1. TagCrush just posted some numbers in their article Does Social media work for Real estate? The bottom line is you want to “Be where your buyers are, spend time on your social media pages and post at least once per week to keep your audience engaged.” If you use social media you also may want to check out their Most used hashtags used for Real Estate. Good luck, but remember a quick phone call or face-to-face meeting trumps social media any day of the week.
2. MISSTEPS
“On the surface, real estate investing seems so easy. Passive income, property appreciation, tax benefits and more. What’s not to like? But the reality of life as a landlord isn’t so rosy. It’s hard work. It takes time, research and careful study to understand the business. It’s far easier to lose money on rental property than to make money.” Here are Entrepreneur’s 5 Real Estate Mistakes That Could Make You Lose Money. The most important takeaway here is to learn as much as you can about real estate investing prior to taking the plunge…and as always find a great agent to help guide you in your journey.
3. PAY ATTENTION
When Should I Buy My First Rental Property? Mike Hambright is a real estate investor, mentor, and coach who recommends “While investing in real estate can be an extremely lucrative path, don’t rush into buying rental properties. Build up your confidence and experience in real estate investing by starting out in wholesaling, and when the time comes, you’ll be ready for your first rental property.” You may want to take a look at the Forbes article if you or someone you know is thinking about investing in real estate.
4. STAR ADVICE
Ryan Serhant wrote an article for Forbes where he suggests five ways on How To Find The Real Estate Broker For You. We all have different methods to find an agent; ask our best friend, head to open houses, and some folks even met their agent in ways we can’t even imagine, right? That said, Ryan says ” I’ve learned that there are a few key qualities in a broker that can make the difference between having a super high-stress experience and smooth sale.” I think Ryan brings up some great points in his article. If you need a bit more assistance finding one of these top agents, I’m here for you!
5. SHED THE PARKA
Unlike Seattle, Kitsap’s winter real estate stayed going strong, reports the Seattle PI. “Buyers hopped back into the market and kicked off-peak real estate season in earnest around Seattle, with more choices and less competition. But there are some areas that reported strong activity no matter what happened. Kitsap and the South Sound, for instance, reported heavy traffic at open houses and pending sales out-gaining new listings.”Is higher buyer traffic in Kitsap County due to more affordable housing prices than King County?
6. HOT OR NOT
The Hottest Real Estate Markets in America for March 2019: Oh, Ohio?! Yes, that’s right “Several markets in Ohio, which are some of the county’s most affordable, are attracting lots of buyer interest, claiming three of the top 20 spots in our monthly ranking of the country’s hottest metros for real estate.” See what other markets made the cut in this Realtor.com article.
7. RUINED HAMLET ANYONE?
The NYT reports there is “A hamlet of four large houses for sale in Galicia, in northwestern Spain. A researcher at the University of Oviedo estimates there are nearly 2,000 empty villages in the region.” To learn more about what life on the farm may look like, read: Looking for a Place in the Sun? How About an Abandoned Spanish Village.
8. COUNTING INTUITIVE
Apartment Therapy just came up with One Thing That Agents Wish They Could Tell Their Buyers. “Agents have to stay pretty neutral with their buyers—there are legal protections governing some of what agents can and cannot say in order to ensure buyers are making their own decisions.” The author actually reached out to five agents who submitted “One Thing” so there are actually a total of five things agents wish they can tell their buyers. They are all pretty basic but good reminders for all buyers.
9. WIPE OUT
“First-time homebuyers needed 23% of their income to afford an entry-level home in the second quarter of 2018, an increase of 2 percentage points from the previous year, according to The Real Deal. Last May, the median price of previously owned homes was $264,800, the most expensive it’d been in a decade.” That’s why Business Insider believes many Millennials are making 3 key decisions that are wiping out the starter home — and it’s changing what homeownership in America looks like. What do you think?
10. KNOW, LIKE, AND TRUST
“Buying or selling a home seems like it should be fairly intuitive. A buyer and a seller agree on a price and voila – a deal is made. But of course, as any homebuyer or seller will tell you it’s much more complicated than that.” U.S. News & World Report tells us Why You Should Take Your Real Estate Agent’s Advice. You most likely listen to the advice of your accountant, financial advisor or attorney, so why wouldn’t you listen to the advice of a trusted an agent you’ve put your faith in?
