Author Archives: Kaylee

THE VIRTUAL REALITY TOUR ADVANTAGE

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The benefits of using virtual tours to attract real estate buyers have multiplied over the years. Virtual tours attract qualified prospects and increase conversion rates so much so that now, you can’t afford to run your real estate business without having virtual tours on your website.

Virtual tours have turned out to be an effective tool in engaging customers with their selected real estate professional. Instead of staging a time consuming and strenuous open house event, a virtual tour remains open for anyone who wants to visit. This saves you valuable time and resources, as such, this customized approach reaches your target audience leading to an increased chance of a sale. The market is increasingly competitive and most prospective home buyers check online listings before contacting an agent or viewing homes in person. Drones can help your online listings leave a lasting impression on potential clients and when you use virtual tours for real estate, the customers are more likely to engage with your company as great visuals have more captivating power.

When you use a virtual tour, you can present all types of information related to the project in the presentations. Drones are a great tool for capturing the scope of homes and properties. For example, drones can be used to provide a moving tour through the inside of large homes, giving prospective buyers a much better idea of property layout and dimensions than photos. Drones are also useful for displaying properties with magnificent views or large yards. Home buyers are keen to know about the amenities, features, wall color and floor design allowing the viewers to focus on the details that matter to them. Virtual tours allow viewers to explore a property independently and to enjoy and visit each room they want to see.

Virtual tours have turned out to be a powerful marketing weapon for real estate companies. These visuals increase the chances of selling the property by assisting you to easily reveal the key selling points of the project and tailoring the features according to your target audience. Unlike plain still images, virtual tours can keep the viewer glued to your website for up to an hour. As they explore each room, it’s easier for them to dream about buying and living in the house. Automated human voice technology for narrations keeps the viewer captivated during the virtual walk through. Many real estate professionals choose to take their own drone photos due to the costs and hassle of hiring a drone pilot.

Before you can begin using drones for your virtual tour, you must first complete the following steps:

All commercial drone pilots must possess a Remote Pilot in Command Certificate which can be obtained by passing the FAA Remote Pilot in Command Exam.

  1. Pay the $5 fee and register any aircraft that weighs more than 0.55lbs.
  2. Pass the $150 Small UAS Remote Pilot Exam – exam prep is available here.
  3. Pass a TSA background check
  4. File FAA Form 8710-13

Here at The Real Estate Training Institute we have created an online HD video FAA Remote Pilot Exam Prep Program with licensed real estate agent and certified drone pilot, Greg McMaster. This course is available 24/7 from any internet capable device so you can study on your own time!

Social Media Success for Real Estate Professionals

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Now more than ever, social media marketing is essential to promoting yourself as a real estate professional. Gone are the days when home buyers would open a newspaper to look for properties for sale or look up names of real estate agents in a phone book.

Therefore, it is imperative for any real estate agent to use social media in marketing their businesses and listings. And while any realtor can open a Facebook or Instagram account, it’s not always as clear how to use social media as a tool to send the right message to the right people at the right time. In our course Social Media Marketing for Real Estate Professionals you will find valuable need to know information to make yourself and your business a social media success! Here are 3 steps to get maximum exposure for your brand and properties online.

1. Use Different Platforms

Remember all platforms are different and the voice and message should match that. The top 3 social media markets are Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Of course, there are many more, but don’t spread yourself to thin trying to market on every platform.

Post photos on Instagram to generate leads.

Instagram is widely considered the perfect social media platform for realtors. There are more than 700 million users on Instagram, who reportedly press the “like” button on images about 4.2 billion times per day.

  • You get engagement by doing polls on insta-stories (very effective) and asking a question in the last line of the caption. Getting users to engage on your account is one of the best ways to grow and connect with your audience.

Without a doubt, Facebook is the king of social media.

With more than 2 billion users worldwide, it is easy to understand why the brainchild of Mark Zuckerberg is the first thing that comes to mind when one hears “social media.”

  • Use the 80/20 rule with updates: 80% of posts ought to be customer-centric while 20% should be about the business. It also helps the cause of agents to post about happenings in and around their communities like local charity events, school-related activities or even gas prices (especially when they’re low)

 Tweet to promote listings.

