RE/MAX real estate

Welcome to February, the coldest month of the winter. Apparently, Mother Nature did not receive this memo and we now reap the rewards. Watch, now that I highlighted our higher than average temperatures, I'm sure we will get hit with a few snow storms.

Anyway, hope you're taking advantage of the nicer days and convincing Seller's to start the Spring Market a little sooner than normal. So far, the market seems to be very active. Days on the market continue to drop along with inventory levels. The resounding effect is an increase in Buyer competition and pricing.

With competition levels high, I highly recommend you hit the streets and try to find opportunities. Show clients how you're willing to go the extra mile, in order to find available inventory.

On a separate note, I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at the Awards Ceremony. This is a great time of the year to celebrate company victories, as well as acknowledge individual efforts. Similar to past years, we also want to recognize the other "non-production' facets of your business. If you have a recommendation for any of the awards distributed, please reach out to the staff and provide some valuable insight.

Thanks for all you do and I wish you all a very early Spring.

Yours truly,

Dave

We've flipped the switch and you'll start to see the new remax.com and RE/MAX Real Estate Search App go live.

We will announce to consumers and the public on Tuesday, Feb. 4 via social media, a press release, a RE/MAX News story and a video.

Please watch a short video message from me.

Watch for more resources in the following days and months. To get ready today, see some of the assets below.

• Remax.com and consumer app overview
• Step-by-step guide to switch from LeadStreet to the new Remax.com
• Remax.com and RE/MAX Real Estate Search App FAQ
• Marketing sheet
• iPhone users: Download the App from the Apple App Store
• Android users: Download the App from the Google Play Store

Adam Contos

RE/MAX CEO

RE/MAX on Tuesday launched its new consumer-facing website and mobile application, giving the nearly five-decade-old real estate franchisor a new public identity.

The website and app are part of the second phase of the company’s booj-powered real estate platform, which also includes agent-facing tools that were released last summer.

The goal of the tools, according to RE/MAX CEO Adam Contos, is to help agents scale their business by creating efficiencies, which in turn, allows the agent to help the consumer sharpen the edges of the transaction process. By consolidating the consumer and agent facing tools into one system, it improves the experience for the customer, overall.

“We believe technology in our space should be able to make good agents great and great agents amazing,” Contos said. “And we do that in order to help the agents scale and keep them from being distracted by some of the other stuff that we call disruption in the industry.”

RE/MAX’s search tools offer a number of new features, including in-person, live search that uses augmented reality. While walking through a neighborhood, consumers can open the app and view the neighborhood to see nearby listings with details about the property.

Consumers can also draw boundaries on their phone, through the consumer app to search specific areas. The app also features other functions like searching nearby homes or finding comparable homes. The app and website have all the functions of a modern search website, like local school information, weather, a mortgage calculator and other information on every listing.

Perhaps the biggest boost for both the agent and consumer is the connection between the website, app and RE/MAX’s new booj-powered platform.

Directly from the platform, which is branded to each individual agent, the consumer can communicate their favorite homes, hide others and add notes without leaving the app. The agent then gets notifications in the booj-powered customer relationship management tool (CRM) so they can respond directly in their own.

The agent will get key insights about that consumer delivered so they can create new searches based on their own local expertise and knowledge.

RE/MAX also envisions the platform as a powerful lead generation tool for agents. The sole goal isn’t to compete directly with listings platforms like Zillow and realtor.com, but it’s an added benefit, to have a slick consumer-facing website, in the hopes that consumers will find agents through the website.

The team behind booj, the real estate tech startup that RE/MAX acquired in May 2018, built the platform with agent feedback. Angelica Olmsted, the RE/MAX project manger for booj, explained that the platform had to be flexible and meet the needs of all agents, rather than something out of a box, that wasn’t built with specific agent needs in mind.

“We heard the network,” Olmsted said. “We interviewed a lot of people, asked them what they liked, what they didn’t like and they gave us a lot of great feedback. We already had a tech platform but we were really able to customize it and create it for RE/MAX and it met the needs of all RE/MAX agents.”

Olmsted echoed some of Contos’ sentiments, saying the goal of the new website and app is to help the agents, who then, in turn, can better help consumers. To achieve that, the experience had to be seamless and transparent, Olmsted said.

“At the end of the day, the [customer experience] is the end goal,” Olmsted said. “If we can empower the agents and the broker-owners to have a good relationship and use technology to help facilitate their business and communicate with the customers, at the end of the day, the person that benefits is the customer and that’s what we’re hoping to do.”

