Although springtime is known as prime time for buying a home, you can also find a fair share of gems during the summertime. Don’t stop looking. Here are some tips you can use to help you land your dream home in a summer market.

A post shared by @chickitapiano on Jan 17, 2016 at 10:57am PST

1. Scour old listings.

If you missed the home-buying market in the spring, you can find a few listings that might still be on sale. Often times, these sellers will be ready to decrease the selling price, making it easier for you to settle. Make sure to keep your eyes on these listings before the public knows and it becomes competitive.

A post shared by Sascha Naumann (@saschanaumann) on Jun 12, 2018 at 12:43pm PDT

2. Summer diamonds in the rough.

There can be many houses who weren’t purchased because of the price or because they needed work. Looking at these houses over nicer houses in poorer locations will be a safer bet; you can always renovate later. However, you should steer from homes who show significant signs of damage because it could lead to problems beneath the service.

A post shared by Natalie Downs, Keller Williams (@nataliedowns_) on Jun 13, 2018 at 11:04am PDT

3. Go house hunting when others aren’t.

Summer is usually a sluggish season because most people are preoccupied with vacations and BBQs, make sure you take advantage of this time and look at houses when competitors aren’t. The last weeks of July and the first weeks of August are the best time to get a lead on.

A post shared by Jessica Zhou (@jessicazhou_real_estate_la) on Jan 21, 2018 at 9:52pm PST

4. Cruise the neighborhood.

When you buy a home, you are investing in the neighborhood and community as well. Make sure you are satisfied and happy with your surroundings before you seriously consider a home, and summertime is the best time to wander around and meet potential neighbors!

A post shared by Lucas Bramble (@lbrealestate) on Jun 13, 2018 at 10:53am PDT

5. More time with your agent.

Because the season is slow and there are fewer listings, you can benefit from this by having more time with your agent. They will give you more attention, giving you more of a chance at finding your dream home.

A post shared by JKG Interiors London (@jenniferghatan_interiors) on Jun 11, 2018 at 9:08am PDT

6. Summertime is bargain time.

Sellers will more likely than not be willing to bargain because they want to sell the house and have their own vacation time. Think about numbers and make a deal!

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A post shared by Jason Wood | HousesBurnaby.com (@jason_wood_vancouver_realtor) on May 25, 2018 at 5:44pm PDT

 Starter homes are now becoming a thing of the past, much like shag carpet and popcorn ceilings. Younger folks may not even know the concept of a starter home, but at one time young families with average incomes could buy a small home in an affordable neighborhood. Today, families are choosing to buy homes with a little more foundation.

A post shared by Semira Mundt-Edina Realty (@semiramundt_realestate) on May 21, 2018 at 3:10pm PDT

Buying the second home first

A starter home is considered a home that is smaller, cheaper, and maybe not in your desired location to settle down. The problem is first-time buyers aren’t choosing starter homes. This is partly because first-time buyers have become a select group, a group that is very different from what they were a few years ago. Stagnant wages, rising prices, and tight inventory are forcing buyers to be on the higher earning end; and they’re buying bigger homes.

Your first and last home

Instead of purchasing a home with the plans of upgrading in five or so years, homeowners are buying and staying put. When house hunting, they are searching for homes in which they intend to stay for 10 or more years. Bank of America found that 75 percent of homebuyers would rather skip the starter home and buy a home that meets their present and future needs.

 

A post shared by T.J (@tjnnv) on May 30, 2018 at 3:23pm PDT

Saving the starter home

Could this really be the end of the starter home? One thing that is keeping the starter home from going extinct is people not finding affordable homes in the city in which they want to live. First-time home buyers are having trouble finding homes in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and other coastal cities.

More neighbors may be the solution

With 80 percent of first-time buyers buying single family homes, we may see this trend come to an end. Economic pressure and the way that housing construction is going is forcing people to rethink their home buying strategy. More families may see themselves raising their children in condos.

 

Everyone’s preference is different when it comes to searching for the perfect home. Some care solely about location, while others are looking for a home with an open floor plan. But you may ask yourself, what is the most common selling home in today’s real estate market?

