March 27, 2014 by The Boutique Real Estate Group

xPlode Orange County | Real Estate Technology Conference | Anaheim, Ca

Hope you can join us for the 2014 xPlode Conference in Anaheim for a jam packed day of real estate, technology and next level marketing! As always, The Xplode Conference will feature the best of the best speakers and educators from all over the USA.

Plus all the top technology products and services from companies like www.Realtor.com, www.Homes.com, RESAAS, RPR, eMerge, IDX Broker, Onjax, The Boutique Real Estate Group and many more!

You’ll get a 2014 update on mobile technologies, websites, contact management, email marketing, video, content marketing and much more!

The venue for this conference is the fabulous Marriott Hotel in Anaheim at 700 W Convention Way Anaheim, CA 92802.

January 15, 2014 by The Boutique Real Estate Group

Home Energy Saving Tips

SIMPLE WAYS YOU CAN REDUCE ENERGY IN YOUR HOME AND SAVE MONEY!!!

The Boutique Real Estate Group

These days we all can appreciate saving a buck or two, right? By living a little greener, you may see a little more green in your wallet! Reducing energy use in your home is a great way to save YOU money!. Also, by using less energy there will be less pollution and cleaner air to breath. Sounds like a win-win to me!

Here are helpful tips which may help you save energy and some money in the process too!

ROOFING

Save money and the environment by installing an ENERGY STAR roof.
Reflective coating on your roof will reduce the strain on your AC and lower the amount of heat coming into your home.

COOLING

Switch your ceiling fans to reverse or a counter clockwise position in the summer and in the winter run it at low speeds in the clockwise position.
Use ceiling fans to cool off as they are cheaper than the A/C and use no more energy than a standard light bulb. HOWEVER, make sure that you turn them off when you leave as they do not cool down a room, only people!

HEATING

When you want to heat up your home, do it slowly and it will keep your bills down. Quickly raising the heat pump’s temperature activates the heat strip and uses a lot of energy. Slow and steady wins the race here!
Keep the temperature inside your home as close to the outside temperature. It is cheaper to heat a home to 75 degrees when it is 60 degrees outside then when it is 45 degrees outside.

in Anaheim Hills / Brea / Central Orange County / Coastal Orange County / Fullerton / North Orange County / Orange County Luxury Real Estate / Orange County Real Estate / Orange County Social Media / Placentia / South Orange County / Yorba Linda 0 comments

January 15, 2014 by The Boutique Real Estate Group

Real Estate + Technology

Contributing Author: Raj Qsar – Principal | Owner The Boutique Real Estate Group

Real Estate + Technology. Not really two words that go hand in hand. Two words that usually do not embrace each other. Two words that scare off the most seasoned real estate professional.

Our story goes a little something like this: We love tech. We love real estate. So why not marry the two? Why not have a “forever relationship” with these two words? Why not incorporate technology into every aspect of the real estate experience? Our clients do not need to be tech savvy to use these products, but our agents need to understand how this technology is a benefit.

We have embraced every aspect of technology at The Boutique Real Estate Group here in Orange County, California, and we feel we have successfully digitized the real estate experience for our clientele. Most of our clients are finding us online. Most of our clients are seeing our listings online. So, it only makes sense that we need technology for real estate to survive. If our clients have instant access to data on their mobile devices, so should our agents. Everyone is head down and focused on their phones and tablets. Everyone is in the moment, and we are now able to step into that moment and grab his or her attention.

You won’t find our clients running to a fax machine to fax something to us. We don’t ask our clients to print, fill out, scan, and then save and email anything to us. It’s not how we roll. We sign digitally with DocuSign. Got mobile? No problem. Got a tablet? No problem. DocuSign allows our clients to sign on the go with ease from any device they carry.

