2460 Bayview Drive

Irena sposato has joined the group of satisfied customers using Virtual Florida Tours as thier Internet Marketing Provider. When she trust us with the advertisement of her listing we were able to offer her the new technology provide to us through Real Tour Vision company of which /Virtual Florida Tours is an authorized dealer.
The tour of the house could be seen by clicking on the following link http://rtvpix.com/RE-9900-CHI28W-01.
Our company is also providing High Definition Slide Shows of which the following is a nice example
http://rtvpix.com/slideshow/12939
This new high definiton slide shows can be obtained for only 79 dollars until July first. after that day the introductory price will end increasing to 89 dollars. Act now and your price wil stay grandfathered for life.

For your entire Internet marketing needs please contact Virtual Florida Tours at (305) 331 8960

The Advertisement Dilemma

The advetisemment dilemma starts with those realtors that will like that the return on Investment will show inmediiatelly. Regretfully this is not the case with Internet marketing. This is called the search engines sandbox. Googles sandbox takes around six months for your website to be visible. To get your website to be on the top page of Google it requires some work on your side. Yes, you will have to start a blog and continue blogging frequently.

So you have your listing priced correctly and you will like it to receive an offer in the first two weeks. In the kind of declining market we are right now, you need to have a way to make that property visible as much as possible.

The decision is what kind of advertisement you are goign to invest in.

1. Newspapers and magazines advertisements have a limited shelf live of a weekend or some weeks at the most, and are visible locally.
2. Virtual tours on the other hand will last one year on the Internet and will be visible world wide.

Regetfully placing a tour on the Internet will not make it inmediately visible, you will need to start your own blog to increase your presenc on the Internet, since having your own website is not enough to get your website to be visible to the search engines.

If you will like to achieve this results you can sign to obtain the required trainig by contacting us or calling at 305 331 8960.

South Florida the best place to live

Once you decide to relocate or have a vacation home in South Florida You need to select a perfect location where you have access to all the advantages of living in a place that will offer an excellent climate most of the year. In South Florida there are different cities that you might select as your residence. But, which city can offer excellent beaches, the best restaurants, a vibrant cultural life an excellent communications to any place in the world? Only Miami has one of the biggest International airports and can offer you all this amenities together. The multiple cultural activities will address all tastes. Once you select Miami you need to decide a place that will offer you good communications to the beaches, the different cultural centers of the city and above all the security you and your family need. Cutler Oaks is a closed community that meets all this requirements, and recently our friend Ron Trazenfeld decided to place in the market a beautiful two story residence in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods of Miami Dade. This residence is placed in an extended lot and consists of Three Bedrooms, 2 and a half bathrooms, and a two car garage.
The house is totally staged by one of the most famous decorators of Miami.
Click to see the virtual tour or the You-tube presentation by clicking.
To place a virtual tour or market your residence on the Internet please contact Virtual Florida Tours at 305 331 8960 or visit our webpage

Marketing Real Estate on a Down Market

What can be done in this tough market, some authors recommend the use of email newsletters to attract possible customers1, others suggest that you should subscripbe to pay per click providers and the use long tail phrases2 as a good way to catch the traffic from the Internet. Others are even more pesimistic and have only suggestions for those customers ages 62 and over. They suggest that those customer use the special options available for them to buy new houses before they sell their house3.

But no matter where you look most of the writers are recommending to make emphasis on the importance of quality service and prompt response as the most important features that need to be accomplished by a successful realtor, in the authors opinion this is the most important feature for any company whose main product is service.

Ecery one has to be concerned with their return on investment ROI. How you are going to measure your return on investment without carrying an appropriate statistics of how many leads you obtain from the different adds you place on the market.

If you decide to use a newspaper or a magazine add you are betting on 2% of the total number of subscriptions to that particular kind of advertisement product. It also reaches a limited area where that particular edition is distributed and has a life span between two days and a month.

On the other hand the National realtors association reports that more than 80% of prospects beginning their search on the Internet. So you need to associate with a marketing provider that can provide you with the highest level of presence in the Internet. From a virtual tour that can be reached from all over the world placed not only on the MLS and raltor.com but in another web page that has a rank of at least three. If you add to that a panorider with a webaddress associated with the business you are advertising the possibilities of getting your customers attention increase notably since you will be catching those customers that just pass in front of the house. Of course if you have an Internet marketing company that can also provide a full Internet syndication the possibilities of finding the right prospect for your listing increase notably.

