For many agents, open houses have mostly fallen by the wayside. However, if you need to do one for a Seller that prefers them or you simply enjoy them as a part of your marketing mix, here are two mobile apps that may help you convert visitors to clients. These apps will help with engagement and connectivity while reducing your need for deciphering hieroglyphics and doing data entry.  Best of all they are FREE!First on the list is the Zillow Mortgage Pre-Approval Tool.  This is both a mobile app and a website so whether you have a laptop or an iPad (sorry Androiders, it's not available yet for us), you can offer walk-in prospective buyers an instant pre-approval letter.  This is powerful!  Instead of letting prospective buyers continue to other open homes with no significant interactio... 08/08/2014

Perhaps you are moving for a short period.  You may be in the military, have an out-of-state family crisis or a temporary job relocation that has spurred your move.  Instead of selling your home, you plan to have it leased so that you can return to it in the future or wait until market values further improve.  Your elated because your real estate agent does a great job marketing the home for rent and you have several prospective rental tenants lined up.  But how do you choose? If you are using an online tenant screening service such as TransUnion's MySmartMove.com, be sure to pay attention to this tip to avoid leasing to the wrong tenant:         Do you have more questions about this process whether you are a real estate agent or landlord?  Contact info@agentsaroundatlanta.com.  Here's... 08/07/2014

Are you happy with your website's ability to capture leads?  You may have spent time, energy and dinero creating a user-friendly lead capture widget for your website but there is a new tool (which I am dubbing real estate public enemy #1) that may be preempting you from receiving those leads.  Egad!   BugMeNot.com allows real and dummy user logins to various websites to be shared, destroying the intricate lead capture system you thought your website had.     For example, I entered two of the websites that I have generated leads from in the past, Realtor.com and RE/MAX.com.  Both sites are on BugMeNot.com with dummy logins that have been used - arrgh!       Obviously these are people that do not want to be harassed today by a slew of emails and calls but many times these are still folks... 08/06/2014

Believe it or not, the secret to your success in real estate sales is (drum roll please)... YOU!  I am sure you already realize your knowledge of various real estate processes will be a factor in your success because that is why you are taking various real estate-focused courses.  But did you know that your interests, hobbies and personality play just as a pivotal role in your success as your real estate training?   Check out this tip's short video by clicking below:   What you like to do, probably is easy and sweatless for you to do.  If you incorporate that which you like to do into your real estate sales business, you will make real estate sales all the more easier and likeable.  For instance, you may not feel at home cold-calling expired listings but you may love to snap photos of ... 08/06/2014

Stressed.  Anxious.  Have you seen neighbors, co-workers or family members appear disheveled, worried or on the edge of a nervous breakdown while selling their home?  Selling your home can and should be an opportunity for you to relish in the excitement of negotiating a good deal and entering a new chapter of your life, whether the real estate you are selling is your personal home, a vacation property, or rental investment.  Well, as dedicated real estate agents (or Agents+), we want you to experience the joys of selling your home with minimal stress, whether this is your first or fiftieth time, and here are 7 tips to help. Let your agent know exactly what you owe on the home including any 2nd mortgages, equity lines, tax liens, etc.  This is vital for a realistic picture of what you w... 08/04/2014

  Have you been curious about trying Google Adwords to give your business more exposure?   Well, now may be a great time to test the waters and give Google Adwords a try because they are offering a $100 credit if you sign up before December 31, 2014 using this promo code D79PN-7AHXR-PYMN.  Of course they have terms and conditions so visit the Google Adwords website for more details...  Here's to your success! 08/04/2014

It is no mystery that we all funnel what we hear and see through our previous experiences and knowledge base.  Knowing this, when working with sellers ready to get out of Dodge, it is important we first address how they filter the information about their castle, where they may have painstakingly invested and raised families in for the last five, ten or fifty-five years (like my grandparents).  As Agents+ (what I call professional agents), it is our responsibility to clear the seller's funnel with the CORRECT information.  Of course this is no disrespect to Sally from down the street, who thinks this home can get top-dollar within 24 hours but we want our clients to be armed with the most current and accurate facts about local sales.To properly acknowledge and clean the filter of real e... 07/31/2014

