Joshua Jarvis

If you asked me on any day before October 21st about Twitter, I would tell you what my opinion was:

"Twitter is a news feed. It's great for news, PR and corporate entities. It's not worth a Real Estate Agent's time to be on there unless they are researching opinions, ect. Interactions are weak, it's like having coffee pot conversations on the net. Pretty useless interactions, good to have your blog automate postings to it."

I stand corrected today. As of October 21st, Google & Bing have decided to INDEX twitter posts!

That doesn't mean you should go and sign up for Twitter without a plan just yet. I wanted to give you a game plan. Twitter just became relevant (to me) but it's still a place where time can be wasted in the bunches!

1. When you tweet use key words - Atlanta Real Estate for example- there's a new SEO component to tweeting. I expect less relevant content and more keyword loading.
   
2. Be mindful of who you follow and who follows you - there's a blogroll of sorts - which essentially means that there are links that link to you and who you follow. So if MadCrazyMan is following you, you may get a link on his page, but if you are following him... then guess what you might have a link back to him. Think about a client viewing your twitter account and seeing a link to MadCrazyMan...
   
3. Start using #group functions - so you can be in all the relevant conversations.
4. Make sure your TWEETS are content based to maximize them - the now age old adage of bringing value.
5. Twitter "Titles" have a huge impact now... what are Twitter Titles? That's another post, but basically it's the first few characters of the tweet. Ex: Twitter /Joshua Javis: This is the title that will get indexed...
6. For you twitter pros out there, you might want to take #5 into context and SCRUB your Retweets to be front loaded with the content you want indexed.
7. If you are lost, but want to get into tweeting, just bring content and be real, just like any other social media.
   
8. Tools like SocialOomph can help you schedule tweets so that it doesn't feel like spamming the network.
   

On Monday, my real estate office had an event called Callapalooza. We had free food and sponsors put up prizes including a 42" TV. The event was a great success in my mind and there was a buzz in the air. We took some market share by doing this. Let's not get too hung up on the fact that one commission check usually can buy two 42" TVs.

AHA's!

An AHA! is where you are doing something or seeing something and you think "AHA! I've got it." The "AHA" that the agenst got is that the PHONE WORKS (as long as you operate it properly). Several agents found out on Monday after being nearly forced to make phone calls that when you dial the numbers on the phone sometims someone will answer. You can then talk to them about Real Estate and sometimes get business!!!

Out of 20 people we had 98 appointments! Many of those appointsments (mine included) were same day so folks could have been calling all day for more appointments!

What I love is that it shows what Keller Williams is SUPPOSED to be about! 20 competitor helping each other achieve their goals!

Hamilton Mill in Dacula, GA is still on of the most sought after neighborhoods in Gwinnett County. With 97 Hamilton Mill Homes For Sale, there's a lot to choose from.

There's quite a bit of activity but if you know me, let's just get to the facts....

• 97 Homes for sale
  • 15 OF THOSE ARE SHORT SALES!
    
  • High $1.1 Million
  • Low $209K - WHAT A DEAL!!
• Average Pending / Under Contract Home for Sale is $317K
• Since June, 28 homes have sold.
  • List Price of Homes that sold: $310K On Average
  • Sale Price: $295K
  • Only 91 Days on Market.
  • ONLY 2 SHORT SALES SOLD DURING THIS TIME!

A few other things is that most of the short sales are listed by agents who haven't closed 1 short sale... ever. In fact, there are numerous listings that are short sales but have incorrect wording putting the agent and home owner at risk!

The deals are outstanding and inventory is moving. This is a great time to move up or move in!

Trilogy Park homes for sale located in Hoschton, GA are on the rise, but the news is good and bad.

Here's the numbers:

• 17 Homes For Sale - Average Sales Price $318K
• 6 Homes Are Pending/ Under Contract - Average List Price - $273K
• ALL UNDER CONTRACT/ PENDING HOMES ARE RESALES! (GOOD NEWS!)
  
• 5 Homes have sold since June 1st, only one of them was a new home. (GOOD NEWS!)
  
• Average SOLD home in Trilogy $273K (Not a coincidence!)
  
• Highest SOLD price in the neighborhood since 6/1 was listed at $329K and sold for $320K

AND THE FINAL STAT THAT IS THE MOST EYE OPENING TO ME!

• Average Price of homes that have failed to sale in Trilogy Park... $338K

That means, if you want to sell your home in Trilogy Park, you'd better be paying attention.

Join The Trilogy Park Facebook Fan Page & Group!

I'm really not sure what goes on in the CDPE (Certified Distressed Property Expert) class.  I've heard the class is excellent.  So good in fact, that some agents I know are taking it twice.  I think that's just great.  I really wish I had time to go, however, I'm pretty busy managing 30 or so short sales at time.  Those pesky closings get into the way. 

In all seriousness, I'm for education and I'm one the biggest proponents of it, considering how there is almost no actual education given to Reatlors coming into the business, let alone something that would discuss the properties that are available in this current market.    

My question is why do the people that take this class feel like their ultimate argument on the phone can be ended with "I'm a CDPE!"   In fact, let's cover what I have heard from folks just this past week. 

Agent: "Are you going to submit my offer directly to the bank?"

ME: "No, I will submit the offer to the owner first."

Agent: "You must submit the offer to the bank!"

ME: "... I'll need to submit it to the owner first."

Agent: "WELL I'M A CDPE AND I KNOW HOW TO DO THESE SHORT SALES!"

Agent: "I'd like to offer $125K"

ME: "The bank approval was for $135K."

Agent: "Just submit the offer to the bank and let's see what we get."

ME:  "I'll submit the offer to my seller, who most likely will counter you to $135K since that's what was approved."

Agent: "I'M CDPE!"

Agent: "... what do you think about Bank of America."

ME: "they are slow, hard to deal with, but I prefer them over some others."

Agent: "I avoid them."

ME: "You can refer them to me if you like.  I'll send you a referral check in 9 months when we are done." *laughs*

Agent: "I'm CDPE, I can handle them."

Oddly the only thing I can think of when people say those things is the scene from Point Break where Keanu Reeves says, "I'm an FBI agent."  My thoughts run from sarcasm to sadness.  CDPE is great for getting yourself up to speed on the current properties of the market, but if you haven't closed at least 5 of these, then you really shouldn't be spouting off at anyone.