References:
Triby, MaryEllen; “recession-marketing-dos-and-don’t’s” Retrieved from the Internet at: http://rismedia.com/2009-03-30/recession-marketing-dos-and-donts/
Mike Parke; “How a Top Agent Continues to Make the Shift to Selling More Houses Online” retrieved from the Internet at: http://rismedia.com/2009-04-02/how-a-top-agent-continues-to-make-the-shift-to-selling-more-houses-online/
5 Recommendations for Navigating Today’s Mortgage and Housing Markets Retrieved from the Internet at: http://rismedia.com/2009-04-02/5-recommendations-for-navigating-todays-mortgage-and-housing-markets/

A Beautiful Place by the Lake

Virtual Florida Tours and the Lehman Team will like to present to the market this one of the kind beautiful home by the lake in this very exclusive neighborhood of Miami City, Florida.

This home has four spacious bedrooms two bathrooms, and a big totally screned pool home. It has an excellent distribution, and is furnished with new appliances. One of its principal features is the astonishing view of the lake you and your family will enjoy.

The Living area is totally tiled and the screned pool will allow you and your guests enjoy the view without the annoyance of insects. This area is specially tailored for your private parties.

If you will like to market your home or business contact The Lehman Team these professional realtors work with Coldwell Banker at Pinecrest at 305 970 7500.

If you are seeking how to increase your presence in the Internet marketing do not hesitate to contact Virtual Florida Tours. Our family owned company specializes in Interntet marketing of real estate and business in Miami Dade and Broward Counties. We serve the cities of Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Miami, Hallandale and Fort Lauderdale. Do not hesitate to contact us with all your marketing needs at Miami Dade and Broward Counties

Real Estate Today

The intention to improve the economy started in the previous administration investing mostly in the banks to buy the bad credits these institutions had incurred in. The amount of money injected was increased enormously in recent times with no change in the attitude of the banking institutions.
Despite some reports that consider that the economy was not suffering as much as others were saying 1. The reality is that the customers are not noticing the increase in loans availability from the banks.
The real estate market has declined in recent years and the homes have lost a big amount of their selling price. This has promoted the misconception of most owners that assume that their homes are valued more than where market is actually placed.2
Therefore realtors need to start educating the owners in the real market price of their property. It is important that before a realtor accepts a listing he/she should investigate if the owner is really committed to sell.
The home needs to be staged before you even accept the building, and you need to market the home as soon as possible in the Internet using all the tools of the trade from virtual tours to a complete network syndication. A home that is correctly priced in good conditions and is advertised appropriately on the internet tends to sell three times faster than other houses that only appear in the MLS.

1. Debra Gould http://activerain.com/blogsview/963298/Beating-Back-Bad-Economic-News
2. Harney, Steve, Managing Homeowner's Expectations Broker Agent News E-Letter - Updated for Sept. 30, 2007

Your Dream Home

Recently Virtual Florida Tours was asked to make a virtual tour for a For Sale by Owner at the Pinnacle in Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Florida. This Fabulous Condominium Building is run like a five stars hotel with all those little features that will make feel pampered as if you were royalty!
Just to mention some of the features, you have a library, a gymnasium, a club room where you can have a private party without having people at your condominium. You also will get umbrellas and towels at the beach. Your guest will receive ballet parking, you name it it's there.
A virtual tour is just the beginning of marketing a property and Leon Goldstein is marketing his properties with Virtual Florida Tours. Our company is committed to market its customers on the WEB, applying the latest technology available.
At Virtual Florida Tours we strive for excellence and we provide our clients with a complete arsenal of the best tools to syndicate their properties exposing their listings as much as possible.

Ways to boost property value

To increase the property value there are a group of things that can be done some should be approached by the owner and others by the realtor
The owner should take care of all the aspects of the house that require their attention as painting, decorating and removing any object that is not needed from the home. If needed he/she can contact a storage space to remove extra furniture and clothes that are not used on a daily basis.:
•1. Paint the exterior
•2. Complete all needed repairs
•3. Furnish the home to sell. (contract a decorator)
•4. Upgrade front yard landscaping (try professional landscaping)
•5. Create a quick kitchen makeover
•6. Think spa, not bathroom
•7. Install soft and hard window treatments
•8. Replace carpet rather than just cleaning
•9. Don't overlook your closets
The job of the realtor is to increase the exposure of the property and help the owner keep the peace of mind of the buyer:
•1. Purchase a home warranty (peace of mind of the buyer)
•2. Contract a virtual tour of the property that must be placed in realtor.com and other websites.
•3. Make flyer that can be downloaded from the webpage and place the add in other web-pages.
When the owner and the realtor take care of all these points and the home is placed in the market at the appropriate price the house will sell in as short time as possible.
To obtain the maximum Internet exposure for your listing and to increase the SEO of your web page you may contact Virtual Florida Real Tours that is a fully authorized dealer of RTV the number 1one virtual tour provider. We serve the areas of Miami Dade and Broward counties. Do not hesitate to call us at
(305) 331 8960

