lot would I like? (small yard, large yard, fenced, garage, patio/deck, other buildings)
• How many bedrooms/bathrooms would I like to have?
• What features are important? (air conditioning, carpeting, ceramic tile floors, hardwood floors, eat-in kitchen, separate dining room, formal living room, family room, den, library, basement, separate laundry room, fireplace, workshop, other)

Also make clear to your real estate broker which features of a home you do NOT want! For example, if you have young children you might request NOT to be on a busy road. If you have a commute you may request you be within 15 minutes of the highway. If you clearly explain your needs and wants to your real estate agent (me...hint hint), he or she will be able to give you an idea of the housing on the market that fit what you're looking for.

If you would like more detail on the content of this blog don't hesitate to contact me, I am here for all of your real estate needs.