Colville Real Estate Agents

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Most real estate professionals flunk within the first few months of trying to create a business enterprise out of real estate investing. The trick begins with a beneficial marketing plan and then practicing a disciplined effort to the marketing plan on a even basis. There is a lot more required to succeed, and you will encounter more tips, tricks and unique real estate marketing techniques in this article.

Is there anyone in your town that doesn’t recognize that you buy homes or that you are a real estate professional? If so, you aren’t performing as well at marketing or rendering real estate investing information about your real estate investing business enterprise as well you could be. I find out real estate investors telling all the time that they aren’t receiving seller phone calls and subsequently aren’t receiving the leads they need to find the real estate business deals they require to earn a living. I say increase the marketing and the sellers will Call. Not only that but if you are canvassing the world (or at least your area) that you buy problem real estate holdings, eventually you will be acknowledged for what you do and sellers will telephone you strictly on your reputation. this is what is called cost effective marketing.

One real estate professional was in a home, garden and hardware store a few calendar weeks ago and went past a couple of guys in an aisle. A conversation was heard while he walked by, I overheard one state, “That is the real estate man”. Now I had never known either of those men and have no idea who they are but that experience lets me acknowledge that I must be doing my business at letting the world to recognize my business is buying real estate in that area. There are many ways to let the area know that you are in the real estate investing profession and getting information out there that helps people realize you buy foreclosures, distressed real estate, do real estate short sales and have got a lot of real estate information and experience to flip properties. Some methods are cheap and some are more expensive. You are going to have to attempt many things and acquire a feel for what brings about for you the best results in your region to get the calls you require to transact real estate deals. I have tried many forms of marketing methods for real estate commercial enterprises of all varieties and have come back to a few that consistently create enough leads for me to purchase the 2 or 3 real estate holdings and houses I want to purchase every single calendar month. They are as follows:

Classified Ads

The classified advertisement in the most prominent newspaper in the region is by far the heaviest producer of leads for local real estate investors that I have determined. I understand it is costly and I understand there are instances it does not generate phone calls but if you are going to persist in the real estate investing business sector just place it in there and leave it. Get used to it making up part of the toll of performing the real estate business. You may expend about $350.00 a calendar month for my 4 line ad and that is the commercial range. I’d consider running it 365 days a year to constantly cue everyone that you are a real estate professional and you purchase real estate in their region.

Over the past few or so years I have watched many “real estate investor” ads come and go. Most folks put them in for a many or even just a couple of calendar weeks and then remove them or try just placing them in on the week ends. Real Estate Marketing just simply does not work this way. Put your real estate ad in the paper and leave it in there. It will more than make up for the price, trust me, and you will see after you finish your first deal. If you are distressed because there are real estate investors ads from many other investors in there, don’t be. They are there because they are getting responses. Just be sure to and actually answer your cell phone and keep it on all the time otherwise you’ll be squandering money.

When a fresh ad for real estate investor information shows up in my newspaper, I will always call on the advertisement. 9 times out of 10 I get a message device or answering service. This is a significant turn off to somebody who needs a resolution to their real estate trouble now. They want to speak to a person who can quiet their anxiety over their current issues with their home and tell them everything is going to be ok. Your answering device won’t do that, they need a human being. As for what to put in the advertising, you will have to work on this one. I have tried various idea and the one I have now hast not changed for over 4 years. I haven’t switched it because I get responses. My ad is:

We Pay CASH FOR HOMES In 24 Hours! Any area, price or condition Call xxx-xxx-xxxx

Now I have had other real estate professionals jockey for place and interchange their ad copy to be leading of mine in the column but it has not made whatsoever difference, at least as far as I can discern. Don’t worry about those things, just get the advertising out there and leave it. It could possibly take a bit of time, perhaps a several weeks to get going but sellers will telephone. As soon as you have your classified advertising running, then you should start working on your other marketing techniques right away. If you only go through one idea a week, within a few weeks or a couple of months you will have a significantly powerful real estate purchasing process.

Ads in the “Freebie” Papers

You might also run advertisements in the freebie papers in your local region or the region you want to conduct real estate investment deals. These are the “Thrifty Nickel”, or whatever they are named in your region. We run both a column ad and a display in this newspaper and expend about $175.00 or so a calendar month for these ads. They pull in seller leads reasonably well and have always rationalized the costs. Remember that these guys are usually open to talking terms on your rates and you will probably get a better rate if you commit to a longer advertising agreement.