A Key to Selling Homes

There are three Key Factors in Selling Real Estate
1. Fair Price
2. Location
3. EXPOSURE
Virtual Florida Tours is your best way to get your listings exposed! We are a full service dealer provider with RTV, the world largest network of virtual tour providers and an approved vendor with realtor.com. Our company is locally owned and operated virtual tour provider in Miami Dade, Florida. Our company serves Miami Dade and Broward counties, Included in this area are the cities of Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Pine Crest, Palmetto Bay, Hallandale, and Fort Lauderdale.
NAR statistics recently show that about 86% of home buyers use the Internet when they begin searching for a home, and 67% of current home buyers in Florida come from outside the state. You will not be able to reach this market by using a yard sign and local advertising. In today’s market exposure has become critical and Virtual Florida Tours has a distribution list that outperforms our competition. Our Virtual Tours will show your information, ensuring to brand the online exposure you and your company need to compete in today’s challenging market. The virtual tour will have links to your personal and your company’s web site; will show your business partners as well as your phone and your email address. Therefore the prospect viewing the tour is constantly exposed to your information making it easier to contact you. Additionally to the traditional virtual tour you will find Area Information, an excellent Mortgage Calculator, and Satellite View of the property. You can also contract additional requests that include:
Professional Narration, Custom Pintable Flyers and Interactive Floor Plans
Single property websites and Panoriders
We are always striving for excellence and our real value is created by the quality of the service and support that we provide to our customers. Our main priority is your complete satisfaction and we see the success of our customers as our ultimate goal. Allow us the opportunity to serve you on your next virtual tour and you will see why our customers like Gustavo Lopez consider our company the difference between on sale and SOLD!

How can we succed in this challenging market?

The word most realtors are hearing recently is cahallenge. Undoubtedly there is a significant challenge in the real estate industry so realtors need to think and actimplementing out of the box ideas.
Realtors need to increase sales, generate new leads, and get know by the community where they live. agents and brokers alike are looking for diverse and unique methods. Realtors need to implement tools that allow them to connect with clients and obtaining a competitive edge above the competitors has proven positive for many. One such tool is virtual tours to help boost business.
The realtors need to understand the great difficulties that their customers are undergoing while selling or buying a home this will help create a valuable relationship.
Richard Ruff;"Why Do Some Agents Succeed in Any Market and Others Falter?"; retrieved from the Internet at: http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-08-23/why-do-some-agents-succeed-in-any-market-and-others-falter-2/

Reality of the Real Estate Market

Reality of the Real Estate Market (edit/delete)
After reading a recent article by Phillip Cantrell I realized that our blog should share it since some of the information in that article was extremely important and clarifies the present situation of the real estate Industry.
It is true that the number of sales went low in June it is also true that from the 120 million homes existing in the U.S. more than 33% are already paid in full, around 40 million of the remaining were bought before the year 2000 so even in a fire sale they will have a minimum of 30% equity.
On the other hand according to all the information available 94% of the houses are not behind in their payments therefore only 4 million homes are at a risk and of those only 2% are in foreclosure.
For these owners that made a bad decision the Congress is about to spend $300 billion dollars to save their houses, so despite all the talking the situation is not a s bad as some people are placing it.
One of the many ways in which Virtual Florida Tours tries to serve the community is by keeping the realtors serving the areas of Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Miami, Pine Crest, Hallandale, Fort Lauderdale and the rest of Miami Dade and Broward Counties informed of the real situation of the market in which they carry their business.
Reference: Cantrell, Phillip; Things I Think I Think - Real Estate in a Nutshell; retrieved from the Internet at: http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-08-05/things-i-think-i-think-real-estate-in-a-nutshell/

Importance of Measuring Your Return on Investment

When organizations want to measure their success they have to rely on their return on investment (ROI). A successful organization is capable of measure the leverage and demonstrates the contribution of their marketing strategies and how they affect the bottom line of the company.
You need to measure:
•1. What is the amount invested in the specific marketing campaign?
•2. What amount is the return?
•3. How many customers were gained?
•4. What share and penetration does the company has on the market?
•5. Which points of the marketing campaign worked and which didn't?
Any marketing plan needs to be balanced to help your organization measuring the contributions of the marketing plan. When you are able to place the plan into a larger context and link it to the asset growth of your company you can validate if the plan is a valuable or profitable opportunity for your business.
If you are not able to show if the marketing's plan ROI is positive you can be repeating systematically the same mistake again and again until you go bankruptcy. This has to be done with all your marketing as advertisement.
Does your investment in magazine adds bring you back the return you are expecting?
Is your webpage PRS at least a 2?
Can customers find you without typing the URL of your company?
Are you using Virtual Tours and placing them in the major Internet portals?
You need to be able to do this or you will be throwing away your money.
Reference: The Gonzalez Group; "What's Your MROI? 5 Ways to Find Out"; http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-07-16/whats-your-mroi-5-ways-to-find-out/

Are You Expanding Your Company?

