How Real Estate Data APIs Can Help You Build Better Community Pages On Your Website With Updated Market Data

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community info pages

Real estate data APIs can add more impact to pages provided by agents about neighborhoods.

Real Estate Data APIs give you an advantage in a saturated real estate market where you need to do everything you can to stand out in the eyes of potential clients.

From networking to newsletters, there’s always something agents can do to generate interest.

However, what if you are overlooking one of the most impact-heavy, yet inexpensive real estate marketing ideas: Community Pages on your website!

This can be a little time-consuming to set up, but in the long term these pages will prove useful. But here’s the key. Who has time to keep that page up-to-date?

Real Estate Data APIs keep your site current

With tools such as Real Estate Data APIs, you don’t have to update the information. The data feed does it for you. Here are some valuable data feeds you can add to a community page.

  • Recent property sales charts
  • Trends in home prices
  • School data
  • Neighborhood demographics
  • And much more.

All updated automatically.

Most people have static pages. Yours will be dynamic with true current real estate market data. That’s the magic of adding Real Estate Data APIs.

How community info pages position you as an expert

Because a real estate transaction – whether buying or selling – is such a major deal in a person’s life, it’s no surprise that potential clients are looking for the best agent with lots of local knowledge and experience to help them through the process.

Adding pages to your website to compile information on each neighborhood you target is a must to demonstrate that you are equipped with both.

If you’ve been a real estate agent for a decent length of time, you are already familiar enough with the local neighborhoods and communities to have a great start.

Get into your client’s shoes and think to yourself “If I were moving into the Sunnydale neighborhood, what information would I want to be able to find on this page?”

Some of the most useful data to research and compile might include the history of the city, demographics, schools, attractions and eateries, local weather, and major highway accessibility.

But to be really impactful, especially in this day and age of Big Data, you should also include a real estate data feed provided by a Real Estate Data API, showing updates on pricing and sales trends. That will catch people’s attention, both buyers and potential sellers.

How community pages enhance your client’s experience

As a potential buyer, the amount of research that these clients may want to do is seemingly endless.

If a buyer, during the course of their online search for hyper-local information, finds your website, they will be more likely to contact you after seeing what a wealth of information you have.

Even if you don’t end up being their agent, making a good impression can help influence them to recommend you to their friends and relatives.

As a potential seller, these clients need help finding out all of their home’s best selling points.

By using your community page and data tools, they can more clearly communicate to a potential buyer the right price, the local amenities, the schools, parks, highways, retail areas and hospitals, the job market, and the real estate market trends.

Community info pages enhance your SEO

SEO, or search engine optimization, is one of the most important commodities a business can have.

When Google or Bing likes you, results increase dramatically.

Search engines rank you more highly for having local keyword-rich, valuable, relevant local information.

Having well-written and highly useful community info pages on your real estate site will help drive more traffic toward your business.

However, there’s more to the equation. (Google has more than 200 algorithms it reportedly uses to measure websites).

Google also takes into account how often you update your web pages. They don’t like static pages that never change over months or years.

With Real Estate Data APIs, your pages are continually updated with fresh content.

Secondly, Google also measures time on site. Current information showing changes in market trends is more likely to draw more users who will stay on the page longer.

In fact, you can use your social media sites to inform prospects and the general public when you have updates on your community pages. That will create more visits and time on page.

Google and Bing like that. They may reward you with higher rankings. When it comes to generating leads, higher organic rankings are like money in the bank.

As everyone in business knows, if you can get to page one of the search results, you can become an unstoppable force!

Community pages make you THE HYPER-LOCAL AGENT

You know a lot about your city, and the communities within, but you should never stop learning and there is always something new for you to discover and enhance your practice.

You should look at the creation of community info pages as a valuable learning process, not simply a means to an end.

When you dig in to researching the history of your community and its landmarks, the school options, and the jobs and activities, you will firmly cement this information into your mind for future use.

Not only does your knowledge and expertise impress your clients, but it also provides complete context for you when determining listing prices.

With Real Estate Data APIs constantly feeding your website new insights into the state of the local market, you will be able to walk the talk about current conditions. And you can use that knowledge to drive more people to your website, hopefully that will generate phone calls or leads.

This is 2019. Static community pages are old school.

The technology is out there to make your community pages dynamic. And to disseminate real estate market data, not just on city or zip code level, but all the way down to the neighborhoods or subdivisions you are farming.

Working with data aggregators such as Home Junction, with one of the best Real Estate Data APIs available, you can now feed vital information onto your community pages, making them a true resource for buyers and a way to truly impress sellers.

 

 

Housing Data API Helps Agents “Segment” Emails For Better Response

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email housing data APIA Housing Data API can help brokers and agents get more out of their email campaigns.

Sending out a general email blast is not enough for one key goal involved with email marketing.

That goal is “personalization.”

For all the gimmicks and trends, Instagrams and Tweets, the one online marketing program that still consistently delivers solid results from years ago, even back from the days of those ubiquitous AOL discs, is Email Marketing.

Most real estate brokers and agents know that their email list is golden.

In fact, most marketers in ANY business today know that list is golden.

Email is a super-effective way to communicate with prospects.

Instantly.

Practically for free (depending on volume).

No matter where readers are – at home, in their office or sitting in a Starbucks.

When you think about it, email is an incredible invention.

Problem is, everybody else thinks that way too.

That’s why your inbox is constantly flooded with emails. Some you’re signed up for. Some that show up mysteriously.

Housing Data API gives you an edge

With all those emails coming in to consumers, your email to your prospects needs to stand out.

Sure, there are techniques like A/B split testing for subject lines or experimenting with different days of the week.

But one of the surest techniques is personalization.

Consumers know this is the era of personalization. Netflix sends you movies based on your preferences. Spotify will send you songs based on your preferences.

You really need to do the same with your email campaigns.

Here’s why.

According to a study conducted by the Direct Marketing Association, targeted emails generated nearly 60% of all revenue.

Another 36% of revenue came from email sent to specific segments.

This is where you need more than just a gimmicky subject line.

Or real estate data by zip code. You need real estate market data down to the neighborhood or subdivision level.

