Real Estate SEO vs. Social Media: Rethinking The Metrics

There is news out from SEO and Social Media analysts about the efficiency of engaging in Social Media vs SEO for the purpose of generating real estate sales. It turns out that many real estate agents are spending a disproportionate time on marketing efforts that are not producing intended results when the source of sales is taken into account.

For more information on this analysis of Oklahoma City real estate SEO, start here:

http://agentnews.weebly.com/1/post/2013/03/real-estate-marketing-expert-discu...

Palm Beach Island REALTOR® Jeff Tricoli Receives High Customer Ratings

LAKE WORTH, Fla. - REALTOR® Jeff Tricoli, an agent specializing in Palm Beach Island real estate, has received high marks for customer service on the website RealEstateRatings.net.

The website allows customers to submit real estate agent reviews, testimonials, and ratings for customer service and other criteria after a home purchase or sale.

Tricoli says his real estate business is focused around a strong work ethic and a high level of attention to clients' needs.

"You can't just list a home in the MLS and expect it to sell without some hard work marketing it. I have always gone the extra mile to get my listings top exposure online through my website, listing syndication services, online ads, and print ads."

He says the effort put into marketing each listing has paid off with happy clients and plenty of referral business.

"My clients send their friends and family because they know they can trust me to get the job done when it comes to buying or selling a home on Palm Beach Island or the West Palm Beach area."

"It's very satisfying to get high customer reviews from my clients."

About Jeff Tricoli

Born and raised in Palm Beach County, Jeff obtained his undergraduate and Master’s degree from Florida Atlantic University.  He has been in real estate for over 10 years, and is an expert in short sales, foreclosures, and REO properties.

Jeff regularly handles investment property transactions for both investors and sellers, providing experienced advice for owners selling their home. He brings expert marketing skills as a sellers’ agent, and is a tireless buyers’ agent, listening closely to clients’ needs to find the perfect property for their needs and lifestyle.

Jeff services all of Palm Beach County, Florida, especially West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Lantana, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Palm Beach Island, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, and Jupiter.

Jeff Tricoli REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty
Palm Beach Central
2994 Jog Rd.
Lake Worth, FL 33467
561-628-0299
http://lakeworthhomes.com
https://twitter.com/realtypalmbeach
https://www.facebook.com/RealEstatePalmBeach

Lee and Associates Completes Office Lease in Downtown Riverside

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Lee & Associates, one of the largest national commercial real estate providers with regional expertise, has completed a 10-year lease for the Citrus Tower located at 3390 University Avenue. The 35,000-square-foot office lease represents approximately 25 percent of the building, which is currently under construction and set to be completed in April 2012. Rich Erickson, Dave Mudge and Tom Pierik, senior vice presidents of the Lee & Associates Riverside office, represented the landlord, Regional Properties, Inc.

The six-story, domed Citrus Tower is the only office building under construction in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Located in the heart of Downtown Riverside, the building offers incredible visibility and high quality office space.

Aaron Wright and Andy Lustgarten of Studley, Inc. represented the tenant, Best Best & Krieger, LLP, one of Riverside’s oldest law firms with more than 200 attorneys in eight offices in California and one office in Washington, D.C. The new office at Citrus Tower will be only a few blocks away from its original office at Eighth Street and Main.

"This will be one of Downtown Riverside’s prime office spaces," said Erickson. "Despite the challenging local economy, the building has and will attract the highest quality tenants in the marketplace, as evidenced by Best Best & Krieger."

About Lee & Associates

Celebrating more than 32 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates is the largest broker-owned firm in the nation, with 45 locations across the nation including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. With a roster of nearly 700 expert brokers, Lee & Associates provides a wide range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at www.lee-associates.com.

About Press Release Distribution

This release is distributed in part by Press Release Distribution Associates, specializing in real estate press releases. For information on Key West Real Estate Investing, see the Key West real estate website of Sean Farrer, REALTOR®.