Most people think that if their company is not growing it is because it is going out of business. Undoubtedly a steady growth is essential to the life line of any company, so to grow a healthy business needs everyday essentials.
Companies can grow by merger or recruiting and both methods have their own downfalls.
In merging you need to be able to maintain the personnel that was hired in the company working and producing at a pace that compensate for the big payment you are incurring when you buy a business. Recruiting will require extra space, equipment and staff.
Companies can go bankrupt because they tried to grow too fast. If your cost precedes your increase in production your ability to pay your costs can carry down into bankruptcy. On the other hand if you wait too long to acquire all the resources needed for the expansion the effect of recruiting personnel will be lost.
The bottom line is that whatever is the way you are looking to make your company grow you will need enough capital to be able to endure expansion costs.
When you purchase another company risks that the personnel Independent contractors) in the newly acquired company leave, as a result of this situation you were throwing away your money. To try mitigating this the buyer should include conditions in the purchase agreement that protects him/her from personnel moving out of the company or diminish productivity of the business.
If you try to grow by recruiting unless your company starts with a strong core of productive agents, it might never grow.
As always the situation will be affected by the quality of advertising, That includes the ranking of their web page, if the new company uses already a virtual tour provider that allows yor business to show its listings with the qualkity require to attract prospects. Also the conditions of the market, the competition, and all the company related conditions from leadership, to training will be affecting your expansion. It is wise to seek counsel before taking any decision.
The fastest and costliest way of expansion is to acquire a established business. Many buyers do not have access to the cash needed for the acquisition, or the costs of maintaining the new business running.
Remember that if you have any needs of virtual tours in Miami Beach, Miami, Miami Dade or Broward counties Virtual Florida Tours is your best selection. Please contact us at (305) 331 8960 or through the internet at http://www.virtualfloridaraltours.com
Reference: Barlow, George; "What to Consider When Developing a Plan for Growth and Expansion"; retrieved from the Internet at: http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-07-10/what-to-consider-when-developing-a-plan-for-growth-and-expansion

Succeding in Today's Real Estate Business

Residential real estate professionals need to get back to the basics of your business or you will certainly lose your customer base. The industry is dealing with the continuing impact of subprime and mortgage liquidity problems in the housing market.
Some realtors complain of the conditions of the market, but if their home is priced right, buyers will buy. You need to inform your buyers that our local market is simply phenomenal because prices are down and interest rates are historically low.
The realtor needs to research the market so he could list the house just one hair below the competition. You will need to go back to the basics-from sending out ‘Just Listed' and ‘Just Sold' postcards to holding buyer seminars and staying in touch with former clients and prospects. It is important to increase your visibility in your community and your marketplace. Knock on doors; reintroduce yourself. Do not forget to place in the contract an agreement with the seller that if the property is not sold in a certain time span, the listing price will be revisited for a possible reduction you need to be aggressive and realistic in pricing homes for sale. In this market is a good idea to target market your prospecting to homeowners who have to sell for whatever reason, such as deaths, divorces, company relocations and downsizing.
The simple solution to the actual situation in the marketplace is to spend your time increasing the number of your listing inventory. You need to spend 100 percent of your time focused on getting your product in front of the consumer
Even though the according to NAR 87% of buyers are starting their search in the Internet , only 5% of them is ready to buy in that moment. So as a realtor you need to educate your customers on the realities of the local marketplace. Also if you get a prospect to contact you through the Internet it is important that they receive immediate response. You can have an automated system in place or a personal assistant for customer follow-up a Blackberry can help also these are critical components to establishing and maintaining a good relationship with both clients and prospects.
Get yourself consider as the expert in your local marketplace, the easiest way to do this is by offering current housing data to the local media.
Most real estate companies are obtaining good results by using virtual tours and sending the tours and slide shows of properties on discs, using panoriders (this are riders with a panoramic tour of the property and a URL containing the address of the property that is attached to the virtual tour) thereby creating detailed exposure of the property for their prospects. This gives them more information than sending the standard photos and listing data.
You need to change your approach to fit today's changing marketplace. Do something different to rebuild your productivity or you may find yourself doing something different tomorrow to make a living.
Right now there are some signs indicating that Miami's real estate housing market is showing some signs of recovery. If you check you will see fewer foreclosure signs, that home prices are stabilizing and less time required for listings to sell. Maybe the most important of all is that the media is becoming more positive.
for any of your virtual tours needs in Miami Beach, Miami Dade or Broward counties remember to contact Virtual Florida Tours at (305) 331 8960 or www.virtualfloridaraltours.com.

Reference: Monte Helme; "Say ‘Yes' to Results - A Dozen Ways to Say ‘No' to Negativity"; retrieved from realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com

Your Most Powerful Tool

As a professional you do not have any tool more powerful that your mind. You need to think with clarity before acting, by doing this you will move upward and onward more rapidly in your career.

