Easy Techniques to Enhance the Worth of Your Home

Remodeling your kitchen may increase the resale value of your own home. The kitchen area is essential mainly because it is the spot where families spend considerable time. Several families entertain visitors within their kitchen as well.

Studies show that redesigning your kitchen area might actually add far more value to your home than it costs for the remodeling project. This means that you can really earn money by upgrading your kitchen. There are also a few disadvantages when considering a remodel. Kitchen remodeling is lots of work and may be a huge inconvenience. Over time, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

Know the Contractor

if you are able to complete just about all or part of the work yourself, you might be able to save quite a bit of money. Otherwise, you will need to hire a contractor. Contractors normally charge by the hour. Make sure that you hire a skilled contractor who has proper licensure.

Your Agent May Assist With The Process

Just before you undertake a big redesigning project, you might desire to talk to your agent. He or she may give you advice regarding exactly how much other clients have spent on remodeling jobs. The agent can also give you a bid of the resale value of your house after the remodeling work is finished.

Developing a Budget

Soon after talking to the agent and talking to contractors in the region, you should have a cost estimation for the job. At this point, you might realize that you're not able to afford the remodel that you had in your mind. Remember that remodeling projects are just about all about creativity and compromise. By keeping this in mind and making the mandatory changes, you ought to end up being able to get the look that you want at a cost you can afford.

Source: http://alexmitchell.articlealley.com/easy-techniques-to-enhance-the-worth-of-your-home-2433948.html

Home Insurance – Where to Start

March 16, 2011 by David

Picking the right insurer for your home can be a daunting task especially if you’re a new home buyer with no prior experience. There are so many providers out there with such a vast range of insurance packages, it’s difficult to tell which is the right plan just for you.

Fortunately the internet makes home insurance shopping much easier especially with sites like InsWeb for the US and Money for UK residents. InsWeb provides a free database  which offers quotes from up to 8 insurers and the UK Money site provides up to 20. They are basically search engine comparison sites so you can access quotes from one location without having to hop from one insurance site to another.

There’s also an article on the CNN site under the money section which I recommend reading that discusses the top things to know about insurance. They even provide some other good articles worth reading pertaining to home ownership in general.

Insurance coverage and requirements also vary based on which state and country you live in. For example, I live in San Francisco which is very earthquake prone so an optional earthquake insurance option is available. Others who live in the mid-west are prone to hurricanes so their insurance will be more expensive.  Regardless of your location, it’s always important to seek out and find at least 2-4 quotes before making your decision. Not only will you save money but you’ll also have peace of mind knowing that you didn’t just select the first insurance plan you came across. Good luck in your search!

Source: http://www.realestateweblog.org/home-insurance-where-to-start.php

Basic (but Effective) Sales Tips and Techniques

Today there are more types of sales styles and techniques than you can shake a stick at. So how do you know what works and what doesn't? It really boils down to what works for you and what works for your product. Think about your target market and their perceptions about your product type. Do they know they need it and simply have to choose from the various brands on the market? Or, do they have no idea how much the product would help them be more productive? Do they even know about your product? Will the sales call be an education for them - or you?

Think through these things before determining what methods might work for your product or service. It goes without saying that a sales method that works for office supplies won't work for management consulting services. Although they are both targeting a similar market, the knowledge and understanding of your prospects will be much different. They have to be educated about how much they can benefit from consulting services, whereas, they already know they have to have binders to put their reports in, or paper for their copiers.

So, even though there are many sales methods, the choices are narrowed as you think about your market and what their needs are, as well as what their expectations may be.

With that said, let's just go over some things that are beneficial in almost any market. These tips are basic guidelines that most any sales person can benefit from.

• Listen to the emotional side of your prospect or client: Emotions are tied into almost everything we do even if we don't realize it. Your client may mention off-hand that they are really stressed-out about a particular project they are working on (even if it doesn't relate to what you're selling them). Make a note of this and see if there is anything you can do to assist them. You may have another client who had a similar dilemma and found a good solution. Make those connections and help where ever you can. You'll be rewarded with loyalty from all of your clients.
• Focus on your prospect or client's needs: We've talked about it before, but it's worth mentioning again. You may be tempted to sell your client your top-of-the-line model gadget when they really only need the mid-line model. By selling them more than they need, you may be cutting off future relations with them. Once they realize (and they will eventually) that they don't need most of what you sold them, they'll feel bitter and resentful toward you for wasting their money and not looking out for their best interest. They'll see you as a "salesperson" and not as a resource.
• Use language that focuses on your prospect or client: Simply changing the way you speak may also make a difference in how you are received by your prospect. Using "you" and "yours," or "you'll find..." rather than "I think" or "Let me tell you about," brings your message a little closer to home and may grab their attention more quickly.
• Help your prospect see the bottom line: If you know your product can help clients save money, or increase profitability, then make sure they understand that. Your product may have an edge in that it includes features that save time. Time is money as the saying goes, and if you can save time your can often sell your product.
• Find out your prospect's priorities: You can save yourself a lot of wasted time and effort by simply knowing how important your product and its benefits are to your prospect. If you've listened to them and determined the need, but still aren't getting anywhere, find out if there are other elements of their business that are taking priority and pushing your sale aside. If you know they have to implement a program before they can spend time considering (or funds purchasing) your product then you can schedule a call back at a later date that may stand a better chance of getting some attention. To do this you have to ask the questions because the information is not always volunteered. (Again, the key is focusing on the needs of your prospect, and having an open relationship already in place.)