With data pulled from Trulia, we pinned a traditional selling point vs. a modern selling point to see what is more popular. Some may be obvious, while others may take you by surprise.

 

Soaking Tubs vs. Claw Foot Tubs

Soaking Tubs are actually more popular, according to Trulia.

A post shared by Little Black “domicile”! (@littleblackdomicile) on Nov 10, 2017 at 7:05pm PST

 

Hardwood vs. Carpets

Hardwood – this was a bit obvious as most people prefer hardwood floors because they are easier to clean and are longer lasting.

A post shared by Hollie Milne (@artfulhomestead) on Dec 29, 2017 at 5:33pm PST

 

Marble Countertops vs. Quartz Countertops

Quartz – while quartz countertops may initially be more expensive, marble countertops require more maintenance, which can add up.

A post shared by C & C Home Finishing, LLC (@cchomefinishing) on Jan 4, 2018 at 8:23am PST

 

White Cabinets vs. Dark Cabinets

White cabinets – these help create a bright, lighter, and bigger looking kitchen.

A post shared by Stacey Rossetti | DIY (@farmhousechic4sure) on Dec 28, 2017 at 12:54pm PST

 

Subway Tile vs. Basketweave Tile

Subway tile – these types of backsplashes have become very popular over the past few years.

A post shared by Cynthia Harper (@cynthia_harper_) on Jan 3, 2018 at 6:18am PST

 

Floor-to-Ceiling Windows vs Bay Windows

Bay windows – although the numbers were close, bay windows were a more popular selling point.

A post shared by The House on Chestnut (@thehouseonchestnut) on Dec 30, 2017 at 8:32am PST

 

Sub-Zero Appliance vs. Viking Appliances

Sub-Zero appliances – another close one, but sub-zero took the lead here.

A post shared by LEXIE SAINE DESIGN (@lexiesainedesign) on Dec 5, 2017 at 11:46am PST

 

Electric Stoves vs. Gas Stoves

Gas Stoves – This is another obvious one, but gas stoves save money over time and are far better for cooking.

A post shared by Steffan Andrews (@orchetect) on Jan 3, 2018 at 6:04pm PST

The official start to the Christmas season is the day after Thanksgiving, although some people think it’s months before. The four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are usually spent shopping, decorating, and planning for the upcoming holiday. Amongst the holiday parties and gift ideas, rarely does buying a home cross our minds. Why buy a home when you’re busy with the hustle and bustle that comes with the holidays? There are many reasons you may not have realized as to why you should buy a home before Christmas. Here are the top reasons why the best time to buy a home is between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

Fewer People are Buying

This is one of the biggest reasons to buy during this time of the year is because you will be one of the only people buying. This may set off alarms in your head as to why are you the only one buying, why is no one else? That’s because all those other people didn’t read this and realize that this is prime time to buy. You will have zero competition, that means you won’t be caught in a bidding war. The offer you place on a home will most likely be taken because the seller literally has no other offers. You may even get away will a price lower than you expected. Prices are already typically lower in December anyway.

 

Sellers are Motivated

People who put their homes on the market this time of the year do so for a good reason. Sellers are serious and motivated. Many times it’s for tax purposes, they need to sell their home before the year’s end or for personal reasons. So next time you see a for sale in front of a home, don’t be shy and feel as if you’re intruding. That for sale sign is a welcome sign for serious buyers like yourself. Take advantage of their urgency.  

 

Thanksgiving is a time that should be spent seeing family that hasn’t visited in months, eating delicious food, and being thankful for all that we have. Leading up to Thanksgiving can be quite a stressful period, there’s planning, shopping, prepping, and then the cooking. With a few of these hacks, you’ll be sitting easy this coming Turkey Day.

 

Thermos as a Gravy Warmer

Keep your gravy warm without wasting stovetop space, by storing it in a thermos. Decant to a gravy boat right before serving.