The best way is to think in your benefits as well as the benefits of the company of which you are part. To achieve this in a personal term is to increase your earning ability. In other words you need to apply the needed mental, emotional and physical energies toward getting the needed results for yourself and your company.
You should try to increase your overall effectiveness and contribution in all the areas of your life, especially and most important in your work.
Increase everything that you are doing that yield the maximum financial return. Also think in those activities that give you the greatest value and achieve the most satisfaction and increase them as much as possible.
As a realtor what are you doing to differentiate yourself from other professionals and make yourself more marketable. Are you using the Intenet in a valuable way? Are you giving the seller/buyer a service that other professionals in your area are not providing?
Have your company stablished a plan of action that separates your's from other companies offering similar services? Do you offfer virtual tours that will allow possible buyers from other states or countries to "visit " your listing without the need of personally coming to see it? Do you have a stablished folow up plan that will allow you to give drip information to possible clients?
Rememeber you can always count on your virtual tour provider for advice in how to make your listings more effectively presented to your prospects. If you have any virtual tour need in Miami Beac, Miami Dade or Broward Counties? Please call Virtual Florida Tours at (305) 331 8960 or contact us through the Internet at http:www.virtualfloridarealtours.com and remember that we strive for excellence.
Reference: Tracy, Brian; "Strategic Thinking", Broker Agent News E-Letter - Updated for Sept. 19, 2007

