“Get in the Green Zone!” will explore the four “zones” for success in today’s market including:
1. The Mind Zone – Discover how to change your “dialogue” to a positive wavelength
2. The Time Zone – Identify the top ten high yield activities for real estate agents
3. The Contact Zone – How the best agents prospect; where to invest your time and money
4. The Future Zone – Uncover the seven “big moves” agents are making today
5. Learn specific approaches and activities that separate the busy, successful real estate agents in today’s market from everyone else.

Thursday, September 22, 2011  |  12 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. – Lunch and Partner Fair
• 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Workshop Presentation

Holiday Inn Resort Wrightsville, 1706 North Lumina Avenue Wrightsville, NC 28480

• Business casual attire
• Complimentary on-site parking

How to Register

Register online by Wednesday, September 21st at www.JDTERRY.COM

Click “Free Events” then “Register Now” for Real Estate Professionals”
Questions? Call Connie at (910) 509-6561

*Click Here for PDF Flyer

August 2011 | By David Friedman

Search engines are the single biggest source of traffic for most Web sites. Search engine optimization, or SEO, can be simply defined as the process of getting found on search engine sites like Google, Bing, and Yahoo! On the technical level, SEO considers how these sites work, what people search for, the actual terms typed into a search bar, and which searches are preferred by your targeted audience.

Why Is It Important?

Well, here are the facts: According to NAR’s 2010 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 89 percent of home buyers searched the Internet frequently for a home in 2010. And the share of home buyers who found their home on the Web jumped from 8 percent in 2001 to 37 percent in 2010. Not surprisingly, that percentage continues to grow.

The next logical question is, “What exactly does SEO get me?” In a word, leads. And not just any leads, but qualified leads. These are the buyers and renters searching for certain types of properties in specific markets — and when they perform online searches, you want to be found at the top of the results on the first page.

Consider the following analogy: For most marketing media, consistent investment will get you consistent, flat returns. This is much like renting a home. You pay a fixed rent, and in return you get a place to live. But when you invest in SEO, you’re constantly building on your earlier investments. This is like buying a home instead of renting. Your dollars build equity. A well-implemented SEO campaign sees improving results as time goes on — your Web site traffic and lead count goes up and up!

1. Let’s Talk Strategy

One of the most common mistakes that SEO novices make is to assume that everyone types the same keywords into Google. That’s just not true! In fact, well-optimized Web sites see visitors who type in tens of thousands of different keywords.

You’ll never be able to cover every term that consumers search for, but that’s OK, because you don’t have to. A properly optimized site will rank in the results for tens of thousands of terms. If you have one of these sites, you’ll be found by people who search on all sorts of keywords, not just the ones you can think of.

Still, your site should be focused on the markets you serve and the kinds of buyers and sellers you want to work with. We always tell real estate pros to focus, focus, focus! If you work in Los Angeles, for example, there are literally thousands of other practitioners trying to rank on the first page of Google’s search results for a term like “L.A. homes.” Why set yourself up for all that competition? Pick a few smaller towns and neighborhoods you know. Focus your efforts. Then, you’ll start seeing the leads come in for buyers and sellers who want to own or sell in the markets that you know best.

2. Having the Right Technology Matters

I can’t tell you how often we find that the technology behind real estate professionals’ sites won’t help them rank high in search engines. In fact, it’s often making things worse.

You have to have updated technology and you need to make sure the company you work with can perform. When you’re shopping for a Web site platform, avoid the common pitfalls by first asking for numbers. Have the site provider send you reports from other sites built on their software — specifically, ask to look at traffic and inbound leads.

Next, make sure your site includes a blog. The blog should be a part of your site. Your blog should not be hosted on blog.yoursite.com or part of some other Web site altogether like myblog.blogger.com. It should be an integrated blog (e.g., www.yoursite.com/blog).

Finally, on the front end, the navigation of your site should be made up of HTML text links, not images. On the back end, you should be able to add and edit unique content on the main pages of your site.

These are just a few of the things you need. If your current provider doesn’t offer all of the features above, it’s time to start looking for a new one.

3. Optimize Your Content

With a strategy set and the right technology, it’s time to create some content. Great content not only engages users but also attracts links (i.e. inbound links), comments, referrals, and search engine traffic. When content you create is optimized, it will be picked up by search engines and help people find your site.

I recommend adding new, unique content to your site at least twice each week — keep in mind there is a direct correlation between the frequency with which you post content to how successful that content is in attracting leads.

