real estate map search
Real Estate Map Tool is the Key to “Amenity Marketing”
New York City is adding a new subway line. So what’s the big deal? Just ask the developers who are flocking to the area and building around it like crazy.
As everybody... Read More
It was geography, not people, who shaped history
Traditionally, the way we learn about history is through the characters involved.How real estate agents can fight zombies (foreclosures)
At my office, we can’t get through a Tuesday without a discussion about The Walking Dead.
In case you’ve lived in a cave for the past few years, The Walking Dead is a hit show on AMC about, well, zombies. (And the best way to actually fight them is with a real estate map based search... Read More
Can a dog help you sell a house?
Of course. Here’s why. (And there’s a real estate map-based search tool that is going to show you how.)
First of all, let’s look at the numbers. Sure, every real estate professional needs to be concerned about children when it comes to addressing the needs of home buyers.
School locations... Read More
One positive trend for 2015 increases the “sellability” of more properties
Experts say one of the big trends in real estate for 2015 would appear to have nothing to do with real estate. It’s about gas prices.
Real estate agents and brokers can take advantage of this monumental change with a map-based neighborhood search tool.
In a development that few Americans ever thought they would see, the price of gas is plummeting. At one time we all thought (and we’re told) that oil was a limited commodity. It was going to continue to go up in price. In desperation, the federal government kept raising the... Read More
Prediction for 2015 says there will be a pent-up surge of first-time home buyers
It’s 2015. Time for forecasts. One real estate writer predicts 2015 will be the year we see a big increase in the amount of first-time home buyers coming onto the market.
As a real estate agent, are you ready for this surge? Because this group is not... Read More
Change buyer’s remorse with a fact-based big data real estate map tool
For all the endless emphasis today on social media, there’s one old-fashioned form of social media that’s a top priority for real estate brokers and agents but now there’s a new way to make it successful.
That’s the word-of-mouth referral. A survey of 2,000 home buyers sheds new light on how important it... Read More
While these real estate agents hit the lottery, there’s another way to win in your marketplace
Real estate agents are finding a new way to make money. Big money. They are hitting the lottery.
What? Yep, it’s true. In just ONE real estate office in St. Louis, THREE agents won the lottery big time.
On Oct. 4, Jennifer Elam won $3.8 million. In May, 2013, Jamie Aldridge won $1 million... Read More
Use local real estate data to become big in a small micro-niche
The famous CEO of General Electric Jack Welch is credited with turning that company around and turning it into the international powerhouse that it is today.
Welch had a background as an engineer and possessed a great ability to take things apart and break them down into their basic elements.
While GE had splintered off in a million different directions, he basically made the decision that “we are not going to get into the market unless we can be No 1 or No. 2.”
You can apply the same principle to real estate. And you can use hyper-local data and... Read More
When it comes to investments, Real Estate is No. 1
After years of struggling with bad news, Gallup just conducted a poll which should be taped to the proverbial refrigerator of every real estate broker and agent.
In a survey conducted in April, Americans said they consider real estate to the be best place for them to invest their money.
It was followed by Gold,... Read More
According to a recent study, parks are perks more than ever
Sometimes it can be just difficult to sell a home.
But there is one old neighborhood amenity that has a new reason to be considered as a great marketing tool, according to a recent study in Britain.
What’s this marketing phenomena? Green spaces.
According to the results of a five year study, people who live near green spaces tend to have better mental health.
Simply put, green spaces are something you want to promote when showing properties and there is a tool, SpatialMatch, which enables you to show MLS listings on a map, alongside... Read More
What a difference a boundary makes – use tools to show them
“You need boundaries…even in our material creations, boundaries mark the most beautiful of places, between the ocean and the shore, between the mountains and the plains, where the canyon meets the river.” – Wm. Paul Young
Borders are important. Borders have impact. And borders are everywhere.
Home buyers would be smart to research the boundaries surrounding any property they may consider.
One tool real estate brokers and agents can use to assist their clients in this search is the geo-spatial neighborhood map tool... Read More
Realtors can use “big data” without a big risk
The world of technology and big data took a big leap backwards recently when a group of hackers stole millions of pieces of credit... Read More
Use hyper-local data to counteract the low-ball offer
In real estate, one thing that is as inevitable as people putting on their shoes in the morning is the arrival periodically of a buyer with a low-ball offer.
