Comparative Market Analysis - A Video Blog!

Not everyone likes to read.  I guess that is evidenced by the popularity of so many video channels.  Okay for this post I am doing a Video Blog.  I've tried video blogs before.  This time around I'm going to stick with it until I get pretty good at it.

 

Comparative Market Analysis can be done to help assist buyers and sellers!

Let me know if I can be of any assistance with your real estate goals.  I love listings!  I love get buyers to closing.  Call me direct at (757) 717-9929.

Lynne Ruffin

REALTOR

Century 21 Nachman Realty

Norfolk Office

Evening and Weekend Appointments Welcome!

757.717.9929

Email:  Lynne@LynneRuffin.com or LynneRuffin@Gmail.com

"It's a great day to buy or sell a home!"

Doing What Motivates Me

One of the things that I enjoy about business is the creativity it allows.  With a background which includes programming I learned early on I really like doing it.  My biggest high comes from resolving issues by troubleshooting complex systems successfully.

On a smaller scale I like to troubleshoot what works and doesn't work on my website.  I have posted in the past about how well my website does.  Since my actual sales have been non-existent I have been focusing on my marketing.  Inexplicably my stats at the level I am enjoying now used to bring me about 7 to 10 real estate closings a month.  It seemed to be basically all about a numbers game.

Even though the stats as far as numbers are there but the money as far as numbers isn't I am constantly trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong.  I know a lot of people say a watched kettle never boils.  I don't believe it.  When I was having a nice number of closings previously it just mean I stayed up overnight to watch my kettle.  With some things I am very meticulous.  Some things I just don't feel need to be left to chance.

I love computers.  I love working on my websites.  I can be working on my website for hours before I really realize how much time I've put in.  You know as a single woman I have the luxury of being up for hours just on the computer.

Normally when I get off from my day job I go and work on my real estate website at the real estate office.  I'm really trying to get my self-branding out there for when the weather warms up.  The market seems to be on a rebound.  I am getting more inquiries to my website than ever before.  Now that motivates me.  It gives me the challenge to look at what is getting my audience there.  Can I draw a niche from it and keep them coming back.  I'm excited because my stats are better than ever.  I'm hoping all things will become equal and I make more money than ever from sales.

I was checking my stats today and I remember when I was excited when I just had a ranking like at 16 million.  Now I'm elated because my Global Ranking on Alexa is now as of today is 862,938.  My rank in the United States as far as website is 101,270.  God is good.

Lately I have been laboriously trying to revisit what helped me convert browsers to buyers.  For Sale By Owners to wanting to list and sale with me.  Folks relocating to the Hampton Roads area from overseas stumbling upon my website.  I had some pretty good sales in that regards.  I used to have quite a few outbound referrals as well.

I'm ready for that magnetism to flow back my way.  I've been working hard at it.  Admittedly I slacked off, really slacked off.  I got going off in another direction and lost focus.  Now I'm concentrating my efforts on what motivates me and what keeps my energies flowing.  I can't worry about what did or didn't happen yesterday.  I have to make the best of the 24 hours I presented with today.

I want more days like yesterday when I was up to 3 a.m.  I got a whole lot done.  I worked my full time job.  I worked late on my real estate marketing.  I went to the gym and did the red light therapy, treadmill, the stair master, the entire abdominal circuit.  I think some times it takes more energy out of me to worry about what I didn't get done than going ahead and doing everything I laid out to do.

My motivation now is to keep pressing on.  As I'm working and my marketing efforts are showing based on my stats I'm good.  Its part of the process for my phone to ring more.  It is part of the process for me to receive more email inquiries.  Too often it is easier to grieve than achieve.  I've just made up in my mind I'm going to be an achiever over a griever.  Achieving a level of success which defines me is all I can be.  I'm happy with that.

I'll keep sending up praises to The Almighty Father.  Thankfully he hasn't failed me.  He's been so good I can't co-sign that with a "yet."

Too often single folks have no one else to talk to. We see so many folks standing in front of a mirror taking photos of themselves.  I do that too.  But if I'm around other people I don't have any problems asking, hey take a photo of me.  I then go and post it to my website.

One of my goals is to go around to all the cities and take a photo of some of the scenery and attractions I enjoy the most.  I remember my website once featured a different photo for each different city.  I can't even find copies of them now.  It has been on my mind to do it.  It's another one of those things if I go ahead and take the time to get it done, I won't be worrying over it setting my own little space free.

Do something positive that motivates you!  We are uniquely and wonderfully made.

