Every day we all rely on technology for some reason.  The Pew Research Center tells us, in fact, that a whopping 97% of Americans have a cell phone.  It isn’t out of the question that you might be reading this right now on a cell phone!  And while I assume most of us automatically equate ‘cell phones’ with technology, it goes much deeper than that.  Our reliance on technology has truly become what I’d label a #FirstWorldProblem.  What that can mean for a buyer or seller is how quickly you can help them find someone taking advantage of what technology can do for them in the pursuit of snapping up their dream home, or dumping what they currently own in an effort to try and keep up with the Joneses.  

The What

There’s an entire nerdy, digital world out there we need to not only be aware of and educated about, but we need to be ready to implement the various types of tech to help close deals.  From the ubiquitous cell phone to a home networked with the personal assistant of your choice, whether you’re asking Alexa to turn up the TV or dim the lights, or screaming ‘Hey, Google,’ for the next step of a recipe…the kinds of technology present in a home can make or break a deal.  That can sometimes descend all the way down to ensuring that the plugs in the kitchen and bathroom and family gathering spaces support the newest USB plugs for charging and enjoying said devices.  Not everyone has the same technology experiences.  And not everyone is going to appreciate what the current owner has done to enhance his or her digital life in the home.  But you don’t want to be caught flat-footed when someone asks you where the router is, or if the home requires a mesh for the best WiFi connectivity, or if there are HDMI outlets already installed.

The When

Times are changing.  In 2011 35% of Americans had a cell phone.  Those people were not asking you what model Nest works best, and they weren’t wanting to adjust the temperature or turn on the living lights from six blocks away, or figure out the optimal location for their Echo Dots.  The only kind of plug options you had were GFI and non-GFI.  Now is the time to bone up on technology, to use it in your own home, and to ensure that you can be as conversational as possible when asked a question the 2011 version of you would have laughed at.  Homes can be retrofitted very easily for all kinds of electrical and technology needs (goal: making them more immediately livable in a buyer’s imagination, for example).  Heck, if I can change an outlet to incorporate the latest USB options, anyone can.  And I don’t even like the Joneses.

Research: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/

I couldn’t help myself.  I couldn’t.  It just sprang immediately to mind when I heard that Jerome Powell (and his gang of merry accomplices) added seventy-five basis points to the fed rates.  I saw the ‘Breaking News’ and McFadden & Whitehead started singing to me.  “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now… We’re On the Move!”  Is that art imitating life, or something else?  I’m not sure.  Either way, “Change Is Gonna Come,” just like Sam Cooke sang.  Oops, I did it again.  

The What

According to a quick Google search, “The federal funds rate, which is set by the U.S. central bank, is the interest rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another overnight. Although that’s not the rate consumers pay, the Fed’s moves still affect the borrowing and saving rates they see every day.”  In layman’s terms, this is the base rate from which all credit blessings flow.  As you know, there is an enormous amount of weight attributed to what the fed does, and its bearing on everything is more than consequential.  In our case, the specific focus is on mortgage rates…which ties directly to the ability for homeowners to buy and sell their properties.   

The When

Now.  I could stop right there, but that wouldn’t do this timing justice.  Whether or not you are of the opinion that we’re on the precipice of a recession, you’ve no doubt understood the impression on the market today, and the subsequent sway on your clients (yesterday, today, and tomorrow).  Rising fed rates not only hinder the ability to find an affordable mortgage, but they influence things you might consider ancillary, like credit card rates, auto loans, etc.  Those are typically impacted – right now – in a negative manner.  It can be a waterfall effect.  For example, as rates rise, credit card interest follows.  And that makes it even more difficult for anyone with credit card debt they can’t currently manage to get a stranglehold on the finance charges that pile up monthly.  That leads to higher debt-to-income ratios.  And that makes it harder for someone to obtain a mortgage with a ‘lower’ interest rate.  To the contrary, anyone with savings in play should see a modest increase in those rates (but most likely not enough to offset a potential mortgage rate increase).

The Conclusion

McFadden and Whitehead gave us what is essentially a very positive song.  “Don’t let nothing stand in your way!” they sing.  And that’s good advice.  The only way to get through any kind of adversity is to walk right down the middle of it.  Stay on top of the rate conversation, make sure your clients have access to the best financial information they can obtain (NOTE: that advice should not come from you, but a licensed provider), and understand what this trend means to how you need to run your business for the short- and long-term.

Research:

We’ve all heard of the Rolling Stones and Mick Jagger.  I don’t know if you have to be a person of a certain age, a fan of the Rolling Stones, or just hip and wise beyond your years.  But if you don’t automatically start singing (the lyrics you think you know) when ‘Start Me Up!’ comes on, are you really part of the fabric of humanity?  That’s debatable, depending on your circle of friends and your ability to stick your tongue out and wear skinny pants on stage.   Okay, that might be a bit too far.

The What

What connected me to immediately to Mick Jagger was the reporting I read on both the census website, as well as www.tradingeconomics.com.  Vitally important to your ability to make homeowners’ dreams come true is the supply of homes.  A subset of that supply is new construction.  And according to both of those sources I noted above, new construction [housing] starts are lagging in 2022.  Before we go too far, according to www.Investopedia.com (clever name), housing starts are defined as, “the start of construction on a new residential housing unit.”  For your purposes, just have an image of a single-family home in mind as you take in this article.  