Furthermore, our in-transaction platform of choice is Cartavi, which seamlessly has integrated the DocuSign platform for electronic signatures. Our agents have their own personal Transaction Concierge (TC) who is trained on DocuSign and Cartavi. It only makes sense to be able to store our clients’ documents digitally, have access to them on our mobile devices, and then share the documents with all parties involved in the transaction. Our agents and TCs not only communicate digitally via DocuSign and Caravi, but we are able to manage the most complicated of transactions with these two platforms. No more emailing huge files between escrow, lenders, title, buyers, sellers, and agents. We share our files through Cartavi.

Several members of our team are heading to Inman Real Estate Connect NYC this week. This gathering is tech real estate heaven! If you’re looking for the best and the brightest in our industry, then Connect is where you should be.

Have a question for Raj and team? Contact them here: http//www.TheBoutiqueRE.com | @RajQsar | @TheBoutiqueRE

in Brea / Coastal Orange County / North Orange County / Orange County Luxury Real Estate / Orange County Real Estate / Orange County Social Media / Orange County Technology / South Orange County / Yorba Linda 0 comments

December 2, 2013 by The Boutique Real Estate Group

Corona Del Mar 35th Annual Christmas Walk

Corona Del Mar To Celebrate 35th Annual Christmas Walk On Sunday December 8th

The Corona del Mar Christmas Walk will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday Dec. 8, featuring live entertainment, the Fireman’s Grill, Santa Claus photos, bouncy houses, bungee jumping, a petting zoo and more.

The Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual event, which draws thousands of visitors to town each year. Local businesses and restaurants feature tastings and parties, and a vendor fair will take place at the center stage near the Bandera parking lot. The lower lot will feature a beer and wine garden and the popular local band Pinch Me, and there will be an opportunity drawing with more than $15,000 worth of prizes.

“It is always our most popular event each year,” said Linda Leonhard, president of the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce.

For more information on the event click here. To read about last year’s Christmas Walk, click here.

The Christmas Walk traditionally takes place the first Sunday in December, but this year’s event will be held a week later to avoid conflicting with the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Leonhard said.

www.TheBoutiqueRE.com

The Boutique Real Estate Group now Open in Corona Del Mar.

3653 E. Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, Ca 92625

949-612-2535

in Coastal Orange County / Orange County Luxury Real Estate / Orange County Real Estate / South Orange County 0 comments

November 30, 2013 by The Boutique Real Estate Group

From The Trenches: Raj Qsar of The Boutique Real Estate Group

Every month FreeAgent by AdWerx brings you advice from top-performing agents and real estate technology experts in “From the Trenches.” Here atAdWerx, we believe that to be the best, you have to learn from the best. While doing your own research can be helpful, getting tips straight-from-the source can offer new perspectives and give you a taste of each real estate maven’s personality.

This month in From the Trenches, we’ll hear from Raj Qsar, Principal and Owner ofThe Boutique Real Estate Group, in California. His company serves as one of the most dominant real estate teams in the Orange County real estate market, serving north, central, south and coastal Orange County. It’s easy to see why they come out on top. While agents with The Boutique Real Estate Group excel with their personal branding, the marketing of each listing the firm represents is impeccable. According to theboutiquere.com, “Every real estate listing is assigned a best-in-class sales & marketing campaign, and receives the support of industry leading marketing, advertising, social media, video, staging & interior design, graphics & design, all of whom work together to develop a strategic and tactical marketing plan customized to each client and each property.”

Raj is no stranger to the value of technology and social media. Aside from employing modern marketing in every aspect of his business, he has also spoken professionally on using these strategies in real estate. Raj was recently named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders for 2013 by Inman News. This annual list recognizes those who embody leadership, ingenuity, strength, conviction, power, persistence, perseverance and progress. Raj is also a contributor at Inman News covering the topics of creative video for real estate, social media and networking. The Boutique Real Estate Group was just selected in 2013 as a Next Generation Brokerage by Better Homes & Garden Real Estate and 1000 Watt Consulting. These NextGen brokerage projects represent a new breed of real estate brokerages growing across the country. These firms empower agents and clients by providing the most up-to-date and flexible technology. They build meaningful brands, and attract and engage new customers.

