Anyone who has ever been to a car dealership to look at cars knows what it is like. You get there, try to sneak around looking at cars without being seen. You are almost immediately jumped by a sales person trying to be your best friend and sell you a car. Most people don't like this and want to be invisible until they are ready to ask questions.
That is the same way most people feel about REALTORS. They don't want to talk with anyone until they are ready. Many love to look online and when they are actually ready to look at homes, they call or email us. So what we as agents need is a really good property search feature on out websites. I have a great Austin home search page and found a good way to drive people to it that is completely unrelated to SEO.
I have my Austin home search page printed out with my contact info and web address at the top and print it out for open houses. I tell people I meet how most of the non-agent real estate websites are not always up to date and accurate. I print the MLS number in the search box on the flyer and recommend that they visit my site and find the house, explaining that they will see more photos there than I could get on a flyer.
Then I go on to tell the people why my search feature is so much better than what they have been using. I won't go into that now as any agent reading this should know what I am talking about IF they have a really good property search feature.
So what I am saying is that you don't have to be that car sales person at an open house. You need to differentiate yourself by providing something of real value. If you log in to your search feature back office a day or so after the open house and see that someone you met registered to look at homes, you have a legitimate reason to follow up. If they want to remain anonymous, that's fine too. They may just end up calling to look at homes one day.
Central Texas has been in an exceptional drought for a very long time and Lake Travis is suffering. Of the 10 LCRA boat ramps, the lake is so low that only one is still open and. The ramp at Mansfield Dam Park is open and it is likely to close soon as the lake continues to drop. With obligations to release water for contracts downstream, record breaking heat and very little rain, the lake is likely to drop to less than half of its capacity this month. Questions about Lake Travis real estate? Call me at 512-293-2422.
I took the photo to the left with the camera in my Blackberry a few days ago. The official temperature made it to 107 in Austin - my thermometer read 108.8.
Two days ago I was showing homes in Round Rock and Pflugerville and it hit 106. The AC in one of the homes wasn't working - not pleasant.
Yesterday I was showing again Round Rock and Leander homes and the sky opened up and the rain just pounded us. I'm looking out my window right now watching rain fall again.
It won't bust the drought, but it sure feels good being below 100.
I just got the weekly email from Alamo Title Co. with stats for the Austin real estate market. Here they are:
The number of active listings are down 7.38% from last year.
The number of new listings are down this week 18.57% (compared to 6/15/08 - 6/21/08).
Pendings are up this week 1.05%.
Sold residential units are up 4.85% compared to the same week last year.
Units for Sale:
June 14 - June 20, 2009
(compared to the same week in 2008)
New listings down this week 18.57%
Pendings are up 1.05%
Solds up 4.85%
As for Average Prices:
June 14 - June 20, 2009
The "New Listings" average list price is up 0.95% to 308,072.
Sold average sales prices decreased 5.44% to $250,610. In 2008 it was $265,041 for the same week.
My comments: this is the third week in a row that showed a decrease in active listings and in increase in pending sales. This is the time of year that we should be seeing more activity, but considering the economic situation, this is great news. It looks like the Austin real estate market may be rebounding a bit. Prices have declined slightly over the last month, but the number of homes selling is a very good thing.
Curious about Austn real estate? Cal me at 512-293-2422. Or visit my website to search Austin homes online.
For all your residential real estate needs in the Austin, Lakeway, Lake Travis and Dripping Springs, TX area.
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