Real Estate Marketing 101

There are a number of questions and fears that can be associated with selling your home. How much should I sell it for? Does my house look right? Is my home in good condition? Have I staged it properly? Am I in a tougher housing market? Is the neighborhood an issue? Location, location, location? Is the timing right? Will I be able to find a good realtor to market my home and do what’s right to get it sold? WILL MY HOME SELL?

Go from FOR SALE to SOLD, lightning fast.

Then, you make the decision to sell your home… on your own. Multiply those questions and concerns by 100 and you begin to feel wary and may decide to go a different route.

We are the experts on selling your home on your own. Through this next series of blog posts, we are going to go through some basic information that may address your concerns and help to ease your worries and fears when it comes to taking that big step and choosing to sell your home on your own.

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MARKETING 101. Did you ever take a marketing class in high school or college? If so, you know that the first rule of marketing is TAKE CHARGE of your marketing. Meaning, more specifically, have a plan. No one cares more about your marketing than you do. So, devise a plan and execute the plan. Now, here’s some great and helpful information to help you in your planning process:

1. The MLS (Multiple Listing Service), a proprietary service that allows members to list properties. We have thrown this term around a lot on this blog, but I can’t stress enough how important and KEY it is in selling your home. Over 90%, yes 90%, of homes sold in America have been sold using the MLS. To be a member of the MLS, you have to be a realtor. How are you going to list your home on the MLS if you, yourself, are not a realtor? That’s where WE come in. (BTW: the going rate to hire a realtor to list your home and/or sell your home is at least 3-6% commission on the selling price of your home). At Justlistem, we serve as a limited agent/realtor, where you simply pay a flat fee and we list your home for you. No middle man, no stuffy realtors, no expensive commission prices, just a helpful service. By listing your home on the MLS, you are giving your home a GREAT amount of exposure to all who are members of your local, regional, or national MLS. By making this first step, your property has been efficiently marketed, but you retain the right to sell it to ANY individual not buying through a Realtor as well. This gives you the best of both worlds.
2. INTERNET MARKETING. Yes, we are in a digital age, and the internet is one of the most highly sought after markets for, well, marketing. Craigslist, Real Estate Forums, Facebook, and Twitter are just some of the ways many homeowners (and realtor’s alike!) are using the internet to market their homes. Futhermore, if you decide to use Justlistem, your home will also be posted on Cheaprichmondhomes.com which is a very prominent real estate website in the state of Virginia.
3. Kick it old school, style. Nothing can beat old school marketing techniques. They worked for years, why wouldn’t they work now? Create a flyer for your home (which can be provided by Justlistem), post it in the yard, place a lock box onto house for easy showings (you can get one right at Home Depot or Lowe’s), and of course, placing a FOR SALE sign in the yard (which is also provided by Justlistem).
4. Staging. Don’t forget to stage your home. You’re going to need to make sure your home is ready to sell. Check out this GREAT blog post on staging your home on the inside AND the outside.

At the end of the day, it’s about making a decision that is right for YOU. You’re the owner of your home and only you know what’s best. But, it is my hope that these basic marketing techniques will at least jump start you in the right direction and help you sell your home LIGHTNING fast and save you lots of money.

Annapolis: Not JUST a movie starring James Franco

Annapolis, Maryland: The capital of the great state of Maryland situated on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and, in addition to countless museums, theaters, and other attractions, is home to the famed United States Naval Academy. What many people DON’T know, is that it is also a place for great neighborhoods, great locations, and great real estate. 

Annapolis is a GREAT place for boating and water recreation.

Here are the facts and figures:

The total inventory of available homes in the Annapolis, MD market in June, 2009 was 825 homes (which breaks down to… 

• 781 Real Estate properties
• 0 new homes
• 44 foreclosures

• The average estimated value of a home in the State of Maryland is $264,820
• The average estimated value of a home in the City of Annapolis is $542,786 (this is up 0.13% from March 2009)

This puts Annapolis WAY above the rest of the State of Maryland. A great indicator of a strong housing market. The average estimated value can also serve as an indicator which says that purchasing a home in this area will yield a positive return.

