September 2010 – The Evans Real Estate Group Blog

Real Estate VIRUS: Generic Marketing

The first principle in Marketing 101 is to define your target market, and then what follows is the customization of a marketing plan’s key elements (Price, Place, Product and Promotion) that are tailored to that target market.

So WHY IS IT that marketing efforts in today’s Real Estate market are the EXACT SAME 99% of the time? The marketing plan of the day seems have 10 pictures taken, uploaded and a description that says “Wonderful X bed Y bath home – Must see!”

Really? Is that all you need? With approximately 2400 Realtors in Ottawa alone, and with over 5000 listings on the Ottawa Real Estate Board at the same time – do you really want a marketing plan that blends your home in with the rest?

One of the benefits I provide to all my clients is a tailored marketing plan according to WHO buys their product, WHERE they are, and WHAT they like. Now depending on your location, your builder, your style of home (inside and out) and your price range – there will be a certain type of buyer that dominates your area. Not only can the target market for your home be identified, it can be understood and targeted according to elements such as:

Marital Status
Age
Level of Education
Average Household Income
Employment Type
Languages Spoken
Ethnicity and Religion
Events that occurred in their lives
Movies they watch
Entertainment the enjoy

I can pinpoint this information down to a 250m radius from YOUR HOME.

How? Cencus, postal and land registry information – combined and analyzed.

Why? Targeted marketing speaks to the right buyers, attracts them, gets them in the home, and ultimately leads to QUICKER and more PROFITABLE sales.

Real Estate Sales, Uncategorized

10 Ways to Boost Curb Appeal

Aubrey’s tips appeared in the Sept. 10 syndicated column, “At Home with Marni Jameson.” Jameson, a columnist and author of “House of Havoc” and “The House Always Wins,” interviewed Aubrey for the piece, which appears in more than 30 U.S. and Canadian newspapers reaching over 7 million readers each week.

Here’s an excerpt featuring Aubrey’s 10 tips on curb appeal:

Take a fresh look. After living in a house, it’s easy – and convenient — to stop noticing what needs fixing. For sellers in denial, Aubrey, known for his tough-talking approach to real estate, shows the seller pictures of competing homes, and says: “Buddy, if I were a buyer picking which home to see, yours would come in last.”

View your house as a portrait. Create a composition where everything – hardscape, softscape, entryway, exterior walls and roof — works together. Have the big picture before you proceed.

Green up the grass. If it’s brown, or has bald spots, fix it. While you’re at it, prune, weed and clean up the rest of the yard.

Fill flowerbeds. Plant flowers and shrubs that will look good now and later. That is, after summer annuals go, have something in planters that will bloom or change color in fall. Tier planters so taller shrubs are in back, smaller ones in front.

Refresh paint. If you can’t afford to paint the whole house, at least repaint the trim. Make doors and windows pop. “If a buyer walks up to a door that’s beat, they think, ‘This is a project house.’” That can kill a deal.

Color it carefully. Pick a palette that conforms to the neighborhood yet sets your house apart — a fine but critical line. “Neutral isn’t the same as boring,” says Aubrey, adding, “Don’t be that house where people drive by and say, ‘What happened here?’”

Revisit your approach. Design a welcome path from street to door, which should be the focus. Punch up walkways and driveways. If replacing them with good-looking pavers is out of the budget, add a stone or brick border. Fix or replace uneven or boring walkways.

Add polish. If your outdoor light fixtures look weathered, or your door handle looks worn, repaint or replace them. Shiny, new metal makes people say, “Oooo.”

Tend to the little small stuff. Simple details like new address numbers, a new doorbell, a handsome mailbox and a fresh doormat say you care.

Add an element. A pediment over the entry, an upgraded front door, a cover over the porch, or some columns can add major drama for less money than you’d think.

Uncategorized

Better supply of properties for sale brings balance to housing market; prices rise steadily

September 3, 2010 : Better supply of properties for sale brings balance to housing market; prices rise steadily

After an HST- influenced dip in sales in July, August saw a return to a more normal number of sales. Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,122 residential properties in August through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 1,211 in August 2009, a decrease of 7.3 per cent.

Of those sales, 266 were in the condominium property class, while 856 were in the residential property class. The condominium property class includes any property, regardless of style (i.e. detached, semi-detached, apartment, stacked etc.) which is registered as a condominium, as well as properties which are co-operatives, life leases and timeshares. The residential property class includes all other residential properties.

“The number of sales year-to-date is slightly ahead of last year’s sales for the same period, and last year’s sales volume was the highest ever. This shows the stability of the Ottawa Real Estate Market. ” said Immediate Past President Rick Snell. “The market is in a balanced position in relation to the number of homes for sale and the demand for properties. This is a good market for both buyers and sellers. I expect to see a normal fall market with longer selling times and stable prices,” he added.

The average sale price of residential properties, including condominiums, sold in August in the Ottawa area was $321,969, an increase of 2.1 per cent over August 2009. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $262,999, an increase of 16.8 per cent over August 2009. The average sale price of a residential-class property was $340,294, an increase of 0.1 per cent over August 2009. The Board cautions that average sale price information can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold.

The Ottawa Real Estate Board is an industry association of 2,600 sales representatives and brokers in the Ottawa area. Members of the Board are also members of the Canadian Real Estate Association.

The MLS® system is a member based service, paid for by the REALTOR® members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. The MLS® mark symbolizes the cooperation among REALTORS® to effect the purchase and sale of real estate through real estate services provided by REALTORS®. MLS® commercial and residential listings are available for viewing on the Board’s internet site at http://www.OttawaRealEstate.org and on the national websites of The Canadian Real Estate Association at http://www.REALTOR.ca and http://www.ICX.ca. Information about listings and open houses is also available in the Board’s weekly newspaper, Ottawa Real Estate Guide, available free at 700 locations across the Ottawa area and now online at http://www.OttawaRealEstateGuide.ca.