Bandit Signs or Road Signs.

Bandit signs are great. They are some of the best lead producing tools around. I have yet to put out a bunch and not be bombed with calls right after I arranged my marketing. I just don’t position them out that often. I might place out a few to a half dozen or so a calendar month and the ones that continue and don’t get taken down continue to pull in phone calls. At an average price of less than $4.00 per sign, they are one of the greatest real estate marketing and advertising values available. Check the net for sign manufacturers for discount signage costs. I use 18 x 24 signs and set them at high traffic crossings around the town I wish to purchase houses in.

I also position a sign in the front yard immediately after purchasing any house. I have purchased several homes in the same regions as a result of marketing this way.

You can either use wood stakes or the wire stakes with your signs. I like the wood stakes because they do not bend like the wire ones, in addition, they are more less expensive and you can find just about any reasonably sized stick of wood or stake at your local hardware store for a really good value. Just get long lengths and trim down to fit. Then just nail the sign to it with the roofing nails with the orange or green plastic tops or you can use screws. There are many variants on what the wording on the sign can say. Keep in mind that traffic will be moving so you want to keep your message short and simple so it may be read. Plus your telephone number must be big, large and easy to read.

If you search the sign advertisement content, you will discover that it is same resemblance my paper ad. I like to brand my advertising because I believe that helps with identification that is probably why the two guys noticed me as a Real Estate Professional..You want to have contrast, so a white sign with dark blue letters usually is the best draw. Some folks swear by black on yellow or black on orange. Again, I say it’s not what or how you say it rather simply that you’re out there marketing and placing out signs that counts. You’ll build a ‘brand image over time if you stay logical with your real estate marketing endeavors. When dealing with bandit signs, be sure that your local code enforcement laws are aware of them. In some areas or counties they can lax on them but a few miles down the road in another county or city, they can be super strict and will ticket you in a minute, pull the signs down and lead off looking for your next posters to go after you again. Some retail merchants in high tax areas can’t put out any A board signage without having them sized and then fined.

Flyers and Bulletin Board Postings

Flyers and related collateral are another cheap way to get the word out that you are a real estate investor buy property, foreclosures or distressed properties. Just create a flyer with any one of the free on-line flyer software internet sites telling people that your are a real estate investor and how to get in touch with you. Make copies for few cents apiece and you have some really inexpensive real estate marketing and advertising. It really is that simple. Then place these flyers on every bulletin board in your Town or region you would like to buy your property, foreclosure or distressed home.. I also recommend that you place some of them in those plastic sheet shielders so the rain won’t ruin them and put them up on phone poles around neighborhoods I like to buy property in.. While not as prominent as the bandit signs, on poles actually in the neighbourhood they still attract phone calls. I carry a file with me in my automobile and put them up whenever I stop at a grocery store or major discount shop or really wherever. Some of the other area to put them are:

· Laundromats
· Taped to the inside of telephone Booths.
· On the counter of any business organization that will let you place them at.
· Bulletin boards at any local or major rebate store (lots of traffic)
· Grocery store bulletin boards
· Fax to Mortgage agents, call first
· Fax to Real Estate Agents, call first and they may get a lot of these.
· Take them Door to Door in target regions
· Employment centre Bulletin board
· County Courthouse or public office Bulletin board

These are just a few illustrations. Any place that will allow you to set one is a good place. You can never let too many people know that you are a real estate investor and are in the foreclosure market.

Imprinted and/or Promotional Items

Optimum Real Estate Investor Marketing Ideas – These no-lose ideas are sure to get you top hits on leads and calls for your Real Estate Investing occupation.

These are some of my favourites and most fun. While they are not the top producers of leads or the least costly, they will sure position you apart from the average investor.

Pen Knives – These tiny Swiss army knives are the neatest things. They are actually key chains etched with your content, mine being: WE BUY HOMES – All cash or take over payments within 24 hours! Call xxx-xxx-xxx I assure if you give one of these to somebody they will hold on to it it and if they conceive of selling, they will think of you. They are about $1.75 each.