“Privately‐owned housing starts in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,559,000,” per www.census.gov.  “This is 2.0 percent (±9.0 percent)* below the revised May estimate of 1,591,000 and is 6.3 percent (±10.2 percent)* below the June 2021 rate of 1,664,000.”  They used a lot of words to tell us what we already know: new homes are hard to come by.  Those were the latest stats through June of this year.  And it doesn’t look like that trend is going to reverse itself in the very near future. 

The When

As in ‘when will housing starts begin to tick upward?’…  That is actually very much up in the air.  It’s a waiting game, honestly, and there are a number of factors that we just can’t influence.  It’s a long game, to be sure.  “Housing starts in the US dropped 2% month-over-month to an annualized rate of 1.559 million units in June of 2022, the lowest since September last year.”  Will the recent passing of legislation tied to the Inflation Reduction act be impactful?  Will there be a sense of economic improvement that makes its way to housing, ultimately impacting the market, supply & demand, and mortgage rates?  We’ll see.  

The Conclusion

Although I’m fairly certain there is subtext in Mick Jagger’s lyrics that isn’t suitable for all audiences, one thing he writes (with respect to the real estate market in 2022) rings absolutely true: “You make a grown man cry.”  

Research:

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/housing-starts

https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/newresconst.pdf

https://leadingbuilders.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Residential-Construction-Economic-Study-5-2020.pdf

Staging: Helpful or Hassle?

One of those quotes we’re accustomed to seeing – and using – doesn’t exactly mean what we think it does when it spills out of our mouths.  “All the world’s a stage,” really speaks to the world being a stage show, and all humans are simply actors; everyone has a role, everyone has a part.  Well, in the world of real estate, all the world really IS a stage.  And it reveals itself, most often once you push open that front door and let happenstance (read: fate) take over.

The What

We are all aware of the ‘varied’ tastes and decorating abilities exhibited by clients and homeowners.  At times, we’ve wondered aloud about their ability to dress themselves and find their way to work.  Stepping into a home with a mishmash of design sensibilities and execution is as off-putting for your client as it is detrimental for the homeowner to find their way to a quick sell.  Not everyone has the talent or imagination for highlighting specific aspects of their home which can go a long way in doing the work for you.  An integral part of preparing a home for sale can be ‘staging’, or doing everything and anything you can to enhance the visual appeal, as well as create a basis for the perfect buyer (e.g., someone with design imagination and the willingness to make changes post-sale).

The When

Not everyone is going to have the budget to replace furniture or paint multiple rooms or make repairs to obvious areas in need of some TLC.  Your client doesn’t have change everything about their home, but they need to understand and have a willingness, at the front end of the selling process, to absorb the fact that the pink walls in the dining room need to go, or that an extensive ‘editing’ of the knick-knacks will showcase those special parts of a room or the home that are enticing to buyers.  Don’t wait until there have been two or three or four showings with frowns and sighs and negative feedback.  Time is of the essence, and the sooner you can make your ‘product’ more appealing, the less time (hopefully) there will be between a showing and a contract.

The How

I poked around and found a great article (https://frederickrealestateonline.com/decorating-staging-trends-2022/) listing TEN staging ideas a seller can consider when getting their home ready for sale.  I don’t agree with all of them.  For example, “The New Modern. As more people become digital nomads, that trend is influencing our tastes, whether we even travel or not. We are exposed to the world in a way that was never possible before. Can you have a maximalist design that incorporates zen, minimalism, and neutrals? Yes, you can…you can have it all.”  Zen?  Maybe.  

I think most people would prefer a calming paint color, or the furniture arranged smartly, in a way that lets them imagine themselves living in the home.   As with any ‘Best Ideas’ lists, you have to read the room, right?  And as a real estate professional considering the ‘staging’ conversation, you need to take into consideration those ideas which your seller can legitimately afford, those for which they have a true interest, and whatever helps move that needle, gets the showings, and ultimately helps get all parties to the closing table.  Period.

Research:

https://literarydevices.net/all-the-worlds-a-stage

https://frederickrealestateonline.com/decorating-staging-trends-2022

It Costs HOW MUCH?!

Only a few, short months ago the refrain coming from excited homeowners was, “I can’t afford NOT to sell my house.”  Remember?  The prices were absolutely stratospheric across markets, regions, and socio-economic quadrants.  It would seem, though, that what we’re hearing now is pretty much the opposite: “I can’t afford to sell my house.”  If they do sell, where are they going to go?  What can they legitimately afford?  Whiplash, anyone?

The What

You can slice this up any way you see fit, really.  We looked at several sources to make a determination about the most impactful criteria homeowners are dealing with in today’s market.  The struggle is real, the TikTok experts’ seminal advice, notwithstanding.  The barrier to entry boils down to price.  The cost for single-family homes (and apartment, condos, townhouses, and multi-family units, etc.) has quickly outpaced what people can afford.  Is it the economy’s nosedive?  Is it too much inventory that didn’t sell during the boom?  Is it stagnant wages, the war in Ukraine, or insurance costs, or ‘you name the reason and you’re probably correct’?