The launch of the new website comes at a time when many of the nation’s top real estate brokerages and holding companies are doing the same. Realogy announced last week it was launching a new website and CRM, Keller Williams previewed a forthcoming consumer experience at Inman Connect and Compass launched a revamped website and search tools late last year.

Want to stand out from the competition and attract more buyer interest? From residential homes to commercial properties, we make it simple for you to choose the products and services you need to customize each listing, engage buyers and keep your business growing.

Whether you need to showcase a luxury property, enhance the value of a mid-market home or boost your brand – our professional, high quality photography and proven marketing solutions will get you noticed.

As part of our commitment to your marketing efforts, we're pleased to introduce a NEW platform to your host of services - MATTERPORT 3D VIDEOS!! Along with our subscription to Matterport, we also have the ability to generate 2D schematics complete with room sizes. This is a tremendous technological advancement to provide buyers with an amazing perspective of the homes we market.

With all the brokerage platforms offered, we pride ourselves on offering quality services at very affordable prices. As with every daily product and service we encounter, unfortunately the cost of doing business continues to rise. We managed to maintain our pricing structure for several years, but now are faced with the reality of increasing costs to offset expenses. As you will see, our prices for the various production services have increased, but still at a very affordable level as compared to those who perform these services in an independent capacity.

You'll discover recommendations on what to do in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and beyond, seasonal happenings, and dining options highlighting our local flavors. Sample your way through local breweries and distilleries, browse unique shopping ideas, and hear from local residents through stories about how the life they want to live is Made Possible in Lehigh Valley. Readers will find ways to make the most of their visit by exploring festivals & events, tips on where to stay, and exclusive special offers.

You can now request copies of the 2020 Guide to Lehigh Valley from the Marketing Department or you can download the digital version below.

You can now request copies of the Lehigh Valley Relocation Guide from the Marketing Department or you can download the digital version below.

Goals can be tricky things, and sticking to them even trickier. As you head into a whole new year, with new energy and passion and a crystal-clear vision for what you want to accomplish, I want you to first take some time to reflect on how far you’ve already come. What breakdowns in the past year have led to breakthroughs in your business, relationships, skill levels or personal growth? What were the “aha” moments that changed your course? What ideas or lessons that could have been game-changing never made it to fruition?

With those things in mind, let’s look at what you want to accomplish in 2020. I’m not a big fan of resolutions, but I’m totally a fan of having a plan that you can break down into monthly goals to keep yourself on track and motivated to make great things happen for yourself, your business and your family.

Here are three strategies to keep in mind:

1. Keep what you’re committed to simple. Put just five things, or goals, on your bucket list each month. Too many goals muddy the water, create a sense of overwhelm, and cause us as human beings to shut down. Think of what it feels like when you see a Cheesecake Factory menu. There’s so much there, right? What do most people do? Order the same thing they always do because it’s too overwhelming to do anything else. Sometimes it’s something as simple as improving over the month before, having the ability to streamline your business so that you can spend more time with the ones you love or hitting a sales/listing goal that will make you smile and increase your bottom line. Goals are personal things. The idea is to make it something that gets you excited about getting out of bed every day.

2. Make it public. The more we share what our goals are, the more life we breathe into them and the more we invite others to be part of a shared experience. It’s amazing how much more we can accomplish when we’ve got cheerleaders in our corner who know what our goals are and are rooting for us every step of the way.

3. Keep track. Every night, ask yourself, “What did I do today to bring me at least one step closer to my commitment?” Write it down in a journal or your daily planner so that you can keep that commitment and your progress top of mind. This will help you keep that vision and focus front and center and take you further than you’ve ever imagined.

It’s not all about the grind—a fact that’s hard for many agents to accept. In fact, if you take time for yourself, you’ll find that you won’t burn yourself out and you’ll be more productive when it comes time to work.

Here are some self-care tips that will keep you working smart instead of working to the point of exhaustion:

Vacation or Staycation

Remember to take time to relax. If you’re always focused on work, you don’t give your mind and body a chance to recover. Take a few days off. You don’t even need to go anywhere. Stay at home if you want—just as long as you put the work aside for a few days. Disconnect entirely so that when you plug back in, you’re refreshed and working with a clear mind.

Exercise

Staying active is good for the body and also the mind. A significant portion of your schedule includes sitting in front of a computer, gathering comps, making phone calls, etc. Take an hour or so every day to get active. This doesn’t have to be a strenuous workout—even a daily walk can help clear and recharge your mind.