Online Marketing Internet Buyer vs. Traditional Home Buyer

"If you are one of those many agents or brokers who don't really believe that the Internet is "the way" in real estate today, perhaps the following data compiled and presented by Leslie Appleton-Young, Chief Economist and Vice President of the California Association of Realtors® (CAR®) in her analysis of the Real Estate Market in California for 2006 will get your attention.
If you believe that the Internet is the single most important factor in your future success, here's your continuing proof that you are correct. Ms. Appleton-Young and CAR® have compiled data of such import and enlightenment that I felt some of it should be shared with you. Pages 62 - 82 of the study compare some distinctions between Internet vs. Traditional buyers and the findings are powerful. These charts show the undeniable trends and the clear preferences consumers have for the Internet approach to buying a home: since the year 2000, virtually every preference that used to favor the traditional approach has been turned upside down and the Internet approach is now overwhelmingly favored. This report is unequivocal evidence that if you are not on the Internet bandwagon and if you can't be found by people searching for homes on the Internet, you are completely "missing the boat" in the real estate business.
Here are just a few of the report's findings:
• 92% of Internet buyers found their agent on a web site; 63% found them through an Internet search engine; 0% of Internet buyers found their agent through brochures, flyers, yard signs or mailers to their home (does this tell you to spend more on Internet marketing and less on print?);
• In 2000, 28% of people said that they used the Internet as an important part of their home-buying and selection process. In 2006, 70% said they did;
• 86% of home buyers started using the Internet as part of their process BEFORE they started looking for a specific home;the other 14% did after they started looking, but BEFORE they contacted a real estate agent; that means that 100% of buyers surveyed started looking at homes first, agents second. When you combine that finding with the already existing one that fully 81% of Internet buyers stay with the first real estate agent they choose to contact, you can see a powerful case for being able to have consumers find you, first;
• Internet buyers spent an average of 4.8 weeks doing research before contacting an agent; traditional buyers only 1.7 weeks. That means an Internet buyer is better prepared and twice+ as less likely to waste your time;
• Internet buyers bought a home on average after spending 2.2 weeks looking for a home with an agent; traditional buyers spent an average of 7.1 weeks; How high would your productivity be if you could spend 2/3 of the time you now spend previewing with clients and could dedicate it to selling and marketing, instead?
• Internet buyers previewed an average of 6.7 homes with their agent (they had already eliminated ones they did not wish to see), traditional buyers previewed 15.4 homes; an average of just under nine fewer wasted showings per customer;
• Only 3% of all Internet connections available at the primary computer used for the home-buying process were dial-up: Internet home buyers and searchers are not sticking with dial-up, just as they are not sticking with traditional methods;
• The approximate distance between previous residence and new residence for traditional buyers was 25 miles; for Internet buyers, it was 242 miles (you can sell anywhere compared to traditional ways);
• Number of agents an internet buyer interviewed, on the median: 1; Traditional buyers? 3. (Why would you want fewer auditions and more certain retentions?)
• 69% of Internet buyers said response time was extremely important.83% of those buyers chose email as their favored communication method with their agent. 0% chose "in person." (The Internet is the new "office visit.")
• Internet buyers were more satisfied with their agents: 4.3 to 3.3 for traditional buyers, on a scale of 5 where 5 is "surpassed expectations."
• 35% of traditional agents listed "faster response time from my agent" as the one thing they would change, if they could, about their experience; Internet buyers? 0%!
• Internet buyers were far more satisfied in every important researched category of satisfaction than traditional buyers were; when asked the number one reason for satisfaction with their agent, 91% of Internet buyers said that satisfaction was because their agent "was always quick to respond." Traditional buyers? Their number one reason was "worked hard on my behalf", chosen by 62% of them, leading us to conclude that traditional buyers did not find their agents "quick to respond."
And, ladies and gentlemen (a little drum roll, here, please), 97% of Internet buyers said they would use the same agent again. Traditional buyers? 50%. (Twice as likely to be satisfied and twice as likely to give a referral, wouldn't you think?)
I'm not an economist, (I don't even play one on TV), but it seems to me that these data show clearly that:
1. Agents who sell via the Internet do not get as bogged down in unproductive chauffeuring to preview homes as traditional agents do;
2. Agents who utilize online marketing and have Internet buyers are more liked, more highly regarded, more likely to have a repeat sale with the client,
3. Agents selling to Internet buyers are likely to work only 2.2 weeks with a buyer before selling a property (vs. 7.1 weeks traditionally);
4. Agents committed to online marketing may be able to expand their market area to an average 242 mile radius of their location and remain effective due to online communication; people find you on the Internet, call you or email you, and use you to help them find a home in an area they may not know.
5. The money you may spend on brochures, ads, newspaper ads, and the like should be reconsidered and placed into Internet Marketing.
So, unless you are in a state of denial about the Internet's importance to real estate transactions, you need to do several things in your planning for this year, at minimum, if you want to be on the right side of these statistics.
1. You need to take most of the money you are spending on newspaper ads, brochures, glossy marketing pieces, etc., and invest it in your Online Marketing. Chances are good that you cannot possibly wisely spend all those dollars online; consider those savings as your bonus this year. It will be tough not seeing your comforting listings in the paper, but think of all the money you'll be saving! (And as more fuel for that fire, consider this: Ms. Appleton-Young's data also show that over 70% of people 65 and older read a daily newspaper, but only 35% of 24 year olds do. PRINT IS DEAD TO THIS GENERATION OF HOMEBUYERS!)
2. You need your own website showing your properties and you. You can get a very good one free. What are you waiting for?
3. Just having a website or a page on your franchise site won't cut it; you must be able to be found by people searching for homes in your considerably larger e-neighborhood. The Internet is a really big place and chances are that you and your site may be lost in its hugeness.
4. You must be permanently committed to "Thinking Internet." I have heard many agents say "I don't get that involved with Online Marketing; I've been successful the traditional way for 15 years." I offer those of you saying that now two things: my sincere congratulations on your past success and my sincere empathy for the frustration you will suffer as the curve gets further out in front of you. The report told us that in 2006, 63% of Internet buyers (who comprise 70-85% of all buyers today) find their agent on the Internet. We believe that within the next two years, this number will approach 90%. While this CAR® study does not report on every State in the Union, it does report on what is happening in America's biggest and most influential real estate market. No matter where you are, these data and trends are coming at you. You must get on board or you will be literally run over and left behind. Internet selling is the way, and within our lifetimes, the statistics will continue to favor online marketing of real estate in even greater proportions.
We at Blackwater and our affiliated companies, Compass Internet Systems and Web Reporter Tool, talk to agents from Martha's Vineyard to Hawaii, Maine to Florida, Texas to Canada and everywhere in between on a daily basis. That will never make us as well-informed as Ms. Appleton-Young, but I believe it gives us a good perspective on trends in this area, and here's what we think: all over the country, agents and brokers are showing interest in, adopting, and pouring their time, effort and money into online marketing on a scale that was unimagined only two years ago. That makes us certain that every professional real estate sales person who wants to stay in this business must adapt to Darwin's Law on its most brutal terms: Adapt, or die. In listing and selling terms, that means that you must make the effort to make the Internet make money for you, for soon, that is where it all will be made. Go to a search engine, enter your city, state and the words "Real Estate" or "Homes for Sale" or any other combination that describes what you do. Then hit "Search." Are you one of the ten people listed on the page? Based on the statistics you just read, if you are not that means there is a certainty that the searcher will not buy a home from you, but from one of the people on that list of ten; after all: "92% found their agent on the Internet; 63% of them used a search engine." 63% of 92% of all Internet buyers means that there's a 57% chance you are out of luck.
After years of evolution in the way we do things, the pace of that evolution is increasing. This is the time to get with the wave, this is not the time to miss it. As Eugene L. Meyer, former Washington Post writer and editor recently stated in an online article: "Search Engine Placement is Mission Critical (for Real Estate)." I'd put it another way: "Internet Marketing is the future of real estate sales." It's up to you: Stay where you're comfortable with Traditional buyers, or move the cheese and learn how to get more Internet buyers. In the long run, there will be fewer and fewer traditional buyers for you to pursue, but more and more Internet buyers. It seems plain where you need to be going!
Thanks to Leslie Appleton-Young, Chief Economist and Vice President of the California Association of Realtors® (lesliea@car.org) for producing this information and being so cooperative in permitting its publication, and thanks also to Andy Alexander of Shorewood Realtors in El Segundo, CA for bringing this study to my attention (www.andy-alexander.com). It was the excitement in Andy's virtual epiphany that got me onto this report; because - as he put it: "I just realized I must do better in my Online Marketing because that's where all the buyers are."
Andy, I couldn't have put it better, myself."
Reference:
Online Marketing Internet Buyer vs. Traditional Home Buyer Study: The Real Estate World is Changing even Faster than You Think!
Broker Agent News The Best of 2007
by Michael E. Parker
Remember for you Internet needs you can contact us at: www.virtualfloridarealtours.com
or by phone at 305 331 8960

