32 Home Buying Tips from Some of the World’s Most Popular Realtors

CaliLove

Via Scott Riley @homebuyernation www.HomeBuyerNation.com

After the success of the last expert roundup, I knew another one was in order. This time I asked some of the world’s most popular Realtors from around the country to share one uncommon tip for a first-time home buyer.

They all delivered with some priceless insights and wisdom. We even had 3 agents from the hit TV show Million Dollar Listing weigh in with tips for the HomeBuyer Nation!

I learned a ton and I think you will too. After you’re done, I’d love to hear which one you thought was the most helpful, in the comments.

For full article, follow this link:  http://bit.ly/I1bTBB

Raj Qsar | 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders | Inman News | 2013

So truly honored & humbled to be able to share this recognition with this exceptional group of individuals.

Being named as Real Estate Industry’s 100 Most Influential Leaders truly has me speechless!

 

Inman News today releases the Inman 100 report, an annual list of the Most Influential Real Estate Leaders that recognizes those who embody leadership, ingenuity, strength, conviction, power, persistence, perseverance and progress — their voices and actions can move the industry toward change.

They include the industry’s brain trust, power brokers and deal-makers, and those outside the industry who impact the business of buying and selling homes.

Inman News accepted and reviewed hundreds of reader nominations via an open, online nominations process. An Inman News in-house review and selection process considered reader-selected nominees and also suggested additional individuals worthy of consideration.

See The Top 100:  http://www.inman.com/inman100

View Raj’s Recognition:  http://www.inman.com/inman100/2013/raj-qsar

 

5 Real Estate Trends to Look For in 2013

Posted By The KCM Crew On December 27, 2012, www.kcmblog.com

 

Predicting trends during volatile economic times in American is no easy task. However, we are going to give it our best shot. We strongly believe these are the five real estate items we should keep an eye on in 2013:

Demand for Housing Will Continue to Surge

The housing market has turned the corner and there is no reason to believe that buyer demand will not maintain momentum throughout 2013. Household formations shot up to boom-time levels in 2012 and are projected to increase at even a faster rate over the next twelve months. A lack of inventory will be more of a challenge to sales increases than will a lack of demand.

Generations X and Y Will Prove They Believe in Homeownership

Contrary to what many have hypothesized over the last few years, young adults (18-35 year olds) are just as committed to homeownership as previous generations. Recent studies have shown:

  • 43% already own a home
  • 72% see homeownership as part of their personal American Dream
  • 93% of those currently renting plan to buy a home

This, along with the increase in household formations mentioned above, makes us believe that 2013 will be the year that many of these young adults will jump into homeownership.

Prices Will Continue to Increase

Pricing of any item is determined by supply and demand. Demand for housing will remain strong throughout 2013. At the same time, the supply of homes ready for is shrinking in many parts of the country. Outside of a few states that still have challenges with large inventories of distressed properties (NY, NJ, CT, IL for example), prices will appreciate nicely.

Even in the areas that are still dealing with high percentages of foreclosures and short sales, prices will not tumble dramatically. The increase in demand will absorb much of this inventory. In these areas, prices will either flatten or perhaps soften to a small degree.

Move-Up Sellers Will Return in Great Numbers

Perhaps what many will find as the biggest surprise of 2013 will be the return of the ‘move-up’ seller. Over the last several years negative equity has prevented many of these sellers from moving up to the house of their dreams. However, with prices recovering, more and more of these sellers will realize that now may be their greatest opportunity to make the move to a lifestyle they always wanted.

With home prices expected to increase and more stringent mortgage qualifications (QR and QRM) scheduled to be announced this year, we believe that the first half of the year will bring many of these sellers/buyers to the market.

The Consumer Will Demand That Their Agent Be an Expert

Real Estate professionals who have invested the money, time and energy to truly understand what is happening and why it is happening will separate themselves from their competition and do very well this year.

Those who take that next step of learning how to simply and effectively communicate the market to their clients will be seen as experts. These industry leaders will dominate their markets.