Idaho Real Estate Agent Don Wixom Says Meridian Real Estate Market Has Fewest Vacancies

MERIDIAN, Ida. - Don Wixom, broker/owner of RE/MAX Advantage in Nampa, Idaho, says that Meridian market continues to maintain the lowest vacancy rates for pre-existing homes in the Treasure Valley. He says this is a testament to Meridian's strength as a place to buy, and is due to a number of factors affecting the Idaho real estate market.

Wixom says that some of the more popular subdivisions in many price ranges are in Meridian, making Meridian more attractive to a wider set of buyers.

"Meridian subdivisions tend to be newer than those in other parts of the Treasure Valley. Schools are great, and amenities like shopping and freeway access are great as well."

He says that the benefits Meridian has going for it mean buyers will pay a little more to live there, but property values have also been much more stable in Meridian than elsewhere.

"Meridian real estate offers a level of safety for home buyers that other areas don't always have, simply because it's more in demand."

Wixom said he's helped many out-of-state buyers purchase homes in Meridian, whether it's someone who is relocating due to a job transfer in the Boise area, or someone fleeing a bigger state like California for a better quality of life.

"Meridian's proximity to Boise real estate, along with its small town feel, are two of the biggest things going for the city. It definitely attracts local and out of town buyers to the area."

"With the current market conditions, it's not hard to find good deals, including Meridian short sales, foreclosures, and traditional home sales."

Vacant Treasure Valley Pre-Existing Home Inventory

Nampa: 37%
Caldwell: 32%
Meridian: 21%
Boise: 34%
Kuna: 32%

###

About Don Wixom

Don Wixom specializes in representing his clients in the purchase and sale of Idaho real estate, including residential, commercial and investment properties, covering Boise real estate as well as Nampa, Meridian, Eagle, Caldwell, Star, and Kuna. Since becoming licensed in 1996, he has averaged selling 70 homes each year.

Don’s clients have come to rely in his experience to get their homes sold and to give the best guidance in purchasing a home. Though Don has hundreds of hours in education in all aspects of real estate, he specializes in residential properties. Whether it is single-family homes or multi-family investment properties, this is where his expertise and negotiation skills are most often put to use.

Don Wixom
RE/MAX Advantage
5680 E Franklin Rd, Suite 100
Nampa ID 83687
http://www.sellidaho.com
(208) 880-5039

Lee and Associates Closes $6.2 Million Ontario Industrial Transaction

ONTARIO, Calif. — Lee & Associates, the nation’s largest broker-owned commercial brokerage firm, has closed a $6.2 million sale of an industrial building at 4200 Mission Blvd. in Ontario, Calif.

Principals Jedd Zaun and Bill Garrett of Lee Newport Beach represented the seller, JW Irvine L.P. in the 99,534-square-foot industrial building transaction. The buyer, Sample Real Estate, LLC, was represented by Steve Bellitti and Josh Hayes of Colliers International.

"We started marketing this building last year and we received multiple offers," said Zaun, noting that the buyer opted for a lease, with an option to purchase. "And while buyers are still looking for good deals, we were able to sell this property at a ‘solid price,’ which was great."

The building will be the new corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility for American Sample Company, Inc., a national supplier of sample products to the decorative fabric, hospitality, and contract fabric trade.

About Lee & Associates

Celebrating 32 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates is the largest broker-owned firm in the nation, with 45 locations across the nation including California, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. With a roster of more than 600 expert brokers, Lee & Associates provides a wide range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at ww.lee-associates.com.

About Press Release Distribution

This release is distributed in part by Press Release Distribution Associates, specializing in Portland real estate and other news topics. For more real estate information, see Property Management San Jose and Downtown Resource Group

Lee and Associates Completes 36-Month Industrial Lease on Behalf of Investment Building Group

SAN BERNARDINO, Calf. - Lee & Associates, one of the largest national commercial real estate providers with regional expertise, has completed a 36-month lease for a 141,200 square-foot industrial space located at 1050 Orange Show Road, San Bernardino, Calf.