1. How did you get your start as a real estate agent?

It’s a funny story. When I initially began selling real estate, I just wanted to sell one to two homes a year and keep my real estate career relatively small. After having my license for just three days, I was absolutely hooked. I was in escrow with a client and it was just the beginning. The social media and technology aspects of my business came later, but I’ve been addicted to the real estate industry since day one.

2. You’re very active on Pinterest. What advice can you give to agents about using Pinterest for real estate?

Pinterest is great, but I advise people to not be a “real estate agent” on Pinterest. Showcase your community and lifestyle.

Raj keeps a personal Pinterest page focused on his personal brand aside from the Pinterest page of The Boutique Real Estate Group. Both feature a variety of content with some overlap. Topics they post about include aspects of the Orange County lifestyle, including homes, pools, luxury items, famous residents, beaches, cars and style. The company page also features a board dedicated to their video tours.

3. In a hot real estate market like this, it’s tempting to spend too much time working in the business instead of on building the business. How much time should an agent spend on marketing themselves versus marketing listings?

The fact is, busy agents need help. None of us can do this alone, and you shouldn’t try to do it all on your own. At The Boutique Real Estate Group, we believe the team approach is best, because there are just too many hats to wear right now for an agent. You really have to dedicate time to both. Remember to “walk before you can run,” and don’t get too ahead of yourself. Build your team block by block. Building and nurturing a quality team takes time! And always hire the best.

If you are an agent, find a team that you respect and admire. Demonstrate your skills, and ask to join. If you are lucky enough to become a part of the team, work hard and contribute. Soak it all up and enjoy the ride!

4. As an agent, you value social media and technology. What are some specific examples of ways they have helped you communicate with clients and increase productivity?

Social is just an amplifier. If you are a rockstar agent, social will just amplify all of the great things you are doing. You have to be doing well in your business for social media to add value to your brand. Also, my tagline is, “If you are not in my newsfeed, you do not exist!” It’s not enough to just have a social presence. You have to be engaged with users and clients if you want to get noticed.

Twitter really is a cocktail party. It is a great tool for agents, but remember, you are in and out in 140 characters. Make every post short and simple, and talk to people! If you talk to people they will talk back!

5. What trends are you seeing in real estate right now in terms of technology and social media?

We are a 99.9 percent paperless office. All of our agents sign a contract that they will have an iPhone and iPad at the start of employment. We also have a technology standard – we call it the #tbreg tech standard – which all agents must master. This is the new normal.

Many agents struggle to adopt the technology we have now, and I’m not sure why they put this on the back burner. For our team, it’s all we talk about. We ask ourselves, “How can we create a REAL estate experience that our clients will enjoy?” We want the entire experience to be as easy and painless as possible. Today, utilizing technology is an integral part of that experience with clients.

If you are a great agent, you will get referrals. It’s that easy. Put your clients first in all you do and the technology and referrals will follow.

One way The Boutique Real Estate Group goes the extra mile for their clients is by producing creative listing videos. Watch the story unfold in this video for 9741 Janice Circle, with gorgeous shots of the home in an entertaining and beautiful presentation. The Boutique Real Estate Group is at the forefront of video for real estate, and one of their videos was awarded a spot in the Top 20 Real Estate Videos in the USA in 2013. Watch the video here.

6. Is there anything else you’d like to share with FreeAgent readers?

I have truly made some wonderful friends over the years via social. It has been a wonderful ride and has been a true blessing. Turning online relationships into meaningful real life friendships has been one of the greatest joys for me. There are so many great people in this world and in our industry who are trying to raise the bar in all we do. If you take the time to talk to them, they will talk back.

Find Raj Qsar on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, and be on the lookout for the opening of The Boutique Real Estate Group’s second luxury office in Corona Del Mar, California in January 2014.

