The World of Mobile Marketing In A Nutshell  It’s obvious that people are often using mobile devices (iPhones, BlackBerrys, and tablets) to email and browse the internet. So it’s important that your marketing program works effectively on these devices. Here are some tips: Make sure the design of your website is “responsive”, which means your site reorganizes itself, automatically, to display effectively on a mobile screen. Check your ads to make sure they look good on mobile devices. Avoid long-winded emails. Emails seem three times longer on a mobile device than they do on a laptop or desktop. Monitor how your property profiles look. Pictures can sometimes make a completely different impression on a mobile device. (For example, make a room look smaller). Bottom line: Ensure your marke... 12/25/2015

A Couple of Tips Handling Your Buyer ObjectionsAs a successful sales associate, you’ve probably shown more properties than you can count. So you’re no stranger to handling objections. Still, even an experienced pro can occasionally stumble when a buyer says something like, “This kitchen is too small.” Here are two proven techniques that can help: Correct: If the objection is not true, simply (and politely) correct the record. For example, if the buyer says, “The transit stop is too far away”, you correct him by saying, “Good news! There’s actually a stop on the corner. It’s just a two-minute walk.”   Compensate: Unfortunately, some objections are true. To handle those, point out a feature or advantage that tips the scale in your favor. For example, if the buyer says, “The backyard is sm... 12/25/2015

 What The Top Agents Do Before The Noon Hour  There are several online articles on the theme, “What successful people do before breakfast.” So, what do successful real estate sales associates do before breakfast? As a top performer yourself, you may already have a morning routine that helps make your day productive and successful. Chances are it involves planning and prioritizing. First you plan how you’re going to use your day, paying close attention to your appointments and tasks. Then, because it’s human nature to plan more than we can get done in a day, you prioritize. That means doing the important things first. All that should sound familiar! One thing’s for sure. The better you plan and prioritize your day, especially in the morning, the more successful that day will be for you. 12/23/2015

Market in Review for the Week of December 21stHome builder confidence took a slight dip last month. The Wells Fargo/NAHB Sentiment Index posted at 61 for December. That's still not bad; anything over 50 means the outlook is positive. First-time buyers appear to be holding spirits in check. This is especially concerning because the Fed’s recent rate hike will impact the down payments first-time buyers will be able to put down. The traffic component of the home builder index continues to drop, posting at a sub-50 reading of 46 for December. This component reflects the lack of first-time buyers in the new-home market.  The good news is that overall new-home activity remains strong. Housing starts were up 10.5% to 1.173 million units on an annualized basis in November. Multi-family starts l... 12/22/2015

The Daily Hot Sheet Of Top Real Estate News Trending Now December 18, 2015    Florida tops list of most-desirable statesFor the first time in 14 years, Florida is back on top in the "Where Americans Want to Live" survey conducted by The Harris Poll. Calif. and Hawaii followed. Read more.30-year mortgage rate rises to 3.97%No shock for mortgage rates: Banks expected the Fed to move on interest rates this week and already factored that in. Most experts predict little short-term change. Read more.Specialty loans help repeat buyers make the moveFannie Mae: The percentage of repeat homebuyers fell 40% between 2002 and 2014, but several loans such as HomeReady and HomeStyle Renovation could help. Read more.Can insurer sue a condo owner over burst pipe?Real estate Q&A: A pipe burst and damaged... 12/18/2015

 Looking Forward to 2016 w/ a Mental Toughness ApproachFocus on yourself. To build an “unbeatable mind,” SEALs start with self-awareness. This helps you avoid making the same mistakes over and over, and sets up your progress. To gain self-awareness, use a journal. Each day, take 10 minutes in a quiet place uninterrupted. Center yourself with some deep breathing, and reflect on who and where you are in life. Discover your purpose. As you become self-aware, think about where you’re going. Ask these questions to see if you’re on the right path:  What have I been conditioned to think I should do with my life? What do I really think—and feel—I should do with my life? Is there a tiny voice within that keeps nudging me ahead, with the sense I’m on the right road? Or, is there a tiny voice of d... 12/17/2015

The Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now December 14, 2015   Forecast: Fla. home sales to rise 8-10% in 2016 Florida Realtors Chief Economist Dr. John Tuccillo sees steady growth in the new year and projects Fla. home prices should be up about 5% by the end of 2016. Read more.Fla. tax appraisers record home values on Jan. 1A home's Jan. 1 status dictates taxes levied for the year, and 2015 buyers should have a homestead exemption in place by now - but it can sometimes be added later. Read more.Fannie, Freddie halt foreclosures for the holidaysIn what has become a yearly holiday tradition, the two mortgage giants announced that no in-foreclosure homeowner would be evicted until at least Jan. 3, 2016. Read more.Report: 241 near-collisions between pilots, dronesThe FAA worr... 12/14/2015

 Market Forecast for the week of December 14-20, 2015  Last week, we said that if the employment numbers came in strong for November, the odds of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates would shoot higher. That's exactly what happened. November payrolls came in at a solid 211,000, while the unemployment rate held steady at 5%. Wage growth continues to inch forward. Hourly wages rose 0.2% to $25.25 after rising 0.9% in October. As a result, traders in fed funds rate futures contracts are now pricing an 87% chance that the Fed will raise the fed funds rate on Wednesday. As it is, mortgage rates are already priced for a 25-basis-point increase in the fed funds rates. When (and still “if”) the blessed event occurs, it should be a non-event for credit markets. Still, the mortgage rates we... 12/14/2015

The State of the Economy & Housing News for the week ending 12/11/15   Jobless claims were up slightly last week, but still showing healthy labor market conditions. A strong market could support a Fed policy rate increase next week. Wholesale inventories fell slightly and could be a drag on fourth quarter GDP. The dip is not expected to factor in to a Fed rate hike decision next week though.  If the Fed does raise policy rates next week as expected, not all rates will suffer. Long term rates like mortgage rates will not necessarily increase. Foreclosures decreased by 12.3% in October to the lowest rate since November 2007. Foreclosure inventory has declined by 21.5% over the last 12 months. Surveyed consumers showed optimism for next year's real estate market. Over 38% believe home pric... 12/12/2015

Will The Fed Raise Rates? The Countdown Begins....Let the countdown begin. The Fed’s decision on rates is Dec 16. As it stands now, traders in federal funds rate futures contracts are pricing a 75% chance the Fed will raise the fed funds rate come Dec. 16. That's the highest odds given for 2015. Confidence in a rate hike was further bolstered by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart saying he favors raising the fed funds rate this month. “Absent information that drastically changes the economic picture and outlook, I feel the case for liftoff is compelling,” Lockhart said.  The rate hike’s final obstacle is November's employment numbers. If November saw 200,000 or more new jobs created, we'd expect to see the odds of a rate increase rise above 80%. We expect to see 2... 12/10/2015

INFO THAT HITS US WHERE WE LIVE & In your Neigborhood for 12/9-12-16   ...These days it's wise to say a home is a good investment, which is the opposite of what some observers now say. But the fact is, home values continue to appreciate.  A leading real estate data firm reported home selling prices nationwide were up 6.8% in October compared to a year ago.  They grew 1% over September's prices, which were up 0.6% over August's. Looking ahead, the data firm projects home prices will increase 5.2% by October 2016.  Their CEO adds: "The rise in home prices over the past few years has largely been a healthy trend...home equity levels are now approaching pre-recession levels."  In addition to making a home a good investment, price gains are also bringing more sellers into the market. This wi... 12/09/2015

Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Wednesday, December 9, 2015    Real estate agents report bizarre, threatening callsFollowing a report of an alleged cyberstalker threatening real estate agents in Louisiana, a seemingly unrelated case emerged in South Carolina on Monday. Read more.New visa rules could impact some Fla. homeownersResidents of 38 countries can freely travel to the U.S., but the House passed a bill yesterday that tightens the rules if they visited Iraq or Syria within the past five years. Read more.Most Fla. insurers fail to send in water damage dataFla.'s consumer advocate wants to see if insurers' request for higher property insurance rates is valid based on an assertion that water damage claims increased. Read more.NAR report: Remodeling helps even if ... 12/09/2015

When you are a Senior some times you need a bit of humor.     Yesterday my daughter e-mailed me again asking why I didn't do something useful with my time.   Like sitting around the pool and drinking wine is not a good thing, I said. Talking about my "doing something useful" seems to be her favorite topic of conversation.   She was "only thinking of me" she said, and suggested I go down to the senior center and hang out with the guys.   I did this and when I got home last night I decided to teach her a lesson about staying out of my business.   I e-mailed her and told her that I had joined a parachute club.   She replied, "Are you nuts? You are 73 years old, and now you're going to start jumping out of airplanes?"   I told her that I even got a membership card and e-mailed a copy to he... 12/08/2015

Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Monday, December 7, 2015   FAA task force wants all drones registeredThe FAA might create a national database and make almost all drone operators register. Experts think that up to 700K new drones will be given as gifts this year. Read more.Common real estate problems new agents faceA Realtor's first year can be challenging as they try to learn every aspect of a new business. But understanding common problems upfront can help. Read more.Study: Stellar credit scores add up to savingsFor every 10-point increase in credit scores, borrowers can expect to receive a lower mortgage interest rate, according to a soon-to-be-published study. Read more.Economists trim 2016 forecast but expect higher payThe National Association for Business Econo... 12/07/2015

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM A SENIOR'S POINT OF VIEW   I changed my car horn to gunshot sounds. People get out of the way much faster now.I didn't make it to the gym today. That makes five years in a row.I decided to change calling the bathroom the John and renamed it the Jim. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning.Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven't met yet.Old age is coming at a really bad time. When I was a child I thought “Nap Time”; was a punishment. Now, as a grownup, it feels like a mini vacation. The biggest lie I tell myself is, "I don't need to write that down, I'll remember it."I don't have gray hair; I have "wisdom highlights." I'm just very wise.Teach your daughter how to shoot, because a restraining order is just a piece of pape... 12/06/2015

 Christmas Shopping...Whoops!!!   A couple w​ere in a busy shopping center just before Christmas. The wife suddenly noticed that her husband was missing and as they had a lot to do, so she called him on the mobile. The wife said " Where are you, you know we have lots to do"   He said " You remember the jewellers we went into about 10 years ago, and you fell in love with that diamond necklace. I could not afford it at the time and I said that one day I would get it for you " Little tears started to flow down her cheek and she got all choked up. "yes, I do remember that shop" she replied.. " Well I am in the pub next to that"    12/05/2015

    Getting Old .....To My Ever-So- Young Friends From A Florida Point Of View      Reporters interviewing a 104-year-old woman: 'And what do you think is the best thingAbout being 104?' the reporter asked.She simply replied,'No peer pressure.'~ ~ ~I've sure gotten old!I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, New knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, Take 40 different medications thatMake me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts. Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation; Hardly feel my hands and feet anymore. Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92. Have lost all my friends. But, thank God, I still have my Florida driver's license.  12/05/2015

How Does Your Future Home Connect With Your Current Lifestyle?  Lifestyle is a very important criterion when shopping for a new home. After all, a home and its surrounding neighborhood are the places where much of your lifestyle is going to be experienced.So when considering a new home, think about the lifestyle to which the property is going to lend itself. Ask yourself:    How much entertaining do we do? How important is it to have good schools located nearby? How long will the commute to work be? How big of a backyard do we require? Do we need a rec room? How easy will it be to get to golfing, dance lessons, baseball practices, movies and other activities my family and I enjoy? How important is it to be in a quiet area? Do we want a local park nearby for jogging, playing with the kid... 12/01/2015

Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Monday, November 30, 2015   NAR: Pending home sales nudge higher in Oct.U.S. pending home sales didn't rise much in Oct. - only 0.2% - but it marks a change in direction after two month-to-month declines. Read more.Florida dodges hurricane bullet - againThe 2015 Fla. hurricane season officially ends at midnight, marking a record 10 years without a direct hit. The insurance industry is back on its feet - but don't relax yet. Read more.FHA didn't ease all condo financing rulesWhile recently announced FHA condo changes will help more buyers, challenges remain, such as the loss of spot loans and some still-rigid FHA regulations. Read more.NAR: Commercial to see mild expansion, easing pricesJob growth and credit conditions will keep commer... 11/30/2015

A Quick Overview of this week's Market & Housing   Fed minutes show that members think the economy can handle a policy rate increase. Over 70% of economists now think the Fed will hike rates in December. Markets have already started preparing for a Fed policy rate increase in December, contributing to recent mortgage rate increases.  Weakness in retail sales and producer prices make it unlikely that inflation will rise significantly. Low inflation can help mitigate a trend toward rising rates. Housing starts were down in October due to a decline in apartment construction. Overall though, the trend in housing starts has been steadily improving.  Highlighting the housing market's strength, building permits were up 4.1%. Permit activity portends more supply and healthy construction spendin... 11/28/2015