Key Chains – I give these to all my buyers with the keys to their new house on them and leave them all over the place. They come in the shape of a house or #1 or whatever style you like and have your message on them. You can guess what mine says. Cost – about $. 25 cents apiece.

Pens – I use these all the time. Whenever I sign a sales receipt or anything I leave my pen. I cannot tell you how many outcries I have gotten off of these things and since I often need one, I always possess one to give away. My attorney even has a supply on his closing table. I possess two types printed. One for sellers says “We Buy Homes!” and one for buyers says “Everyone Qualifies”. Cost – about $.26 cents per unit.

Coin Holders – These you hardly find anymore so everyone is surprised when I have them. I leave these things everywhere. Mine are bright yellow with blue letters and my message. Cost – about $.30 cents apiece.

I leave all of these promotional items everywhere, on the top of gas pumps, on end-cap displays in grocery stores and in department stores. I look at it this way, if I give away 100 pens, 50 knives and 50 coin holders a month, that is only a little over $100 bucks a month. That is still cheap advertising. And with the money you can make in a real estate deal, it is ‘no cost’ marketing strategy. You can get any of these promotional advertising products at many major promotion marketing manufacturer, and you can find companies online as well.

Business Cards

I order business cards by the 1000’s and you should as well, there are a lot of great places online that can print up nice (and cheap) cards for you and that specialize in real estate as well. As for business cards, well, they are cheap, mine are about $50.00 for 2000, and I pass them out and leave them everywhere I possibly can. I leave my cards everywhere, in pay phones, on restaurant tables, my kids even have their own supply to pass out. Try to get a box a week out. The card doesn’t have to be fancy, in fact the simpler the better. My card is bright yellow with blue letters and says:

WE BUY HOUSES Foreclosure? Need Repairs? Bad Tenants? Divorce? CASH IN 48 HOURS! OFFERS MADE ON ALL CALLS! XXX-XXX-XXXX

Car Magnetics

Magnetics are one of those things where you spend once and get use for a long time. Mine cost about $75.00 and are yellow with blue letters. They say:

WE BUY HOUSES! FA$T CA$H XXX-XXX-XXXX

or

SELL YOUR HOME FAST WE PAY CA$H XXX-XXX-XXXX

I have gotten several deals from these signs. Remember to order a smaller set for the back of your car/truck. People have more of a chance to read the message when they are riding behind you.

Clothing

I like golf shirts and oxford dress shirts with my logo on them. There’s plenty of adverting houses that will help you design a logo if you don’t have one or use the one you already have. There is no charge for set up and all items ordered include your embroidered logo free.

I pass custom imprinted hats out to everyone I know who wears one and have given away many shirts as well. They really look nice and present a nice image for your business.

Other Advertising Tools

There are many other shapes of advertising, some I have tested in the past such as billboards, door hangers, yellow pages, television and radio advertisement. I even have a traveling billboard, an old SUV painted bright yellow with blue WE BUY HOUSES! and my telephone number that I drive around and park overnight at dissimilar places. It brings the calls! Get the marketing going and let the world know who to call when they have a house to sell, a pre-foreclosure, distressed property or someone who just wants to get out of their house.. If that phone isn’t ringing, you aren’t making money so you need to get a good marketing strategy going and stick with it!

I sincerely hope these tips will help you in your next real estate marketing efforts and get you the real estate investing deals you’re after.

Find out how to invest in Foreclosure Properties check out: http://www.RealEstateInvestingInformationSource.com

I’m actually pleased to say that I missed on important forecast for 2010, and that is that I expected a sell-off in the stock market coinciding with the end of the Bush era tax rates. I forgive myself a little for this miss considering that Congress and the President did extend those rates which was the major caveat to begin with, but that’s just more indication of Washington becoming the power-center rather than Wall Street, and politics driving economic decisions more than economics. Hi, I’m Steve Beaman and welcome to the Financial Path!

2010 saw a boom in several investment areas from the paper assets of stocks, to the hard asset commodities, and in farmland. There was still yet to be seen a recovery in real estate prices, and unemployment remained historically high at 9.4%, and that’s the stated number. We all know that it’s really more like 17%, but who is counting?