A Housing Data API (Application Programming Interface) from data aggregators such as Home Junction can help you with that. They gather huge volumes of real estate market data and then have the ability to parse it down to the hyper-local community level.

Here’s what you can do with a feed from a Housing Data API.

Say you are farming Big Splash Golf Community. You have already generated a few listings and sales out of there and have several prospects maybe interested in selling. Then there’s that list of people who want to move in there as well.

Create a separate segment in your email program such as MailChimp or Constant Contact just for that group.

Sure, you can send them New Listing information or Just Sold information.

But what if you have local real estate market data as well?

How about a chart showing people the price trends for that area? Maybe they are moving up. Or prices are flat. Every trend creates opportunity.

Segmentation by community

Take another community – maybe one made up of several streets in the corner of town – Cozy Corner Heights.

With your hyper-local data supplied by a segmented Housing Data API, much more narrow than real estate data by zip code, there’s a wealth of info you can send.

Charts on recent property sales.

Maps using geocodes to show specific home sales.

Neighborhood demographics

School attendance zone changes (most people don’t realize, school zones do change. They are different for different grades. And they can be readjusted based on changes in student population.)

And much more.

Take another scenario. Say you have a bunch of prospects that are currently renting and sitting on the fence waiting to buy a home.

You can send them real estate market data showing them trends in the specific marketplace they are searching in. Again, sales going up? Maybe that will be a catalyst to make a move.

Prices are flat or dropping? Another catalyst.

Any group of prospects can be segmented into separate email lists.

And real estate market data can be sliced and diced into any type of data and parsed out for any particular area.

Be sure you have a source of relevant information for today’s consumer. Look to real estate data experts such as Home Junction who not only have the data, but also the tools to embed that data into your web pages.

“Relevant” is the buzzword of the past 30 years in this era of personalization.

Most brokers and agents spend a lot of time and effort building their email lists. That’s just one step in the process.

Your email marketing campaigns must be relevant to the receiver to get their attention. You not only need to get subscribers to OPEN the email.

You also need a call to action with juicy relevant info to get them to CLICK on Links in that email or CALL.

Make sure you have the right resources available today, such as a Housing Data API with information that is specific to neighborhoods and subdivisions, so you can maximize the response rates to those email campaigns.

 

 

 

Neighborhood Data API Helps Clients Navigate Real Estate Forecasts with Local Data

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neighborhood data APIA Neighborhood Data API can be a real life saver in this ever-changing real estate environment, especially this year.

With the rise and fall of the economy, gyrations in the stock market, interest rates bouncing around as well as adapting to the needs of the next generation of home buyers, it’s not always easy to predict the best times to buy and sell.

This is so true in 2019, when national forecasts are all over the place on the state of the economy.

However, one thing is for sure: humans will always need a place to live.

And so is another factor – the only things that matters to you and your home buyers and sellers, is your local real estate marketplace.

Neighborhood Data API counters national news

That’s where a Neighborhood Data API (basically a property data feed) for the neighborhoods you are farming is more critical than ever.

Realtor.com’s 2019 national forecast for the real estate market is interesting, but could generate more harm than good among potential clients who don’t know how to interpret the data.

Luckily, you can now have access to local real estate data tools to compare real housing market trends in your area, not nationally, not even on the state level, but on the hyper-local level.

And as we all know, there are gems to be found in any marketplace.

Some of the most interesting and talked about highlights in the 2019 forecast include a 2% decrease in existing home sales, and a 2.2% increase in existing house pricing appreciation.

Another highlight breaks down the generational demographics of homeowners: in 2019, Millennials (ages 23 to 38) will take on 45% of mortgages, compared to just 17% of the baby boomer generation (ages 54 to 70).

Others talked about the potential negative consequences for homeowners of the new tax plan.

That’s all national talk.

Maybe your local marketplace is different. Perhaps the local property data you generated from your Neighborhood Data API indicates an UPSWING in home sales.

Perhaps that increase is not taking place in all your local neighborhoods. Maybe just one in particular.

That’s information can still make a persuasive argument that NOW is the time for a home buyer to make an offer or for owner to finally list their house on the market.

Your real estate data tools can take some of the guesswork away from these “sensational” national headlines by showing the actual trends in your local neighborhoods.

What 2019 buyers are concerned about

The biggest concern for a buyer this year is going to be the increased pocketbook damage – according to the forecast, the mortgage rates will go up and the prices of houses will do the same.

This could make it tough for a first-time buyer to find what they need, or even get the guts to try at all.

However, your local real estate data tools may be able to show them that the number of houses on the market is actually increasing, which means better chances of being able to negotiate a deal thanks to so much competition.

Coincidentally, maybe sellers, especially investors, might be worried about no longer being able to make a profit on a house because buyers have more room to negotiate or go elsewhere.

But the data from your local Neighborhood Data API might show different trends locally.

Again, there are probably going to be some attractive areas. Neighborhoods not affected by national trends. Subdivisions with great schools, parks, transportation hubs that will still be hot.

This data can be a powerful counter-weight to what people are hearing in the national media.

Homeowner concerns about the new tax plan

This April, American taxpayers will be navigating their income taxes under the new tax plan – and the results will definitely vary.

It’s likely to be good news for most renters, with higher deductions and lower rates.

But some homeowners are concerned that the new limits on exemptions will mean a bigger cut sent off to the IRS.

Potential buyers have seen the 2018 decline in house sales due to the new tax plan and may get cold feet themselves.

You will be able to demonstrate which trends are holding steady despite the changes, using your real estate data tools to show the actual deals that buyers are getting in their desired neighborhoods.

Serving the home buying needs of Millennials

Millennials are the Internet generation. They know they can turn on their phones to find instant information to help guide their decision-making process. They know how to search and dig for data online.

These home buyers, aged early twenties through late thirties, will have a high proclivity to search for and analyze housing market data.

Are you going to be THE agent in your area that gives them access to this data?

Providing that real estate data on your website will allow them to compare prices and trends in their local housing markets.

And creates an enormous lead and branding opportunity for you. Plus, trends and charts on changes in local property data make for great posts on social media sites.