 

Salad Bar Sous Chef

Save hours of prep work by heading to your local grocery store and hitting up their salad bar. Here you will find veggies and fruit already washed, sliced, and peeled, ready for your salad.

 

Kitchen Cabinets as Cookbook Stands

Eliminate the clutter in the kitchen on the big day by printing out any and all recipes and taping them to the kitchen cabinets. You may think you can just read the recipes off your iPad, but when you’re in the hustle and bustle of the day, you’re not going to have time to wipe your hands each time to open the lock screen. Plus, your chances of damaging it will go up.

 

Chicken Broth as a Turkey Reviver

Whoops! Did you accidentally overcook the turkey? Don’t worry; you did not mess up Thanksgiving by making everyone eat dry turkey. Just drizzle a little warm chicken broth over the overcooked bird. This will moisten the meat and add flavor. You can also use this tip for slices that have been left out and have gone cold.

 

Corkscrew as a Guest Deflector

One of the most frustrating things on Thanksgiving is when you have friends and family gathering in the kitchen either trying to help or are growing impatient. Distract your guests by giving them tasks outside the kitchen, such as opening bottles of wine, filling up water glasses, or playing with the children.  

As leads pour into databases from an increasing number of sources, lead conversion becomes an even more critical skill for modern real estate agents.

That’s why in this article I outline three primary techniques for agents to convert more of their leads into appointments and, ultimately, contracts.

The three chief skills you need to improve your lead conversion include building rapport, qualifying leads properly, and effective closing strategies.

If you’re having trouble closing, you might be missing these three things.

Building rapport

The No. 1 and probably most important thing I see more and more agents missing is the art of building rapport.

Imagine a time in your life where you were not in rapport with someone. That awkward moment where you’re sitting across the table, and you’re looking at your phone and they’re looking at their phone and you’re not saying anything. Imagine if you knew exactly what to do to break the ice to really get to what matters most.

The most basic thing I follow and do every single time I want to build rapport is to mirror them.

We know that people prefer to do business with people just like them. If I want to be in rapport, I’m going to use the same language they use. I’m going to speak with the same pace and the same tempo. If you want to convert more leads, you have to get out of yourself and get in the moment with the client.

I’m listening for their pace and tempo because it’s going to give me insight into whether they’re visual, auditory or kinesthetic in their communication. I listen for the words they use, their pace, their volume and their tonality.

You can take just a little bit of their cadence. Pay attention to their volume, use their language, mirror them. And what happens my friends, is that we build rapport within the first 60 seconds.

The moment we break rapport, we break trust.

Ask Qualifying Questions

The next step if you want to up your conversions is to ask more qualifying questions. If you want to ultimately convert and book an appointment, you need to know your leads’ motives for taking action. You need to know what’s important to them, what their timing is, what their financial situation is.

The next step is to find out if they qualify for motivation. Asking them certain questions can help you find out just how motivated they are to sell their home or buy one.

Here are 10 questions you could ask:

• Tell me what you’d like to do.
• Where are you looking?
• Why are you selling?
• What’s the why behind it, what’s the motivation?
• What’s your timing?
• Who else is involved in the process?
• What’s your Plan B, in case it doesn’t happen in (time frame)?
• Have you met with a lender?
• What price range would you like?
• What’s important to you in the agent you choose to represent you?

Always Be Closing

The bottom line is that no transactions happen until we get an appointment. Don’t give up! Few appointments are booked on the first call. It’s the follow-up that matters most. Learn how to master your lead follow-up with our free “Fearless Follow-Up Bundle.”

The more you learn different closing techniques and how to handle objections, the better off you’ll be. Here are a few effective closing statements:

• Let’s go ahead and schedule an appointment.
• Are mornings or afternoons better for you?
• You told me (x,y,z) and in order to achieve your goals, let’s schedule an appointment on (date and time).
• All I need is 15 minutes. If I can show you the obvious advantages of both your time and money, could it be worth 15 minutes of your time?

The bottom line is this my friends. It’s not leads. It’s you, it’s your ability to convert and your ability to build rapport with a wide variety of people.