• In JUNE 2009, the average sales price of a home in the State of Maryland is $273,945
• In JUNE 2009, the average sales price of a home in the City of Annapolis is $803,349 (up 0.56% from March 2009)

This indicates that the City of Annapolis is a very demanding and increasingly pricey housing market, which is GREAT for sellers and great for buyers with a larger budget. 

There were 13 total sales in the month of April 2009, this is down overall, but this number is on the rise. And the average home spents 94 days on the market.

What do all of these facts and figures REALLY mean? Well, although we are seeing the same trends in Annapolis that we are seeing nationally, the higher sales price and average value of homes in Annapolis prove that this place is on high demand. Sellers will get a higher price for their home and buyers with a larger budget will be sure they are getting only the best homes.

For sellers in Annapolis (and the entire state of Maryland) consider selling your home with Justlistem. You will save, on AVERAGE, over $8,000 on commission by just paying a flat fee of $299 to list YOUR home on the MLS. 

Justlistem: Where the Conversation to Sell YOUR Home Begins.

BaltiMORE Real Estate!

Breaking news: Justlistem just signed on with the state of Maryland. How awesome is that? We are so excited to be working with brokers around the nation helping people like you sell their home and save A LOT of money. 

To kick off our new partnership with the “Free State” of Maryland, we’ve decided to highlight one of Maryland’s largest cities: BALTIMORE. 

Baltimore's Inner Harbor

Home to two great professional sports teams: the Baltimore Orioles MLB team and the Baltimore Ravens NFL team, home to an incredible aquarium, and incredible industry, Baltimore is a city that is rich with history and thriving with culture. It is also booming with diverse real estate.

Here are this week’s stats for BALTIMORE:

Average mortgage rates at of June 14, 2009 in the state of Maryland and City of Baltimore are:

• 30-year fixed mortgage is 5.63%
• 15-year fixed mortgage is 5.21%
• 30-year fixed JUMBO mortgage is 6.59%
• 15-year fixed JUMBO mortgage is 6.21%

Homes for SALE [as of June 14, 2009]:

• There are currently 3,830 homes for sale in all of Baltimore
• There are currently 3,269 existing homes for sale
• There are currently 0 NEW homes for sale
• There are currently 561 foreclosures 

House appreciation:

• Housing median value: $221,643
• Appreciation is down 4.8%

Sales prices:

• Average sales price for a home in BALTIMORE as of April 2009: $129,611
• Average sales price for a home in the STATE OF MARYLAND as of April 2009: $273,945
• This is a difference of $144,334

Average days on the market:

• The average for the STATE OF MARYLAND, 83 days
• The average for BALTIMORE, 78 days

Okay, so what do these numbers mean? Baltimore is incredibly hot right now and perfect for a first time home-buyer! With a lower number of average days on the market than the overall State of Maryland and and lower average selling price, Baltimore makes for a great deal.

For sellers, having a lower number of days on the market means money in your pocket faster. 

Now is truly the time to buy, sell, and invest in real estate. And when considering selling your home, always trust Justlistem. You will be guaranteed to save THOUSANDS of dollars by paying a simple flat fee and not worrying about commission for the middle man.

Welcome to Miami, Bienvenido a Miami!

MIAMI: The sun, the sand, beautiful people, natural scenery, and of course, beautiful homes. When one thinks of Miami, Florida, real estate usually isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, unless you’re talking about multi-million dollar homes owned by celebrities. Little does everyone know, Miami is actually a great place for real estate… especially homes that DON’T involve spending millions of dollars. 

We decided to feature Miami this week because of it’s rapidly changing real estate market.

Real estate in Miami doesn't HAVE to cost you an arm and a leg.

Here are the facts and figures for ALL properties in and around the Miami area:

• The average listing price of ALL properties as of June 6th, 2009 is $404, 661 (down 0.2% from 2008)
• The MEDIAN sales price of ALL properties as of June 6th, 2009 is $180,000 (down 35.7% from 2008)
• The number of SALES of ALL properties from January 1st, 2009-June 6th, 2009 is 3,236 (this is actually UP 73% from 2008)
• There are 15,166 homes listed for sale
• There have been 6,868 recently sold (within the last 9 months)
• There are 10,074 foreclosures

Here are the stats for SINGLE-FAMILY homes as of April 31st, 2009:

• 555 single-family homes listed for sale in April 2009, as opposed to 281 in April 2008
• Median sales price is $177,000 in April 2009, as opposed to $291,900 in April 2008

Here are the stats for CONDOMINIUMS as of April 31st, 2009:

• 542 condominiums listed for sale in April 2009, as opposed to 318 in April 2008
• Median sales price is $133,500 in April 2009, as opposed to $275,000 in April 2008

These numbers tell us that it is truly a buyer’s market in Miami. The sales price of all properties is lower than usual and is beneficial to first time home buyers. 