Goal-Setting

Set personal goals, not just business goals. If you have a trip you’d like to take or something you’d like to achieve in your personal life, make time for it. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself overscheduling and never getting around to it. When you write things down or schedule them, you’ll have a higher chance of actually getting them done. A fulfilling personal life can transform your business life.

Social Time

Time with friends and family can actually translate to being more productive at work. Allowing yourself to clear your mind and focus on others is the perfect way to ensure you don’t overwork yourself. Just make sure that your work life doesn’t permeate your personal conversations. If you find yourself talking about work at every turn, pivot the conversation to something else.

Essentially, it’s all about balance. Too much personal time can have you slacking off at work. If you find equilibrium, however, your business can benefit from a thriving personal life.

I think I saw 5 separate emails or videos on work-life balance this week.

It often happens that an idea catches on and then everyone is talking about it and then it becomes "truth". "Work-life balance" is one of those. It seems as though every coach, trainer, book or video is teaching us that work-life balance is critical to our health and success.

Being in real estate sales is a different animal than a salaried weekly job. We think that for our needs as real estate agents following the Ninja Path, there is a better way. Instead, we look for work life harmony.

Your action item for this week is to review your daily patterns. Take a look at the Ninja Weekly Routine and make some adjustments that allow you to be a little more on-purpose in your business.

Aldous Huxley,

(July 26, 1894 - November 22, 1963), English writer, novelist, & philosopher.

Passion always sounds like good fuel for chasing dreams. We've all heard of those people who describe their work as their passion, and those rare but real stories where folks "followed their passion and the money followed." But I suspect there are even more people in the world who aren't so sure what their passions are, even if they have modest dreams.

The idea of "following your passion" is so ingrained in the start-up and entrepreneurial culture that it leaves little room for the alternative: Easing into the dream. This story of accomplishment and success takes a different path. Here are some beginnings you may recognize:

"I had a problem I wanted to solve for myself and soon discovered other people had the same problem."

"I wanted to answer a question, and over time my search for an answer lead me in unexpected directions."

"At first, it was just a part-time job. I just wanted to be social and maybe supplement our household income. I never thought it would become a full-time lifestyle."

Despite the proliferation of email signatures which say "Real estate is my passion!" there are many more stories in real estate that began gradually and lead to greatness.

If you don't have a passion and find yourself searching for a way to make your dreams come true, here are some ways you might begin your journey:

1. Make more room for things you'd like to explore. This means unburdening yourself from a few of the tedious tasks in your life which can be reasonably cut. You don't need a full-time commitment from the start.

2. Look for patterns in your life you'd like to change. Find the easiest one to tackle and make a change that disrupts or eliminates the pattern. This can go a long way to making the room you need to explore new ideas.

3. Ask yourself what the person you want to become would do. Imagine how they would act, what they would say no to, and what they might accept as a new challenge.

You don't have to fake your passion and you don't have to be rabid about chasing your goals. There is plenty of room for meaning and fulfillment through easing into your dreams.

What to stand out and market yourself professionally alongside the RE/MAX brand? There’s a tech tool for that! Get a jump start on engaging with your network this year by creating a professional, custom commercial on remaxhustle.com! RE/MAX Hustle is now featuring a brand-new set of customizable commercials, showcasing the 2020 National Ad
Campaign.

Creating customized commercials is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

• Step 1: Enter your contact information and upload your headshot.
• Step 2: Select which commercials you'd like to customize. You'll be able to download and share each video individually.
• Step 3: Create and share!

Once your video has been created, you have many options for sharing with your sphere of influence. Download a raw MP4 file, copy the web link, or share directly to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or email. Create and share as many videos as you'd like to highlight the features that make our agents the best in the business.

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Pro-Tip: If you want to feature your commercial on your booj website you will need to
download the raw file, save it then upload the video to eitherYouTube, Vimeo or Wistia. From there, copy the video link and add it to any video content block on any page of your site!

To learn more about using video content blocks on your booj site, or to get started creating your commercial, click the links below.

With nearly 20 years in the biz, I’ve seen a lot: the transition from “property phone books” that were our source of truth to IDX feeds and websites, the presence of boom and bust cycles, the rise of digital, the creation of amazing marketing technology and social platforms, and a significant change from brands being in control to consumers being in the driver’s seat.