Meeting the needs of Millennials online should be your priority for 2019, as they will comprise the biggest segment of home buyers.

And don’t forget the Older Millennials at the end of the spectrum, the prime segment who are now moving up into high-paying jobs and starting families who will be moving up in large numbers to mid-range to high-priced housing options throughout the decade to come.

Adapting to new technology helps provide stability in any industry, and the real estate business is no different.

You need these tools to succeed in 2019.

Give your clients the real scoop WITH REAL FACTS ABOUT THE LOCAL MARKETPLACE.

Show them local sales trends and charts on the direction of prices. Add value to any neighborhood with the latest School Data and School Attendance Zones.

Provide Cost of Living indexes, Neighborhood Demographics and Crime Ratings. Point out Neighborhood Amenities. Use geospatial coding to show them on a map how a new Whole Foods is being built down the street, which is sure to make surrounding properties more valuable.

All you need is a Neighborhood Data API from real estate data providers such as Home Junction, and you can show the bright spots in your area and avoid the hysteria caused by national negative-sounding forecasts.

Real Estate Data Providers Can Give Your Website Tools It Needs To Compete In 2019. What It Takes To Innovate.

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real estate data providers

Real estate data providers can help brokers and agents looking to innovate and take their company to the next level in becoming a true resource for home buyers and shoppers.

The challenge for most companies however, is are they open to change?

In this day and age, CEOs and managers are reaching out for help in fast-rising numbers. They’re not generating the revenue, forecasts are fuzzy, their people are leaving – what is going on?

In 2009, researcher Steve McKee published a study where he found 41.2% of nearly 5,700 companies stalled in the previous decade.

In any industry, stagnation is subject to happen for one well-known reason: resistance to change.

The real estate business is no different.

When you take an industry like this, which has changed little over the past decades, and attempt to keep doing business the same old ways, it’s no surprise that some firms are starting to struggle.

Let’s talk about our natural resistance to change, and how we can turn it around to our advantage in the real estate business.

According to a recent article in Forbes, stalled growth in industry leaders is popping up more and more frequently since the 2008 recession.

Leaders are failing to take the bull by the horns and adapt, all the while wishing and hoping for the old ways of business to come back into style again. (Think Sears, Toy R Us, Sports Authority, etc.).

They are fearful of taking the risks inherent in trying new methods and ideas. And as human beings, they are driven by one of our most powerful, primal, wired instincts: force of habit.

Science proves it: it’s our fault

It’s not that we’re lazy, or stupid.

It’s that, as humans, our brains are wired to work a certain way. Our brains actually hate change to the point of pain, because the prefrontal cortex works hard to navigate unfamiliar information.

Since 25% of our body’s energy goes toward brain function, it’s no wonder that we can start feeling tired and “shut down” when attempting to study something new or develop a new habit.

The brain is so powerful that it creates a “roadmap” of your habits. This allows you to move more efficiently and quickly through tasks without having to stop and think about what you are doing.

Hijacking this map to see something through a fresh perspective, or deviate from the norm is difficult unless we consciously choose to do so.

How to change your brain’s roadmap

Is it even possible to change that mental map, training yourself to open up to innovation and risk taking?

Science says yes. Once you have made the conscious choice to change, you must now act accordingly.

We also know that, while you can listen to gurus and read self-help books all you want, the only true way to change is through experiential learning.

There are some simple strategies you can use to get started.

According to the Forbes article they are:

  1. Get out of the office and explore what’s out there
  2. Plan to be a company that constantly seeks to innovate

You must see things with your eyes, touch things with your hands, and feel things with your heart – that’s how you can make the greatest impact on your brain’s ingrained roadways.

There are plenty of real estate technology companies out there with exciting new products.

Have you talked to them? Tried out their platforms? Asked for demonstrations?

Do you have time scheduled to stay abreast of new technologies that are emerging?

Innovation in your industry

All CEOs and managers like to think that they are “innovative” within their firms.

Are they really?

What are you doing in real life to bring about innovation in the real estate industry?

Are you utilizing the power of technology to set yourself apart?

Did you know that by using local real estate data tools on your website, you are already head and shoulders above the competition that is stuck in the past?

If Suzy down the street is still relying on postcards and gift baskets to drum up business, while your potential clients can have their need for information satisfied in a couple clicks on your website, in five years we will see who is still around, and thriving.

Real estate data providers do all the heavy lifting

Technology plays a starring role in the future in general, including in the real estate industry.

Fortunately, in this day and age, brokers and agents don’t have to go out and find sources of local data for themselves.

They also don’t have to find a way to integrate that local data on their website.

And this is very important, they don’t have to find a local programmer to custom code a website to provide new features. Those projects can be time-consuming, frequently over budget and a nightmare to manage.

Today, there are real estate data providers such as Home Junction that do all that work for agents.

They have the technology to gather hyper-local data such as school information, recent home sales, pricing trends, boundaries, demographics and other key information that home shoppers want to see.

Not only do they gather the data. These real estate data providers also have developers to write the coding that makes it super-easy for a broker or agent to disseminate that data wherever they want on their websites.

A real estate company can use a Real Estate Data API or simply a plug-in (a few snippets of code) to instantly add any type of data to their pages.

Why let a potential client do all the legwork of determining the best school districts, the pricing trends in their neighborhood, sales comparisons between desirable neighborhoods, and neighborhood demographics on their own? (Hint: they really don’t want to do all this work).

Or why let them go to a national real estate portal to find this information? (And let them be someone else’s lead). Or let a local agent with this data start gaining more market share as THE hyper-local resource?

Working with a real estate data provider, you can quickly add your own data and home estimator tools that give you the power to disseminate this information through your website, your blog, your newsletter, your social media channels, and give the people what they want.

The takeaway?

Don’t allow yourself to fall into the brain traps that keep you comfortable, safe – and never growing or thriving.

Don’t make excuses like “I’m too old to learn technology.”

The great advantage today, is that you don’t need to.

There are real estate data providers out there today with a full suite of programs you can use to upgrade your website.

Today, innovation is one way to become successful (and survive) whether in the real estate industry or any other.