RAJ QSAR | THE PRESIDENTIAL COLLECTION

PROPERTY DESCRIPTION

Tucked Away in the Serenity & Peace of Fullerton is This Gorgeous Single Story Estate Home in The Presidential Collection. Located Within A Gated Community in The Heart of Fullerton This Home Boasts 3,100 sq. ft. of Living Space on a 8,000 sq. ft. Flat Lot, 4 Bedrooms + Office (4th Bedroom Currently Used As Office), 3 Baths, Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen with Custom Tile Inset Backsplash, Massive Kitchen Island and Breakfast Nook. Beautiful Custom Floors, Custom Carpet & Crown Molding Throughout.  Media Center Custom Cabinetry in Family Room & Cozy Fireplace. Opulent Master Bedroom & Bathroom with Dual Vanities, Soaking Tub & Custom Built-Ins in Master Closet. Custom Blinds Throughout Home. Great Entertainers Backyard with Room for a Pool & Spa, Stamped Concrete Patio with Retractable Awning.  Three Car Attached Garage. Minutes Away From Coyote Hills Golf Course, The Brea Mall, Restaurants, Movies & Easy Freeway Access.  Do Not Miss This Opportunity To Live In This Fabulous Community. Call Raj Today For A Private Showing.  This Home is A Must See!!! Please visit www.2583NixonWay.com for additioanal information.

5 Ways to Build a Pinterest Following With Facebook

By 

Published August 7, 2012

Are you looking to build a strong Pinterest following?

Did you know that you can integrate your Facebook and Pinterest marketing?

Yes, there’s a way to get Facebook fans to create exposure for you on Pinterest.

Establishing a large audience of followers on Pinterest is one of the most important aspects of a successful Pinterest marketing campaign.

Here’s the skinny: Although during the setup process you can choose to link yourPinterest account to your Facebook personal page, there is currently no way to automatically hook up to your Facebook fan page.

So what’s a business to do?

The truth is most business owners have not figured out a solution. They are failing on Pinterest because they think that they have to build a new following from scratch. Well, that is patently untrue.

Here are five ways to use Facebook to build your Pinterest following.

#1: Get a Pinterest Tab for Your Facebook Fan Page

The easiest thing to do is just go to Woobox and create a Pinterest tab for your Facebook fan page.

woobox
Easily get a Pinterest tab for your Facebook fan page from Woobox.

It’s very simple to do and requires little to no technical skills. Within minutes, you can have your Pinterest account in front of thousands of your fans! This way, whenever people come to your Facebook page to either check out your latest posts or learn more about you, they can also see that you are on Pinterest.

The Pinterest tab allows fans to view all of your boards and even your pins while staying on the Facebook platform. They will not be transferred over to Pinterest until they try to repin or comment on one of your pins.

pinterest tab fb fan page
Within just a few clicks you can easily create a Pinterest tab for your Facebook fan page.
inside the pinterest tab
Inside the Pinterest tab as seen on the Facebook fan page.

#2: Post Pinterest Links as Updates on Your Facebook Page

There are a few different ways to use your Facebook status updates to promote your activity on Pinterest.

One way to build your follower base is to share the direct link to your Pinterest page as a status update and tell your fans WHY they should follow you on Pinterest.

What helpful information or cool contests will they have access to? Are there exclusive promotions? Why should they follow you on Pinterest AND Facebook?

facebook status update example
Example post of a Facebook status update promoting a Pinterest business account.

The more specific you can be about the type of value you are creating for your followers on Pinterest, the more likely your fans will join you there too.

#3: Promote Specific Boards on Your Facebook Page

On Pinterest, people can choose to either follow all, or just a few, of your boards.

Because of that feature, you may find success promoting specific Pinterest boards on your Facebook fan page.

I recommend you promote a few different boards throughout the week.

That way, you have the opportunity to showcase your Pinterest account to a wider audience on Facebook, and you can introduce them to the diverse areas of value shared on your Pinterest page.

There are two ways you can promote a specific Pinterest board on Facebook.

  • Update your status by uploading an image of a pin to Facebook. Add a description and include a link to the board on which that pin is featured.
facebook pinterest board example
Example Facebook post promoting a particular Pinterest board.

This works well if you have a really compelling image, because it will be granted more space on the Facebook newsfeed than a link.

  • Post the link to your Pinterest board as part of a status update. An image of one of your pins on that board will be automatically generated.
full board view
Generate a full board preview (photo and all) by posting the board’s direct URL .

Posting the link will also automatically include the text in your board description.

Make sure that you add proper descriptions of the content when setting up your boards. I’m always amazed by how few people take advantage of this opportunity.

Look how brilliantly realtor Raj Qsar utilizes this space for his branding purposes.

His board description reads:

“Raj Qsar & Premier Orange County Real Estate – is one of the most dominant Real Estate Teams in the Orange County Real Estate Market. For over 15 years Team Raj Qsar has held the philosophy to give the best service and most qualified advice to both buyers & sellers.

Implementing honesty and integrity at the highest level possible and to enjoy the entire process along the way. We are truly passionate about real estate.”

raj qsar team | christine thomas | social pepper
Take advantage of the description area below your board titles for adding value to your brand and board.

To add a description to one of your boards, simply click Edit Board and fill in the Description field.

edit board
Add a description to your board by clicking the “Edit Board” button at the top of your Pinterest board page.