Whether you, your children or your grands ever searched through the Where's Waldo books to find that guy in the red and white striped shirt, funny hat and trendy glasses, you probably do not have the luxury of time as a real estate professional to play those same kind of games with your cell phone.  Yet, in the real estate industry, we having roving offices, from Starbucks to a home seller's kitchen table, which may force us in to an undesired game of "hide and seek" with our phones or tablets. To keep a lost phone or tablet from interrupting your next listing appointment, real estate closing, open house and so forth, Google has a quick way for you to locate, lock, ring or erase the data on your Android phone or mobile tablet.  You may already be aware of this or using another app that... 07/31/2014

Lead generation is paramount to every real estate agent's business but some agents are not sure how to best generate leads.  Here are our 7 main categories to generate leads in.  Within each category, there are SEVERAL ways to connect with potential buyers or sellers but we wanted to highlight in each of the 7 categories some of our favorites.     NOTE: It is important to identify what 2-3 categories you are most effective in because you still want to have time to actually work with clients and not just prospect.  Trying to tackle all 7 categories at once may leave you no time to do the actual work of your business - yikes!   Check out the interactive infographic below (the images will change with your clicks) and let's generate more leads!       07/30/2014

One River Place is located in the City of Atlanta, Fulton County GA 30339. The Community features town homes and condos tucked away from secluded luxury to river-side living, The location can not be beat at 101 River Vista Drive Atlanta, GA 30339. The average list price for a condo, since listed in the MLS, is between $108,900 to $779,000. Most properties built between 2008 tp 2014. Most homes have between 1 to 4 bedrooms & 1 full bathroom to 4 full and 1 half bathrooms. Condos & Real Estate For Sale In One River Place The average median selling price for a condo / townhome, at time of post, is $304,386.00 and takes 129 Days on market to sell, at time of post.Schools At Time Of Post Elem: Heards FerryMiddle: RidgeviewHigh: Riverwood Home Owner Association fees, at time of post, are $290... 07/28/2014

As a professional real estate agent (or an Agent+ as I like to call it) the more information you make available to your clients, the smoother the home-buying or selling process will be for them.  If you work with home buyers in metro Atlanta, you are welcome to use the deliverable below with your clients for FREE.   By the way, we will have more tools popping up over the next few weeks/months so visit www.AgentsAroundAtlanta.com for more freebies for you real estate business.  Here's to your success!   More tools to come so visit www.AgentsAroundAtlanta.com often! 07/26/2014

It is a dream come true for many business owners, including us real estate agents, for our content to be found on page numero uno of the Google search results.  There are many ways to get there including paying for Google Adwords placement, having extensive content on your site, or simply being Popular Patty, having many users frequent your site.  But there is another, currently FREE way that real estate agents should tap into at least once a week - posting to Google+ and adding (while being added by others) to the Google+ circles.   Say what?   I know, I know... you may like Facebook or Twitter better for your social tools of choice but Google+ is favored by the coveted Google results search (do you think they may be a little biased? Hmmm).  When you post or re-post to Google+ your blo... 07/25/2014

Lead generation.  There are many ways to do it but the key is doing it effectively.  One great and inexpensive way to generate real estate leads is to blog strategically through SEO (search-engine optimization) blogging, which means your blog can easily be found using various search engines.   Although I have transitioned from a sales agent to real estate broker, many of the agents I work with wonder how I am still generating a high volume of sales leads from my blog years after hanging up my consumer sales hat.  Here are my tips that still work today but here's my caveat: we know Google seems to be trying to outsmart marketers with their algorithms so who knows what will work in 10+ years.  But while the getting is good, here goes my top 7 tips to generate leads through organic placem... 07/25/2014

 Have you ever used for your tagline, Your REALTOR® For Life! or seen others use that statement?  I have and I loved it.  I would think, What a great way to affirm your quest for a lifelong client relationship... until I started to notice that it did not invoke the same sentiment in the actual clients of various agents - yikes.   Most real estate agents that have been in the business for awhile recognize that branding slogans are great but if they deviate from and inaccurately reflect who the agent is, they can have a limited (perhaps even non-existent) impact on the growth of one's business.  However, if you are a rookie, you may have yet to understand this but let us save you from the school of hard knocks - learn this type of costly lesson from others and skip the firsthand, war-stor... 07/23/2014