Whether it is the year 2000 or 2020, there are — and have always been — 3 universal truths of marketing that will drive results if followed. It’s important to note, these concepts work for small businesses, large enterprises and everything in between. You don’t need to be one of the bigger guys like RE/MAX. You can be a one-person office and follow these truths to success.

Now, let’s get to it.

Make it about the consumer, not yourself

Look around and you will find most real estate advertising is uninspiring — a sea of sameness. Most either focus on the aspirational parts of the transaction at the beginning or end, or spew details onto consumers like “new listing,” “a must-see property,” “X bed, X bath, X sq footage,” “X years of experience.”

Consumers can find most of this online. What agents and teams need to remember is that they are responsible for helping clients with the largest and most emotional purchase of their lives. You should think about who your clients are, what they need and how you can serve them versus who you are and what you need to sell. Demonstrate your value and how you can be their trusted advisor. That mentality is what served as inspiration for the latest RE/MAX advertising campaign, which focuses on the quality services and support offered to consumers by skilled full-time agents.

People aren’t demographics. A people-based approach to marketing is where it’s at.

Segmenting audiences based on who they are, where they might be in their lives, what they are doing and, in some cases, what they are not doing is available today. Rather than thinking in broad demographics, think on a more 1:1 basis.

For example, instead of adults and a price range, or current and past customers, think about your customers as people. Do you have a home to sell with a big yard? Perhaps market how the home is ideal for homebuyers with pets. If a property has an amazing gourmet kitchen, modify versions of marketing materials to promote how it could be perfect for anyone with culinary interests. Or perhaps how that gourmet kitchen meets the needs of someone who entertains a lot. These subtle adaptations in your marketing will help create relevance in the consumer’s mind almost as if it were meant specifically for them. One message for all isn’t as effective as it once was, and it’s not as difficult as you might think. A simple change of an image or call to action is all it takes in some cases.

Video is a wonderful option, too, because you can hit on more of the senses. The heavy lifting is in managing your database and having a way to tag and segment your database of customers and prospects.

Grow your real estate business without promoting real estate

Sometimes an unbranded approach to marketing can be smart. Yes, brand matters and there’s no denying it, but rather than always promoting listings and the real estate industry, consider positioning yourself as the community expert. Subtly integrate your brand into your marketing and promote new restaurants with interviews with the owners. Show off the community events that make up the fabric of the community you serve, or new communities you want to sell in. Simply promote anything consumers might want to know and has nothing to do with buying or selling homes.

If the thought of creating content and landing pages and print pieces feels overwhelming, consider video. It’s easy. Turn your phone around and start talking, walking and showing what’s around you. Then post to your website and YouTube channel and promote on social channels linking back to your website or landing pages.

By providing value, you can build rapport and trust with savvy consumers so that when they’re ready to buy or sell, you should be on their shortlist for consideration. I’ve seen this work well for seasoned veterans as well as new agents who don’t have many listings to market.

Now get out there and make it about your consumer!

Your marketing is about to hustle a lot harder for you.

It’s my pleasure to introduce the 2020 RE/MAX National Ad Campaign. This year’s campaign, which launches today, truly offers MORE – with more ads, hitting more consumers in more places than ever before.

At the center of it all are 11 new attention-grabbing concepts that focus on the unmatched value that RE/MAX agents provide their clients. The ads – which also include messaging for Canada and global audiences – were developed by Camp + King, the award-winning agency that we’ve partnered with for the past five years.

Another highlight: the return of customizable videos on RemaxHustle.com. In 3 simple steps, this online tool enables you to easily create a high-quality video that shows off your experience, tools, and personality – ready to be shared on all your social media channels. Last year, RE/MAX agents created more than 50,600 personal commercials to connect with new and existing clients.

And that’s not all! The 2020 campaign also features highly targeted content on outdoor, radio, digital, TV and social outlets. Many of these assets are available on the Marketing Portal for you to use in your own promotions. To access, visit: MAX/Center > Marketing tile (click “View All” if you do not see the tile in your Top Apps). The link to the assets are on the homepage; you may need to scroll to find them.

The RE/MAX Brand is among the most recognized in all of real estate. Don’t miss the opportunity leverage this power in your own promotions.

CLICK HERE for the New Marketing Form!

Let us know about your open house TODAY!

Email: joel@LehighValleyHomes.com
Website: www.LehighValleyHome.com
Location: 3120 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, PA, United States
Phone: 610-770-9000
Facebook: Facebook.com/LehighValleyHome
Twitter: @jdiaz01