The volume of tweets will greatly boost a realtor’s exposure. The more tweets a real estate agent sends out, the more leads can be generated. In addition to sharing listings, there are other types of content or pieces of information worth tweeting, like advice on moving as well as tips for staging and upgrading homes.

  • Hashtags are also very important, as people use them to search for a particular topic on Twitter. Agents should use hashtags like the geographic area they operate in, recent events or keywords that their target market may be searching.

2. Use more videos and photos

Just like many others, it’s tough to turn the camera on yourself….but you have to get over it! The reality is that no one cares that your video isn’t professional grade all the time, your hair isn’t perfect or that you stumble over your words occasionally. Being yourself is the key. People will respect your effort and want to do business with you if you are authentic. Establishing that you are likable, good at your job, and can be trusted are the keys to winning!

  • Sharing images and video clips on your social media platforms can also greatly enhance the engagement level of real estate agents online.

3. Measure social media metrics.

Finally, real estate agents should identify and track their social media metrics to gain a better understanding of which strategies are working and which should be replaced or tweaked.

    • Metrics like the number of “likes” per share, number of followers and level of engagement can guide real estate agents toward what they ought to do with their social media campaigns. Facebook Audience Insights will tell you which kind of posts generate interest, and which kind lead to unfollows.

Real Estate’s American Dream

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The American dream. Owning your own home is the largest transaction an average American will make in their lifetime. Conventionally, as a salesperson or broker, you are the catalyst to make that dream a reality. Showing homes, placing offers, negotiating and eventually making the deal. Customarily you work on commission which incentivizes you to get the buyer into the highest transaction you can. To the untrained eye that customary 3% commission doesn’t look like much but as an agent you know that it can add up to thousands or tens of thousands. In 2018 $80 billion dollars were paid in real estate commissions.  This is where the traditional real estate market exists and where current events seek to shake the ancestral market.

Now, more than ever, social media marketing is crucial to reach those customers. Networking, blogging, creating relationships online will all make or break your business. When you have real estate brokerages that are setting new precedence online by allowing more time for focusing on the customer – whether it’s for the buy or the sale. They offer a do-it-yourself approach, such as providing title services, and securing the best mortgage, ultimately offering the buyer an all in one experience. How can you compete? Get online. Start with a social media marketing course like ours and learn how to open doors to new customers and keep your legacy clients coming back. The lessons in this course will take you through the development phase of your social media presence, and on to a place where you are confidently creating online content that represents you in the best light possible. Aligning yourself with your buyer or seller and maintaining a virtual presence will keep your business and reputation attractive to clients. Using Social Media effectively as a real estate professional takes a certain amount of finesse, but if done correctly, can be a major catalyst for advancing your career.

 

Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against NAR

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The lawsuit filed by home seller Christopher Moehrl in March of this year is on its way to making traditional home buying and selling a thing of the past. The NAR, 20 of the largest MLS’s across the country and 4 of the largest real estate broker franchises, are being accused of violating federal antitrust laws by conspiring to require home sellers to pay buyer commissions at an inflated amount. The end goal of said plaintiff is to make selling a home more affordable by changing how agents share commissions on local MLS’s.

NAR’s “Buyer Broker Commission Rule”, “requires all brokers to make a blanket, non-negotiable offer of buyer broker compensation” in order to participate in MLS. Without using MLS brokers cannot effectively market their properties and sellers are paying both brokers commissions which results in an ineffective and anti-competitive market.

There are 2 problems with the current archaic system. First, since the buyer’s agent will get ½ of the commission, it may induce them to cherry-pick listings to show only those properties with the highest commissions. The second problem is that the commissions presume full-service work on the parts of both agents. What happens if the buyer knows what property they want? That greatly reduces the workload of the buying agent, yet they still receive the same commission for less work.

