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When I first became a REALTOR® back in the fall of 2005, I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. One thing I did know was that I wanted to dominate the neighborhood where I lived. I lived there, I liked the neighborhood, and I already knew many neighbors...
So the first thing I did when I got my box of shiny new business cards was to put them on every door in my neighborhood. Honestly, it wasn't very effective, but it was a first step.
Over the years, through trial and error, I have developed a system to farming neighborhoods...
6 Steps to Farming a Neighborhood
- Door Knocking
Door knocking won't be for everyone, but there is no more effective way to market a neighborhood/generate leads than through door knocking. I spent one very cold winter door knocking several neighborhoods. I am still working with some of those leads today.
- Neighborhood Newsletters
The written word has tremendous impact. Write a newsletter for your farm area. It doesn't have to be fancy. Whether you mail the newsletter, or hang it on doors, you will become the neighborhood expert over time.
I walk my farm neighborhoods every quarter, hanging my newsletters. Each time out, I see neighbors that I know and meet a few that I don't...
- Create Facebook Pages for your Farm neighborhoods
Facebook continues to be the dominant social network. Build a page for your farm neighborhood. The pages are free, and effective. Post market activity, pictures, open houses, etc...
- Host open houses in your farm area.
Host open houses early and often in your farm area. It leverages the impact of a every listing. Make sure you use plenty of signs, personalized with your name and phone number. Your sellers and their neighbors will appreciate the effort. Let the neighborhood know that you are the hardworking neighborhood expert...
- Write online neighborhood market reports
I started writing neighborhood market reports on my blog less than 2 years ago. I post them on Active Rain and Trulia. Some of those posts are approaching 2000 reads. That is a lot of readers looking for specific real estate information. Buyers that are searching by neighborhood are getting close to buying. You want them finding your information online.
- Just Listed/Just Sold cards
Neighbors want to know you are active in their community. Just Listed/Just Sold cards accomplish this. I send these cards out with every sale and new listing in my farm areas.
Developing a neighborhood into a farm area takes consistency over time. It isn't easy, but neither is selling real estate...
Ken
Related Links
Read my post "Door Knocking"
Read my post "Two Keys to Making Every Open House a Success"
See my newsletter, The River Bend View
Visit the River Bend, Lisle's Facebook Page
See my River Bend, Lisle Market Report