As an agent, do you ask yourself “How can I create a REAL estate experience that my clients will enjoy?” What do you think are the most important parts of this experience? Let us know in the comments below!

in Orange County Luxury Real Estate / Orange County Real Estate / Orange County Social Media / Orange County Technology / Random Orange County 0 comments

November 30, 2013 by The Boutique Real Estate Group

The Boutique Real Estate Group Joins RESAAS – The Real Estate Social Network ™

Vancouver, British Columbia CANADA, Nov 26, 2013 (Filing Services Canada via COMTEX) — RESAAS Services Inc. (RSS – CNQ), The Real Estate Social Network(tm), is excited to announce that The Boutique Real Estate Group (http://www.theboutiquere.com/) will be joining the RESAAS (http://www.resaas.com/)platform.

Why are we so excited? Simply put, The Boutique Real Estate Group is at the forefront of the real estate industry. Just look at their depth of engagement and interaction across all social platforms. Every listing of theirs is assigned a world-class sales & marketing campaign team, receiving the support of industry leaders in social media, internet marketing and print advertisement. For example, take a look at the listing video (http://rebla.st/9t6bf3a) for 49 Golden Eagle, Irvine, California in the exclusive triple-gated neighbourhood of Shady Canyon. The Boutique’s marketing campaigns include an aggressive mix of print advertisement & Boutique branding, social media integration, search engine optimization, HDR Photography (see below), 360? HD V-Tours, full responsive custom built property websites and full-colour custom property brochures, as well as top placement of the world’s largest search engines and real estate websites.

Raj Qsar, Owner of The Boutique Real Estate Group, has a dream and is on a mission. He has used his more than 18 years of sales, marketing and leadership experience to turn the brokerage into one of the most dominant teams in the Orange County Real Estate market, bringing the key components of his brokerage entirely “in-house” – including back-end SEO and technology, graphics and design, staging and interior design, as well as social media, listing and transaction concierges for each of their agents.

What’s more, Raj has traveled the country to educate and consult other brokerages, brokers and real estate professionals on the value of technology and social media as a local and national speaker. In 2013 he was named as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders by Inman News. Also in 2013, The Boutique Real Estate Group was named as a Next Generation Brokerage by Better Homes & Gardens and 1000 Watt Consulting.(http://nextgenbrokerage.com/) Finally, The Boutique Real Estate Group won an award for the Top 20 Real Estate Videos in the U.S.A.

Now he’s joined RESAAS – The Real Estate Social Network(tm), along with his entire team at The Boutique Real Estate Group.

“The real estate industry needs to think outside of the box and we need to stop thinking like real estate agents,” said Raj Qsar, “which is why I am always on the search for new ways to improve my team’s ability to sustain their elite service through technology and social media. RESAAS is an exciting opportunity for us to do just that. It will significantly improve internal communication, boost each agent’s personal marketability and further increase the exposure for our listings.”

Each agent at The Boutique Real Estate Group will receive his or her own corporate branded agent page on RESAAS, and will be connected together into an exclusive group to communicate and stay connected with every other member of their team. In addition, The Boutique Real Estate Group will have its own corporate branded page in order to easily broadcast relevant information and market their company’s content.

To view the image “Raj-Listing-Photo.jpg” please click on the following link:

http://corporate.resaas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Raj-Listing-Photo.jpg

“We are very excited to welcome The Boutique Real Estate Group to RESAAS,” said Nadia Suttle, Account Executive at RESAAS. “They are a prime example of how to lead the real estate industry by providing modern, effective and quality service for their clients and their listings. With them now onboard, it lends massive credence to RESAAS – The Real Estate Social Network(tm) as a powerful tool for real estate professionals everywhere.”

About RESAAS SERVICES INC.

