Jason Bramell | Realty World Northern CA & NV | 800-460-2288

According to a recent survey released by the National Association of Realtors (survey results), “-Buyers continue to believe that one-stop shopping will save them money (78%), make the process more manageable and efficient (75%), prevent things from falling through the cracks (73%), and be more convenient (73%).”

Realty World Northern CA & NV is one of the few companies that has more than 30 years of international exposure, plus the investment of more than $1 billion in collaborative advertising. In addition to providing a powerful brand to attract attention to your local brokerage, we offer an extensive platform providing the most comprehensive marketing tools, technology, training and financial services that will put you in front of active buyers and sellers in a most impressive way to gain the market share you deserve.

We are now offering this powerful partnership with the most affordable and economically prudent terms available in real estate franchising to date. If you are an independent broker looking for a way to remain competitive in your market place, now is the time to consider what franchising can do to improve your business growth.

Contact us today to learn more!

800-460-2288

Contact Me Today to Learn more about our amazing new location supporting the Lodi Area.

We have two new fantastic locations in Brentwood, CA that are now accepting agents!

How many agents in today’s adverse market place are actually equipped to accommodate today’s tech savvy consumers? Are you able to reach out to your community in a meaningful way. Most importantly does your broker offer you to the tools and support necessary to remain competitive in your market?

Contact me today to learn more about what Realty World can do for your real estate career.

At Realty World NCA, we know that staying on top of the current trends is vital to our agents’ success. That’s why we’re always working to keep you up to speed on the latest technologies that can help you improve your production and your bottom line!

Join Us for our online seminar entitled “Innovation At Work”. It will explore key aspects of these emerging technologies and how they can help your real estate business thrive.

Our free webinars will be held on the following for Agents and Brokers to learn more!

Wednesday 3/16 @ 1:00 PM

Thursday 3/17 @ 1:00 PM

Don’t wait- sign up for our free webinar today!

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Big Brother isn’t just watching, he’s selling private information

BY BERNICE ROSS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011.

Inman News™

People from all walks of life willingly share their information on Facebook and other social media sites. The Department of Motor Vehicles in some states sells your Social Security number and other identifying data to anyone who is willing to pay for it. Is there anything you can do to protect yourself?

There’s an old saying that “the horse is already out of the barn.” When it comes to protecting your privacy online, this may indeed be the case. Perhaps it’s unrealistic to think that monitoring your personal information is worth the trouble.

On the other hand, having your identity stolen — or worse yet, the personal identifying information about your clients — can cost you much more than the inconvenience of having to delete your information from public databases.

In previous columns, I have written about data being posted on sites such as ZabaSearch.com and Intellius.com. These two sites provide information such as year of birth, address and personal phone numbers. Removing yourself from the searches on these sites is a major production.

For example, this is how the removal works from the ZabaSearch site:

“As a courtesy we can ‘opt out’ your specific information from the ZabaSearch People Search service. What this means is that your name as it appears in a particular record and the associated identifying information such as your address and phone number will be suppressed if you request this in the manner described below.

“However, please note that any time your identifying information appears in a public record in a manner which is different from the record you opted out, it will again appear in our system. There also are many other public records search services which are not owned by ZabaSearch and your request that we opt out your information will not prevent your information from appearing on these other services.”

Removal from their searches takes four to six weeks and you must fax your personal identifying information to them. Even if you do this, however, it does not remove you from the original lists. In other words, you can opt out and still appear under a slightly different variation of your original listing.

Compounding the problem, other sites that provide an even more sophisticated version of the ZabaSearch data are cropping up. To illustrate, I recently received a Facebook message alerting me to take specific steps to remove my contact information from a site called Spokeo.com.

When I went online, they had my correct age, three of the addresses of the properties I have owned, my phone number, family names, and much more. If you’re willing to shell out $15, you could also get my exact birth date, my income, the value of my property, and just about any other details that you would need to steal my identity.

What was truly amazing was that they even had the home addresses and home phone numbers for the U.S. president, the vice president and the speaker of the House. If this personal information is out there for the three most important political leaders in our country, how can you protect yourself when even their data is available?

Like ZabaSearch, you can remove yourself from the Spokeo list. Unfortunately, the process is not simple. Because they had four different postings for me, I had to enter two different e-mail addresses, as they limited my access. After making the four corrections, I was blocked from removing anything else.

(To remove yourself, enter your name and then click on the button that says, “See it all.” Once you do so, copy that URL in your browser and open a new browser window to www.Spokeo.com/privacy. Paste the URL into that site and follow the instructions from there.)

What can you do to further protect yourself from this public release of information? Here are some additional tips.

1. Remove yourself from the ZabaSearch, Intellius and Spokeo databasesusing the guidelines in today’s column.

2. Remove your birth date and other personally identifying information from all public sites, including your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles. Use your business numbers and a P.O. Box for correspondence. Password-protect any personal posts, videos, and especially any pictures of minors.

3. Change your passwords regularly and use a site such as One Password to keep track of your various passwords while making it easy for you to use them.

4. Avoid all games on Facebook and most free Google apps. The reason? Facebook and Google partially pay for all those great services they provide by selling user data to other companies or using it for their own purposes. (This practice is called data mining.)