Herrick Johnson, senior vice president of the Lee & Associates Riverside office represented the landlord, Investment Building Group. The tenant, Grant & Bowman, who relocated their business from the City of Ontario, was represented by Jeff Smith, senior vice president of the Lee & Associates Ontario office.

About Lee & Associates

Celebrating more than 32 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates is the largest broker-owned firm in the nation, with 44 locations across the nation including Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. With a roster of nearly 700 expert brokers, Lee & Associates provides a wide range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at www.lee-associates.com.

About Press Release Distribution

This release is distributed in part by Press Release Distribution Associates, specializing in real estate press releases. For information on real estate, see Key West real estate and Portland real estate.

San Jose Property Management Firm Says Silicon Valley Investment Property Still In The Black

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Jerry Garrity with San Jose property management company First Statewide Realty says it's still possible, even in these tough economic times, to maintain a positive cash flow on real estate investments.

As property values fluctuate with regional and macroeconomic factors, he says his investor clients stay in the game through smart investing and expert property management.

"Seasoned investors know that property management services belong in the asset column, not the expense column on the balance sheet. With the right mix of savvy investing and conservative property management, we can keep our clients in the black when others cannot."

Garrity says the reasons his clients are still able to stay positive is that they have a plan and are sticking with it.

"So many investors try to chase the market up and down, but that's more like speculation than investing. We help our clients evaluate potential deals to add to their portfolio drawing from our experience in all types of marketing conditions."

He says that while investors and speculators alike can get discouraged about property values, those who stick with a long term plan with tight controls on expenses will come out ahead.

"We've weathered several bull and bear markets in real estate. Consequently, so have our clients. I think that says a lot."

About First Statewide Realty

First Statewide Realty is a professional San Jose property management company specializing in quality single family homes, condominiums, town houses and other San Jose investment property in the greater San Jose metropolitan area. The company is active in the Cupertino property management business and has been in business for over 21 years, and is a member of the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors, Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, California Association of Realtors, Tri-County Apartment Association and National Association of Residential Property Managers.

Jerry Garrity REALTOR®
First Statewide Realty
20045 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Suite 2-D
Cupertino, CA 95014
Tel: 408-253-1000
Lic#: 01036982
Email: investments@firststatewiderealty.com
http://www.firststatewiderealty.com

Orlando REALTOR Says Selling Orland Real Estate Still Makes Financial Sense For Some Homeowners

ORLANDO, Fla. - Many potential Orlando area home sellers have been discouraged by weak real estate prices from selling their homes, but Florida real estate agent Jonathan de Jesus says selling still makes financial sense for many homeowners.

This is because the changes in homeowners' lives aren't always timed with the Orlando real estate market, he says.

"There are always families who need to move due to a job transfer or other relocation necessity, and this can mean they need to sell their home regardless of what the market is doing. I can help clients in that situation to make the best of it."

He also says some homeowners such as empty nesters may financially benefit from downsizing to a smaller home. Perhaps they want to downsize from a large Lake Mary home to Downtown Orlando condo with less upkeep.

Even if there is little or no equity on the home being sold, de Jesus says that the change can make a lot of financial sense to reduce monthly expenses, often giving the homeowner the ability to move to a bigger home for less money.

"Many would be surprised at how their financial picture could improve by selling now. The market turmoil in recent years is a blessing for those who are able put the weak market to their advantage by buying, even it means selling first."

Too often, he says owners refuse to sell for emotional reasons rather than rational financial ones.

"I've had many cases where it penciled out to be a better financial decision to sell a home at a loss and buy another one cheaper than to continue making payments on a smaller, less attractive home."