Buying a new home is an exciting time but nothing takes the air out of your happy balloon like hearing that you will not be able to close your real estate purchase on time or maybe not at all - yikes! Here are three of the deadly sins of home-buying that every real estate buyer obtaining a mortgage should avoid to prevent a real estate purchase from dying:   Purchasing large items on credit (i.e. new car, furniture, etc.) BEFORE closing - this can lower your credit score, which is usually pulled again either the day of or day before closing Not reporting a change to your job income, especially when you are facing a loss - this can cause a new debt-to-income ratio that puts you outside the lending limits Not having a home inspection AND appraisal - enter your new home with your eyes "wi... 07/22/2014

It’s time to recap Sandy Springs short sales for June 2014 and its impact on the current market. It’s important to understand the influence that short sales have on today’s market and to keep an eye on the market. Also, keep in mind that the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act has not been extended. This really shouldn’t have any impact on short sales and foreclosures, but could create a political firestorm as forgiven debt is now taxable again. In June, Sandy Springs short sales activity was: 4 active homes 11 pending homes 1 closed homes 11 active condos and townhomes 19 pending condos and townhomes 3 closed condos and townhomes If you’re in the market for a Sandy Springs short sale, whether a single family home, condo or townhome, we’re here to help. Our team is led by a Certified ... 07/19/2014

There are a few sounds that universally irritate most of us - grating on a chalkboard, teeth sucking, constant dog barking and the like.  But as a real estate broker, I would like to through one more irritant in the mix, the sound of I'm not paying a referral fee! emphatically yelled from an agent (that's what my picture is supposed to represent lol) whose real estate business has not yet taken off.   Why, you ask, do I rate not being willing to pay a referral fee right up there with chalkboard shrills?    For many agents, it is imperative that we market.  Typical business practices dictate that we allot anywhere from 20 - 30% for marketing expenses to generate and cultivate our book of business.  These expenses may be as simple as doing a monthly mailing and having an e-newsletter or ... 07/17/2014

Whether you are a lifelong learner that relishes reading the latest New York Times bestseller or if being a bookworm is not your thang, it is hard to ignore what many real estate agents call the Agent Alphabet Soup - the various designations and certifications in the real estate industry.  You can become a certified ABR, CDPE, CRS, SFR, CIPS, MRP, ALC, CCIM, SRS (whew!) to just name a few (check out the comprehensive list on the REALTOR(r) website).  But is all of this really needed?   The answer is maybe.  If the designation or certification is a well-taught course that will add to your knowledge base, then the certification or designation will increase your stock as an agent+ (i.e. those agents that excel in professionalism and being a resource for their clients).     The value, of c... 07/17/2014

Are you a real estate DIYer?     We live in the Age of Information, thankfully!  For most, gone are the days that we have to rely solely on libraries and professionals to complete our daily tasks from things as simple as replacing a blown fuse to the more complicated things of building a computer.  Thanks to the plethora of information just a click away through Google, for many, our innate desire to be self-sufficient has flourished and we proudly (and may even pop our collar a little) admit to being a "Do-It-Yourselfer" (DIYer).  Probably like you, I have found online articles and Youtube videos that have helped me fix various items around my home (including repairing my air conditioner unit and replacing the keyboard on my laptop) and learn assorted skill sets.     But being a DIYer ... 07/16/2014

As a real estate sales agent, who is in business for one's self, I am sure you like me never have had the intentions of running current and prospective clients away.  But sometimes we notice clients that once seemed gong-ho cannot be reached or raised - no amount of calling, emailing, texting, FB poking, whatever will get them to give you a second glance.  Why is that?  There are things we may be doing that inadvertently ruins our business' reputation.     Let's review 3 commons ways to run away homebuyers that may be the trigger for your "missing-in-action" clients.  If you are not one to represent homebuyers, we have you covered because in a later post, we will review the top 3 taboos in working with home sellers.   The 3 Easy Steps to RUIN Your Reputation with Homebuyers Are:     Ge... 07/16/2014