Let's See, Let's See, I Love Listings so...How Will I Market Your Home?

Today has been a hectic day.  I spent the morning doing Opportunity Time at the office.

 

Well, I am working towards doing 31 Blogs in 31 days.  It looks like I'll be posting them here to my own blog space.  The blog I took the time to write and post yesterday doesn't show today. 

 

Buyers are looking online to buy homes in astounding numbers.  Rarely do buyers call the office prior to making a decision, they call after they have done their research and pretty much made a decision. They can find out the asking price, number of bedrooms, price, and pretty much all the details they want online.  Why call and hope to receive top notch customer service any longer when they can self-serve.  We know how self-serve gas pumps took over the gas attendants at the gas stations coming out to put gas in your car.  All you had to do is roll down the window and hand them the money and a tip for their generosity. 

 

Well those days are long gone.  It used to be a time when buyers had to come to the office, look through real estate books manually, and then drive around to see what most of the properties looked like.  Now those days are long gone too!

All the property information a buyer wants they can find online.  Now they can even see exterior and interior photos of the property online.  With the real estate web portals along with most assessment data for each city being online the home search process is not as tedious as it once was. 

 

My marketing efforts are geared towards capturing the buyer when they first start looking.  Recent statistics I've read show over 95% of home buyers start their search online.  The bulk of my marketing efforts are geared towards buyers finding me first when they are looking online.  I market heavily online.

 

 

I have a website which includes the name of each city.  As part of my meta data content I have each zip code in the Hampton Roads area on at least two sites.  From my experience working with buyers their first priority is looking for a particular city or a particular zip code.  Next, on the hierarchy is the number of bedrooms, then the number of baths, then whether or not the property has a garage.  Those buyers who love to cook often times are looking for a home with a large kitchen with plenty of cabinet and counter top space.  In newer homes people are often looking for a jetted tub with separate showers.

Thus, when I market a home for sale I make sure the verbiage in my online marketing at least includes very energetic posts in regards to what features buyers love most.  Search engines search by content.  Buyers normally search by the things that interest them the most. 

My goal is for one of websites to come up no matter where a buyer is looking in the Hampton Roads area.  Just Google me by name (Lynne Ruffin) or phone number (757-855-2514) and I should definitely come up. 

I realized years ago online marketing was crucial.  Over the years most of my calls have come from my online marketing efforts.  By my background including website development and working Internet and Intranet portals the online marketing comes second nature for me.

 

My marketing strategy to get your home noticed and sold include combining my online efforts with offline efforts which have shown to be successful in the past.

Open Houses

Postcard Mailouts

Word of mouth

Newspaper Ad

 

In my offline marketing I include a "Call to Action" to get buyers to come view your home!  In my years in real estate I have been very successful in getting buyers out to view a sellers home.  One complaint I don't get is no one comes to view the property!  I study the neighborhood and surrounding market.  I do targeted advertising campaigns on major real estate portals.  I know how to market.

I love listings and I love marketing.  Marketing homes for sale is a win-win situation for me.  Google me and I'm sure you will agree! 

 

Lynne

The Word Challenge Inspires Me

Yes.  I'm one of those folks who love a good challenge.  This starts a new month so I think what I'm going to do to get things accomplished is to challenge myself.

I'm going to challenge myself to complete the ActiveRain 31 Days, 31 Blogs contest.  I can do it! 

Additionally, I'm going to challenge myself to lose weight and get back in shape.  I've slacked over for months when it comes to going to the gym.  I'm tired of letting good money go to waste.  I am a member at Planet Fitness and I normally go to the one in Norfolk on Little Creek Road.  It is about time I got back in their.  My challenge in that regards is to put in at least 90 minutes of exercise each week for starters.  Once I get going I will challenge myself to do more.  The Red Light Therapy, I need to get back on a routine of doing that as well.

The other challenge I have for this month is to spend more time with my two oldest granddaughters.  To get in at least one skate night and one dinner night each week.  The real challenge will be for them to not put their friends ahead of me.  We had at least three cancellations last week because they are getting to the stage "friends come first".

Okay I know it is March Madness and all but that is enough mad challenges for me.  When I think about work, home, and a lot of other stuff going on that should almost overrun my plate and I don't want to be greedy.

I believe in closure so I'll close this post with a quote I think is rather cute.

"Life is a song - sing it.  Life is a game - play it.  Life is a challenge - meet it.  Life is a dream - realize it.  Life is a  sacrifice - offer it.  Life is love - enjoy it!"  --Sai Babba