#4: How to Promote a Particular Pin

Sometimes the best way to really serve your Facebook community is to highlight the value that you are providing in one particular pin.

This is a great way to get maximum exposure when pinning your own original content. Remember these posts can and will be shared across Facebook by your fans.

The same two strategies apply here, as they do to promote a specific board above. You can either upload the image of the pin as a status update (or include a link in the image description), or you can just include the direct link to the pin in your status area.

promote a particular pin
Promote a particular pin by pasting the pin’s direct URL into your Facebook status update.

When you post a direct link to a pin as a status on Facebook, the following information will be automatically added and visible:

  • The image of your pin
  • The name of the board that includes the pin
  • The caption that has been added to your pin

So make sure you have fully optimized both your board title and caption for maximum impact. Focus on creating intriguing board titles and including a further explanation of value in the caption.

#5: Promote Your Pinterest Contests on Facebook

Contests and promotions are becoming all the rage on Pinterest. They are a very effective way to quickly add a lot of new followers and drive a ton of traffic to your site.

Unlike Facebook, there are no real restrictions regarding the way contests are promoted and hosted on Pinterest. A great way to leverage both platforms is topromote your Pinterest contest on your Facebook fan page.

pinterest contest facebook fan page
Example of how Bergdorf Goodman promoted their Pinterest contest on their Facebook fan page.

Bergdorf Goodman recently promoted their Pinterest contest on their Facebook fan page by posting an image of one of the prizes with a brief explanation. They included a link to their blog within the description of the image where fans could find more details about how to enter.

Hopefully you’ve found these five ways to use Facebook to build your audience on Pinterest helpful. I know from personal experience that introducing your fan base to your presence on Pinterest is an effective way to get more followers.

Despite all the hype surrounding Pinterest, Facebook is still the largest social media network. Why not leverage the audience you have already built there and let them fast-track your success on Pinterest?

So what do you think? Can you see the benefits of using Facebook to get more followers on Pinterest? Leave your questions and comments in the box below.

The Purpose of Video

by Kendyl Young 

The sad state of most video in real estate is long, boring and entirely selfish.  Slide shows of still pictures with voice over.  Long videos showing the Realtor drone on about the features. Overwrought glide cam shots panning from floor to countertop and over to the sink.  Beside the home seller and the Realtor’s mother, does anyone watch more than a few seconds of these videos?

Boring vs. Captivating

What is the key difference between the videos that bore me to death and the ones that captivate my attention?  Said another way, what is the best use of video?

I think video is at it’s very best when it delivers something unattainable in a brochure- either online or printed format.  Still pictures?  Effusive ad copy?  A recitation of the home’s features?  If I can get all of that by scanning a brochure or a webpage in 20 seconds, why should I invest my time watching your video?  Many of these videos are 4 minutes or more- these are minutes that deliver no value to me- and they are minutes I will never get back.

What is Captivating?

In contrast, consider Eric Lavey’s Pacific View Dr. video.

Now, I am neither young, male nor that impossibly cool- but for 2 minutes and 20 seconds I could see myself living an amazing life- if I could just find a way to buy that house.

Similarly, Raj Qsar’s recent video, Bob White Rd. tells the story of a family oriented life style.

I am sure my life would hold no worries if I lived in that house.  (The perfect kids and the beautiful friends are included in the purchase price, right?)

In both of these videos, the point is not the granite counter tops or the stunning view.  The point is to show you what it feels like to live in this home.

It’s the Benefits, Baby

It is the first lesson taught in Real Estate- talk about benefits, not features.  What benefit does your listing offer to the potential buyer?  I think video can make this point better than any other medium.

Authenticity Matters

Authenticity is something else video delivers effectively.  Consider Dave Chomitz’s delightful thoughts on the importance of location.

We’ve all heard how important location is, but seeing Dave make that point as the 18 wheelers thundered by was priceless.  Just as priceless is Dave, himself.  He is just talking into the camera like he was chatting with a friend.  Honest.  Authentic.  Approachable.

Applied to a home, consider my video for 732 South.

There is something about a homeowner telling you why she loves her home that is emotional and captivating. If a salesperson said exactly the same things, or, if an ad had that same copy it would feel very different.  It would seem suspect.

Respect the Audience

In the end we need to respect the audience- respect their time, their intelligence and their needs.  Make sure your video delivers something that can’t be captured on paper.  A few ideas – show how the rooms flow together by walking through the house.  Ask the homeowner what their favorite feature is- highlight that and tell the viewer why it is special.  Show a little bit about the community- a park, the shopping, the nightlife.

