Contact Mike
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- Local subdivisions area solds, actives, pendings and prices.
- New businesses coming to area.
- Local job market.
- Local weather and how it affects lifestyles & local market.
- New construction projects.
- Create a helpful checklist for buyers and sellers.
- Create an E-book downloadable as a pdf.
- Mortgage programs and rates update.
- Dangers of certain types of loans (such as interest only, Neg Ams, Mortgage Accelerators, certain ARMS, etc.), and why they are not for everyone be careful not to buy more house than you can afford.
- Advantages of going through a mortgage broker for your next loan as opposed to your local bank (i.e., more options for finding a lender to say yes, potential for better rates, competing lenders so can find the best program for your needs).
- Buying your first investment property correctly.
- Dos and don'ts of buying investment properties.
- Investment cash flow analysis.
- What you should know about home inspections.
- Write about the home prices in local area.
- What to do about mold.
- Do I need to worry about radon?
- The importance of safety around swimming pools.
- Simple repairs to help your home show better and sell faster.
- How do I choose the right real estate agent for my needs?
- How do I price my home right to sell without giving it away?
- Landscaping can make a difference.
- What is curb appeal?
- Is a neighborhood with an HOA for me?
- Local school report cards and ratings.
- Child Care Guide (write a resource guide for parents on locations, costs, and services of local child care, day care, preschool, and after-school facilities).
- Local shopping and attractions in the area.
- Guide to dining out describe your favorite restaurants in the area and ask your readers for their favorites.
- Upcoming sporting events, concerts, shows, etc.
- Anything newsworthy in your area (fires, road construction, crime reports, job markets, etc.).
- Anything controversial in your area such as upcoming elections, debate about a subway/rail system, problems at a local nightclub, road noise from new freeway, new housing development with controversial architecture, etc. (be to take a somewhat neutral stance by posing questions to the reader rather than just stating your opinion you don't want to offend anyone, but people do like a good debate).
- Average energy prices for your subdivision / local market.
- What homeowners can do to save on energy costs.
- Remodeling ideas to instantly increase the value of your home.
- Resources and tips for hiring contractors and actually having a good experience.
- What are the Top 5 Scams of building contractors and how to avoid them?
- What you need to know about buying foreclosures.
- What you need to know about buying tax liens in the county.
- Buying a second home or vacation home/condo.
- The pros and cons of buying and owing a timeshare.
- Buying a resale home versus a new construction home (or completed spec home).
- How to hire a great property management company.
- Is it better to buy or lease commercial space for my business.
- Things you must know to successfully sell your home on your own.
- Getting involved in local charities (write about what you have done, and what residents can do to get involved in local organizations).
- Organizing a neighborhood clean-up day or garage sale.
- Plan a neighborhood block party or kid's parade and then write about it, send flyers out, take photos, etc to get the word out see if the HOA or local chamber or other organization will link to your site for more info.
- Travel tips for visitors to your area (great for out-of-town buyers).
- Weekend getaways at local resorts for residents.
- Cost of Living Comparison (for different cities or neighborhoods in your local market). Put in a side by side comparison for average price of homes, gas, utilities, etc. Provide proof to your buyers of what they get for their money in one city versus another.
- Top Ten Reasons why Babyboomers should buy their next home in your area.
- 7 Reasons Why you Should Sell your Home during the holiday season.
- Every week or month, go visit a new subdivision. Prepare a write up and photos on all the details: # of lots for sale, square footage, floor plans, spec homes available, builder warranties, locations, nearby shopping, amenities, future plans, etc.
- Advantages of a Home Warranty.
- Fire Safety Tips for your home (also discuss 2 story homes, condos/high-rises, small children, the elderly, etc.)
- Research the history of your city or local area if something significant happened, such as a major fire, plane crash, storm, etc., write about it, get photos if you can (with permission) and post all the info about it you can find on your site.
- Have webcam feeds from local points of interests.
- Create a quarterly crime report gather the data from local law enforcement offices and break it down by city, area, subdivision, etc.
- Get involved in your local Community or Neighborhood Watch program post articles about the program, how residents can get involved, what activities are going on, etc.
- Volunteer to coach a local little league or sports team be sure to post your coach photo with all the kids on your website, write a short blurb about how the season is going, and send the photo, article, and url to all the parents along with your business card or brochure.
- What's the difference in hiring a REALTOR versus a real estate agent? (show potential clients the advantages of membership, education, code of ethics, etc.)
- Moving resource guide (resources for buyers moving in from out of the area, for local moves, and for sellers moving out all are potential client bases for you)
- What should I offer for earnest money and down payment when buying a home?
- Need to sell your home quickly? Ask about our guarantee. (or quick-sell program, or any other marketing technique you may use in your market).
- How does the close of escrow process work? (talk about the general closing process and then things that are specific to your market or state/local laws).
- Three Biggest Seller Mistakes (typically, these are Price, Condition, and Marketing they must price it right, have it in good condition, and market it well this is where you can talk up how your marketing program beats the competition).
- Avoid Legal Battles when Buying or Selling a Home (a great place to talk about the importance of hiring a professional You! and to talk about the protections and responsibilities built in to your state/local real estate contracts).