The When

Tabitha Mazzara, director of operations at Mortgage Bank of California, says don’t wait (www.forbes.com).  Prices aren’t likely to drop dramatically at the exact moment you think you’re going to be ready to buy.  “If you’re waiting for prices to suddenly plummet to what they were in the past, you’re making a mistake.”  Honestly, if you need a home, don’t want to rent, and are ready to pull the trigger, just do it.  The search for something you can afford/love/learn to love might be a little tricky – and lengthy – but time is of the essence.  Right now, there is a very large percentage of home seekers literally between a rock (no inventory they can afford) and a hard place (the interest rate monster).  Says Tabitha, “The Fed has promised another interest rate boost. If you’re ready to buy, don’t wait because prices aren’t headed dramatically downwards to what our parents paid. Things might dip a bit, but there’s no cliff dive that’s going to happen.”

Conclusion

Naturally, a homeowner/home seeker is only going to be able to do/afford what they can.  As a real estate professional, you’re no doubt being overrun with calls and emails and texts from prospects in this very same, and very real boat.  As always, it’s a bad look to start working with a client who isn’t verified and cross-checked.  They need to know precisely what they can afford, yes.  But they also need to be approved and they need to understand that you all could be in this for the long haul.  Take a breath, ensure open channels of communication, and maybe a little yoga to smooth out the road.  They’ll find a home, they’ll think you’re a superstar, and you can move on to the next home seeker in need.

Research:

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/real-estate/housing-market-predictions
https://myhome.freddiemac.com/resources/calculators/how-much-can-you-afford 

We want more leads.  We want more contracts.  We want more closings.  As Real Estate professionals, often living and dying by commissions, getting to the closing table successfully and with as little pain as possible is our goal.  We can write as many contracts as we want, but if they are never ‘consummated’, they’re as useless as the paper (or pdf) they’re written on.

How to Close More Transactions and Get More Listings in 2022

Moving your client through the process is unique for them all; no two experiences are exactly alike, but they always share nuances and have similarities you can use to your advantage.  Getting to a ‘close’ should be enjoyable, not anxiety-inducing.  How can you get there with less stress, more often, and more profitably?  Here are five great ideas to help you do just that:

1. Know Your Customer – One sure fire way to never get to the closing table is by not understanding everything you can about your client.  In that first conversation, not only should they be interviewing you, but you should be doing the same to them.  Forging a great working relationship will require you know their background, their budget, their strategies, how many agents they might have had before you, etc.
   
   
2. Negotiate – Be it a sale or a purchase, there is still a lot of work to be done to get to the final stage, closing the deal and signing the documents to transfer ownership.  “Most negotiations have to be balanced, reasonable, and equitable for them to work out — otherwise one or both of the parties would walk away.” (www.carealtytraining.com) Come to the negotiating table fully prepared, commit to a floor/ceiling/conditions, and stick as closely to that line in the sand as you can without jeopardizing the deal. 
   
   
3. Identify & Implement (the best closing strategy) – Direct, Soft, Hard/Hammer Close options play a role in how the process moves along toward pen and ink.  ABC (Always Be Closing) should live in your head rent-free.  In short order, you’ll get a sense for how to approach the close: tough and direct, an attempt to feel out the seller/agent and biding your time, or by putting your foot down and giving an ultimatum.  The desired result of the strategies, of course, is a positive response from the other side.  There’s nothing wrong with starting the closing process as early as possible.  But the earlier you identify the best method to elicit a favorable response, the better!
   
   
4. Get an Inspection – Never enter into a possible sale without ensuring you know what you’re buying.  Conversely, it’s always a good idea to know what you’re selling to prevent a deal-killer from popping up at the last minute.  Hidden problems can quickly turn into money pits, nightmares, and enormous cases of buyer’s/seller’s remorse.  Don’t put your client in that position.  Knowing up front what issues need to be tackled, as revealed by a quality home inspection service, and what it might cost to repair them is critical.  Not all problems negate a sale, and some issues can be worked into (or out of) the sale price.  But knowing what they are sooner than later is half the battle.
   
   
5. (Buyer should…) Present a knockout offer – Can you name many more things that get a seller excited about entering in a contract to unload their home other than a fantastic offer?  Coming as close to what both parties want can be trying, but when done correctly (and timely) you’re bound to decrease the time it takes to get to the signing table.  Make sure your client has their finances in order (approved), make sure to work with the seller, and offer terms they’ll appreciate – while protecting your interests (and wallet) at the same time. (www.thanmerrill.com)
   

Congratulations, you’ve got a fish on the hook (as it were), and you’re putting yourself and your client in position to close the deal.  You want to capitalize on the time you’ve invested helping buy or sell a property, you want to get in and get out, and you want to repeat with the next client. 

With as many ways as there are to get to close, there are even MORE ways to design the perfect real estate postcard campaign to get you noticed.  Drive engagement.  Drives lead generation.  Drives contacts.  Drives sales.