Tips & Tools

How to Help a “Boomerang Buyer”

August 24, 2017

Boomerang buyers moving into their new home

It’s 2017, and that means many Americans who were hardest hit by the Great Recession have had time to reestablish their credit and may be thinking about owning a home again. These boomerang buyers—former homeowners looking to reenter the market after having been sidelined by foreclosure or bankruptcy—can be a great demographic for expanding your client base. Oftentimes credit-impacted buyers feel adrift navigating their way back to homeownership, and an agent with the right expertise can prove invaluable. To position yourself for success, check out…

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Tips & Tools

Home Tour Tip: Entertain the Kids!

August 2, 2017

If your clients ever have trouble entertaining young children during a model home tour, here’s your chance to be their hero! Bring along a few home-themed coloring sheets and crayons or colored pencils and ask them how they would decorate their dream home. The prospect of moving may seem intimidating for little ones, so this is a great way to generate excitement about it! Don’t have coloring sheets? If you have a copy of the home’s floor plan, that could interest them (especially if you point…

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Tips & Tools

Managing Client Expectations During a Home Search

July 21, 2017

Some house hunters know what they’re looking for in their next home and have a good understanding of what they will or won’t compromise on in their home search. Others may need a little guidance. Here are a few tactics to try with buyers who have wish lists too broad or too narrow to help you. Case 1: The “I know EXACTLY what I want” homebuyer. It’s great to have a buyer that knows what he or she wants and can clearly communicate those…

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Tips & Tools

Sellers Stressing You Out? Try Selling New Homes!

June 30, 2017

Selling new homes can make buyers happy.

A home is one of the largest financial and emotional investments many people will make in their lifetime. Is it any wonder that when it’s time to move on, a home seller might have difficulty viewing things objectively? Here are a couple of common situations that could be avoided by selling new homes instead! Highly subjective home pricing Maybe they’re reminiscing about all the good times they’ve enjoyed within those walls. Maybe they’re mentally adding up all the maintenance and improvement costs they’ve poured into…

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Tips & Tools

10 Reasons Buyers Love New Homes

May 11, 2017

New home streetscape in Southern California for New Homes Infographic

Whether you’re new to selling new homes, or just need a refresher, here’s a handy infographic to help you communicate the value of new construction to your clients. For more in-depth information, tips and tools, be sure to download our free Selling New Homes Guide, created just for agents like you!

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Events & Specials

Convert Renters to Homebuyers this Season!

April 4, 2017

They have the credit score. They have the down payment and income. They have the desire to put down roots. What’s keeping qualified renters from buying a home? They’re intimidated. Buying a home for the first time can be scary if you don’t know what to expect. There’s a lot of money involved, as well as a lot of paperwork, regulations and people—from the home inspector to the title agent to the loan processor. So, make it less intimidating! Reach out to commitment-shy prospects with…

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Tips & Tools

Open House Tips: Do’s and Don’ts

January 11, 2017

An open house can make or break a home sale for you and your seller. These tips can help an open house go smoothly to increase the chances of an interested buyer moving forward. Do: Have a sign advertising the open house up in the neighborhood for at least one week before the event. It’s helpful to give buyers enough notice to plan to attend an open house. A week is a good amount of time for locals to see the sign and add it…

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Tips & Tools

New Year’s Resolution: Expand Your New Home Sales

December 30, 2016

New Year’s is a perfect time to evaluate our goals. Here are tangible ways to prepare for helping your clients (and your business) in the coming year. Especially if you work in a tight housing market, new construction can be a crucial component of your real estate business. Expanding your new home sales starts with these simple steps. Get to Know Builders Every new home builder has a unique homebuying process. To best accommodate your clients, learn about the product offerings, price point, reputation,…

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Tips & Tools

Client Gift Guide for Realtors®

December 7, 2016

A client gift is a valuable way to keep your relationship with your buyer top of mind in the years between home purchases. Whether you’re searching for the right closing gift or a holiday gift for past buyers planning a move in the coming year, we’ve got a few ideas (and estimated costs) for you! Cutting board ($25 – $170+) Were kitchen features a priority for your clients? If so, they may appreciate the gift of a handsome cutting board. You may be surprised…

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Tips & Tools

Handy Real Estate Articles for You (and Your Clients)

July 26, 2016

Have you been keeping an eye on Homeward, our blog for homebuyers, home sellers and happy homeowners? If not, here are a few recent articles you may want to share with your clients: 4 things a real estate agent can do for you (other than show homes!) Are your clients aware of all the work you invest in their real estate transaction? Let us do the bragging for you! Continue Reading A guide to our free homebuyer guides Whether you’ve got military buyers,…