Quality Real Estate Web Sites 5 Tips to Improve Your Site

As the real estate industry relies more heavily on generating leads

through technology, it is crucial for real estate professionals to create a presence for themselves on the Internet. However, creating a presence just by having a Web page is not enough. Professionals must be prepared and committed to creating a quality Web site if they want to maximize the number of lead captures available through consumer Internet searches..

Options are endless when it comes to possibilities

or professional, top-notch real estate Web sites. If you don’t already have a Web site, you can design it yourself, pay a company to do it or use a template to fill in your information. Regardless of your preference for creating the Web site, it is in your best interest to consider the following tips before your site goes live. If you already have a Web site, evaluate the design elements that are effective and maybe less effective based on the following suggestions..

Tip #1: Less is more

A Web site layout that is simple and clean will be far more attractive to visitors than a busy cluttered site

Tip #2: Stick ‘em

One of the keys to generating leads through your Web site is by making it sticky. To make your site sticky means you provide enough information for visitors so they stick to your site because they are finding the information they need and don’t have a reason to go somewhere else. However, you must design your site in such a way that it is easy to navigate. If consumers get lost in figuring out how to retrieve desired information, they will shut down your site and go elsewhere.

Tip #3 Time is money

Be careful when choosing graphics. Flash and scripts will increase your file size by huge amounts. In today’s working world, people want information, but they don’t want to wait for it. If your Web site takes too long to load, customers are not willing to wait around for your page to load because they know they will find almost the exact same information somewhere else much faster.

Tip #4 A picture says a thousand words

Although content is a critical part of a good Web site, a picture can say so much more. Be selective with you pictures, and be sure pictures you use bring focus to what you want potential home buyer’s to know. An example of using a picture well is to display a featured home on your site. This picture will show something buyer’s are looking for, and will encourage them to read other content on the page.

Tip #5 Go against the grain

When planning content for the front page, don’t use cliché ideas from your competitors; be smart about the information you provide. If you want to personalize your site, don’t put your hobbies, pets, and life story on your front page. Consumers who are looking at your page are looking for real estate — give them the content they want. If followed, these tips are bound to be effective in generating business for real estate professionals. By creating and implementing a professional and quality Web site agents will find greater success in generating leads. Jennilyn Bylund is a PR coordinator for 10x Media, a marketing solutions company. Estatblished in 2003, 10x Media has expanded its online presence through consumer information networks Inside Real Estate, Inside Finances and Grab Real Estate, which contain thousands of pages for city and state specific real estate information across the nation.

Negative Aspect of Free Foreclosed Listings

Unfortunately, a large number of free foreclosed listings are a waste of time. Because the information is readily available to anyone, most of the properties are contracted before you receive the list. Real estate investors are always in search of free listings. Hence, they generally have the first pick of cheap properties. Moreover, free listings are not updated on a regular basis. If you are serious about buying a foreclosed home, spending a few bucks a month for an accurate and useful list will provide the best results.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website about loans and bad credit mortgage loans.

Free Listing Nationwide HUD, VA, FDIC, GSA, IRS, SBA, Bank RE

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Real Estate Investors Buying Formula

Strategies for buying investment properties don’t vary much across different type of properties. Basically paying the least amount you can to insure a nice profit when you sell or refinance. Here are some basic formulas that work every where and a new twist that your real estate agent or title company can help you with

1. Determine the best use and highest market value of the property in excellent condition. This research can be done by your real estate agent (comparable Market Analysis) or by your expert knowledge (experience) in the marketplace (you should know your market inside-out and not by guessing)

2. Estimate cost of repairs use contractor estimates (you should have a team of experienced contractors) that you can trust and depend on. Your experience will help you quickly estimate ball park numbers on most any project.

3. Calculate the carrying costs of the property. Purchase costs, taxes, insurance, Title, attorney, appraisal, utilities, financing (points, interest), selling costs (commissions), advertising (for tenants or to sell), overhead expenses and may be some miscellaneous costs not listed. On a quick paint and replace carpet the work may take 2 weeks but you should plan on 2 to 3 months holding time. Larger projects may take a month or two to complete you may want to consider 4 to 6 months carrying costs.

4. What’s your profit do you want to make 10% to 20% on the deal not a bad profit but 10% on a $35,000 deal is only $3,500 for two months work and headaches. You may want to consider paying yourself a minimum $20,000 to $25,000 per deal this can guarantee a good profit at the end of every transaction.

5. Offer price is the highest market value less repairs, carrying costs and profit. This is the most you will pay for the property you want to start somewhere lower, some where a lot lower, an offer somewhere lower like your agent will be ashamed to present your offer.

6. A new twist to the formula, there are a tremendous amount of bank owned properties on the market today and there be more tomorrow. When a bank takes over a property they list it for sale with a real estate broker who prices it at the market value it usually sells somewhat less than that. But what did the bank actually pay for the property or what was the mortgage balance when they took it over. Many times what the bank has in the property is much less than the listed price

Example 1:

123 Main St - highest market value $250,000, brokers listing price $240,000, bank costs through foreclosure $165,000. In this example the property needs only minor cosmetic work and can be turned over quickly so you offer $210,000 and will make a nice $25,000 profit. But what about the other $45,000?.

Example 2:

729 New St – highest market value $195,000, brokers listing price $190,000, bank costs through foreclosure $102,000. This is another property with minor repairs; you offer $98,000 and close at $102,000 (depending on the marketplace you may close a little higher). Using our normal formula we would have offered $140,000 to close at $145,000 a difference in your pocket of +$43,000

To the bankers it's a numbers game they are building a backlog of properties to move so you may have some good opportunities in your area. Work with your real estate agent or title company do a little more research into what all parties have in the property and you may make some bonus money on top of your planned profit

Bill Carey with over 30 years in real estate sales, investments, and home building offers a unique perspective to the buying and selling process of residential real estate for F*R*E*E consumer information and reports log on to http://www.CharlotteNCExecutiveHomes.com and see "Insider Real Estate Secrets Revealed" ...a must-read for Home-Owners and Renters! It's a F*R*E*E 12-lesson e-course covering more than 20 topics exposing the realities behind buying and selling a home. It Could Make(or Save) You Thousands of Dollars.

See http://www.BillCareyRealtor.com and sign up for our monthly e-newsletter with tips for buyers, sellers, home owners and soon to be home owners..

Baltimore Real Estate

Search Baltimore, MD MLS listings of Baltimore homes for sale. If you are buying a home in Baltimore Maryland you should get mortgage preapproval or prequalified for a mortgage prior to searching Baltimore real estate listings of homes for sale. This will help save you time by limiting your home buying search to only Baltimore real estate you can afford.