San Diego Short Sale and Foreclosed Homes

 
 
I received a phone call today from a couple who are interested in moving up in my area. They have outgrown their existing home and want to take that next step into a larger home in a more exclusive neighborhood. After chatting with the wife for a few minutes about exactly what they are looking for in a new home, I asked her "How were you referred to me?". I don't have any homes listed in the subdivision she is most interested in, so I was curious what led her to me. Her response was a blogger's dream.

"I searched the Internet for homes in the area and it led me right to you."

YES!!! We talked for a few more minutes and I got all of the information that I need to start working with her to find her next home. Since she already sees me as the neighborhood expert (would Google lie?) we will be looking at homes next week.

THAT is the power of blogging locally...very locally. Naturally, she had me interested in how I ranked for other areas. I googled each of the different neighborhoods that I have spotlighted in the past few months and I am on page 1 for almost every one of them. With each new neighborhood post, more people are finding their way to my blog and my stat counter tells me that they are searching for individual subdivision or neighborhood names. My keyword analysis is saying consumers want information about hyper-localareas, not just general market reports.

Of course, I had to take this small success and pay it forward. If you haven't taken the time to post about specific communities in your area, here are some suggestions for what you may want to include:

Pictures. I always visit the subdivision and take photos of the entrance. You want your reader to know that you have actually been to the area, not that you are just spewing facts any other agent can give them. Buyers love to get a feel for an area without ever leaving the comfort of their PC. How about creating a Real Estate Show to go with that neighborhood information?


Community Information. Planned communities or HOAs often have websites that can provide a wealth of information about the events that happen year round. Does the neighborhood participate in Night Out Against Crime? Do they have a Christmas decoration contest? Garden of the Month? These little tidbits are the things that will make the consumer know that YOU know the area. If there is no community website, take note of the closest schools, parks, playgrounds, libraries...all of the things that many people want near them when choosing a new home.

Transportation Information. It's not an issue here in New Orleans, but in other parts of the country, easyaccess to mass transportation is a huge asset to a community. Information about public transportation, the nearest bus or train station or even just a blurb about the distance from the neighborhood to downtown lets them know that you are the expert.


Current listings. I provide an overview of homes for sale without getting into specific properties. How many are for sale? What price ranges? What is the average number of bedrooms and bathrooms? What is the average square footage?

Recent Sales. Providing recent sales information is a breeze! I usually throw in some absorption information as well. If a subdivision is doing particularly well in sales, point it out, create some urgency and get those buyers off of the fence!


Since I started creating my Neighborhood of the Week posts, I have been so much better informed about the trends in my area. We all get those questions from friends and people that we meet. When they find out you are in real estate, everyone questions how the market is in their neighborhood. 

Once you've taken the time to do a little weekly research, you'll be answering those questions with confidence and building your reputation as their very own neighborhood expert!
 


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