5. Install spyware and adware programs on your computer to protect yourself from sites that install tracking cookies to learn even more about your Web surfing habits.

6. Create multiple e-mail accounts. Keep your business e-mail exclusively for your business clients. Create at least one other e-mail account with either Gmail or Hotmail. Use this address for all those sites that you know will spam you if you give them your contact information. These separate accounts cost nothing and also protect your personal and business e-mail from being compromised.

7. Use your extra computer. Many agents have more than one computer. If you’re concerned about your online banking or stock trades, set up your old computer and use it only for financial transactions. Do not use it for e-mail or for surfing on the Web.

While there is no way to completely guarantee your privacy, taking the steps outlined above will reduce your exposure to those who would compromise your privacy and your security.

As we head into the holiday season the market begins to slow down for some leaving a time for reflection on the years successes, or for  many real estate agents the lack there of.  It becomes necessary to begin considering the fees and royalties you have been paying to your broker and franchisor, and taking stock of the services you received for your buck. Are you being provided an effective marketing suite to sufficiently promote yourself and your listings? Are you paying exorbitant fees for the use of an office you rarely go into? What kind of training and professional development opportunities do you have access to? Do you have additional advantages of being able to utilize transaction coordinators?

More and more I hear from agents that the support they receive is just as important if not more so when making a decision to work with a broker. The commission structure is certainly a factor, although after you get through settling up on all of your supporting fees, how much of your commission dollars are you left with?

Over the course of the last few years Realty World Northern CA & NV has spent millions to reconfigure a business model that is not only conducive with the latest technology to accommodate the needs of today’s savvy internet consumers, but also has built a phenomenal support system to accommodate the professionals serving these consumers. Superior technology, top shelf marketing, and unlimited training & support are certainly required in today’s marketplace for agents and brokers to remain relevant, and competitive.

If you are considering your next move by the end of the year, do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to visit the Agent Careers page above to  learn more about the Realty World NCA agent platform, and the competitive edge our associates enjoy.

LOGON…LEARN…PROSPER

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Flickr image courtesy of centralasian.

Got a plan? Write it down

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, October 21, 2010.Inman News

Instead of waiting until January of 2011, why not set your goals for next year right now and skip the production lows that normally come at the end of the year?

On Monday we examined Michael Gerber’s concept of “working on” your business as opposed to “working in” your business. “Working on” your business means taking time to analyze market conditions, evaluate your marketing efforts, and make adjustments to capitalize on market fluctuations. It also means creating a written plan.

1. The power of written goals
Research has consistently demonstrated the power of writing down your goals. Mark McCormack, in his book, “What They Don’t Teach You in the Harvard Business School,” reported on a study that followed Harvard students who graduated with a master’s degree in business administration from 1979-89.

At the beginning of the study, only 3 percent of the graduates had written goals, 13 percent had goals that were not in writing, and 84 percent had no goals whatsoever. Ten years later, the 13 percent who had goals were earning twice as much as those who had no goals at all.

What was astonishing, however, is that those who had written goals were earning 10 times as much as the other 97 percent put together. Subsequent research has also demonstrated that writing down your goals and sharing them with someone increases the probability of your success even more.

Click here for the full article

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In speaking with thousands of  real estate agents, and brokers every year, I come across the same debate of which is more ideal; a higher commission split or a greater level of back end support. When agents are considering making a switch to a new company or broker, they are typically more concerned about having a higher commission split. However, at what cost are you willing to take a higher amount of your commission dollars. Would you in fact be more successful from a higher split alone? Or would an increased amount of tools and services eliminate redundant efforts, and far increase your ability to work efficiently actually benefit you more in the long run? After all zero closings on a 100% split is still equal to zero dollars and cents.

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Due to the ever increasing interest from our associates toward establishing a dominant, and unique web presence in their communities we are proud to introduce an opportunity to advance your knowledge of the WordPress blog administrator. This new Intermediate Blogging Skills training will provide you with a deeper understanding of the functionality and practical applications available to give your website a more professional and robust appeal. The topics covered in the course details listed below will help you focus your creative efforts on more specific niche markets, and build greater credibility as the foremost local expert in your community. Please visit the link below or access additional session dates through the Training & Events calendar today to secure your place for the next available training.

More Info: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/202001558

When preparing for a listing presentation for a seller are you taking the necessary steps to know what you are up against? Or do you blindly jump into the proposal with a client with the quiet confidence that you are the best? If so, how well is that working for you?

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You as the real estate professional are going to be expected to have the answers the seller will want answered.  As G.I Joe always said at the end of each episode…”knowing is half the battle” yo Joe! Though it was a silly kids cartoon, how true is that statement? If you could answer every seller question that came across the table without hesitation, and be aware of every marketing strategy available you will rarely be in a position to lose the listing to a competitor.

There is a simple reason that 5% of the agents/brokers do 95% of the business in our marketplace. The other 95% of agents will not take the time to properly prepare a listing presentation. Taking the time to consider the marketing plan in advance will speak volumes to your prospective client.  If you have access to a print and eMarketing platform, this is your opportunity to wow your client, and let your skills as a preferred agent shine through. If you are not able to impress the seller, then they will assume you will not be able to impress a prospective buyer as well.