Happy Holidays

In this holidays I want to share with you this excellent paper from Brian Tracey, enjoy
Four Essentials for Happiness
Broker Agent News E-Letter - Updated for December 22, 2007
by Brian Tracy
You may have a thousand different goals over the course of your lifetime, but they all will fall into one of four basic categories. Everything you do is an attempt to enhance the quality of your life in one or more of these areas.
The Key to Happiness
The first category is your desire for happy relationships. You want to love and be loved by others. You want to have a happy, harmonious home life. You want to get along well with the people around you and you want to earn the respect of the people you respect. Your involvement in social and community affairs results from your desire to have happy interactions with others and to make a contribution to the society you live in.
Enjoy Your Work
The second category is your desire for interesting and challenging work. You want to make a good living, of course, but more than that, you want to really enjoy your occupation or profession. The very best times of your life are when you are completely absorbed in your work.
Become Financially Independent
The third category is your desire for financial independence. You want to be free from worries about money. You want to have enough money in the bank so you can make decisions without counting your pennies. You want to achieve a certain financial state so you can retire in comfort and never have to be concerned about whether or not you have enough money to support your lifestyle. Financial independence frees you from poverty and a need to depend upon others for your livelihood. If you save and invest regularly throughout your working life, you will eventually reach the point where you will never have to work again.
Enjoy Excellent Health
The fourth and final category is your desire for good health, to be free of pain and illness and to have a continuous flow of energy and feelings of well-being. In fact, your health is so central to your life that you take it for granted until something happens to disrupt it.
Peace of Mind is the Key
Peace of mind is essential for every one of these. The greater your peace of mind, the more relaxed and positive you are, the less stress you suffer, the better is your overall health. The more peace of mind you have, the better are your relationships, the more optimistic, friendly and confident you are with everyone in your life. When you feel good about yourself on the inside, you do your work better and take more pride in it. You are a better boss and coworker. And the greater your overall peace of mind, the more likely you are to earn a good living, save regularly for the future and ultimately achieve financial independence.
Control Your Attention
Life is very much a study of attention. Whatever you dwell upon and think about grows and expands in your life. The more you pay attention to your relationships, the quality and quantity of your work, your finances and your health, the better they will become and the happier you will be.
Action Exercises
Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action. First, take time on a regular basis to think about what would make you really happy in each of the four areas. Second, set specific, measurable goals for improvement in your relationships, your health, your work and your finances and write them down. Third, resolve to do something every day to increase the quality of some area of your life—and then keep your resolution.
Remember for you Internet needs you can contact us at: www.virtualfloridarealtours.com
or by phone at 305 331 8960

Virtual tours importance

NBC’s Today Show quickly caught thousands of viewers’ attention Friday morning when they promised to let them in on facts that real estate agents haven’t told them. I abruptly stopped what I was working on and tuned in myself. They promised to give tips to homeowners for selling their houses.

With the power of the internet and the cutting edge technology that our virtual tours and 2D and 3D floor plans have to offer, I just knew that the virtual tour field as a whole would have to be discussed. I was right - we were the second mentioned!

They introduced an expert from a data collection agency whose information was produced using actual facts, rather than the just opinions. Facts are facts…and after compiling research here is what we can learn:

Don’t overprice the house, you don’t want to have to reduce it later. By reducing the price, you are giving buyers the leverage to bargain price with you, resulting in back and forth offers and usually resulting in a lower price than you were anticipating.

Be Web Savvy! 72% of people are finding their homes online. Use photographs and virtual home tours to grab online viewers’ attention. Look at the price range filters and always go under the threshold of the higher bracket. That way, when viewers put in their search parameters, the listing won’t be left out over a dollar.

