Real Estate Agency News

Law Will Impact Some Foreign-Buyer Purchases

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Florida Realtors lawyers spoke to 6K+ members during a July 29 webinar, saying a new law impacting some property sales to certain foreign buyers goes into effect July 1. Some details are not yet clear, but a new disclosure will appear in FR/Bar, CRSP and other contracts on Sat., July 1, and buyers must sign … Read more

Top Marketing Tool? A Strong Lead Magnet

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A lead is simply “contact info for a potential buyer or seller,” and a top way to get leads is by offering something of value – a “lead magnet” – in exchange for that info. NEW YORK – Lead magnets are a popular tool for generating leads by offering something of value in return for … Read more

Is It Easy to Steal Your Clients’ Data?

Brokers’ files often have Social Security numbers, bank account information and driver’s license copies – the top targets of fraudsters. It’s important to keep that info safe – and have an internal system that provides legal protection if that fails. CHICAGO – Consumers are demanding increased transparency about how their personal information is being used. … Read more

AI Has Visible Role In Home Buying Process

Buyers can now describe their dream home to a computer. You won’t be replaced by AI, says one broker, you’ll be replaced by people who use AI better than you. LAS VEGAS – Artificial intelligence (AI) will play a bigger role in helping consumers buy and sell homes, as it moves from behind the scenes … Read more

Video Marketing Works Since Few Agents Use It

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It’s not just about good content that entices customers to return. It’s also about appearing higher in search engine results and boosting an agent’s online presence. NEW YORK – Most real estate professionals don’t create video content – and that gives those who do a key advantage. A strong online presence is critical for achieving … Read more

Fla. Regulators Consider Citizens Rate Hike

Citizens Ins. requested 12% rate hikes in a 2.5-hour meeting with Fla.’s Office of Insurance Regulation. Final OIR decisions usually aren’t issued for a few weeks. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. continuing to see massive growth, regulators Thursday took up a proposal that would lead to double-digit rate increases for … Read more

Popular Marketing Strategy: Broad Match+Audiences

Google Ads’ tools give marketers leeway, and some think combining two of those tools provides the strongest results when marketing online. NEW YORK – Among real estate agents, a broad match + audiences strategy is increasingly popular for digital marketing. It combines Google Ads’ (formerly Google AdWords) broad match feature with its audience targeting feature. … Read more

CFPB Warning Focuses on Banks Using Chatbots

Has Erica given you banking advice, as in Bank of AmERICA? The U.S. consumer bureau is worried about AI chatbots doing increasingly sophisticated tasks. NEW YORK (AP) – Can you trust Erica, or Sandi or Amy to increasingly control parts of your financial life without giving you inaccurate information or sending money to the wrong … Read more

Study: 2 Out of 5 Sellers Make Buyer Concessions

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In 1Q 2023, 42.9% of sellers made a buyer concession; in 1Q 2022, it was 25.5%. Some do it to keep a transaction moving forward, others to match homebuilders’ freebies. SEATTLE – Home sellers gave concessions to buyers in 42.9% of U.S. home sales during the three months ending April 30, up from 25.5% a … Read more

Increase Your Local Rankings as a Real Estate Agent

Optimize your RE website for search engines by integrating keyword phrases into content, metadata and titles – and also make sure your website is mobile-friendly. MEMPHIS, Tenn. – It is crucial for agents to optimize their real estate website by integrating keyword phrases into content, metadata, and titles. This process in known as search engine … Read more