Today I received a call from a sweet man looking to buy a home of his own after 60+ years of marriage to his wife. A real do-it-yourselfer who was unwilling to give me his name, quickly opened up to me and asked me if I'd be the one getting paid if he bought a particular property. I explained about the choices buyers have for representation and he went on to inform me he'd sold his own home recently without an agent. I congratulated him and agreed to answer questions if he had any, after he asked for some help.
Again he asked about my getting paid and immediately told me over the phone that he wanted to work with me. It warmed my heart because I know the do-it-yourselfer type and I also know that he was in over his head, and to be told he wanted to work with me without first meeting assured me I'd taken that conversation in the right direction. We spoke a bit more and closed with an appointment for the next day. I actually can't wait to meet him and know we'll already have an interesting, rich conversation in the car.
When people call in during my floortime it's always a question of "how can I best help them." Most people want quick information and expect a quick answer. It's very infrequent anymore that someone calls in on a paper advertisement, which he did. This person did not use the internet. He did not have access to an agent because he hadn't bought or sold through an agent in several decades. He also wanted quick answers but the type of questions he asked were no longer the types of questions one receives while working at the front desk of a real estate office.
"Can you mail me the property disclosures? How much are the taxes? Is it near a grocery store?"
Today's buyers who have access to the internet know how to do an internet search for anything from zip codes to maps and directions to MLS listing information to town/city data on properties. I think it's important to use the paper ads to advertise the types of property generally being sought after by those still reading the paper.
Do a demographic study!
We had this conversation in my office the other day, and the other week, and the other month...it tends to repeat itself, as it should. What should we put in the papers now? I still believe we should advertise those mobile homes in coops and parks as well as the downsizer retirement homes. It may not look like your company lists the "big stuff" but are those readers really looking for that anyway? My observation is, maybe not the majority.
9/12/2009
20 Gates Rd, Marlborough- 10:30-12:00
494 Rte 123, Stoddard- 11:30-1:30
155 Roxbury St, Keene- 12:00-1:30
27 Park Ave, Keene- 2:00-3:30
81 Summit Ridge, Keene- 10:00-11:30
61 Hilltop, Keene- 10:00-12:00
48 Martin St, Keene- 12:30-2:30
17 Hillcrest, Keene- 1:00-2:00
46 Robbins St, Hinsdale- 12:00-1:00
135 #4 Rd, Fitzwilliam- 10:30-12:30
28 Skyline Dr, Keene- 10:00-12:00
94 Kennedy Dr, Keene- 1:30-3:00
19 East Diane Circle, Keene- 11:30-1:00
28 Owens Dr, Swanzey- 9:00-11:00
77 Prospect St, Keene- 12:00-2:00
9/13/2009
84 Kendall Rd, Keene- 3:30-5:00
38 Rounds Rd, Chesterfield- 1:30-3:00
28 Owens Dr, Swanzey- 1:00-3:00 (also on Weds 4:00-6:00)
Set aside the old expression "making the phone ring", MY Smartphone was "writing" to me...email that is. Nevertheless, below are the five places my last leads came from:
1. Postcards sent to Spofford Lake NH searching for that perfect lakefront home for my Connecticut buyers. One email came in already on 100 postcards sent just last week.
2. Former client referral to a best friend. Last year I sold a home to a teacher at the Keene Middle School. She ended up buying a beautiful home, just the style she'd desired, and now her former roommate will be my next buyer. Great people refer great people so these are the best source of quality business for me. If I've enjoyed working with their friend, it's very likely we'll hit it off too.
3. Return buyer/seller. For years these folks have said they will be back and sure enough they are ready.
4. Activerain prospect. After one year on Activerain, a direct lead has come through from a local potential buyer. Though we have yet to communicate by voice, a couple of emails have been sent and I look forward to actually speaking further about this person's needs. I'm particularly interested in how much their search matched my own tastes...horse-type property, land, berries, privacy, etc. These are all things I appreciate of my own property. Is it possible this person knew that from getting to know me online first? Maybe. This, I find, beneficial to the consumer looking to find the right agent for their particular needs.
5. Twitter! Yes, Twitter. While describing a property type my buyer was seeking, I was contacted via direct tweet about a future potential seller interested in offering their property if it was a match. Turns out it wasn't entirely in the same price range but the desire to help and offer the lead from this prospect was valuable.
As I look over this list I see a nice blend of prospects coming from various angles. I think ultimately this stems from a proactive marketing plan that reaches people in more than one way. I can't wait to see what will come in the upcoming year as I develop my social media marketing plan even further...more surprises to come in what I will offer my "friends", "followers", and prospects.
I read a blog recently about a family who's made several moves during their children's upbringing. The mom of these children, who have now left the house for college or to marry, talked about the changes each home brought to their family. This included how their family related to each other, what they did when they were in the home, and in what ways they grew closer to each other. All of these things I've found to affect my own young family, though we have only resided in 2 homes since the children were born.
An open concept floorplan without the availability of a recreation room makes for a very close and engaged family. You have no choice when winter arrives and the only places to congregate within the home are the bedrooms or the main space living room. We've had this and, while it was nice to always be together and see what the children were doing, one extra room would have been a bonus for times when one wants to separate and get some reading time or alone time. I think about older children trying to do their homework and the choice is limited to the chaos of this space or the bedroom. I always chose the bedroom as a teenager, myself.
Then there is the home with many rooms, the family room, the living room, the rec room, the office, the bedroom, the ....etc. Often we find these homes here in Keene, NH as the typical older home built over 100 years ago, may be a colonial or New Englander style home which rambles on and on room after walk-through room. A family can easily go about their evening after a school day and work, without really seeing what each other is doing.
Neither of these I see as better than the other, but moving from one home to another one might consider what it is they appreciate about their current lifestyle and how does the home contribute to that unique quality? One who is social and enjoys watching over the children as they make dinner might find themselves moving to a home that makes them anxious and unhappy if the kitchen is 2 rooms away from the living room.
http://www.stephaniejacques.com
I specialize in working with first time buyers and sellers using modern day, cutting edge technology for communication and marketing.
I was recently working a cobroke transaction with a buyer's agent. The agent did not carry a cell phone and also did not offer a personal email address. Instead, communication had to be done through leaving messages at the office or by emailing the office email and having it printed out to be handed to the agent. If there was a simpler way of communicating with this agent, I was not made aware.
When I first entered the real estate world, this is how I conducted business. This was what was expected to be the best you could communicate with each other. But times have changed and troubles can be fixed so quickly with proper communication tools.
Commission paid to me as an agent is earned in the speed of delivery I offer to my clients. I invest in expensive communication tools to benefit my client. This is a part of the value package I come with as their agent. Even if the client does not subscribe to these methods of communication, they are assured I will be operating in as close to real-time as possible to address problems (and they do arise, especially in this market) immediately.
Back to my transaction described above, I have nothing further to add because I don't like to complain, but I am going to be reluctant to do business with them again in the future. Unfortunately I have no choice because my clients pick the house and the listing agent comes along with the package. The skill to be able to adapt to various business relationships and work as a team is necessary to succeed in this business:)
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Representing buyers and sellers full time for almost 8 years. Family focused services to all. Specializing in first time buyers and in representing sellers in all aspects of their home sale.
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