Here you got Mr. Thinks He’s A Tough Negotiator looking at homes with interest while tucked in the back of his mind is a conspiracy to come in with a... Read More
How to use a mouse to promote a property
Many seasoned real estate professionals will tell you they’ve seen it all.
But they probably never saw a marketing plan built around using a mouse as a promotion.
That’s exactly what the Tuscany Preserve project plans to do.
Of course, this is not any ordinary mouse. It’s Mickey Mouse.
Most mice are repellent. This particular rodent has incredible drawing power.
And what Tuscany Preserve developers are promoting is the fact that a new highway and rail line are going to be built near their property which will allow easy access to... Read More
Sometimes a condo doesn’t come with $50MM in amenities
When you look at the breath-taking photos of the Faena House Penthouse located in Miami Beach, you see how the property could virtually sell itself.
It’s a 18,253 sq. foot, two-story modern-day palace with a 70- foot infinity pool.
As for location, the penthouse offers panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian... Read More
Data can bring home buyers back to reality
When it comes to reality real estate shows such as Million Dollar Listing New York you wonder how much reality is actually involved.Does your real estate website answer these consumer questions?
When creating or modifying a real estate website, one approach to take is for agents and brokers to get out of... Read More
Use landmark marketing to add spice to any property
Get the right perspective on leads to generate more leads
The term “lead” seems to have developed a negative connotation over the years.
No consumer wants to be labeled as somebody’s “lead.”
And the thought of generating leads for some real estate agents and brokers may seem to be detestable or unprofessional.
Nothing could be further from... Read More
A very popular word is the word “fitness.” Use it in real estate.
One of the most popular words in the English language has got to be the word “fitness.”
Look at any magazine rack. The word fitness or words related to fitness cover every cover.
“Top 10 Ways To Lose 10 Pounds”
“Cut Inches Off Your Tummy With This Simple Trick”
People eat this stuff up. (Too bad they eat up other stuff as well).
Why not market a property the same way? And with the right neighborhood map search tool designed specifically for real estate agents and brokers,... Read More
Millennials have a whole new mindset when it comes to real estate
Funny how things change. One generation dressed in “mod” clothing you might see the Beatles wearing.
The next group wore nothing but sharp disco duds like John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever.”
And then there was the group that went the other way and to them, “grunge” became the... Read More
Here’s what brokers need to focus on first instead of flying drones
Drones. Drones. Drones.
Everybody seems to be “droning” on about the use of drones in real estate.
Do you know what the word “drone” really means? To speak in a monotonous tone.
And all this talk about drones is certainly meeting that definition.
One blogger suggested the use of drones in real estate would be one of the top 10 trends in 2014.
Fair enough.
But he also said the No. 1 trend that people really need to pay attention to is the ability of a broker or agent to use “Big... Read More
The Big Three gain ground but so can any agent with the right tools
“Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” – Leroy “Satchel” Paige
Fight type fatigue with easy-to-create maps
Can you imagine the number of words typed every day in America?How to dig deeper into what home buyers want subconsciously
How to be a virtual tour guide to attract customers
You see them every time you go to an attraction or city.
Notices and ads urging visitors to view the town with an experienced tour guide. Ride on a double-decker bus/duck boat/horse-drawn carriage/whatever.
Those guides will show you everything from where the stars live/to where the disasters happened/to where ghosts hang out.
Doesn’t matter. Basically their business model is that they know pieces of local information people don’t know and are willing to pay to learn.
Essentially, isn’t a professional real estate agent or broker a neighborhood... Read More
How a Realtor can help a family grow a child’s talent
There’s a new Olympics commercial from Procter & Gamble that is bound to prompt nearly all of America to tear up and reach for the tissue box.The plus and minuses of great locations
When it comes to preferred locations – waterfront, golf courses, rural areas, wooded backyards, there are many positives that home buyers and seller prefer.