You can harness the power of technology to stay on top of the wave and keep up with the times (and competition).

The big question you need to ask yourself is: are you willing to innovate?

How A Home Valuation Widget Generated 1.1 Million Home Value Searches

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Home valuation widget

In 2018, Home Junction Inc. announced there were more than 1.1 million online requests by consumers for property value estimates through client websites using our home valuation widget.

“This milestone is important for two reasons,” reported Ed Kim, Senior Vice President with the company. “First, the total demonstrates the importance of home value estimates to consumers.”

“Secondly, now that local brokers and agents have the ability to provide their own estimating tools on their websites, these numbers show consumers will visit their local agent sites to obtain these property value reports.”

In essence, Kim explained, a home valuation widget helps the public find answers to this question, “What is my home worth?”

How Home Valuation Tools Work

According to organic search results for Google, people are searching for websites that offer this service. In January, there were about 27,000 queries that asked, “How much is my home worth?”

Variations of searches for home valuation widgets also generated a significant amount of activity. For the term “What is my house (or home) worth?” there were a combined 20,000 searches last month. Another variation, “Value of Home?” was asked 6,600 times.

The industry term for these home valuation estimator tools is referred to as an Automated Valuation Model (AVM). The AVM is a formula that gathers data from a variety of sources such as municipal records, historical sales data, geospatial coding, property attributes, and other sources. The machine-based calculations then provide a current estimate of the “Predicted Market Value” of a house based on data available at the time.

The result is only meant to be an initial estimate and is not as detailed as a formal Comparative Market Analysis or estimate from a licensed appraiser. However, the home valuation widget is very popular with homeowners because it gives them a relative idea of the current value of their home, allowing them to compare their homes to others in the same neighborhood and to see pricing trends.

Home Valuation Reports Can Boost Lead Generation for Realtors

“This is a valuable resource for consumers. The AVM feature is a great way to start a conversation between agents and homeowners who may consider listing their homes for sale,” said Kim.

Brokers and agents are encouraged to add a lead form next to the home valuation results, stating “Request a Professional CMA” for those visitors who are interested in obtaining a more detailed evaluation of their property.

“The home valuation widget is a proven lead generation tool,” Kim indicated. “And now advancements in technology enable local brokers and agents to offer this powerful marketing feature just like the larger real estate portals.”

The AVM values are considered a guesstimate based on the age of comparable information.

For that reason, Home Junction includes a pricing range, showing the High and Low estimated values along with a  “Confidence Range” of a plus or minus figure to give users parameters on the accuracy of the data.

To help homeowners see an overall picture of the market position of their property, Home Junction also provides a chart showing how that property compares to other homes in the neighborhood

That chart will report which percentage the property ranks in the area compared to others based on Size, Price, Price per Square Foot, and Age of the structure.

“This home valuation data really helps to give an owner a snapshot of how their property matches up with others in their neighborhood,” Kim explained. “Perhaps our data shows that one particular property is in the upper 20% for square footage, but priced in the lower 30% for price per square foot. That’s important information that a homeowner needs to know.”

“As we continue to gather and compare data, our methodologies are becoming more accurate,” Kim said. “From our data, we can see consumers want this service. Brokers and agents would be smart to provide this feature on their website as an effective way to generate leads and market to prospects.”

Add Relevant Real Estate Market Data to Your Website

Home Junction tools aggregate a wide range of relevant national real estate market data points including:

  • Municipal Boundaries
  • School District Boundaries Such As Attendance Zones
  • School Data Such As Student/Teacher Ratios
  • Recent Home Sales
  • Trends In Home Prices
  • Parcel Numbers
  • Tax Assessed Value
  • Property Attributes
  • Zoning Codes
  • New Construction
  • Utility Usage
  • Points Of Interest
  • Flood Zone Maps
  • Comparable Sales In The Area

Realtors can leverage this information through real estate data API and WordPress plugins which pull all property and neighborhood data they want for a particular listing or a neighborhood they are farming for their website. The data is not only available for county and zip codes but, also down to the neighborhood and subdivision levels.

For brokers, agents, and other companies interested in generating leads and traffic by adding a home valuation widget or plugin to their websites, contact Home Junction today.

 

To Approach Luxury Home Consumers, Be Sure To Provide The Full Service They Will Demand Such As A Neighborhood Data API

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luxury homeA Neighborhood Data API is a powerful tool that can give you more clout with luxury home sellers.

This will be more important than ever in 2019.

That’s because experts predict much of the activity in the real estate business will be in higher-end properties.

But as we all know, these sellers are different. And can be more demanding.

That’s probably one reason why they live in those multi-million dollar homes.

That’s also why this year you want to focus on making sure your marketing presentation is filled with the most current and accurate real estate data.

And if you want to impress these buyers and sellers, you will want to have your own data feed of hyper-local  data on your own website, not some other website.

Because here’s why this data is important when working with luxury home owners and shoppers.

One Realtor that works with high-end properties put it this way: luxury home buyers and sellers know this is the era of big data. They know that data is out there relevant to their needs and they want a Realtor who will supply it to them.

Makes sense.

Many of the owners of high-end properties are also the owners of their own businesses or hold upper management positions in companies or are savvy investors.

This category of consumer probably deals with data on a regular basis.

These consumers know how data separates hyperbole from facts.

Therefore, they will listen to the broker or agent who does a great job of providing that critical data.

How a Neighborhood Data API can make a big difference

Sellers will want to see how well you will use data to position their property in the marketplace.

Do you have charts showing how home sales or prices in that particular neighborhood are going up? Or how, a particular property ranks compared to others in regard to Size, Price, Price per Square Foot and Age.

Same with luxury home buyers.

You can tell them there is an exclusive country club right down the street. Or you can show them the wine cellar.

But it’s the data that also going to impress them.

Shoppers will obviously want to see statistics, graphs and charts. They will want factual data to back up the sizable amount of money they are about to invest in a home in that neighborhood.

Luckily for brokers and agents, there’s a simple solution.

National data aggregators such as Home Junction already gather a plethora of neighborhood data from a variety of reliable sources.