Source: money.howstuffworks.com/business-communications/sales-technique4.htm

What to Wear to Work for a Real Estate Job

For WOMEN
                                                                       
What you wear to your real estate job may vary depending on what you plan to accomplish that day and where you will be working, but you should always dress in a neat, clean, and professional manner.

Dress in larger metropolitan areas will tend to be more formalbusiness attire on a daily basis.

Even if you are not meeting with any clients on a particular day, your colleagues may be, and it's important that the entire staff project a competent, conservative image.

For realtors in smaller towns and in locations that are vacation destinations, more casual attire is appropriate.

FOR MEN

What to Wear to Meet Clients

If you are meeting clients, or showing properties, depending on where you are working, you will most often choose to dress in business attire.

For men, this means a suit or dress slacks and a jacket, button down shirt, tie, dark socks, and dress shoes.

For women, a skirt or pant suit, conservative dress with a jacket, or dress skirt or slacks with a blouse or sweater, and coordinating jacket, hosiery, and closed toe pumps.

If you're in a more rural or a vacation resort area more casual attire is the norm. For example, if you're showing condos in a ski or beach town, business casual or even casual attire is typical.

What to Wear in the Office

If you are spending the day in the office doing paperwork and making follow up calls, you can often wear business casual.

Business casual for men encompasses dress slacks or chinos, button down shirt, dressy polo shirt, jacket optional, dark socks and dress shoes.

For women, a skirt or dress slacks, blouse, sweater, twinset, jacket optional, hosiery, closed toe pumps are acceptable.

No jeans, no sneakers, unless you are specifically told that they are acceptable, and even then, it's better to wait until after you have been there a while, and have noticed how predominant that kind of dress is..

Source: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/what-to-wear/qt/real-estate-wear-to-work.htm

Guidelines On Homes For Sale

Many people dream of owning their dream house sometime in their lives. However, most of them end up purchasing a substandard one because of inadequate funds or simply because they fear high mortgage rates. Whichever the problem, there is need to follow simple guidelines in order to make a good decision. Purchasing homes for sale is not an easy task. It requires adequate planning and funding to avoid frustrations. The important thing is to have a clear picture of what you really want before starting this process.

Conduct an adequate research into this matter before doing anything. You need to consider the pros and cons of everything that is involved. For instance, think about your source of funding. Weight the option of building a new house instead. Consequently, you will be able to make a knowledgeable decision.

As said before, it is imperative to determine your source of funding. Some people save for years then when it comes to the purchasing time, everything goes smoothly. Others on the other hand have to get loans. Your credit at that point in time will determine many factors as concerns your mortgage loan among other things.

The loan repayment terms, interest rates charged and everything else must be explained in simpler terms. This will enable you to understand every little aspect of the loan. In case it becomes a juggle, considering the assistance of a financial adviser might help. This individual will put everything clearer. Consequently, you could opt for another comfortable option. Do not put your family under too much financial strain on other expenses if you cannot meet the offered deal.

Real estate agents are good candidates to work with when seeking such houses. However, they are so many of them today and not all of them are as efficient and honest. As such, be sure to check their credentials among other things. Consider their billing as well as reputation. Obtaining referrals from friends and relatives might be the best thing to use in the selection process.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7240638

Do you know what is the History of Dragon Estate? :)

In May 1992, Ms. Laidia P. Yu, then a business entrepreneur, diverted her interest into real estate selling by forming DRAGON ESTATE . Dragon, in Chinese culture, being an emblem of power and a symbol of strength & superiority, was the origin of the company's name, as Dragon Estate manifested the characteristics of a dragon throughout the years.
Today, Dragon Estate continues to broaden its horizon with its continuous effort to provide prompt & professional service, and to offer valuable & quality investments to Filipino home buyers. Together with this is a vision of creating a name and an image for the company that is synonymous to productivity, integrity and excellence.