A great strategy and a great Web site platform will never be found if it doesn’t include  quality content which is  updated regularly. Blogging is a great way to publish content, and it’s smart to syndicate your posts to sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Last Word

Getting to the top of  search engine results isn’t a one-and-done deal, unfortunately. Google uses ever-changing mathematical algorithms to determine where your Web site ranks in results, and it would be practically impossible to keep up with all the calculations, particularly when you have a business to run.

Still, there are some key techniques you can implement to get your site noticed, no matter how Google changes the inner workings of its search engine. With some commitment and the right foundation, new clients will find you!

You have your Google profile, right? Well now it’s time to start using Google +1. Haven’t heard of it? Think of it as the Facebook “like” button for the Internet. Watch this tutorial video to see how Google +1 works and consider adding the function to your website and/or blog to vamp up your SEO.

The Answer: It depends!

Performing a Broker Price Opinion (BPO) is subject to both the law and the Code of Ethics. The NC Real Estate Commission states:

Commission has noted an increasing number of reports of brokers providing, for a fee, a “broker price opinion” (BPO) for a party who is not a client or potential client of the broker. 
The downturn in the real estate market has apparently resulted in more demand for informal estimates of the most probable sale/purchase prices for properties that are less expensive than a full appraisal. 

Brokers may be requested by lenders, loan servicers, potential investors or others to provide this service for a fee, or brokers may simply be seeking alternative sources of income in a slow market.

Brokers should remember that the North Carolina Appraiser Act requires any analysis, opinion or conclusion as to the value of real estate performed for compensation to be performed by a licensed or certified appraiser. 

However, the statute does provide a limited exception to this requirement that permits real estate brokers to perform a “comparative market analysis” for compensation ONLY for prospective or actual brokerage clients or for real property involved in an employee relocation program. 

A “comparative market analysis” (CMA) is defined as “the analysis of sales of similar recently sold properties in order to derive an indication of the probable sales price of a particular property by a licensed real estate broker.”

A “broker price opinion” (BPO) that is based on recent sales of comparable properties is, therefore, a CMA, and may be performed for a fee only as noted above.

The Real Estate Commission considers the performance by a broker of a BPO for compensation in violation of the Appraiser Act to also constitute a violation of the Real Estate License Law.

Practice Tip
When performing a comparative market analysis or broker price opinion for a client or potential client, be sure to:
     • Document your relationship with the client or prospective client.
     • Document the recent sales of comparable properties upon which you base your analysis.
     • Identify the results of your analysis as a “probable sales price” only and not as the
     “market value” or an “appraisal”.

If you decide to pursue a Competitive Market Analysis for a fee, please remember your ethical obligation under Article 1, as interpreted by, Standard of Practice 11-1:
When REALTORS® prepare opinions of real property value or price, other than in pursuit of a listing or to assist a potential purchaser in formulating a purchase offer, such opinions shall include the following unless the party requesting the opinion requires a specific type of report or different data set:
     1) identification of the subject property
     2) date prepared
     3) defined value or price
     4) limiting conditions, including statements of purpose(s) and intended user(s)
     5) any present or contemplated interest, including the possibility of representing the
     seller/landlord or buyers/ tenants
     6) basis for the opinion, including applicable market data
     7) if the opinion is not an appraisal, a statement to that effect (Amended 1/10)

Date: Friday, October 8th
Location: Holiday Inn Resort at Wrightsville Beach
Cost: $20 for Members / $60 for Non-Members
Instructor: George Bell

Register for Session #1 – 8AM to 12PM
Register for Session #2 – 1PM to 5PM

*Each session is limited to only 250 people per session, so grab your seat today!

Summary of Key Points>

Video FAQs
For Real Estate Agents and Brokers
For Property Managers

Past Webinars
For Real Estate Agents and Brokers
Webinar Recording Slides (PDF: 377K)

For Property Managers
Webinar Recording Slides (PDF: 377K)

Additional Resources
NAR Field Guide to Lead-Based Paint
NAR Lead-Based Paint Issue Summary
About Lead-Based Paint (HUD)
Lead Awareness Program (EPA)
National Center for Healthy Housing

Get the education and credentials you need to serve the fastest growing pool of homebuyers through the North Carolina Workforce Housing Specialist (WHS) Certification program. It’s a great low-cost education program that will pay you back in new business! To learn more and sign-up for courses in Wilmington, please go to: http://www.wrar.com/workforcehousing