They tap in to municipal records, mortgage data, historical data, MLS Listings and other sources to gather the information that these luxury home owners want to see.

With a data aggregator, you can have a developer use a Neighborhood Data API to feed the data into a website. Or you can add a plugin, which is basically just a few snippets of code.

Either way you can feed relevant data onto any page on your website.

Show a variety of relevant real estate market data

So right next to listings, you can also show:

  • Recent trends in home sales
  • Recent trends in pricing
  • School boundaries and attendance zones
  • School data
  • Municipal tax boundaries (which is sure to be of interest to people with multi-million properties)
  • Neighborhood demographics – people like to live next to people like them
  • Crime statistics
  • And more.

This year, with mortgage rates predicted to increase and the inventory of homes in the $250,000 range for Millennials getting scarcer and scarcer, pay attention to the luxury home market.

Add a Home Valuation Plugin (Automated Valuation Model) onto to your website so people can get the latest estimates for home values (just like that real estate portal that starts with z and rhymes with pillow).

Promote these services heavily with mailings to high income neighborhoods.

This will catch the attention of luxury home owners and shoppers.

And as you can imagine, it’s not easy to start a conversation with people in the luxury home category. That’s because everybody wants to.

If you want these data savvy prospects to invest their money in a home with you, or sell their high-end property with you, as a real estate pro you should use all the resources available out there on the market.

A luxury home customer will expect it.

That’s why it’s smart to invest in the right tools such as a Neighborhood Data API to make your website and presentations a full-service resource.

 

Real Estate Data API Can Help Agents Harness The Power Of “New” To Attract Clients

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real estate data API

Here we are in a new year and one strategy to consider is the use of a Real Estate Data API to add something new to your website.

Real estate and mortgage experts predict this is going to be a tough year, at least for the first half or so. (See our recent forecast blog).

But you can use the power of “new” as one of your strategies to garner an edge in the marketplace.

Here’s one reason why.

Humans are hard-wired to be on the lookout for something new.

Researchers actually placed volunteers for a study in an MRI to measure their brain activity. When those subjects chose something new, the scans showed their brains lit up, literally.

Experts believe that dopamine, the neurons that make us happy, are more active when they see something new.

That’s the positive power of new.

Don’t just say new for newness sake

But the concept of newness also has a trap attached to it.

It’s called the “fallacy of novelty.”

Just because a company says they are offering something new, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s better.

Remember “New Coke?” Those folks probably wince every time that failed strategy is discussed in marketing classes on college campuses. It’s a “classic” example of what not to do.

Here’s the other big point in regard to the power of new.

It’s smart to bring something better to the table.

Real Estate Data API can provide “power” content

For brokers and agents, one very simple way to add something new to your website is to work with national real estate data providers such as Home Junction.

These data providers have the sources and the technology to gather, sort and disseminate massive amounts of real estate relevant data.

Information that home buyers and sellers want to see.

For example:

    • School data
    • School attendance zones
    • Recent property sales
    • Trends in home prices
    • Neighborhood demographics
    • Cost of Living research
    • Crime statistics
    • Boundaries such as municipal taxing districts

Another popular product to consider adding is a Home Valuation Plugin. This home estimator tool is super-popular with consumers. Just ask the folks at the mega real estate portal that rhymes with “pillow.”

The process is relatively simple. All you need to do is add a few snippets of code in the form of a Real Estate Data API (Applied Programming Interface). Those bits of code then allow an agent to tap into a storehouse of valuable hyper-local data.

That data can apply to the county, zip code or even down to the neighborhood or subdivision level.

Adding a new Real Estate Data API to your website would be adding a new feature with substance. This information has a real impact on the decisions people will make in regard to buying and selling a property.

This is “new” information people will look for online. They are going to find it one way or another. They might find it on a competitor’s website or they might find it on a national real estate portal.

Either way, an agent runs the risk of being ignored if they don’t provide this valuable content.

Property data gives you substance for social media

Tapping into a Real Estate Data API also provides another benefit regarding the power of “new.”

With a data feed from companies such as Home Junction, brokers and agents will constantly have fresh content they can promote in the marketplace.

Send out an email blast showing a link to a chart on your website with the latest trends in property sales.

Get specific. Don’t just send out a link for a chart on county activity, but send one out specifically for the neighborhoods you are farming.

Do the same on social media. The competition on social media for people’s attention is intense.

In a recent survey by Realtor.com, 90% of agents say they plan to use social media to promote themselves.

That’s a lot of clutter. How are you going to separate yourself from the others?

Showing news about the direction of home sales or prices is one way.

Another is announcing that consumers can now get the answer to “What is my home worth?” on your website.

(Speaking of new, every time a home owner checks out the guesstimate on their home, they will see a new figure and new market data. Very powerful).

Sure, many business people understand the power of new. They might redesign their website to make it look fresher or more organized. They might redesign their logo to make it look more contemporary.

But if you are really going to go through the trouble of creating something new, make sure it has meaning and value to the audience you are targeting.

Humans are hard-wired for newness. It’s a powerful magnet to attract attention.

Start the new year off with a substantive, beneficial hyper-local Real Estate Data API that helps you utilize that power.

 

 

 

Survey Shows How Much Consumers Use Home Value Widgets To Find What Their Home Is Worth

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home value widgetWhile there is much debate in real estate circles about Home Value Widgets or estimator tools, one thing is very clear.

Consumers want to know, “What is my home worth?”

A recent survey conducted by Nerd Wallet in conjunction with the Harris Poll bears this out.

According to their results, 73% of respondents say “Yes,” knowing the value of their home is important to them.

We’re surprised it’s not higher because frankly, a home is usually the biggest item people own.

But here’s another important finding from the survey – 22% of homeowners said they used an online home value widget to find estimates on what their home was worth.

These numbers are significant.

What’s also significant is that today, local brokers and agents now have the ability to add their own home value widgets to their websites.

That national real estate portal that rhymes with “willow” is no longer the only home guessitmate game in town.

By partnering with national real estate data providers such as Home Junction, a local agent can provide a home value estimation tool of their own to catch the attention of homeowners and generate their own leads.