Now, this doesn’t mean that if you are thinking of selling your home that you shouldn’t. If you are in a low-range market, now is the time to sell. Homes listed for $200,000 and under are selling like hot cakes due to their appeal to first time home buyers. 

With all the fun and natural beauty the Miami area has to offer, buying and selling real estate only makes it that much better. 

The ORLANDO Factor.

 

Wouldn't YOU want to wake up to this?

Another featured city this week: ORLANDO, FLORIDA. That’s right. Home of Universal Studios and, of course, Disney World. However, not only is Orlando home to amazing tourist attractions, but also it is home to great…. well, HOMES!

The real estate market in Orlando is one of the fastest growing markets in the country. Being such a centralized location in Florida allows Orlando to draw in all sorts of business, commerce, and new people. Orlando is located about an hour from Daytona Beach and an hour from Tampa Bay on the east and west coast’s of Florida, respectively. It is also extremely accessible, housing one of the largest international airports in the country!

Oh, yeah, and as I mentioned, home to Mickey & Minnie Mouse. Who wouldn’t love THAT?

So, what makes the Orlando real estate market so hot right now? Well, as we all know, the real estate markets around the country have seen a huge downturn over the last few years, but are beginning to rebound. Orlando is no different. Although sales are down from years past, the Orlando Regional Realtor’s Association (ORRA) reported this week that in April, members of the ORRA sold nearly SEVEN times more homes in the lower-range category than in the upper-range category — this is extremely indicative of a rebounding economy and housing market. Basically, this means that buyers and sellers are starting at the bottom, and working their way up. It’s a cycle. Sales in a lower category gradually stimulate sales in other categories: i.e. supply and demand. 

Orlando is also home to incredible neighborhoods rich with community and culture. Springs Landing, Magnolia Plantation, and Sweetwater Oaks are just SOME of the neighborhoods in and around the Orlando area with beautiful homes, great schools, and fun activities. 

Here is some raw data regarding the Orlando housing market:

• There were 3,412 NEW contracts posted in the month of April 2009, nearly double what was filed in April of 2008 (2,012). 
• There were a reported 1,741 COMPLETED closings in April of 2009, a 42% INCREASE in closings from April 2008 (1,231).
• The median price of ALL Orlando homes sold in April  was $132,900. This is a decrease of 37% from April 2008.
• The average interest rate increased to 4.86 percent in April, up from March’s record low of 4.67%.
• Of the 1,741 sales in April, 49.68% of the homes were either bank-owned (733) or distressed (132).
• The median price of the bank-owned homes sold in April was $89,900, while the median price of distressed homes was $146,000.
• The median price for the “normal” homes (876) sold in April was $161,245.

What does this all mean? It means that the Orlando market is surging and on the rise. NOW is the time to buy while housing prices and interest rates are low. 

Should you sell now? If you are looking to sell your home, now is a GREAT time. With the influx of traffic to the Orlando area housing sales are on the rise. The statistics above show that the market is improving and that sales in a low-price range are ultimately stimulating sales in the upper price ranges. 

If you do choose to sell your home now, consider selling your home with us, Just List ‘Em. By selling your home on your own, you are guaranteed to save thousands of dollars on commission. Instead of losing 6% of the home’s selling price to a realtor, you get to keep that money and simply pay a flat fee of $299 to list your home on the MLS (multiple listing service). 

So, for example. If your home sold at the MEDIAN price of $132,900, a realtor would charge you approximately 6% of the selling price, of the home, which equals out to around $7,974. If you were to sell your home with Just List ‘Em, you would pay the FLAT FEE of $299, and that’s it. You would save $7,675. That’s a lot of money if you ask me. 

Just some of the MANY reasons why Orlando is THE place to buy and sell a home right now.