Virtual Results is happy to present a new blog series of Tips and Techniques for your WordPress Real Estate Site. This post comes from one of our newer members Colleen Kulikowski, who is a successful Realtor and real estate blogger in Buffalo, NY. Colleen has years of experience blogging on her real estate sites and has been successful at getting many buyers and sellers from those efforts. For ongoing discussion and additional insights, Virtual Results members should access our private Real Estate Facebook group. Apply for group membership by emailing support@virtualresults.net with your facebook email address. 

Why I love Real Estate Market Reports

By Colleen Kulikowski

With a little planning you can drive significant traffic to your website.   Today, Market Reports are the backbone of my website.

Not sure where to start? I have been in your shoes wondering, “where am I going to start to build content for my site?” I get it!  It can be overwhelming to create effective posts.   You want a great real estate resource for potential home buyers and sellers. The good news is that good content doesn’t have to be complicated!

In July of 2006 I wrote my first post.   I labored for days on what I was going to first write about.  Once I decided on Market Reports, it took me a couple of hours to create a simple market report.   Today I maintain more than 80 market reports and each one takes me less than 5 minutes to update.

These market reports are some of the most popular posts on my site and they can be on yours too!  A small investment in time on your part can pay you big dividends in the future.

Market reports are simple to create and update.   Run some stats off of your MLS and publish.   Just remember to give credit and use a disclaimer if required.

To get you started, here is the format I use (see the live report here). Feel free to use it as a template.

The Real Estate Market Report Example starts below: 

Current Conditions – North Buffalo – Multi-family Conditions

May 12, 2013

• There are 21 active listings with an average list price of $140,020 ranging from $59,900 to $289,900
• There are 31 pending/under contract sales and in the past 30 days there has been 9 closed sales with an average sold price of $135,106 spending an average of 21 days on the market
• Year to date there has been 30 closed sales with an average sold price of $127,958 spending an average of 36 days on the market
• In 2012 there were 93 closed sales with an average sold price of $120,308 spending an average of 28 days on the market

Selection of Homes for Sale

(Insert a photo or IDX script here that links to you the homes in your area. An example is above)

Past Market Conditions 

 

March 19, 2013

• There are 15 active listings with an average list price of $127,445 ranging from $55,000 to $179,900
• There are 26 pending/under contract sales and in the past 30 days there has been 2 closed sales with an average sold price of $99,500 spending an average of 14 days on the market
• Year to date there has been 15 closed sales with an average sold price of $167,653 spending an average of 37 days on the market
• In 2012 there were 93 closed sales with an average sold price of $120,308 spending an average of 28 days on the market

February 20, 2013

• There are 10 active listings with an average list price of $147,387 ranging from $64,900 to $229,900
• There are 26 pending/under contract sales and in the past 30 days there has been 5 closed sales with an average sold price of $161,480 spending an average of 51 days on the market
• Year to date there has been 12 closed sales with an average sold price of $119,748 spending an average of 36 days on the market
• In 2012 there were 93 closed sales with an average sold price of $120,308 spending an average of 28 days on the market

For more information call YOUR NAME HERE

(888)-Your-Phone 

*Add any required disclaimers!  

The Real Estate Market Report Example ends here.  

Don’t be afraid to come up with your own market reports.  My report above may not work for you.   Just remember it should be easy to compile the details so you are not spending hours producing the report.   You may run reports at the zip code level, price level, county, or subdivision.  You may write one for the City, and have other market reports for the city by price point.    You may choose to report sales by number of bedrooms, or the square footage.   There is no right or wrong choice, just be consistent in your reporting.

Market reports over time build credibility for you that you know what is going on in the market.  On the upside, you actually know what is going on in the market and can see trends as they happen.   Often because I am looking closely at the numbers, I can speak naturally about what is going on in the market.  I also use these stats in a community mailer that I do into specific neighborhoods.  These reports have a specific URL that I point directly to the online version of the Market Report.

Google likes the market reports because they are updated on a regular basis and are modified on a regular basis.   By placing IDX search scripts or links on these reports you give dynamic and relevant content to Google and users!

Wondering if you should try to create a market report? What do you have to lose?   Get started with Market Reports today and build not only content for your site, but knowledge to help you with your business.   It sounds like a win/win for you!