But perhaps you have a home buyer who cannot afford a home on a river or looking over the 18th hole or adjacent to an enormous woodlands.
There’s a way to put a positive spin on any location.
And it helps to have the ultimate location tool embedded on a real estate website – the map-based neighborhood search widget SpatialMatch.
Here’s what a savvy agent or broker can do with... Read More
The glory of alternative traffic routes
This was the situation this past holiday season. You still had to buy gifts for family and friends.
So you think, well, I’ll just hop in the car and stop by the mall to pick up a few things after I drop off my dry-cleaning and wash the car.
Thirty minutes later, as you are inching towards the intersection,... Read More
What are you doing to upgrade your real estate site in 2014?
How often has this happened? You do your research and you buy what you believe is the best smartphone/tablet/laptop on the market.
After you have the device at home for a few days, you notice a headline on a news site “Introducing the BEST new smartphone/tablet/laptop on the... Read More
Overcome neighborhood eyesores with a tool to point out all the positives
If you look hard enough, every neighborhood has it flaws.
Stores go out of business. Buildings get abandoned. Lawns and yards get messy.
There’s always something.
And there’s always the Murphy’s Law probability that when your home buyers tour the neighborhood, they will come across those flaws.
They might love the home. They might have the financing. They might be ready to buy.
But it’s inevitable they will stumble upon one or more negatives that could sour the deal.
That’s where a map-based neighborhood search data... Read More
Walking is free and easy benefit to home buyers
Put this on your trends-to-watch list.
They say sitting is the new smoking.
In this age of incredible technology,... Read More
Certain neighborhoods have an allure – get the real estate tools that can help buyers get in these neighborhoods
Find allies in your neighborhood to help farm an area
So you have made a resolution to carve out a geographic chunk of your local marketplace.
You have made a commitment to dominate a neighborhood to sell and list homes.
You are going to do what it takes to geographically farm this area come heck or high... Read More
How to use new tools to sell old homes
One day the phone rings and your marketing efforts pay off. An older couple is interested in possibly listing their home with you.
Even if they are older, they probably still found you through your website, where hopefully you displayed your SpatialMatch real estate neighborhood search tool complete with MLS listings... Read More
Women are from Venus but men like golf courses
There’s a real estate reality show on TV called “Love It or... Read More
Maps are important in battle and business
How critical are maps?Get the right tools to attract real estate investors
Sell the lifestyle with the right lifestyle search tools
What’s the “sizzle” when it comes to selling homes?
There’s a phrase that gets tossed around quite a bit in real estate circles.
It’s “Sell the lifestyle first.”
When approaching today’s home buyers, that phrase has a great amount of validity.
People today want more than just four walls, a sink and a shower.
They want a lifestyle.
Now, if you are representing a seller who lives on a cliff overlooking the ocean, or a marina, or abuts a gigantic national forest, selling that particular lifestyle is not... Read More
Protecting the environment appeals to multi-generations of home buyers
Gen Y and Gen Gray.
It might be hard to believe that Boomers and Gen Yers have much in common.
Gen Yers might like Classic Rock, but you won’t find many Boomers tuning in to Rap.
Or Vampires. Or Zombies. Conversely, you probably won’t the... Read More
Shopping, just like education, is a big factor for home buyers
“We’re doing it for the children.”
That phrase has almost become a cliche. And it’s a cliche you can’t argue against. Come on, who doesn’t care about kids?
And as a real estate professional, when it comes to kids, it’s all about schools.
Where they are located. How they rank. The student/teacher ratios.
But, here’s a hint, don’t put all your eggs in the school basket.
Because in a recent survey by the National Association of Realtors, there was... Read More
With abundant data, we’re able to create very interesting maps
With the advances in “big data” technology and the ability to crunch incredible amounts of information, all of a sudden an ancient technology is hot again.What’s the value of a house in terms of the real estate around it?
In addition to home staging, try location staging
As you know, the process of selling a home now involves a bit of theater.
We’re not talking about real estate agents learning how to deliver a soliloquy about a 3/2 ranch like Sir Lawrence Olivier reciting Macbeth.