RESAAS – The Real Estate Social Network(tm), is designed specifically for the real estate professional to connect and communicate in real-time. Known as real estate broadcasts, RESAAS’ powerful reblasts(r) engine automatically generates all of your real estate workflow into valuable social content that is instantly pushed out to the RESAAS platform and other social networks. Visit www.resaas.com.

On Behalf of RESAAS

Danielle Sissons

VP Communications

RESAAS Services Inc.

Telephone: (604)558-2929; Email: danielle.sissons@resaas.com

Investor Relations

RESAAS Services Inc.

Telephone: (705) 888-2756; Email: scott.young@resaas.com

The CNSX has not reviewed, nor approved or disapproved the content of this press release.

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release and the company’s website referenced herein may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the company’s technology platform. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by RESAAS’ management, including future plans for the design and development of the company’s technology platform. Although RESAAS believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because RESAAS can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. RESAAS disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

To view this press release as a PDF, please click on the following link:

http://www.usetdas.com/pr/resaas11262013.pdf

Source: RESAAS Services Inc. (cnsx:RSS) http://www.resaas.com

Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com

in Orange County Luxury Real Estate / Orange County Real Estate / Orange County Social Media / Random Orange County 0 comments

October 8, 2013 by The Boutique Real Estate Group

2013 Next Generation Brokerage by Better Homes & Garden Real Estate and 1000 Watt Consulting

We are honored to be selected as the 2013 Next Generation Brokerage by Better Homes & Garden Real Estate and 1000 Watt Consulting. The Boutique Real Estate Group is a new breed of real estate brokerage. We are attracting and engaging new customers. Empowering our agents and clients with the latest, most flexible technology and building meaningful brand.

The story of the real estate agent turned broker is a familiar one. A natural progression in the industry.

Raj Qsar is that broker. After working for 12 years in the business as an agent, in 2013 he opened The Boutique Real Estate Group in Orange County, Calif.

His vision? Build a brokerage that is outstanding at visual marketing.

Design is the rule, not the exception

The first rule of real estate has always been location. But Raj and his team are proving that today it’s just as much about design. Design in web and print marketing, video, and the homes themselves.

This is why Raj’s company team page contains nearly as many professional designers and creative roles as it does agents.

Bypassing a typical brokerage organizational chart, Raj’s team includes a creative director, interior designer and cinematographer. From day one, Raj has made quality design a key part of Boutique Real Estate’s unique value proposition.

“We’re a sales and marketing team, but we happen to focus on real estate,” Raj said.

Boutique’s approach to design in digital marketing really shines in their single-property websites, HDR photography, HD virtual tours and high-definition videos.

Every home is staged and professionally photographed for inclusion in custom designed print and digital marketing materials. They shoot a video of nearly every listing, and own all of the necessary equipment from cameras to lenses to lighting and sound.

“We’re a sales and marketing team, but we happen to focus on real estate.”

This treatment is engrained in the Boutique Real Estate customer experience. Raj and his team are uncompromising on this. From the full-time stager they’ve hired to the in-house videographer and graphic designer, clearly this is where the brokerage breaks the mold.

Video is the rising star

In 2010, Raj and his team started experimenting with video, realizing quickly that it paid off in terms of return on investment. “People were showing up at our open houses knowing it was us because of the videos and photography they’d seen in marketing materials,” Raj said.

“I figured out quickly, though, that hiring third-party vendors was a losing investment,” he said. That’s why he purchased all of the necessary audio and visual equipment and brought on a professional videographer to focus solely on videos.

While plenty of brokerage companies and agent teams create video in their marketing, Boutique Real Estate’s take is different. They use high production value without going over the top, subtle humor, contemporary music and an imaginative and fun approach to the typical home tour.

Check out a few of their recent property videos here, and you’ll see it feels more like you’re getting a taste of the lifestyle associated with homes than just a straight walkthrough on camera. And that’s the goal.