About Dominium Realty Group

Dominium Realty Group is a leader in residential real estate brokerage services in Florida. Through a perfect blend of an experienced team of real estate professionals and the commitment to exceed clients’ expectations, Dominium is able to confidently deliver solutions for all types of individuals’ requirements.

 

For more information, please contact:

Jonathan De Jesus REALTOR®
Dominium Realty Group
6236 Kingspointe Parkway #10
Orlando, Fl 32819
407-588-7828
http://www.florida-real-estate.pro/

Tight Inventory In Luxury Marco Island Real Estate Market Boosts Interest In High End Homes

As Marco Island home inventory tightens due to historically low prices and interest rates, more buyers are being quietly priced into, rather than out of, the luxury home market, according to local Realtor Mike McCarty of The McCarty Group.

He says steady pricing pressure in recent years due to the mortgage crisis and U.S. economic factors has made luxury Marco Island real estate far more accessible to the average home-buyer than it used to be. This is bringing a new generation of luxury home owners into the market.

"Where we used to see the market regularly pricing people out of the more exclusive properties, we're actually seeing the opposite right now. Buyers are being priced into the luxury market."

McCarty says that it is not difficult any more to qualify for financing on desirable beachfront Marco Island condos, with prices currently starting at $114,300 for a studio and $229,000 for two bedroom beach front condos.

He says that a common question he gets is "How much does $500,000 buy?"

"Detached single family homes on the beach are more limited in supply, with only five on the market at the moment. As a result, they always command a premium, but with the least expensive coming in at $4.1 million, the price is still millions of dollars cheaper than five years ago."

"For single family homes, $500,000 buys over 2400 s.f. with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths in the River neighborhood of Marco Island. For condos, it buys you a luxurious beachfront condo with about 1130 s.f. and 2 bedrooms and 2 baths."

For those considering buying a luxury property, McCarty says the already low interest rates reached new lows this week, falling to a national average of 4.59% according to Yahoo Finance.

"When I look at the market, I see amazing deals everywhere. There's never been a better time to buy Marco Island homes."

For more information:

Mike & Wendy McCarty
The McCarty Group
Keller Williams Realty
713 Bald Eagle Dr
Marco Island, FL 34145
239.970.3250 
877 804-0577 toll free

Naples and Marco Island Real Estate:
http://www.mccartyflorida.com

Top Ten San Antonio New Home Builders Announced

San Antonio, TX - Kurt Hudspeth, a real estate agent specializing in new San Antonio homes, has released his top ten list of San Antonio home builders. Based on various criteria like builder incentives and customer service reputation, the list is intended to give new home buyers a place to start when searching for affordable San Antonio houses.

Hudspeth says he believes the new home market represents a bargain right now, with opportunities for many first time home buyers to enter the market at prices that have been made affordable by the oversupply of pre-owned homes now in foreclosure.

"The foreclosure market has definitely placed price pressure on the new home market. Builders are having to compete with a lot of short sales and bank sales that have artificially driven prices down."

He says that price competition has brought the new homes, which used to be out of reach to many buyers, into a price range that many young buyers can now afford.

"It is amazing to me how many people overlook the new home market here in San Antonio. The fact is, there are some great deals from some quality home builders, but few people know about them yet. I'd like to change that."

He says he makes it his job to know the buyer incentives being offered by local builders in order to educate his clients about what's available.

"I work with my clients on the basis of a buyer's agency agreement because I put a lot of work into the information I provide them. I've interviewed builders and researched their sales programs to learn the deals around San Antoniothat few average buyers are aware of."