We’re talking about home... Read More
How to illustrate the importance of resales to first-time buyers
Newly-marrieds Todd and Mindy are just smitten with each other and cannot wait to buy a home, install a jacuzzi and host backyard barbecues for their friends.
What Todd and Mindy probably don’t know is how to actually pick a place where their home will be... Read More
Use website to appeal to human need for curiosity
“The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind is curiosity.” – Edmund Burke
“Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.” – Samuel Johnson
“Curiosity is one of the great secrets of happiness.” – Bryan H. McGill
We could go on and on with great quotes of curiosity, but that’s probably not necessary.
Because most people, especially real estate... Read More
How to attract the out-of-town buyer
It had to happen. Americans send a ton of money to China for its products and now it’s starting to come back. Chinese citizens are buying a bunch of properties in the US, many times with cash.
That’s cool, very cool. For one thing, money is... Read More
Big data is here, why don’t you have it on your website?
Yea, the weathermen and women certainly get a lot of abuse.
They predict sunshine. You head out to the beach. Sit down on your towel. And it starts raining.
They predict rain. You don’t make plans for the weekend. And you sit on your couch all day looking out at the sunshine.
It’s almost comical sometimes. And certainly the subject of many comedic routines.
But when it comes to hurricanes, the humor goes away.
In the past two decades hurricanes have wreaked nuclear-bomb type havoc on cities from Homestead, Fla. to New Orleand, La. to NYC, NY... Read More
You can become the rock star of real estate data in your town
You may have noticed lately there have been quite a few articles about a person named Nate Silver who recently joined ESPN.
No Silver is not a baseball player. Or a football player. Or a play-by-play announcer.
He’s a statistician.
A... Read More
Geography, not people, shaped history
Traditionally, the way we learn about history is through the characters involved.
Genghis Khan, George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Patton, etc.
But one writer, Sir Barry Cunliffe, argues that it wasn’t characters that shaped history, it was geography.
Geography was incredibly... Read More
How well does your website sell homes for you?
There was an hilarious moment on Million Dollar Listing New York the other day that illustrates how sometimes a computer can do a better job of selling a property than an agent.
And it illustrates how important it is that you optimize your website so you can sell properties by computer.
One tool you can add to your website immediately is the SpatialMatch IDX and Lifestyle map-based real estate search tool.
But first, back to the show. One of the young guns is this episode, Ryan Serhant, is attempting to sell a... Read More
How equipped are you to show the importance of location?
In a recent article on Realtor.com for buyers that reads “6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before you Start Looking,” there is one factor they emphasize – location.
As a real estate professional you know this. But how equipped are you to... Read More
How to sell a house by showing what it’s NOT located next to…
Okay, we all know the importance of location, location, location. But that mantra is always used in the context of positive amenities – a great school, a park, a grocery store, mall, etc.
A mediocre home can actually increase in value if the homebuyer can see how far the property is located from areas they might want to avoid.
And you can use a map-based real estate search tool such as SpatialMatch to point these out. With SpatialMatch, an IDX is integrated into a geo-spatial platform, any property in MLS can be viewed right alongside a map showing its... Read More
Enhance the excitement when you land a new listing
Know your neighbor’s shopping habits
Let’s face it, shopping is a big deal with Americans. It’s like eating. Or entertainment. It’s a crucial part of our everyday lives. Sometimes it can be fun and sometimes in can be a chore.How important is mapping technology? Just ask Waze
Sometimes you see one of the big tech heavyweights like Yahoo, Facebook or Microsoft snatch up a... Read More
Location is everything to this aboriginal tribe
It’s amazing how in this modern age we tend to take location for granted.
But if you were... Read More
How to add punch to a dull classified ad
Mother Nature will help you sell more homes
When it comes to working in the real estate business, many agents and brokers might not realize they have a great ally by their side who can help them add extra appeal to any property.
And with the powerful map-based real estate search tool SpatialMatch, you can promote... Read More
When it comes to real estate, for an edge think spatially
If you ask many real estate... Read More
Create your own Top Ten list to attract buyers and sellers
Imagine having the assignment of writing David Letterman’s Top Ten List EVERY DAY?It’s a seller’s market and here’s a tool to land more sellers
There are few sweeter words in real estate than the words “seller’s market.”