What does this all mean for the future of Real Estate? This consequential lawsuit (if the plaintiff wins) will change the percentages that come with Real Estate transactions, making a big impact in the Real Estate Industry. With the opening of MLS to something that provides for competition, it will swing the doors wide open for internet brokerages such as REDFIN and ZILLOW. With more transactions happening virtually, salespersons and brokers will have to market themselves in new ways. The days of print and tv ads are dwindling and social media presence will be essential. We can help guide you in making yourself an invaluable player online with our Social Media Marketing Course! Learn the ins and outs of social media marketing from experts that work in both social media and real estate. We provide you with tools and tricks to upgrade your personal and professional profiles, drive leads, increase your network and business!

Virtual Real Estate

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Social Media has become one of the top ways Real Estate salespeople and brokers advertise themselves. You can expand your network, engage business partners and attract new customers all with a few keystrokes on a computer or smart device. Social Media can be the least expensive and most effective of advertising out there today. Forecasts by eMarketer show digital advertising surpassing both print and tv for the first time in history. Now is the perfect time to dive into social media marketing and get ahead of the future of digital Real Estate.

Real Estate as we know it is facing many changes. Virtual companies are on the rise and the only way to capitalize on what’s coming is to jump out in front and embrace the change. You cannot be overrun by these virtual companies if you build a virtual presence yourself. Perhaps your business will never be as big as Zillow or Redfin, but it doesn’t need to be. Your biggest asset as a Real Estate agent is your network. Currently, the biggest Real Estate buying group are Millennials and these Millennials account for 70% of Instagram users. Your buying audience is literally at your virtual fingertips, and when the market becomes digital, your business will be secure.

As history has taught us, fighting change won’t help your business. The best course of action that you can take for yourself and your business is knowing how to navigate the virtual world and accepting that very soon it will become priceless. Social Media can be a complicated and confusing landscape, If you are unsure of how to begin, check out our course titled: Social Media Marketing and you will become a social media whiz in no time. Get started below!

 

Ready to Renew Your Utah Real Estate License?

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How do I renew my Utah real estate license?

Licenses are required to complete 18 hours of Continuing education every 2 years in order to renew their license. Those that are newly licensed must complete a 12 hour “New Agent” core course.  Every renewal thereafter, real estate agents and brokers must complete 9 hours of Core courses and 9 hours of Elective courses.

What continuing education do I need to renew my Utah real estate license?

Utah salespersons and brokers are required to complete 18 hours of continuing education. Real Estate Training Institute offers a complete 18-hour renewal package, as well as, a 9 hour core package, a 9 hour elective package and individual courses.

Where do I renew my Utah real estate broker or salesperson license?

Renew your license online by logging into the Utah License Management System.

Click here for the latest state regulation updates.

How much does it cost to renew my Utah real estate license?

Broker: $66
Sales Agent: $60

Do I need continuing education if my Utah real estate license is inactive?

CE is NOT required if renewing as inactive, as long as the license is renewed on time.

Who do I contact about my Utah real estate license?

Utah Division of Real Estate
PO Box 146711
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6711
Phone: (801) 530-6747
E-Mail Address: realestate@utah.gov
Fax: (801) 530-6749

Predicting the Real Estate Market in 2019

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2018 was a fickle year in Real Estate. The year started with sky-high home prices, historically low mortgage rates and a definitive upper hand for sellers. In recent months though, home price growth has wavered, rates have risen to their highest point in nearly eight years, and favor has started to shift from seller to buyer. 2019 predictions are showing that we are moving from an incredibly hot real estate market to a more normalized one. Housing inventory looks to rise back up to 2017 levels, and price growth, while likely still positive, will be the lowest we’ve seen since 2014 or possibly even 2011.

Investors and house-flippers will back away from the cooling market and sellers will have to adjust their price expectations as buyers grapple with rising mortgage rates and already-high home prices. A still-growing economy and increased access to credit will support more home buyer demand, but higher interest rates will make home-buying more expensive, so it’s hard to say whether home sales will stay down or rebound next year.

In 2019, homebuyers will enjoy more inventory and less competition from speculators and house-flippers, which will lead to more people enjoying the benefits of homeownership. It will cost more to borrow, but more people will have access to credit for home-buying. This will motivate lenders to expand their customer base to low-income borrowers and first-time homebuyers. But of course, lenders will charge more for these loans–both to cover the risk of lending to borrowers with less-than-perfect credit and to cover their own costs of borrowing.