Home value widgets serve this function

There are probably two ways to look at a home value estimator tool.

One might be to simply dismiss the concept, repeating the same old argument that these estimates are not as exact as a Comparative Market Analysis.

But that misses the point.

A home value widget, more technically known as an AVM (Automated Valuation Model), is not meant to be as accurate as a CMA.

That’s not the purpose.

The real purpose is to light a spark for homeowners who might be interested in learning more about the potential value of their home and current market conditions, after they use this tool.

A home value widget is basically a way to start a conversation.

In other words, a lead generation tool.

The great benefit for brokers and agents is that with a home value widget, you don’t need to get 100 phone calls a month asking for more detailed information to make it work. After all, the products you are selling are not toasters, but $300k to $1 million dollars properties.

Just one lead that turns into a listing is huge.

Improvements in home value estimator calculations

What’s even better is that now as we enter 2019, many of the bugs and issues with calculations have improved as the machines now have more historical data and results to work with.

Home value widgets are much better than the days when they were first introduced and prices were all over the place.

Now real estate data providers how more access to property sales records, mortgage data, county records, MLS listings, property characteristics, comparable sales and other sources of information.

The machines are learning…and getting smarter with their estimates.

The computer algorithms have become more advanced and offer a better estimate of a home value’s at a certain point in time. Sure it’s not 100% accurate. The true value of a home will only be determined when someone signs a contract.

These numbers are a starting point.

The quick estimates are also helpful to compare the value of a property with the values of other homes on the same street or in the same neighborhood.

In addition, based on the amount of information provided and how current it is, algorithms have now been developed to offer a better “confidence range” to make it clear about the potential “highs and lows” with any estimate.

Consumers can see, sure here’s what a website presented as a possible value for your property, but there is also a + plus or – minus margin of error to consider.

Most consumers will understand this. They will realize these are fast, machine-based estimates and nothing like a formal CMA.

Multiple opportunities for lead generation

In fact, this presents another opportunity for agents to start a conversation.

After the results come up, offer to help explain how the calculations were created. Talk about all the factors that are involved in developing a true CMA.

There’s no denying, knowing what a home is worth is important to consumers.

An estimate is important to know not only for the sake of their investment in their home, but also for possible refinancing, home equity, homeowner’s insurance and tax assessments.

Promote the fact that you, as a local real estate agent, now provide a home value widget for local residents.

Include a note in your mailings, your email blasts and your social media posts.

People are going to trust someone who lives and works in their neighborhood for answers. They are going to trust that you can help them interpret the results since you live and breathe these local property values in your line of work.

Experts predict 2019 might be a tight year for home sales.

But this advance in real estate technology/lead gen is now available to local agents.

Can you afford not to provide a home value widget on your website, especially when the surveys show consumers want to know these estimates and will use these tools?

 

 

 

 

Real Estate Forecast For 2019 Shows A Dip, But A Nice Rebound On Horizon With Still Low Loan Rates

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real estate forecast

Despite all the uncertainty hovering over the economy, one real estate forecast for 2019 points to a silver lining for home sales this year and especially the following year.

One place where we like to review housing forecasts is the Mortgage Finance Forecast from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

After all, these people need to have their fingers on the pulse of the market as much as Realtors. If there aren’t many mortgages being underwritten, there ain’t going to be many home sales either.

But their outlook is promising.

Real estate forecast 2018 vs. 2019

For example this is how they see existing homes sales (including condos) per quarter for 2019 compared to 2018 (in thousands)

  • Q1 – 5,387 vs. 5,507 last year
  • Q2 – 5,553 vs. 5413
  • Q3 – 5,641 vs. 5,273
  • Q4 – 5,659 vs. 5,275 forecast, official tally not in

There’s an upturn predicted for EVERY quarter except for the first one.

The forecast for 2020 looks very promising, where sales are predicted to take off like one of Elan Musk’s rockets.

(Ironically, the innovator has plans to send his massive Space X rocket to Mars the first years of the next decade. Sure shows an optimistic spirit. That enthusiasm might just catch on, since we know much of the economy is driven psychologically. Just saying).

The 2020 forecast for Total Existing Homes Sales (in thousands) is very bullish.

  • Q1 – 5,701
  • Q2 – 5,732
  • Q3 – 5,707
  • Q4 – 5,722

See the bump. The MBA says home sales will be 5,387,000 these first few months but predicts growth upward to 5,701,000 in the same period in 2020.

That’s cause for optimism.

To sum it up, here’s the total forecast for existing home sales per year in the next few years:

  • 2018 – 5,367,000 
  • 2019 – 5,560,000
  • 2020 – 5,721,000
  • 2021 – 5,848,000

That’s a very nice picture indeed.

2019 mortgage rates will increase slightly, but are still incredibly low

The outlook for mortgage rates which affect home sales is optimistic as well.

In 2018, 30-year fixed mortgage rates ranged around the 4.5% rate and trended upward.

For 2019, here’s the prediction from the MBA:

  • Q1 – 4.8%
  • Q2 – 4.9%
  • Q3 – 5%
  • Q4 – 5%

For 2020, the mortgage economists predict a slight bump averaging 5.1%.

Sure, many people start to panic when they see mortgage rates increase.

However, when you put a 4.8% interest rate in perspective for the rate in the past 40 years, it’s still a blessing with a big “B” for home buyers.

According to Freddie Mac, in January 1982, mortgage rates for 30-year fixed home loans were as high as 17.5%.

Ouch. Talk about burdensome monthly payments.

For decades mortgages rates hovered in the 7% to 9% range.

They finally broke into the 3.8% range in 2012.

Show that chart to any Millennial who might be concerned about mortgage rates going up.

Just point out, folks, “you ain’t seen high mortgage rates” like we used to experience in the old days.

The mortgage and real estate industry probably need to do a concerted effort this year to remind consumers how these mortgage rates are still at bargain basement levels.

A few decades ago, this writer remembers when his father told him about the 4% mortgage rate he paid in the 1960s. Wow, did that sound incredible compared to the 10% rates that were prevalent at that time.