Top Ten San Antonio Builders - February 2010

1. Sitterle Homes
2. L Nunez Signature Homes
3. David Weekly Homes
4. Pulte Homes
5. DR Horton Homes
6. Rialto Homes
7. Perry Homes
8. Highland Homes
9. Fieldstone Homes
10. Ryland Homes

For more information, please contact:

Kurt Hudspeth
Hot New San Antonio Homes
http://www.newnewsanantoniohomes.net
kurt@hotnewsanantoniohomes.com
210-254-2485

San Antonio Real Estate Agent Launches Website Specializing in New San Antonio Homes and Builders

San Antonio, TX - Texas real estate agent Kurt Hudspeth, a buyer's agent specializing in new San Antonio homes and home builders, is launching a new website geared exclusively to the new San Antonio homes market. Hudspeth, an agent who makes it his career to follow the San Antonio home builders, says that there is a need in the market for an agent who knows what the builders have available and can represent buyers' interests in getting them the best deals.

"Most agents rely on existing San Antonio homes for sale to provide inventory for buyers to choose from, but there is a great opportunity right now for buyers to get into a new San Antonio home for a screaming bargain. Home builders have an incentive to make deals like never before, and my job is to know what those deals are and explain them to buyers."

He says he'd much rather be a niche player in the San Antonio real estate market than try to be all things to all people. The new home market is a niche he is passionate about, and he believes his expertise will directly benefit the bottom line when negotiating a transaction for his clients.

"Many buyers are only familiar with the builder who has advertised the most on television or who has the most billboards. What many new home buyers don't know is that there are some great San Antonio builder incentives offered that are not well-publicized. I make it a point to build a relationship with the local and national builders with communities in the San Antonio market so I know what's being offered."

Asked what makes his role as real estate agent different than most, he is quick to point out that he is exclusively a buyer's agent. That means he is not working for the builder, but representing the buyer exclusively and vigorously throughout the negotiating process.

What kind of builder incentives are available? He says they vary from outright cash back after closing, a great way to get some extra home furnishings, to airline miles and gift card shopping sprees.

"I work hard to learn what all the best San Antonio new home deals are and make them available to my clients" says Hudspeth.

For more information, please contact:

Kurt Hudspeth
San Antonio New Home Specialist
http://www.newsanantoniohomes.net
1141 N. Loop, 1604E
Suite 105-180
San Antonio, TX 78232
210-254-2485

Oregon real estate agent provides highly rated website tools to search for Portland homes for sale

Portland, Oregon – As a Portland Oregon real estate agent, David Somerville has a lot of advanced tools at his fingertips for finding Portland homes for sale such as foreclosures, downtown condos, luxury properties, and waterfront properties. What Portland home buyers may not know is that many of those tools are available for free to his website visitors on his top-rated real estate search website, giving users a wide variety of choices in how they search for Portland homes.

According to Somerville, the website offers a huge advantage to Portland home buyers because of the wealth of free real estate listing and market information provided.

"We've gone overboard providing market data and neighborhood information for Portland real estate. Our goal was to make as much information available to homebuyers as possible, and from the feedback we get from the site, I can tell that people are really finding it a convenient way to find their next home."

He says that the map search is a popular feature, but there are many other methods available on the site to search for Oregon real estate, such as by school, neighborhood, or housing type.

"Some users prefer the visual nature of the map search, because you can see clearly where properties are in relation to other landmarks in Portland. Others prefer the advanced real estate search tool, which is an amazingly powerful real estate search engine that is normally only accessible to a Portland Realtor or real estate broker."

He says the site provides thousands of different ways for Portland first time homebuyers and existing homeowners to find the perfect home to meet their family's needs. Somerville suggests that visitors spend some time trying out the site to get familiar with it.

"The more you use the free search tools, the more you are likely to find new ways to uncover the types of properties you are looking for. One of the best ways to search is to just select a zip code in the Basic Search form."

But the most convenient feature, perhaps, is the new listing alert that's built into the site. Once a user creates an account, searches can be saved and automatic email alerts set up to let them know when new listings come on the market that match their search criteria.

Somerville recommends that anyone relocating to the Portland area take advantage of the free information and search tools provided. "If you are in the market for Portland homes, we suggest trying out the site early in your quest for the perfect home," Somerville says. "We're confident the site will prove to be a huge time saver for Portland homebuyers."