2011 to me looks like we could see an acceleration of the economy which quite honestly might be a double edged sword. A stronger economy will force up interest rates which will increase the national debt, which will force up interest rates. You get the picture. If there is one thing to be concerned about in 2011, it’s the federal deficit. December numbers aren’t out yet, but Novembers monthly deficit came to a whopping $150,000,000,000 which by the way, is $30,000,000,000 more than the so called experts had predicted.

With respect to this issue, it will be interesting to see how the new Congress attacks it. It does seem like there’s increasing amounts of pressure being applied to Washington to deal with this, so perhaps something will take hold, like a complete re-writing of the U.S. tax code. Somehow I don’t expect it… With the president ideologically opposed to most of what the new Congress ostensibly stands for, my best guess for 2011 is we’ll see very little done in Washington which simply means, more of the same. More debt, more regulation, more talking.

Companies are flush with cash, and that bodes well for the producers. And this Christmas does look like the demand side is beginning to grow again. But I think we’ll not see real growth because American’s are still de-leveraging their balance sheets following the 2008 problem, and companies will be hesitant to make major capital commitments when they’re unsure of what consumers will do. Further, until Washington lays out a real plan to reduce the deficits, it’s going to be hard to make long term commitments.

I look for commodity prices to continue rising as the dollar continues to slip. Thus, gold and silver, and other metals should do well. Oil is today around $90 per barrel and I think we’ll see that rise as the economy does heat up a bit, and the dollar continues to have problems. Agriculture is still a strong area to be investing in as food is the ultimate basic material.

I would expect to see another round of “Quantitative Easing” because quite frankly, I just don’t think we can sell our debt and there’s really no other choice but to expand the money supply. Bear in mind, the banks are sitting on the excess reserves created by the Fed’s policies and they’re using those to buy government bonds, not to make new loans. Should the banks use those massive amounts of money to create new loans, we could see very high inflation as the money supply would expand rapidly. But in order to fund our deficits, we’re going to have to keep playing this game, hoping for some miracle. The fact is, our government must reduce expenditures, and raise revenues. Time is running out for our political leaders to avoid having the laws of economics kick in a cause real problems.

We presently recommend a 10% allocation to precious metals, and a 5% allocation to cash. I think it might be prudent to raise that to a 15% allocation to precious metals, keeping the 5% allocation to cash. For the 80% in the middle, volatility will continue to be a winnable theme.

Happy New Year and let’s hope it’s a prosperous one! I’m Steve Beaman and thanks for listening.

For the SBG Cast, Click here! http://tinyurl.com/24yeqhn

Steve Beaman is the Author of “Happiness & Prosperity in the 21st Century: The Five Paths To a Transformed Life”. He has authored over 100 articles relating to the Five Paths including articles on Financial Prosperity, Emotional Wellness, Physical Health, Intellectual fulfillment, and Spiritual Security. He enjoyed a highly successful career in Economics and Finance prior to establishing The Steve Beaman Group. The “SBG” is an organization dedicated to helping people on their journey of life.

Why is it that the real estate industry is so self-centered and resistant to change? In times like these, couldn’t you argue that this is the most critical time to embrace change? You can’t seriously expect that practices of old will work equally as well when the market tips. The value proposition changes. Values change. So why aren’t we changing with it? Time is money right? Lately, time has put many out of business.

Lets look at the big picture. Traditional brokerages are starting to lose market share nationally. Deals are falling through. There is more market stagnation, and property values are still declining significantly. There is more urgency to sell as a result of rising foreclosure rates, bankruptcies, less leveraging potential…and buyers are still holding back waiting for the market to continue to fall. According to the Urban Land Institute, there were 80% fewer real estate transaction in 2008 than there were in 2007! If you are a broker or agent…I wish you luck and bid you well. I also suggest you change your perspective.

Take a look at history. I find it interesting to see that auction marketing trends are becoming far more common. Real estate auctions have grown by 30% over the last 5 years in the U.S. The National Association of Realtors, and the National Auctioneering Association, both concur that 1 out of every 3 real estate transactions will be sold through an auction by 2010/2011. In comparison, 20% of all real estate transaction in this country are already being transferred via the auction method today.

We are already seeing the shift. Real estate auction marketing has historically become the method of choice during times of economic stress. Some of the most well established niche based auction companies grew most successful when times were tough. That is how many started out.

