Real estate agents often look for ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors. One way they do this is by creating a personal brand. A personal brand is how other people see you. It is what they think about when they hear your name, see your picture, or interact with you.

Many real estate agents make the mistake of thinking that all they need to create a personal brand is a gimmick, so they might always wear a red hat or crazy tie. They might also try to set themselves apart by using pictures of their children, families or pets in their marketing materials. Unfortunately, none of these tactics meaningfully differentiate one agent from another because they don’t demonstrate your expertise and ability to sell real estate.

Creating a successful personal brand that sets you apart from other agents involves accentuating the positive characteristics of your personality that make you unique, such as your individual strengths, passions, core values, talents and life experiences – and then explaining how those characteristics relate to your ability to help someone buy or sell their home.

Here are four steps to create a meaningful personal brand. (more…)

Are you looking for contractors? Do you have no idea where to start? The goal of this article to introduce the 3 major types of contractors you’re likely to come into contact with, and give you some ideas of which is right for your projects…

Keep in mind that contractors run the gamut, from jack-of-all-trade types to high-end specialized artisans who focus more on art than on function or practicality and everything in-between. I remember on my first house flip, I spent weeks interviewing contractors and getting bids. Strangely, I was getting bids ranging from $18K all the way up to $70K for the exact same Scope of Work! I couldn’t imagine that there would be a such a large range, and I couldn’t figure out what caused it. Especially considering the fact that I was only getting bids on Labor Costs, not Materials (which I specified and priced separately). (more…)

If you are applying for the Home Stimulus Plan, you need have certain information in your application. This information must be accompanied by the appropriate form of documentation. Exactly what do you need to include when you request a loan modification through this program?

Information regarding income, documented with pay stubs.

Documentation of any other income you receive (more…)

If you are in a financial crunch and need to liquidate your assets it is a good idea to check what your house is worth on the market. Most people are not aware that they can actually sell and rent back the house that they owned. What happens in this case is that you simply send your property to a new owner and then sign up a tenancy agreement and live in that house as tenants.

Selling your biggest material investment can be a daunting task. Many people spend a lot of time searching for a reputable real estate broker and often loose sleep over making the wrong sale decisions. However, it is reassuring to know that you can find reliable and professional brokers to handle your property transition. Looking for an honest and committed broker should be the first step in selling your house. Real estate brokers are in the business to make money and if you are a satisfied client then it is to their credit and furthers their business. (more…)

Client communication can never be replaced in real estate. Because the buying and selling of real estate involves many steps and is dependent on the relationship between the real estate agent and the client, the availability and promptness to which a call is answered or returned is crucial. Every call is the most important call when clients are the lifeline of the business.

Moreover, the unique nature of real estate is that once the relationship between an agent and client is formed, it can potentially be a long lasting relationship involving several deals over a long period of time. And because each client has the potential to provide referrals, cultivating a good relationship with the client is crucial to generating future leads. (more…)