Give the audience something of value and you will be rewarded with more views, more appointments and, ultimately, more listings.

RAJ QSAR | CHRISTOPHER HOMES AT OLINDA RANCH |BREA CA

Christopher Homes at Olinda Ranch, an ideal location convenient to Orange & Los Angeles County’s world-class performing art centers, stadiums, universities & business complexes.  A new address where you’ll enjoy the renowned city of Brea, the acclaimed Brea-Olinda School District, Carbon Canyon Regional Park, Curtis Theatre, Brea Gallery, golf courses, entertainment, shopping & dining in and around Brea Mall & Birch Street Promenade.

Sweeping City Lights, Views of Catalina Island & Majestic Sunsets Define this Gorgeous Estate Home Located in Brea within the Exclusive Community of Olinda Ranch. This Christopher Home is Located On A Cul-d-Sac On A Pristine 8,500 sq. ft. Flat Lot.  This Residence Boasts Approx. 4,000 sq. ft. of Living Space with 4 Bedrooms + Office (Optional 5th Bedroom) + Bonus Room (Optional 6th Bedroom), 4 Full Bathrooms, Front & Rear Balconies and Downstairs Office Suite with Full Bath & Downstairs Bedroom with Full Bath.  Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen with Granite Slab Countertops, Professional Grade Appliances, Huge Center Island & Wood Plank Ceilings.  Beautiful Hard Wood Floors Throughout Downstairs & Upgraded Custom Carpet Upstairs.  Media Center Custom Cabinetry in Family Room, Cozy Fireplace & Custom Mantel Anchor This Space. Opulent Master Bedroom & Bathroom with Dual Vanities, Marble Countertops, Travertine Flooring, Jacuzzi Spa Tub & Dual Walk In-Closets. Custom Wood Shutters Throughout Home. Great Entertainers Backyard with Custom Designed Salt Water Pool & Spa, Outdoor Kitchen with Granite Countertops & Professional Appliances, Covered Patio with Heater & Outdoor Fireplace. Three Car Attached Garage with Custom Built-Ins.  Minutes Away From The Brea Mall, Fabulous Restaurants, Movies, Downtown Brea & Birch Street Promenade & Easy Freeway Access.  Do Not Miss This Opportunity To Live In This Community. Call Raj Today For A Private Showing.

 

Raj Qsar at Agent Reboot

This video takes a quick look at our time at Agent Reboot in Orange County, Ca.  Had a great time hanging with some friends from around the country and also had a chance to meet some really cool new people in our industry!  Agent Reboot is a great way to stay on the cutting edge of real estate, social media & technology.  It seems as though everything we do in real estate today is tied to technology and Agent Reboot is a must for today’s agent.

Inman has done a fabulous job of bringing the top talent in for a full day of technology!

If you suck at Twitter or have no idea what SEO is then this event is the place for you,  Network with the best & brightest in our industry and utilize this technology in your hyper-local real estate market!  For more information on how Premier Orange County Real Estate manages their social media, click here.

Hope to see you all very soon at Real Estate Connect in San Francisco!

 

The Presidential Collection | 2558 Harrison Circle | Fullerton | 92835

Gorgeous Estate Home in The Presidential Collection in The Heart of Fullerton. Located On A Cul-d-Sac On A Pristine Approx. 9,000 sq. ft. Flat Lot. This Residence Boasts 4,300 sq. ft. of Living Space with 5 Bedrooms (one Bedroom on Main Floor with Private Bathroom and one currently used as Bonus Room) + Downstairs Office Suite with Custom Built-Ins, 4.5 Baths & Sweeping Staircase with Rod Iron Balusters. Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen with Granite Slab Countertops, Custom Cabinetry & Professional Grade Appliances. Imported Hand-Scrapped & Distressed Wood Floors & Imported Travertine Throughout Downstairs & Upgraded Custom Carpet Upstairs. Media Center Custom Cabinetry in Family Room & Cozy Fireplace. Opulent Master Bedroom & Bathroom with Dual Vanities, Jacuzzi Spa Tub, Dual Shower Heads, Crystal Chandelier and An Estate Sized Walk-In Closet. Front & Rear Balconies, Custom Wood Shutters & Crown Molding Throughout Home. Great Entertainers Backyard with Outdoor Kitchen with Stainless Steel BBQ & Beverage Chiller, Firepit, Covered Loggia & Grassy Area. Three Car Attached Garage. Minutes Away From Coyote Hills Golf Course, The Brea Mall, Parks, Restaurants, Movies & Easy Freeway Access. Do Not Miss This Opportunity To Live In This Fabulous Community. Call Raj Today For A Private Showing. This Home is A Must See!!!