This post comes from one of our newer members Colleen Kulikowski, who is a successful Realtor and real estate blogger in Buffalo, NY. Colleen has years of experience blogging on her real estate sites and has been successful at getting many buyers and sellers from those efforts. For ongoing discussion and additional insights, Virtual Results members should access our private Real Estate Facebook group. Apply for group membership by emailing support@virtualresults.net with your facebook email address. 

Editor’s note: Popularity of this post inspired Virtual Results to host a Webinar on the same topic. We’ll post the video below when it becomes available. But the best news is that several members took action and posted their own local market reports – some for the first time! Member examples include Janis Borgueta’s Town of Newburgh NY Real Estate Market Report and Angela Morsa’s Current Market Conditions for Blue Bell 19422 - great work everyone!

 

 

Driving Traffic to your website with Market Reports is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Leading RE will be hosting its conference February 24-28th and we are excited to announce that our very own Internet Marketing Authority, Jim Marks will be the Social Media and Inbound Marketing speaker at their event!

Preparing for the more than 1,500 real estate professionals expected to attend the conference is not something Marks takes lightly, knowing that the his insight into technology and consumer habits is critical to real estate agents, whether they be individual agents, brokers or relocation specialists.

Jim Marks seeks to drive traffic and conversion to real estate professionals by inspiring them with techniques based on proven research gained from millions of clicks and strategies that will cause their clients to engage, call, click, interact, and subscribe.

Jim firmly believes that, “Agents don’t just need more tools, they need knowledge and a road map to success.” In his speaking, Jim’s goal is to get attendees to be “inspired and to leave with that grand ‘Aha!’ moment that will cause change in the way they run their real estate business and really, their lives.”

Jim Marks will be speaking alongside industry greats and conference keynote speakers who include Pulitzer Prize columnist and author Dave Barry, television personality and author Joan Lunden and Shawn Achor, author of the international bestseller, “The Happiness Advantage.”

We hope you enjoy his fun, no-nonsense approach and solid takeaways. Come back after the conference and share with us what you learned either in the comment section or by contacting Virtual Results directly. We’d love to hear what you think!

Jim Marks Named As Leading RE Conference Speaker is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Here is the Presentation!

To Install Google Chrome CLICK HERE!

If you need further directions CLICK HERE!

For Directions on how to install Chrome Extensions, CLICK HERE!

To add EXTENSIONS:

Click on the 3 white bars at the top left of Chrome>Click on TOOLS>Extensions> Now Scroll to the BOTTOM of your Extensions list and click, GET MORE EXTENSIONS.

or go to this page

For Directions on how to install Chrome Extensions, CLICK HERE!

To Listen to the Re-broadcast:

CLICK HERE to REGISTER NOW

Here is a list of the extension that Jim Marks listed in the Webinar.  Please ONLY load the Extensions you think YOU WILL USE:

Socialba!

Evernote

Clearly

Mighty Text

Pinterest

Instagram

Buffer

Google Chrome to Phone

RoboForm

Thank you for Attending the first webinar in the 2013 PNC Wired for Success series.  They WILL pick up speed.  Its going to be a great year!

If you have any questions:  Feel free to email us at support@virtualresults.net

Wired For Success #1-Internet Marketing Notes is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

A Brand New Layout for the Virtual Results Admin Menu!

From new features to new themes to new services, Virtual Results is always looking for ways to keep their sites on the cutting edge. So we have decided to start off 2013 with a bang!

Introducing an Exciting New Feature: The new Admin Menu!!
Throughout the next week, VR will be activating a brand new upgraded Admin Menu to your dashboard! This new admin menu is sleek and clean with additional integrated functionality, such as direct access to your IDX, Market Stats and Email Marketing accounts, training webinars and our continually growing support center.

Here are some of the improvements to our new Admin Menu:

• Accessing our Support Center

The Virtual Results Support Center is constantly growing and contains wonderful tutorials, webinars and articles that will help you manage your site and its content. Now you can access our support center directly from your dashboard. Learn how to add items to your menu, create new content, utilize SEO plugins, edit your sidebar and footer, activate more features, tools, and so much more!

• Using your Complementary Accounts

There are so many wonderful features that come with your Virtual Results account. We have set up a direct link to some your complementary control panels, such as your IDX dashboard and Altos Research login. For example, your Altos Research account is more than dynamic charts. It also provides branded statistical reports and full market analysis, lead capture tools, branded marketing, and one-on-one coaching. Yet many people never get around to using these tools. We hope the new design will inspire you to take a more proactive look at all the services that come with your site.