Wondering why you know very little about auction methodology? Maybe you know a lot, but If you’re from the West Coast…you wouldn’t. It is far more common in the Midwest and on the East Coast, but that is changing. The Auction Method of marketing is perhaps the oldest and fastest method of converting hard assets into cash. It has been adopted and used by all Federal, State and Local Courts and Governments as the acceptable methodology of hard asset conversion. Here are the top 5 reasons auctions are gaining so much popularity:

1. Auctions create a strong sense of urgency.  Why wait months for buyers to make up their minds? The seller sets the deadlines and forces the market to respond through a carefully planned and aggressive marketing campaign.

2. Auctions set the seller apart from other competitive sellers. There is no haggling or negotiating and everything is sold as-is, contingency free – reducing frustration.

3. Auctions create increased competition between & among buyers- why place yourself at the mercy of a single buyer who not only determines price: but may also demand unusual or stringent demands prior to actually closing the transaction?

4. Auction transactions are accelerated, intense campaigns, that often result in selling the property much faster than through traditional methods. The savings in carrying costs alone can make a big impact on the bottom line for a seller.

5. Auctions do away with a list price. Determining value today is tough. If an asset is under-priced, the asset may be sold quickly and there may be money left on the table. If it is priced too high, the result is time delays, loss of money to maintain, frustration by the seller and no offers of any type or size from potential buyers. When price reductions occur, it negatively motivates potential buyers to wait and see how low will they go. Meanwhile, nothing has happened to the asset except that it is stale on the market and potential buyers begin to think that something is wrong with it.

At the end of the day, the asset will be sold to the largest audience of ready, willing and able buyers. Auctions are arguably the best barometers for fair market value. If you are a property owner, bank or institution that needs to sell – you might be thinking it’s time to talk to your real estate broker about auctions. I am here to urge you to avoid doing this without speaking to a qualified auctioneer first. Your broker or agent is very likely unfamiliar with how an auction works and will be extremely under qualified to conduct one…so he or she will not support it. If you think about it, your broker would have suggested an auction as a potential solution if it were understood and familiar to your broker. The broker would also lose commission potential. Even still, if your broker hires an auctioneer – make sure your broker allows you to speak with the auctioneer freely. If you cannot, then your broker does not have your best interests at hand.

If you are a broker or an agent, I suggest you open yourselves to the opportunity of collaborating with an experienced auctioneer (please note that the word experienced is highlighted) to get your properties sold. You’re purpose is to sell property, not to just get the listing and have it sit for 6 months, a year or more as the properties drop in value. Focus on the Net and not the Gross – you’ll do better and save your client the pain of market stagnation and carrying costs. You are not a full service broker if you don’t offer the service, and I am willing to bet you are sitting on some listings that will likely expire or already have. Co-listing property with an auctioneer might just be your ticket to selling those stubborn properties that are unique or tough to value. It’s time to learn something new and evolve with the market.

Michael Stein, CEO, SageListings. http://www.sagelistings.com
Michael is a seasoned, consummate executive with over 10 years of experience in commercial real estate, business development, strategy and entrepreneurship. He is characterized by peers as an innovative and motivational leader with a vision of changing the way the world does business.

For the last 8 years, Michael was part of the strategic development and growth of two privately held commercial real estate firms, Randall Realty and Weidner Investment Services. There, he worked with value-added commercial real estate investors and played a crucial role in repositioning several multifamily developments into profitable and valuable community additions in Seattle, Sacramento and Portland markets. Michael’s experience includes the direction of over 4,750 multifamily units ($670+ million), and the deployment of several successfully endorsed company programs designed to train, retain and develop the best talent the market has to offer.

Most recently, Michael’s endeavors include building real world solutions that compliment business, our environment and its inhabitants. He co-developed a patent-pending automated valuation model (AVM) for commercial real estate, and is committed to making “Green Building” and “Green Conscious” thinking our new standard moving forward, investing his time and money towards these pursuits.

Michael also maintains involvement with the Real Estate Finance Investment Society, holds a bachelors degree in public relations from Washington State University, and carries a Washington State Real Estate license.

His other interests include playing with his two children, relaxing with a glass of wine, advising new and emerging companies and playing chess.