In advance of your meeting, request permission to stop by for a brief visit to take some digital photos of the property. You can then customize your marketing materials to their home, and really give them an understanding of what you can do. In addition to having prepared a detailed CMA, don’t stop there. Create a good mix of sample materials showcasing a double sided property flyer, a postcard mailer, and given you have your laptop handy; have a virtual tour ready, and perhaps an eCard or web commercial.  For the cost of a simple web domain, you could have the digital media already uploaded and ready to rock.  Sound like overkill? Not if the next agent through the door is using this type of media as well.

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RISMEDIA, August 4, 2010—With the constant evolution of technology, there’s a real need to keep your online presence current and relevant. From content to cutting-edge buttons and widgets, the improvements are endless. However, I believe that if you start with a few, important strategies for improving your website, they will bring you maximum results.

Here are five ways to get the most from your website:

Step 1: Imagine this: placing open house signs at every major intersection to direct home buyers to the location of a home you have listed. Links and main navigation buttons on your homepage allow for quick and easy navigation into specific sections of your website and show visitors that you have valuable content throughout. The easier you make it for users to link deeper into the website, the better.

Step 2: Always start with the towns or communities you specialize in (three to five main areas is a great foundation). Have at least two paragraphs on a separate page for each area. Sure, not everyone is going to read content on that page (that is important for search engines), but they will want to find out what each area offers. By having specific sections on your site that demonstrate your various expertise, it also shows sellers that you are an expert in their area to list their property.

Step 3: If you specialize in niche properties like luxury homes, starter homes or golf course communities, you should prove it. Have buttons that match that specific specialty linking to dedicated pages of custom-written content about that market. This will show buyers and sellers you are the best person to list their home.

Step 4: Have specific MLS searches on every town, community or niche page. For example, on town pages, show properties by map and by price ranges so it’s easy for the visitor to click through and see what’s available. This will distinguish you as the expert in that market, and lets clients know they have arrived at the perfect place to find exactly the kind of property they are looking for. For niche sections like “green properties,” have MLS searches like http://winstonsalemhomesandland.com/buying_a_green_home to show properties that are specific to that category.

Step 5: Create engagement points (“calls to action”) throughout your site and “hook” visitors into an automated drip campaign. Statistics show that home buyers start searching for homes months before they actually buy. If your website allows a visitor to register for the latest listings, foreclosure buys or download articles, you will capture the lead and provide them with the valuable information they want. The tipping point is to make sure they go into drip campaigns that are specific to their needs (for example, the foreclosure buyer goes to a foreclosure buyer drip, or a first-time home buyer goes into the first-time home buyer drip).

Click here for the full article

In the wake of attending the Inman Real Estate Connect conference in San Francisco this month, I have digested the wealth of discussions concerning the latest technologies, and the future expectation of the real estate industry.

The overall theme of the event focus was based on innovation, hyper-localism, and market recovery. With the newest buzz being placed on the infamous Developers Challenge boasting “geo-mapping” tools for mobile devices, one click data to video, and dynamic call routing provided by new comers like RealtyVoyager.com, and Stupeflix.com. They are never short of originality in naming their companies that’s for certain.

The common theme in every session I attended was certainly focused around the ability of an agent to leverage their knowledge within the community using all of these “viral” tools, and social media platforms to position the agent as the utmost local real estate expert. Encouraging today’s agents to focus their marketing efforts on the communities in which they live and work every day, as opposed to trying to capture a much larger audience.  With the advancement of the internet and the mass popularity of social media, there is still one thing that will always prevail…personal touch, professionalism, and knowing your community. There is no substitute for the personal interface you can have with clients to win their future business, and the referrals that will follow. Mastering the advantages of online marketing and social media is definitely a must in today’s market place. However, is entirely meant to compliment your best practices as a real estate professional.

There is a digital cornucopia of cool web tools, and widgets to convey an instant sense of credibility to your audience through your web presence. Although you must be able to put your media where your mouth is and provide the excellent customer service that you advertise through all of this great technology. The internet continues to provide a phenomenal vehicle to drive your message home,  and be the expert consumers all hope you are when you meet face to face.

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If your marketing strategy is outdated, or in dire need of a makeover to remain competitive in your respective markets; join me for an hour discussion to see what’s on the horizon.

The increasing questions about how to use technology, social media, traditional techniques, what real estate options are available, etc. are all fair game at the upcoming Real Estate Career Day series.

I’ll be visiting Santa Clara on Tuesday, June 22nd from 10:30 – 11:30 AM to speak to real estate professionals in your area about what’s next for innovation in the industry.

I’ll be providing refreshments…so come have a bite to eat, a cup of caffeine, and ask all your questions!

If the date and time are not optimal for you, take a look at the upcoming session dates listed below.

Hope to see you there!

Upcoming Event Location:

Tuesday, June 22: Santa Clara

Biltmore Hotel

2151 Laurelwood Road

Santa Clara, CA

10:30-11:30AM

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