Who would have ever thought incredibly cheap rates would drop to those levels again?

But they have. Millennials weren’t around in the 60s so they don’t realize just how good they got it.

One role of a real estate professional is to remind them.

Learn about lead gen and other upgrades

Sure, the real estate business had a nice boom going for a few years. A slowdown is inevitable. The market ebbs and flows just like the tide.

The tide might go out a little in the next few months. But the loan experts who monitor and forecast the markets closely see improvements coming quickly thereafter.

According to the MBA, keep your eye on the immediate horizon toward mid-summer. The winds are going to be blowing favorably and those home sales are going to be picking up once again.

One more point – when things slow down, business people tend to pull back on their marketing efforts. But McGraw Hill once conducted a study that found those businesses that stepped up their marketing efforts in a downturn actually did better than those who buried their heads in the sand.

And when the economy recovered, those aggressive companies were already up to speed and able to go full throttle

If you want  input on some smart real estate and mortgage lead generation, social media and other marketing strategies for 2019, contact the experts at Home Junction.

We have a giant array of proven marketing tools that consumers want such as:

  • Home Value Widgets (Automated Valuation Models) and plug-ins that are very effective for lead generation)
  • Real Estate Data APIs that can supply a vast amount of hyper-local data from school information, school attendance zones, recent property sales, market trends, neighborhood demographics, local amenities and much more. Great fodder for social media posts.
  • Geo-spatial boundary information and mapping capabilities
  • WordPress real estate themes that are search-engine enhanced to optimize content and Google and Bing rankings
  • WordPress real estate plug-ins to add super features to any real estate website
  • MLS API services and feeds that are fast, accurate and updated regularly to provide the latest listing info
  • SEO services to help improve free organic rankings for targeted keywords

It costs nothing to speak with one of our experts. The phone number is 858-777-9533.

But that call to learn the latest advances in real estate technology could just be the difference that gives your firm a competitive edge in 2019, and puts you in a great position for the rebound predicted to come.

 

 

 

Real Estate Data API Can Be One Of The Convincing Elements In Any Agent’s Sales Pitch

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real estate data api

A Real Estate Data API can help add more factual impact and less hype to an agent’s sales presentation.

As we all know, in this day and age most consumers shy away from a “sales” pitch.

Many sound hokey and unauthentic. Consumers know they have a device in their pocket that can verify and check any facts. In addition, the public is bombarded by hundreds of sales pitches every day from legit commercials to phony phone scams.

Consequently, they have developed quite a few filters.

Still home sales are sales. And as the saying goes, “nothing happens until someone sells something.”

A sales pitch is simply a presentation – whether visual or verbal – that communicates the value of your services in a way that entices the potential client to become a client or entices a home shopper to purchase a home.

That’s where a Real Estate Data API tool can be an advantage. The API (Application Programming Interface) is basically a few lines of code that feeds a giant warehouse of hyper-local real estate market information into an agent’s website.

Here are some tips on what to include in a persuasive presentation and how to weave local real estate market data throughout to add more impact and credibility.

Use a Real Estate Data API to be visual

It’s been proven many times over that visual material attract customers like a magnet, compared to other marketing methods. So it’s smart to include graphical material such as charts and data.

A clean, modern, and authoritative brand with local property data raises confidence in your services.

Start with your website.

Your website is the first contact point most potential clients will ever have with you, so incorporating Real Estate Data API tools into your website enhances instant gratification when it comes to finding the information they want, fast.

Add charts showing Recent Property Sales or Trends in Home Prices.

Show school information integrated with maps to show just how close a school is to a property in question.

Include pie charts on Neighborhood Demographics.

Add lists of businesses near the property in question. As we discussed in previous blogs, the location of a Whole Foods or a Costco or even a Starbucks near a home can have a major influence on a home buyer.

The beauty of adding this content to your website is that you can also incorporate all of these principles in a personal presentation with a brochure or slideshow.

That local property data shows who you are and what you do in one glance.

Communicate your value proposition

One of the keys to sales is a concept called the “value proposition.” That basically means, why should a home owner or buyer choose you over other agents. What’s the value that you bring to the table?

You need to communicate to the potential client how you will solve their problem.

This is not just an opportunity for you to talk about yourself and be “salesy.”

It’s about honing in on your target client, finding out their needs, their pain points, their particular situation, and telling them how you’ll fix it in the way that they respond to best.

Your client’s problem might be selling their home quickly. Or overcoming some deficiency.

For a home buyer, it might be helping them negotiate a deal with an unrealistic seller. There are dozens of scenarios that need to be addressed. And as everyone knows, no two clients are alike.

A Real Estate Data API  is one very effective tool that can help you solve their problems in the most efficient way, giving them an edge when it comes to narrowing down the correct pricing for homes in the area or presenting market conditions that make it a smart time to buy or sell.

Tell a story

Stories are a powerful persuasion device. They have a way of presenting information in a way that capture’s someone’s attention without boring them. This is also an easy way for people to absorb information and understand it.

You can craft engaging stories – perhaps tell a client about the family that recently moved into the neighborhood and their children thrived in the great schools there. Or about that fellow down the street who was reluctant to list his house at first, but when he did, he received three offers in one day and is now happily retired in Arizona.

Whether you go the route of literally telling a story that includes ways you can solve your clients’ problems, or simply incorporate humanizing and relatable elements into your presentation, consumers will listen.

Describe the solution

The more details you can offer on how you will solve someone’s problem, the more they will be interested.

Including a discussion about how you have access to the latest hyper-local Real Estate Data API is definitely one detail you want to add.

Facts. Charts. Statistics. These components will easily make the case for you. They will show you really are an agent with local knowledge.

If your client’s problem is being unsure of how to price their home for its size and condition, relative to the other similar homes in the area, you will be able to use your Real Estate Data API tools to show comparisons of the exact parameters needed.

And, you can let them know you will use that same data to convince visitors that this home is priced right for this market and they would be smart to grab it now.

Provide proof and then make a call for action

No matter how solid your presentation may be, nobody is going to become a client unless they have seen some proof – both social and data. A video or image testimonial from a raving client, a comparison chart, or offer of extra benefits can all provide assurance.