- Subdivision Reports (you could have one page for each of the popular subdivisions in your area or more specific to your farm area title the page with the name of the subdivision and talk about the amenities, location, local shopping, attractions, home prices, architecture, HOA info if any, builders info, types of housing such as single vs. 2-story, homes with pools, etc.).
- Reviews on books relevant to real estate or anything of importance to your area.
- Reviews on local businesses/vendors of interest to homeowners.
- Bargain Hunter's Guide (Where to eat for under $20, How to find Furniture Bargains, etc.).
- 25 Things to do in (Your Town) on the Weekend for under $40
- Current Events (subscribe to local business journals and expand on any articles of interest to potential clients/visitors to your site, add photos, comments, etc.) The goal is for you to Become a Reporter!
- Attend local zoning commission meetings, council meetings, school board meetings, etc. and write recaps of the meetings
- Conduct community surveys and post results on your site (invite readers to participate because this makes people feel important if your survey is relevant to your community or local real estate market, others will link to your site to spread the word about your findings)
- Make donations to local organizations and then put photos and a write-up about it in your blog (very effective to have a matching gift offer such as you'll match $1 up to $1000 for every $1 your readers donate to this organization) This can get you write-ups in local newspapers and be sure you always mention your website when talking to reporters.
- Have a contest (one that involves kids is very effective because kids will typically bug mom and dad to check your website to see if they've won) The prize doesn't have to break the bank; dinner for two, tickets to a local theme park, movie passes, etc. are very popular and inexpensive.
- Offer a scholarship for a local community college or university student (make sure the application links to your website and just like that, you have a much sought-after .edu link)
- Volunteer to give a lecture at a university or local college (be sure to have the professor/administrator put a link to your website on the school's website there's that .edu link again so that students can either sign up or get more info). Giving a lecture or seminar not only gets you a link, but also puts your name & business out to all the attendees (you never know what potential buyers or sellers may be in the audience).
- Offer your services for incoming students to local colleges/universities looking for housing. This can get you a .edu link and also direct access to advertise to potential clients.
- Keep a camera with you at all times. Photos are great.
- Capture great photographs of a sunset or lightning storm another great photo idea.
- Recount historical events on their anniversary date and write a blog post about it. Can be local events, national events, or international.
- Write a themed article for each holiday of importance. For example, on Veteran's Day, write an article thanking and remembering our veterans for their service to our country, find out about any local events or parades in your area, etc.
- Interview three of your best local home inspectors. Come up with a common list of the 25 Most Important Things a Homebuyer should watch out for when buying a home. You could also come up with a list of the 10 Most Common Code Violations found by local inspectors.
- Cheap Gas Spots..
- Expose a scam (what fun!) Alert residents in your community about a scam that is taking place in their neighborhood. Inform them what to look for, how to avoid it, and how to report it. Examples might be a telemarketing scam, identity theft ring, etc.
- How to secure your wireless internet connection (many homeowners become victims of identity theft or other crimes simply because they use an unsecured internet connection give them the steps to take to protect themselves and possibly get some local ISPs to provide input and/or link to your site)
- Compare services of local phone, internet, cable, and satellite providers. Ask your readers for feedback; ask the companies for their pricing and customer satisfaction ratings; and find out what services are offered at which prices. Do a comparison chart and allow readers to comment on their experiences.
- Local directory of doctors, dentists, hospitals, chiropractors, etc. (also, get these providers to link to your site and add a blurb about their facility and the services they offer)
- Publicity Stunts Do something funny or outrageous (be careful here this is something you'll want to be remembered for).
- Participate in and/or Post photos and a write-up about local marathons, triathlons, fundraisers, etc. (local charity fun runs, breast cancer runs, diabetes walks, fitness challenges, etc.)
- Provide details about the local Christmas light shows and attractions - post directions, times, prices, & features. Go to them, take photos, and write reviews on each on your site. You may soon rank for this search term and become people's future source to find Christmas lights.
- Take photos and write a short blurb about the Christmas lights and decorations in your own neighborhood or farm area. Post this on your website and incorporate it in any direct mailings or newsletters. If readers find their house or street on your site, you'll get links and traffic.
- Have a contest (complete with photos, of course) in your neighborhood for the best Halloween costume and best-decorated house.
- Interview local church leaders and pastors on what they have to say about the local housing market. Ask what challenges their members may face such as traffic issues or housing costs. Ask what the church does in the local community (i.e, church recently held a local clean-up and tree planting day in partnership with the city).
- Go build a house with Habitat for Humanity or similar charity. Be sure to get a photo of yourself with your hard hat on and write about your experience. Also, let readers know how they could get involved if they desire.
- Write a voting guide don't tell them your opinion or how to vote; just provide both sides of the issue for all the propositions on the ballot. Interview local candidates and post their views on the hot issues as well.
- Visit local schools and interview teachers or principals about the challenges and opportunities in their school. Get a synopsis of the school's enrollment, future plans, budget concerns, political issues, and other matters of importance. You may even get a link from the school or district websites.
- In addition to talking to local school staff, talk to the parent-teacher group (sometimes called the PTA or PFC). Ask them what projects and activities they have going on, what they do to get parents involved in school, what the local community can do to help, etc.
- Comment on other blogs. Once those blog owners notice you when trolling through their referral logs, they will likely return the favor. (This, by the way, is a legitimate reciprocal link.)
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