Most of us have overheard agents discussing when the best day to list a home is. Many feel in the commercial market, it is on a Monday, for the residential market, it is on a Thursday. In all actuality, the facts are reporting that the best day to debut all property is on a Friday. 7-8% more people look on Fridays than any other day!

List on Craigslist.org. Many agents don’t take the time to list on Craigslist, when 7-12% of people are looking on Craigslist.org rather that the brokerage sites. This is a large percentage of people who use Craigslist daily, as if they were reading the local newspaper. For commercial agents, Craigslist.org is critical. Many people look all over the country for investment properties or businesses. The internet allows them the flexibility to see properties nationwide.

The last fact that the press was eager to share with homeowners is that they need to search for foreclosures in their area. If there is a foreclosure nearby, then they should wait to list.
Remember for you Internet needs you can contact us at: www.virtualfloridarealtours.com
or by phone at 305 331 8960

Optimize your web page

This will be the first part in a series on how to enhance your business using Google’s many tools and gadgets. Today we are going to talk about adding your business to Google Maps.
http://maps.google.com is a program that allows users to search for business listings, get driving directions, add real estate for sale (which will be the focus of our next article), and much, much more. The ease and handiness of Google maps allows you to type in a simple search term such as “traverse city virtual tour company”, and Google will bring up a list of companies with their information and their exact location on the map.
To optimize your business using Google the first thing you will want to do is to verify your site with Google. You can do so by logging in to your Google account via: Google Webmaster.
Make sure to take advantage of the opportunity to provide details about your business to Google and potential customers for that matter. This consists of:
Required Information - All your basic information such as your company name and description, address and phone number. Users (aka: potential clients) will be able to view this, so check for errors and make sure to peak their interest! For the best SEO be sure your company name and company description contains priority keywords that you want your business to be found under.

Hours & Payment - Add hours of operation and forms of payment you accept.

Photos - A newer feature recently added by Google. This allows businesses to upload 10 photos to their profile. Showcase those panoramas!

Custom Attributes - Be as descriptive as you want. You can add all kinds of custom attributes to your business. I suggest an “areas served” and a “schedule a tour” section.

Reviews - Now anyone can log in and post a review next to a business listing, but Google also incorporates reviews from a variety of other online sites.

Coupons - Google Maps also has the ability for your business to feature coupons. What better way to showcase your virtual tour company?
Google Maps demonstrates how the presence of local search is continuing to expand online, offering user’s instant access to business contact information, maps, directions, reviews, photos, and so much more than traditional directories have been able to offer. Even if you do not have a website or work out of your home your virtual tour company can still take advantage of this fantastic way to optimize your business.

Testimonials

Dear Gabriel,

This is a long overdue letter of thanks for your contribution to my success in Real Estate.
I am always looking for new and better methods of marketing my listings and when I decided to join the believers of the virtual tours, I did an extensive and careful research that took me to your company.

I chose you amongst many and I am glad I did. The Internet exposure through my virtual tours has brought me response from Buyers and praise from Sellers and that sums up to success.

Zizi Careaga, CRS
Coldwell Banker
305 378 5058 x283

Our virtual tours are a necessary function in our sales. It allows our clients to see our model units with out leaving the comfort of their home or office. Virtual Florida Tours has been the perfect fit for our needs. They offer a quality virtual tour, responsive service and affordability; thank you Gabriel, for such a great job.

Chris PerezVice President of Sales Coordination
ACGG Development Group
305.665.1250 O.
305.725.8913 M.

"Great service, very professional, I'll use it again and recomend it"Gabriela CapurroSelect Properties of America Inc.RealtorOutstanding professional service! Virtual Florida Real Tours has been key in my listing presentations and a great tool to set it aside from others offering potential buyers an upfront unveiling of the property they're interested in saving time and bringing real buyers to the seller. Keep up the GREAT work Gabriel! You've definitely become a keeper for me!

Yisel Duque, Realtor
Centurion Professional Realty
305.216.74569

Virtual Tours are a really necessary tool for any realtor who wants to provide the seller with the best possible advertising trying to capture the biggest amount of prospect buyers in the local, national or international market.

Vivian Duque
Centurion Professional Realty
Realtor & Mortgage Broker
305 436 8818

''The Real Tour Vision marketing system has added a new, dynamic dimension to our marketing program, as well as drastically reduced our traditional marketing expenses. Real Tour Vision has helped streamline company transactions through promoting in-house ancillary business (increasing our company’s bottom-line!) and is used to recruit tech-savvy agents.''Bob GarrowGarrow-Loftis/GMAC Real Estate
''Virtual touring saves time, money and professionally presents the property to the most prospects.''Bob BrickRE/MAX Bayshore Properties, LtdIf you want more information about virtual tours please contact us at 305 331 8960 or at our web page http://www.virtualfloridarealtours.com/