No presentation – or any marketing effort, for that matter – would be complete without a call to action.

This is what takes the potential client from simple awareness of you, to picking up the phone and calling you.

Your call to action may be as simple as signing up for your mailing list, or as dynamic as calling you on the phone for a live consultation. Whatever the case, make the action as easy to perform as possible for your potential client.

Creating an effective sales pitch or presentation is easy when you use these solid principles.

Incorporating a Real Estate Data API with local facts is one sure way to move your presentation up several levels in the mind of potential clients, and establish a sense of trust in your ability to get the answers and outcomes they want.

 

 

 

Why We Sing About Being Home For The Holidays

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With all the hustle and bustle of this holiday season, brokers, agents and anyone involved in the real estate business might pause for a moment to think about this happy thought.

All of these real estate professionals played an important role in helping people get into the homes they wanted, a place they love, a space where they can spend those precious holidays with their families.

Doesn’t matter if it’s a house, condo, duplex or townhouse. It’s a special place on the planet they can call their own. A shelter where people gather together as husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, moms and dads, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends.

Maya Angelou said it best:

“The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

In fact, the concept of “home” is so important, there are a number of songs that have been written about this subject.

After doing a little bit of research, we found a list of 100 songs that have the word “home” in the title, from “First Train Home” to “Hold On, We’re Coming Home.”

We’re not going to go through all of them here.

But here are several famous Christmas and holiday-related songs that focus on spending that magical time of year at home.

“Please Come Home For Christmas,” written by Charles Brown in 1960. This song was re-released by the Eagles in the 80s and became a big hit, twice.

“There’s No Place Like Home For The Holidays,” sung by Perry Como and written by Al Stillman and Robert Allen in 1954

“I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” sung by Bing Crosby and written by Kim Gannon in 1943. Just about every major singer recorded their own version, from Sinatra to Elvis.

“Home (Another Christmas Day)” – Blake Shelton reworked the original lyrics written by Michael Buble in 2005 to include the holidays.

Even with all the showings, listings, networking, numbers, contracts and paperwork, we all know choosing a home is a very emotional experience.

It’s tough on Realtors too. Long hours. Lots of research. Contract negotiations. Plenty of ups and downs.

But when those families are finally in those homes, sitting around the dinner table, enjoying sentimental moments like this season, real estate professionals should take comfort in the fact that they helped make all this happen.

As Perry Como says:

“Oh’s there’s no place like home for the holidays

‘Cause no matter how far away you roam

If you want to be happy in a million ways

For the holidays – you can’t beat home sweet home!”

This December, Have a Happy Holiday In Your Home, Wherever You Are! (and that includes our data clients as well).

From the Staff at Home Junction

 

Neighborhood Amenities Map Shows More Ways A Home Is A Good Investment

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neighborhood amenities map There’s more to a home than bedrooms and baths and a neighborhood amenities map can point out the extra value.

In every neighborhood, there are always at least a couple houses with bonus features that could be a great asset, but only if the value was uncovered correctly.

When a client is looking to invest in a property, their first instinct may be to look for the cheapest, or most basic house they can find in an area.

But an agent can use a neighborhood amenities map and local real estate data to show them sales and pricing trends which reflect the fact that certain features just make better selling points.

Here are some examples.

Neighborhood amenities map adds extra value

A new home owner who works in town may not care about commuting to a big metro area. But a potential buyer later on sure might.

More and more people, especially Millennials, are seeking employment in urban areas. Commuting will be a big factor for them.

Looking for a home that is within a short driving distance to the major city areas, or close to public transit can turn into major dollars later.

With your local real estate data tools and geocoded map software, show your client the difference in sale prices between a house near the city or bus stop, and a house further out of the way or out in the suburbs.

Real estate market data points out position in marketplace

A single person might not need a 2,000 square foot home, or a statuesque multi-story home. Not only would it be too much extra space, but the excess number of rooms also requires heating, cooling, maintenance, and dusting.

However, your real estate data tools will uncover the number of families moving into the neighborhood who would be excited to find a great property with enough room to grow.

Depending on where you are, you may also be able to show a growing population of retiring “baby boomers” who will pay top dollar for a single-story house that they can get around easily. Check the neighborhood demographics. Perhaps this is an area that attracts older residents.

Middle-aged home buyers might also be more comfortable knowing there are people their own age in the community.

A home value tool can also point out how a home is positioned in the market in terms of Size, Age, Price per Square Foot and Price. Maybe an owner with a big home that is relatively new should be looking at asking for a higher price. Words every seller loves to hear.

School data can do the selling for you

It would be impossible to talk about features that make good real estate investments without mentioning highly-rated schools.

Even if the buyers don’t have school age children, there are advantages to showing them the advantages of being located near a top-notch school.

Properties in the best school zones are hot commodities, as research shows parents moving into the area will pay top dollar to get their kids near their best chance at a good education.

Your local real estate boundary tools will show those important school attendance zones pointing out the schools that children will be attending.

Perhaps the school is average. It’s always possible with a change in principals or other personnel that it could be a hot school in the future.

Either way, being located near a school is huge. Parents will pay as much as 20% more to be located near one.

Point them out on your neighborhood amenities map.

Opportunities near desirable neighborhoods

While some buyers  may automatically pass up listings in a hot neighborhood due to pricing, your real estate data tools may be able to show a property in the area nearby that needs some work – and provide an estimate of how a renovated home may reach the price range of other homes and be a nice increase in value.

Some buyers who are looking in the trendier neighborhoods aren’t the DIY type, leaving a potential gold mine sitting on the market waiting for a handy home owner to see all of its possibilities.

According to some, building unique features into a home isn’t a great idea because not everyone will be interested in a home theater, six-car garage, pool, or pizza oven.

However, your real estate data tools will show the higher price range of homes with a little something extra. An investor, who is willing to wait a little longer for the perfect buyer to fall in love, could potentially see a big profit!

Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to good neighborhoods, good schools, and desirable home amenities.

But with your neighborhood amenities map and real estate market data, you can point out some very appealing opportunities to potential buyers.