Blogging Success

1. Blogging Works

The simple formula of blogging regularly to a well defined audience pays off.

Most agents never get to experience this success because they:

A: Can’t commit to blogging a few times a week
B: Quit before they start to see results

So how long does it take to generate leads from blogging?

The answer is “it depends.” But you can help speed up your success by blogging with a specific target in mind. Instead of thinking that you need to be on the front page (of Google) for “San Diego real estate” in order to put yourself in a position to generate leads from your blogging, aim to be found by your target audience based on their specific needs.

Chances are, once you have really defined EXACTLY who you are aiming for, you realize that the phrase that they are searching with is not “San Diego real estate.” It is more specific; a community, a niche, a situation, a type of property… When you are focused on a specific target, you can’t approach it broadly.

For some this success comes in a matter of weeks, for others is can take months. But if you understand the above, and commit to writing to it, IT WILL WORK.

2. Blogging Is Easy

Blogging has made them relevant, current, competitive and savvy.

By definition it is just writing and publishing an entry to your blog/website.

The hardest part is getting motivated and finding the time to make it happen.

The most important thing is to hit publish as often as possible. That means Publish Pithy Posts!

3. The Leads Are Great

“Jim, I have been reading your blog for a few months now, and I love it. You have answered so many questions – some I didn’t even know I had. Anyhow – my wife and I are ready to talk to someone about selling our home and we’d love to meet with you.”

This is a typical lead that our blogging clients receive from their blogging efforts. Your audience gets to know you, your expertise, and dedication to their education before they contact you. And, it is for all these reasons that they do contact you.

Gone are the days of a database of fake emails and phone numbers entered just to access your property search.

4. Blogging Makes Them a Better Real Estate Agent

A dedicated blogger can see improvement in the following areas:

Discipline
Focus
Organization
Networking
Exposure
Expertise
Knowledge
First Impressions.

All of which are hugely important to being a successful real estate agent.

Why Real Estate Blogging Makes You A Better Realtor, Part 1 of 3

5. They Dominate In The Search Engines

It’s no secret – the most common reason for our clients to start blogging is to take advantage of theawesome power a blog has for being found on Google.

Blogs can be very well optimized for search engine success. This coupled with a regular posting habit is the recipe for taking over the results pages for coveted search terms.

6. There Is Plenty Of Room To Compete

How many agents are in your association? 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 20,000? Out in the field, you are competing with a sizable percentage of them for new business.

You won’t find a market with 1% of members actively using content creation (blogging) as a marketing strategy. Heck I bet you can’t find one with 0.5% of the members blogging.

This means that there is plenty of room for you to carve out your own active audience for the most obvious of topics and locations.

7. The Sooner You Start The Sooner It Works

You won’t find a market with 1% of members actively using blogging as a marketing strategy.

The first thing keeping you from being a successful real estate blogger is getting started.

Your audience is out there waiting for you to establish a reason for them to start working with you.

Waiting until you “have the time” or “when the market slows” or “when I get an assistant to help” is just prolonging how long it will take to start getting leads.

8. They No Longer Suffer With A Bad Website

Bloggers understand what makes their site successful. They know why their site is being found in the search engines and why their leads are contacting them. They are familiar with the workings of their website. They are in control and the positive results happen because they make them happen

The mystery of how to generate business from the web is no longer there.

Blogging has made them relevant, current, competitive and savvy.

9. It’s The Best Marketing Money They Spent In The Last 5 Years.

You need a website, and you expect to pay for its development and hosting.  But now that you are in full control of its success, the cost to achieve it is measured only in effort, not dollars. Once you have everything in place, the act of blogging is free.

Improving your presence in the search engines with post: free
Building an audience around your expertise: free
Gaining the trust of your readers: free
Generating leads: free

Five practices for Real Estate in Facebook

Here are five best practices for using Facebook in 

real estate marketing.

1. Use Facebook To Connect with Potential Clients

Social media makes it much easier to make a fast, personal connection with people you meet.

2. Maintain a Consistent Flow of Communication

It used to be that a monthly newsletter was enough to keep your network updated on your business, but with the advent of social media, you now have the opportunity to stay top-of-mind on an ongoing basis.

3. Integrate Facebook Into Your Existing Marketing

In addition to giving people the ability to follow you on Facebook from your website, think about other ways that you can integrate Facebook into your marketing. For example, if you’re blogging, set it up to automatically post each new article on Facebook.

4. Consider Using Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads have also become a popular way for agents to market both themselves as well as new properties. To get the most value, there are a few key things to keep in mind.

5. Create and Maintain a Professional Image

Be careful what you post to Facebook — pictures of you drinking a cocktail or posts about a wicked hangover aren’t likely to inspire trust.

Source: mashable.com