Summit Realty

Company offers real estate agent directory app on Facebook

Consumers can search for agents by location and expertise

By Inman News

N-Play, a company that offers a suite of real estate-related applications on Facebook, has rolled out a real estate agent directory app, the company announced last week. The free app allows consumers on Facebook to search for agents by location and expertise who have added their profiles to the directory.

Consumers can see a snapshot of an agent’s background or connect to an agent’s Facebook page, where they can contact the agent directly. Agents can add their directory profile as a tab to their Facebook business page, and consumers can also share an agent’s profile with others.

Real estate associations and multiple listing services can add the app to their own business pages to promote their members, the company said.

Tags: Facebook, real estate agent, real estate marketing, Smart Phones for Real Estate, Tablet for Real Estate

9 rules of real estate

Current statistics show that 82.5 percent of all Web users view video online. Furthermore, 30 percent of all current Web traffic is devoted to video. That number may be as high as 70 percent by 2020.

Habitat for Hermanity‘s Herman Chan, a real estate celebrity and expert, did a dynamite session at Real Estate Connect San Francisco on how and why REALTORS® should be using video as an integral part of their business.

Today’s buyers and sellers place a premium on video. While only 12 percent of all agents have a YouTube account, 73 percent of the sellers are more likely to hire an agent who uses video in their business.

Herman’s three lame excuses not to do video

1. Too much work
“Video is too much work? You must be kidding! All you have to do is point, click and upload.” The newer video cameras such as the Kodak Playtouch upload your video automatically. In fact, if you have a smartphone or an iPad you probably already have a camera built into your mobile device.

2. It’s too expensive
In the past, shooting video was expensive. Once you shot the raw footage, you needed a professional to edit the video. Today, it’s easy to shoot short videos from your iPhone or other mobile device. Furthermore, most people have no issue with amateur videos as long as the sound quality is good. (Please note: It’s smart to hire a videographer to shoot the your main marketing pieces for your listings, especially on expensive listings.)

If you want to edit the videos, tools such as iMovie on the Mac make it easy. There are a host of tools for Windows users as well, including Windows Live Movie Maker and PC Magazine’s top recommendation, CyberLinkPowerDirector9.

3. I’m ugly
As Herman said, “Not everyone is as good looking or interesting as I am.” His recommendation was a smart one: Turn the camera the other way. Interview your favorite stager or seek video testimonials from past customers. Seek out local business owners who have interesting stories or who are fun on camera. Your goal is to engage your viewers with what is great about living in your area and, in the process, constantly upgrade your website and/or blog with fresh content.

Herman’s top video tips

1. No more than 2-3 minutes
Research shows that the longer your video is, the less likely YouTube viewers are to view it. While Herman recommended no more than two to three minutes for the length of your video, other experts suggest keeping it to 60-90 seconds.

2. Grab their attention in the first 15 seconds
If you want to have people watch your video, you must grab their interest in the first 15 seconds or they’re gone. Make a controversial statement, ask a thought-provoking question, or entertain them with something funny.

3. Use “ESP” — energy, smile and personality
If you’re going to shoot a video, you must have high energy. Smile and let your personality shine through. As Herman put it, “Don’t be a plain Jane — be a jolly Jane or Jack!” People don’t want to look at someone who is a sourpuss.

4. Sell-sell-sell — not!
Your video should inform and entertain. Dump the selling or the viewers will dump you and your video.

5. Don’t be a tour guide
Remember that your job is selling real estate, not being a tour guide who says, “This is the bedroom, this is the kitchen, this is the dining room.” That’s boring. If you’re shooting a video of the property, focus on what is interesting and unique.

Interview the seller about what he or she loved about living in the house or the neighborhood. Search for colorful facts about the local area that provide a rich mosaic of what it is like to live there.

6. Have a strong point of view
It’s not only acceptable to have an opinion, it’s critical. While not everyone may agree with your opinion, those who support your point of view will love you for it.

7. Take baby steps
Everyone starts a new process as a beginner. Chances are you already know how to point and click your camera in the right direction. Begin by uploading your unedited videos on the Web. As you become more proficient, try editing or playing with upgrading your videos. When you take it step by step, the process is much easier.

8. Look somewhat presentable
Remember that once a video is posted online, it’s there permanently. Make sure that the image you convey is appropriate for the client base you serve. A good guideline is to dress as your clients dress when they are at work.

9. Syndicate your videos
Two great syndication services are Hey!Spread and TubeMogul.com. Hey!Spread syndicates to nine different video portals, including YouTube, Facebook and BlipTV.com, while TubeMogul syndicates to more than 25 different video portals. The basic levels of both syndication services are free.

If you want to get the edge on your competitors, don’t wait — point and click your camera, upload, and watch your business grow.

Tags: Facebook, future of real estate, real estate marketing, real estate videos, YouTube

Facebook

Welcome to a world of conversations and relationships at Summit Realty Group, Inc. Facebook is not an evil time-waster, a community just for college students, or something scary or irrelevant for marketers – even you B2B folks. Facebook is a tool (a social utility, as they would say) for Real Estate Agents connecting people with those around them. And, as with any social media tool, marketers have an opportunity to use Facebook to expand their online footprint and engage with customers directly.

Tags: Facebook, Inc., Summ, Summit Realty Group

How To Attract Homebuyers on Social Networking Websites

Helping to build a brand for the real estate agents at Summit Realty Group is one of my favorite aspects of my job (Strategic Social Networking Specialist for Summit Realty Group). As a part of helping brokers, I teach them how to attract homebuyers via Facebook, Twitter and other social networking websites. Here are some strategies and a couple of tools that I use to help our franchise owners attract more business online:

Add a survey to your website or blog.

This tool keeps potential homebuyers thinking, engaged, and actively doing something on your site rather than just browsing through your listings. WuFoo has a great free tool that is as easy as posting a quick snippet of code onto your blog or website to build and manage an online survey.

Add a poll to your Twitter page. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Facebook, homebuyers, Summit Realty Group, tweeting, Twitter, YouTube