Homebuilders will be more cautious about building during a cooling market and focus on building starter homes that are easier to sell than luxury homes. Fewer homes will be built, but more builders will focus on starter homes. Higher labor costs will limit the number of homes built, but, higher wages will increase the demand for starter-homes among working-class Americans. Rates (perhaps three times) in 2019 will increase and push the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate up to about 5.5 percent by the end of the new year.

All in all, housing is set for a slow-down next year, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

The medium and long-term prospects for housing are good because demographics are going to continue to support demand. With a slower price appreciation, incomes have an opportunity to catch up. With slower sales, inventory has an opportunity to normalize. A slowdown in 2019 creates a healthier housing market going forward.

https://www.redfin.com/blog/2018/12/redfins-2019-housing-market-predictions.html

Artificial Intelligence Opportunities in Real Estate

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Real Estate, along with every other industry, has advanced from using Artificial Intelligence to improve and support healthier lifestyles for people. In commercial real estate, health-focused principles are more than just trends. They are the beginning of the industry’s promising future. From 2008 to 2017, the number of tech-oriented real estate startups have exploded from a mere 176 to over 1,200 companies. The areas in Real Estate that can really use artificial intelligence to offer healthy solutions are safety, data-driven comfort, and sustainability.

Artificial intelligence in the safety sector of commercial real estate has made a big impact. It provides, for example, better security for those that occupy these spaces. AI and machine learning use anything from voice commands to facial recognition to improve accessibility, security, and infrastructure stability after construction. Eventually, developers will be implementing robots to assist with inspection and repairing damage without utilizing human workers, making it safer for everyone.

Real Estate companies have realized the usefulness of AI data and sensor technology to provide higher comfort and more efficient spaces for consumers. Buildings can become personalized for monitoring, home safety and even senior care. For example, motion sensors can track the tenant’s daily movements so it can then adjust door locks, faucets, electronic devices and monitor optimal temperatures for each tenant. Even though these are simple solutions consumers will enjoy focusing on bigger things while your home adjusts to your comfort.

In Manhattan AI has been implemented in commercial structures already, one such project is the Empire State Building. It currently collects data to identify the buildings energy efficiency so adjustments can be made to keep this historical monument standing and useful for as long as possible. It’s not just HVAC systems and lighting controls that AI can help with. It can also identify roof and insulation issues during construction and water usage patterns which can then be used to identify the best materials to use during construction to offer energy efficient resolutions.

In time, Artificial Intelligence can provide the Real Estate market even more opportunities to make a sale by offering a safe haven with technology both inside and outside of the home.

Tick Tock: Nebraska Real Estate Agents & Brokers License Renewal

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Nebraska Realtors and Brokers with a license beginning with an even number are required to complete 18 hours of continuing education which must include 12 hours of designated subject matter.  The deadline is November 30th, 2018. Real Estate Training Institute has everything you need to meet Nebraska’s continuing education requirements.

We provide: Nebraska approved continuing education that meets all of your requirements.

You can complete your continuing education anywhere, anytime with a smartphone, tablet or computer that is connected to the internet. These courses also allow you to print a certificate immediately upon completion.

License renewal costs:

Salesperson Renewal Fee (2 years) – $230
Broker Renewal Fee (2 Year) – $290

We’ve taken the liberty of answering a few of your questions below.

How much real estate continuing education is required?

Nebraska licensees are required to complete 18 hours of continuing education each two-year cycle. Of that 18 hours, 12 hours must be in designated subject areas. Courses that are approved for designated subject areas contain an “R” in the approval number.

If I am unable to complete my Nebraska real estate continuing education by the expiration date, can I still renew?

Yes, licensees may renew their license after the expiration date. Continuing education must be completed before a license may be renewed. There is a late fee of $25 per month that the license is expired. Licensees must renew their license prior to June 30 or they will be required to re-take and pass the exam. Continuing education requirements must be met before the licensee will be approved by the NREC to take the exam.

How Do I Renew My Nebraska Real Estate License?

You can complete your renewal form by following the link listed here: Submit Renewal Form Online