• Managing Your Content and Understanding Your Settings

With our new layout, you will find it much easier to manage your content and settings. Everything is organized and simplified, making it easier for you to find and manage the tools and features that come with your Virtual Results website. For those users who have been more proactive in managing your site, these changes will allow you to maneuver more easily and rapidly. For those of you just starting out, it’s never been easier to learn! This is a great time to learn how to add and manage content, and how to fully exploit the valuable lead generating tools that come with your Virtual Results account.

• Introduction to the New Admin Menu Live Webinars

Ready to learn more? Great, because it’s time to explore your new Admin Menu. These 30 minute sessions will include a short walk through of your new admin menu and a Q&A session with Leah Marks, WordPress expert and Customer Support Manager. There are three sessions scheduled for your convenience, listed below. Register Now!

Monday, January 21 – 12pm (PST)/ 3pm (EST) – Click Here to Register

Thursday, January 24 – 10am (PST)/1pm (EST) – Click Here to Register

Friday, January 25 – 2pm (PST)/ 5pm (EST) – Click Here to Register

Exciting New Feature: The NEW Admin Menu is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

The secret to a winning Thanksgiving in your home is to approach it with a sense of gratitude.

Compose your guest list of those you love and are glad to have in your life and include them in the meal preparation. Including your guests can be as simple as asking them to contribute a dish to the meal or you can invite a few to be a little more hands on and actually prepare the meal as a group at your home.

When assigning out parts of the meal, it’s best to determine what “makes sense” to alleviate stress on you as host. If Aunt Sue is driving 2 hours to enjoy the holiday meal, a room temperature appetizer or salad will likely be a better choice for her to bring than the masked potatoes which should be served piping hot. If your son is notoriously late for family gatherings, perhaps assigning him a dessert or some beverages is the best approach.

Managing a Big Meal in Your Home

If the entire meal is to be created in your kitchen, create a timeline or vision of how and when the preparation should flow. In most cases your main course will take time to cook, so plan how and whether your side dishes, rolls, and dessert will fit into your overall timeframe. Utilize crock-pots to expand your ability to keep foods warm and consider which items can be made in the days prior to the event to prevent a time-crunch. Ask for help as needed and be sure to leave some easy last-minute preparations available to assign to guests who “want” to help as they arrive, such as tossing a salad or stirring the gravy.

When it comes to the actual meal, serve what you want, keeping in mind that any family traditions will need to be served as well. To prevent cries of “Where’s the…” or “Why are there nuts in the…” its best to stick to the well-loved recipes you’ve always served while adding in new ones, rather than changing up the tried and true. If you always cook a turkey, add in a ham or vegetarian dish instead of replacing the item. And, if you’re cooking a turkey, please use a meat thermometer to judge doneness and forgo basting the final hour of cooking to create a golden, crispy skin.

Lastly, keep in mind that this is a meal to be enjoyed by all who enter your home, including you. Take a break to relax and enjoy the meal alongside your family and allow everyone to help with clean up. You’ll be grateful you did, and so will they!

Celebrate Gratitude and Thanksgiving in Your Home is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

You may have been talking with a neighbor or simply heard a snippet on the radio or television, but suddenly you are aware that right now is a “seller’s market.” Thoughts of an instant million dollar sale of your home or timing the selling of your home may be coursing through your brain and if so, you should consult with a knowledgable real estate agent to get the inside scoop. Many areas are experiencing low home volume and high demand which could place your home for sale in prime position.

As a home owner, you may not understand the technicalities behind multiple offers and so working with a local real estate agent can provide you with the much needed guidance you’ll require to navigate your home sale. There are some simple steps that can aid you in getting multiple offers and the basics are outlined below.