Sure, a seller’s market has its drawbacks. But one factor, people are buying, makes up for lots of drawbacks.
A seller’s market presents a challenge for brokers and agents and that’s another reason why you should consider adding the SpatialMatch real estate map search technology to your website.
First consider the numbers involved. You’ve got a lot of buyers who are willing to spend money, but you don’t necessarily have a lot of sellers. So... Read More
“One” thing can make a big difference all year
There’s a new book that is making the rounds and is apparently striking a chord with real estate agents.
It’s called “The One Thing” and written by Gary Keller with co-author Jay Papasan. The subtitle – “The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary... Read More
With SpatialMatch search, you can compete with “10 Best Neighborhoods” in the country
Realtors in some cities must be salivating over a recent article in USA Today about “10 Best Neighborhoods That Tourists Haven’t Found Yet.”
Imagine being an agent with listings near Austin’s East Side or Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill or Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village.
Show a buyer the article and the homes... Read More
If Superman can reinvent himself, so can you
Believe it or not, get ready for the hype. There is another Superman movie coming out in... Read More
Some homes need a boost from the surrounding neighborhood
Buyers are back. Bargains are out there. That’s the good news.
But there’s one ugly variable that could make life difficult for real estate agents and brokers.
The condition of those hot homes for sale.
That’s where using a tool like the SpatialMatch real estate map search can come in real... Read More
Control your own destiny with your own website
In the Internet world, it’s a simple but brutal fact.
In real estate, every link and every click is extremely valuable. Precious. A path to leads. Sales. But only if you control the click-path.
So why are so many agents still directing links and clicks to their company website, or “their page” on the company website, or even worse, a competitor destination portal like Zillow?
There are so many incredible tools available for an agent to own their own site, including the WordPress for real... Read More
The power of social proof
You have to snicker at those TV commercials where they have good-looking people rant and rave about how much they love the product.
Then at the bottom in barely readable type it says: “paid endorser.”
Ahh, the power of euphemisms. Paid endorser means actor.
An actor is someone paid to pretend to... Read More
How to become a “helping professional” agent to overcome negative impressions
It’s horrendous what one TV news clip can do to an industry.
We’re talking about the recent ABC News story on real estate professionals that was beyond over-the-top when it came to defaming real estate brokers and agents.
As one blogger said, the National Association of Realtor needs to do some... Read More
Start a conversation that gets things moving
If you were to do a survey, you would certainly find that many blogs from real estate agents all seem to start from the same place.
That’s fine. That’s what blogs are about – local market conditions, new offerings, sales just closed.
But we’ve seen a few blogs that wander from the norm, yet they all seem to generate quite a few responses.
Responses and comments on your blog are great. It shows you hit a hot spot with readers. But more importantly, it starts the process of engaging with your readers.
And who knows, that engagement could go... Read More
Real estate buyer sums it all up in one sentence
I read an interesting blog the other day from an agent who said he landed one new client because she told him: “I could have called the other company but you provided better information.”
This is a truism we have emphasized since we first started writing a blog about the FREE SpatialMatch map-based neighborhood and lifestyle search engine for real estate professionals.
Heck, this is why SpatialMatch was created.
“You provided better information.”
If you sit back and think about it, there’s quite a... Read More
Use SpatialMatch neighborhood search tool to overcome buyers’ remorse
While there are a barrage of articles and blogs flying around the web every day about real estate, it’s rare you see one which mentions one of the core actions taking place around every transaction.
A person has to make a decision to buy a house.
That’s a huge decision. As we know, the biggest ... Read More
Home buyers can automatically stay informed of real estate marketplace changes with SpatialMatch new Alert feature
I don’t know about others, but I had an experience once where a real estate agent just kept bombarding me with home listings.
Hundreds and hundreds of new listings. It was overwhelming. Took me forever to wade through all the info. In fact, it turned me off to the whole process and I never bought a house in that area.
SpatialMatch introduces a new feature that prevents losing customers by overloading.
This home Alerts feature makes it easier for buyers to follow the market for particular homes they want and easy for Realtors to... Read More
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