For more information:

David Somerville, REALTOR®
(503) 789-7633

http://www.maxwellsinclair.com
http://www.maxwellsinclair.com/blog

Albuquerque NM real estate agent releases iPhone app for home buyers to search for New Mexico homes

Albuquerque, New Mexico - Searching for Albuquerque NM homes just got a little easier for home shoppers wanting to browse real estate listings on their mobile phones. Albuquerque real estate agent Joe Maez wanted to provide this feature to his website visitors, and with half of all mobile phone web browsing taking place on the iPhone, it made sense to roll it out to iPhone users first.

"Mobile phone real estate search is the cutting edge of technology, because it takes a homebuyer's search out of the office computer and into the real world where home buying decisions are made. Once you have the iPhone app download on your phone, you can easily search for Albuquerque homes anytime, anywhere. It's actually very fun to use!"

Maez says that users can save their search results or favorite properties and come back to them later on their desktop computers. They can also sign up for free email alerts when new properties come on the market matching their search preferences.

He adds that one of the most convenient uses of the new mobile real estate search application is that it allows users to fit their home search into their own busy schedule.

"Everyone always has their phone with them. So when you're out driving around and see a NM home for sale, this makes it a piece of cake to view detailed information on the property right there on your iPhone. You can find out"

Buyers can search by address, MLS number, price range, city, and a host of other search criteria. They can even search for foreclosures and short sales on their iPhone.

Asked if the application will be made available for other mobile phone devices, he says that plans are underway for the release the mobile home search tool for the Blackberry and Android phones in coming weeks.

"For a society that is always on the move, we think this is one of the most convenient ways to search for New Mexico homes."

Download the iPhone app:

http://www.nmhomesplus.com/iphone

New Mexico real estate specialist launches map-based website to search for NM homes

Albuquerque, New Mexico - Joe Maez has sold a lot of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho New Mexico homes as a top selling agent -- well over 500 in fact, earning him the distinction of being number one in the nation with Pulte Homes. Now he's launched a new real estate search tool that is bound to increase that number dramatically.

Employing state of the art real estate search technology and advanced localization of search results for the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho areas, he says New Mexico homes have never been easier to find than they are now on NMHomesPlus.com.

"I am very pleased with how easy it is to search for Albuquerque NM homes on this new real estate search platform," Maez says. "Already, it's received rave reviews because of its easy to use map search linked right on the home page. You don't have to go looking for it. When you visit NMHomesPlus.com, it's front and center."

Of course, there are as many ways to search for real estate as there are people searching, which is why the new site does far more than just a map search. It provides literally hundreds of different avenues for buyers to look for New Mexico real estate.

"The map search is only the first method you see when you come to the site," Maez says. He tells people to browse around a little to get familiar with it. "The more you look, the more you'll find your own way to find your dream home. Some people are very visual, and the map search appeals to them. Others want a simple keyword search, or an advanced search of the many specialized fields available in the MLS."

He says that one of the simplest ways to search is just to enter a city name into the text box at the top right. "If you enter 'Albuquerque' there, you'll get a list of articles and common real estate searches built into the site that relate that keyword."

But the true real estate geeks will want to go directly to the advanced New Mexico real estate search engine.

"The advanced search is where you can enter a lot of criteria that is unavailable anywhere else. You can search neighborhoods, schools, the style of construction, over 55 communities, even what type of heating or air conditioning a home has. For those looking for land, you can search for acreage, horse property, and more. It's very powerful."

Perhaps the most convenient feature, however, is the property alert service that's built into the site. Once a user creates an account, they can save any search they've done and come back to it, and it will always show the most current listings. They can also sign up for simple email alerts to let them know when new properties come on the market matching their search criteria.

"The best thing to do is just try it out," Maez says. "We think it's hands down the best way to search for NM homes for sale."