Sell Your Home For More Money

• Stage Your Home for Sale – In a “seller’s market,” potential buyers know they need to act fast to put in an offer on the house (or houses) they like. Make sure yours is on that list by tending to every detail, cleaning well and listening carefully to suggestions made by your real estate agent.
• Spread the Word – From hosting a Broker’s Preview to the open house and other advertising, make sure that your home for sale is being properly promoted. Attention must be drawn to your home in order for it to be seen and offers to be submitted. Give your home the promotion it needs or find a real estate agent who will, so you can wait for the offers to roll in.
• Ask for a Lockbox – To have multiple offers, multiple people need to view your home (in staged condition) at all times. Realize that getting your home sold quickly will likely mean a bit of inconvenience for you in the short term. The sooner you accept an offer, however, the less time you’ll need to spend adjusting your lifestyle.

If you need more advice or simply want a real estate agent you can trust with your home, please don’t hesitate to call.  I’d love to get you multiple offers!

Get Multiple Offers on Your Home is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Buying a home starts with determining how much house you can afford. While it’s important to be careful of buying more house than you can afford, changes in the mortgage industry make doing that nearly impossible these days.

Recent restrictions on debt to income ratios, required documentation, and loan to value amounts have established industry standards that aid in preventing homeowners from buying more home than is affordable. While restrictive, these requirements can put your mind at ease as a homeowner, knowing that you are not in over your head in the purchase of your home.

With that in mind, the key in home buying is to buy as much home as you can afford! Interest rates are at their lowest in decades and home values are still in question in many areas, allowing you to enter low on both counts and possibly purchase your home for much less of a monthly payment than you would normally expect. As values begin to return, interest rates may start to increase, too, allowing you less home for the same monthly amount.

According to West Coast-based Mortgage Banker Ken Starks, “At this point in the market cycle, interest rates are as low as they EVER have been, and real estate values appear to have fallen all they will fall in many markets across the country.” Starks added, ”These two factors alone combine to create the buying opportunity of a lifetime with the possibility of excellent long term real estate gains and long term low payments.”

As a potential home buyer researching loan products, there really are not many options commonly chosen these days. Most home buyers choose a fixed rate 30 or 15 year mortgage. This week’s average rates for both fixed rates are under 3.5%, according to the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey®.  Specialty products and adjustable rate mortgages are still offered at times, but generally only to individuals with high net worth and disposable income (who really don’t need the loan).

Many new home buyers turn to FHA loans as they allow more flexibility on down payments, credit scores, and debt to income ratios. While FHA loans may initially seem to have more fees, a good mortgage company will work with you and often absorb that cost to get you the right loan, so don’t be afraid to compare rates when buying your home.

Guides For Buying Your Home

If you are considering buying a home, consider the additional guides below when determining your price point and work with an agent who knows your area, to find you the best home that delivers value, in your budget and in the best location.

• Stay within the income guidelines, having only 30% of your income being related to housing costs (including HOA fees if applicable).
• Keep your TOTAL debt under 40%.
• Read the fine print. If you are withdrawing from a savings plan (such as a 401K or IRA) for your down payment, be aware of any penalties or restrictions before you count on the money and plan accordingly.
• Plan on something going wrong and maintain some savings. Many new homeowners find themselves challenged when disaster strikes. Whether the trouble results from a natural disaster or one that’s man-made, reserving at least 3 months of expenses in a savings account, will help you to weather the storms of life, and enjoy your home long-term.

How Much Should You Spend on Your Home Purchase is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Virtual Results announces a brand new feature for AgentPlus clients – The Blog Post Thumbnail

We are happy to announce the development of a new feature, the ability to display a thumbnail image in your blog post excerpt. Activating this feature is a great way to spice up your site, offer a better user experience and add some great images to your blog and to your home page. This is an important feature because adding images to your articles will increase the number of page or post views exponentially. This is a visual culture, where the world’s largest social network, Facebook, and 2nd largest search engine, YouTube, have found success primarily due to their focus on multimedia. Those browsing the web are more inclined to stay on a webpage that contains images, rather than just text. Consumers are more likely to purchase a product they’ve already seen, rather than one that’s just been described. The value of images on your site increases every day. Plus it’s just fun! And it has the potential to make your site look amazing!

And the Virtual Results Community Agrees.

Virtual Results has activated this feature on the following sites, with great results! Take a look at the websites below:

Casa Bella Boca
Search Minnneapolis Condos

Need More Information?

If you would like more information about this feature, please contact Virtual Results at support@virtualresults.net.

If you would like this feature activated on your site, please complete the form below and the VR Support Team will be happy to set it up for you.