Natural selection

In keeping with a focus on high-quality marketing and building a unique brand around that value, Raj’s approach to recruiting is to be highly selective. “We say no to more people wanting to join us than we say yes to,” he said.

Part of this is because the whole notion behind the “boutique” brokerage is working with a highly focused small team. Also, the allure is customized marketing, which becomes challenging at a larger scale.

In general, Raj looks for sales associates who are passionate, relatable and people-oriented, and who are active participants in their community.

What lies ahead

When thinking about the future, Raj and his team remain open-minded. He likes to make sure they’re always thinking ahead to what consumers will want and need five years from now – how they’ll want to do business, how they’ll want to view properties and how agents will work best.

One goal is to open Boutique offices in select California markets, including Corona Del Mar, Napa, Palm Springs and North San Diego.

Of course, no one can predict the future, but Boutique Real Estate will continue to keep an eye on design trends and lead its real estate marketing in these same trajectories.

See more at: http://nextgenbrokerage.com/company/the-boutique-real-estate-group/#sthash.z57bEFuL.dpuf

in Anaheim Hills / Brea / Central Orange County / Coastal Orange County / Fullerton / North Orange County / Orange County Luxury Real Estate / Orange County Real Estate / Orange County Social Media / Orange County Technology / Placentia / Random Orange County / South Orange County / Yorba Linda 0 comments

August 19, 2013 by The Boutique Real Estate Group

Half of All Homes Are Being Purchased With Cash

52 Ovation, Irvine, Ca 92620

Story Via WSJ Real Estate News

August 15th, 2013

More than half of all homes sold last year and so far in 2013 have been financed without a mortgage, according to an analysis by economists at Goldman Sachs Group.

The analysis estimates that around 20% of all homes sold before the housing crash were “all-cash” sales (or around 30% of sales by dollar volume). But over the past seven years, the all-cash share of sales has more than doubled, increasing by more than 30 percentage points, according to economists Hui Shan, Marty Young and Charlie Himmelberg.

The Goldman study analyzed home sales figures from the Census Bureau and the National Association of Realtors and mortgage-origination data from the Mortgage Bankers Association and Lender Processing Services.

The surprisingly large cash-share of purchases helps to explain why home sales have jumped over the past two years despite more muted increases in broad measures of new mortgage activity, such as the MBA’s mortgage application index.

There’s no exact way to know who is responsible for all of these cash purchases, though they are likely to include some combination of investors, foreign buyers, and wealthy homeowners that don’t want to go through the hassle of getting a mortgage before closing on a sale. Mortgage lending standards have sharply tightened up since the housing bubble, with banks scrutinizing borrowers’ tax returns and bank statements to verify their incomes and the source of their down payment.

The Goldman analysis also estimates that around 44 cents of every $1 of homes sold currently is being financed, compared to 67 cents before the crisis.

Purchase-mortgage origination volumes have fallen from around $1.5 trillion in 2005, when the housing market peaked, to around $500 billion in each of the last two years.

While declines in the volume of homes being sold accounts for some of the decline, the Goldman economists estimate that around 40% of the decline is due to the drop-off in the amount of financing per home.

The Goldman analysis estimates that purchase-loan volumes will rise to around $750 billion next year and to $1.1 trillion by 2016.

in Orange County Luxury Real Estate / Orange County Mortgage News / Orange County Real Estate 0 comments

January 21, 2013 by Raj Qsar

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

in Orange County Luxury Real Estate / Orange County Real Estate / Orange County Social Media / Orange County Technology / Random Orange County 0 comments

December 28, 2012 by 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.

in Orange County Real Estate 0 comments

Real Estate

SIMPLE WAYS YOU CAN REDUCE ENERGY IN YOUR HOME AND SAVE MONEY!!!

ROOFING

COOLING

HEATING

As an agent, do you ask yourself “How can I create a REAL estate experience that my clients will enjoy?” What do you think are the most important parts of this experience? Let us know in the comments below!

Forbidden