This is just one element out of many we are planning to launch in the coming weeks and months and we are excited to show you the new features and tools we’ve developed and are continually developing that will improve the site aesthetic and functionality. So stay tuned!

NEW FEATURE: Blog Post Thumbnails is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Real estate professionals will hear directly from the consumer – the people who want to buy and sell homes – at a unique forum, “Hear It Direct” in Dallas, Texas on May 21^st, 2012 at the Dallas Marriott at Legacy Town Center.  Hear It Direct is designed to create the consumer as the keynote speaker of the event –unlike most events in the real estate industry.  Featuring panels of real home buyers and sellers from all over the U.S., Hear It Direct targets what consumers want and expect from agents.  The unfiltered discussion is set up to discover how to really focus and best address the needs of consumers in today’s housing market.

Hear It Direct’s concept reshapes the real estate business, creating a consumer-centric, consumer driven approach to home buying and selling.  Agents and market forecasters can gain insight and learn how to create value and trust through attending this groundbreaking one-day experience.

Developed by real estate leaders Sue Adler and Robert Hahn, Hear It Direct, was created to share the new consumer-driven real estate model with the industry.  Hear It Direct, Texas is the second in a series of events delivering the message of what people want from real estate tools, the agent they work with, and the home searches they conduct on their mobile devices.

Sue Adler was recently recognized as one of the leading women in the real estate industry by the Women’s Council of Realtors® and has been one of the top selling Realtors in New Jersey since 2005.

Tickets and an informative custom research report plus a DVD series recapping the event will be made available through the Hear It Direct website at http://www.hearitdirect.com/events/. To learn more about Hear It Direct, please contact 973.869.9357.  The Hear It Direct conference is scheduled for May 21^st, 2012 in Plano, Texas at the Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center located at 7121 Bishop Road, Plano, Texas 75024.  The event runs from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and will include a networking Happy Hour afterwards.  The cost for the entire day is $99.

Hear It Direct Shows Real Estate Agents What Consumers Want From Them is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Virtual Results to offer Happy Grasshopper Automated Email Service to all clients.

Laguna Beach, CA –  Virtual Results, LLC. is excited to announce it has teamed with Happy Grasshopper to offer all VR clients even more value in 2012!   “Virtual Results websites are already one of the best values an agent can choose.  They are beautifully designed, carefully coded on the WordPress platform and they are built to convert traffic to leads.  Just a great site at a great value.” says VR founder Jim Marks. “We provide our clients content, syndication tools, and we are rolling out more and more proprietary features all the time, like our new evergreen post tool.”

Virtual Results newest feature  is the partnership with Happy Grasshopper.  This will allow VR clients to engage their sphere like never before.

Happy Grasshopper encourages interaction, by creating interesting, clickable, relevant emails.  The emails promote interaction and create interest, therefore generating the ultimate goal… relationships.  “The synergy between the goal of Virtual Results websites and Happy Grasshopper makes this a perfect relationship,” stated Dan Stewart, President of Happy Grasshopper, “Both companies work very hard on creating clients from contacts.”

Virtual Results, Jim Marks believes the Happy Grasshopper service will be of huge benefit to Virtual Results’ clients.  “Combining the technology of Happy Grasshopper with Virtual Results creates a win-win situation for all of our clients,” Marks said.  “Now VR clients can send effective client emails ‘as is’ or with a little personalization, without getting bogged down on the wording of each email.”  Marks continued, “Combining our products makes it EASY for VR clients to reach their clients AND build relationships.”  “We have tested this product extensively and the contact rate is quite amazing.”

Adding Happy Grasshopper service to the Virtual Results offering enhances VR clients internet marketing plan seamlessly and effortlessly.  As each VR website generates leads, new contacts can be added to the existing mailing list easily and each email is carefully crafted by Happy Grasshopper.  With an average 29.3% open rate, effectiveness is guaranteed.  In addition, VR and HG has made it plain simple to get started.  Simply send us a client email list.  Virtual Results and Happy Grasshopper will do the rest.

To learn more about Virtual Results websites, please contact 888.99.RESULTS.

To learn more about Happy Grasshoppers email service, please check out happygrasshopper.com

 Virtual Results Clients  get started today!!  simply Fill out the simple form below!

NEW FEATURE for Virtual Results Members-Happy Grasshopper is a post from:

If you are reading this content from anywhere other than your RSS reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.