Tag Archives: buyers

Survey Shows What Buyers Want in Their Dream Homes

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Homes.com

Have you been wondering what most homebuyers want in their dream home?  Homes.com has your answer!

We recently conducted a survey of potential homebuyers across the country – asking them to let their imaginations run wild, to find out what they want in a family home. The results showed that the American Dream of home ownership is anything but lost; it’s still out there in full force!  As a real estate agent or mortgage lender, it’s good to know what homebuyers desire, so you can better connect with them.  Now, it’s time to share the results with you.

Home buyers in America want: Continue reading →

Homes.com Reveals America’s Dream Home: A Plush Four Bedroom, Three Bath Family Oasis

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Homes.com Reveals America’s Dream Home:
A Plush Four Bedroom, Three Bath Family Oasis

Recent Survey Uncovers Homebuyers’ Must-Have Features 

NORFOLK, Va. (July 16, 2012) – Homes.com, a leading online real estate destination and complete lifestyle resource, conducted a survey of home-seekers across the country to determine what the ideal home for the American family looks like.  The survey reveals the “American Dream” of home ownership is far from forgotten. With Americans today opting for bigger and better, many buyers are choosing in-home amenities that provide convenience and comfort for the haste of today’s lifestyle.

More than 70 percent of respondents opted for a single-family detached home in a country setting that has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, with about 40 percent looking for a home with more than 2,000 square feet. Top amenities include a walk-in closet, en-suite bathroom and fireplace, reinforcing the trend that for today’s homebuyer, it’s all about comfort and accessibility.

“Homes.com prides itself on keeping a pulse on America’s homebuyers and the marketplace, providing resources to help in every step of the home-buying process.” said Wendy Froehlich, vice president of Marketing for Homes.com. “Americans are still excited about the idea of home ownership, and Homes.com is committed to making the process as simple as possible for potential homeowners.”

Compared to desired in-home amenities from a decade ago, the amenities chosen in the ”American Dream Home” survey prove that Americans today cherish flexible spaces with choices like sun rooms, basements and screened-in porches topping the list of specialty rooms buyers would like to see in their homes.

The trend of outdoor living also has a growing appeal, with more and more people opting for homes that make it convenient to enjoy outdoor space and outdoor amenities. More than 30 percent of those surveyed chose a deck as an outdoor “Must Have,” with swimming pools and patios following closely behind with 28 percent and 21.5 percent, respectively.

Along with the ideal dream home, Homes.com also wanted to know more about America’s vacation home desires. A “Peaceful Lake-Front Cabin” led the way with more than 35 percent of votes, as the most sought after second home with the “Caribbean Villa” coming in a close second with 34.3 percent. Rounding out the top three vacation home destinations, the “Swanky South Beach Condo” was chosen with 10.4 percent of the votes.

Homes.com surveyed its database of several thousand consumers across the country.  Of the survey respondents, 85 percent were female with 37 percent of respondents living in the Southeast and more than 41 percent searching for a home in the same area. View a complete summary of the “American Dream Home” survey results illustrated as an infographic on blog.homes.com.

The “American Dream Home” survey, just one of the ways Homes.com strives to relay relevant and timely information to real estate professionals and consumers alike, is a quintessential peek into the mind of today’s homebuyer. For inspiration to create the ultimate dream home, visit the Homes.com Idea Gallery at   blog.homes.com/idea-gallery.

About Homes.com

As one of the nation’s top online real estate destinations, Homes.com inspires consumers to dream big. From affordable houses to luxurious estates, condos and more, Homes.com features more than four million property listings and a user-friendly format, making finding your next home or a licensed real estate agent easily accessible. Visitors to the Homes.com blog will find a collection of rich content and posts on DIY projects, painting, gardening and more, providing the ultimate resource for everything home related. From purchasing a first home, to upgrading, downsizing and everything in between, Homes.com is an inspiring and engaging partner in every phase of the home buying process. 

Homes.com is a division of Dominion Enterprises, a leading marketing services and publishing company headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. For more information, visit www.dominionenterprises.com.

For more information, visit http://www.homes.com or blog.homes.com.

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Leigh Brown’s Top 5 Answers to Client Objections

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Leigh Brown, the self proclaimed, “No B.S. Realtor,” joined Secrets of Top Selling Agents sponsored by Homes.com last month and spoke about Real and Powerful Buyer/Seller Scripts & Dialogues for Today’s Market.  During the webinar, which you can still watch here, Leigh Brown suggested responses to common client objections during the real estate process.  This webinar is insightful, yet entertaining, and if you don’t have time to watch, just take a look below – we have provided you a list of common objections and answers from Leigh Brown’s presentation.

Common objections during the real estate process:

1.  I need you to take a reduced commission.
“No,” says Leigh Brown. This objection is most likely coming from a customer you don’t want as a client. While this may be a controversial answer, maybe saying no will tell them you mean business, or give you the opportunity to dedicate your time to clients that know what you deserve!

2.  Can you meet me at night? Sunday morning?
“No, I’m available for appointments between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm,” says Brown. “Weekends are reserved for out of town buyers. Perhaps you can meet me before you go to the office? Or you can get off early to meet me.” Some may think that’s the way the industry is, but Brown’s success says differently. She says that business has not between her and her family; she hasn’t missed a baseball game yet, and she doesn’t plan on starting now!

3.  Is staging really that important?
Houses can be rated on a scale of a 1 – 10. A rating of 1, the worst, might include stained carpet, broken windows, etc. should generally be priced to reflect that condition. The 10 is the “model perfect” home with the latest and greatest upgrades. On average, 1′s, 2′s, 9′s, and 10′s sell best because they’re either too cheap or too perfect to pass up.  According to Brown, staging is important because it takes you out of the middle, dead zone!

4.  The showing is NOT convenient.
Brown states that a buyer won’t be interested in a home they cannot see. Remind them you are liquidating an asset and the more difficult it is for the buyer to access the asset, the less likely it will sell.

5.  Would you consider renting this property?
Leigh Brown responded with an entertaining thought: “No! If I wanted to rent it, it wouldn’t be ‘for sale’ it would be ‘for rent.’” However, she offered a more positive approach. Ask the inquirer if they are interested in becoming a landlord, or if they know someone who needs to rent. Do not just ignore the call and shout “no” at them; turn the negative into a positive, and maybe they will call you again when they are ready.

Leigh Brown’s webinar has a variety of tips for dialogues and scripts, check it out here to learn more.  You will enjoy this one!

The Secret Formula for Increasing your Income is Really no Secret.

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buyers-dissonanceIn real estate appraisal terms, the “highest and best use” of a property is how that property would be used most efficiently or profitably. In the same way, the highest and best use of your time as a real estate professional means making the most of those events that lead most directly to income-generating activities- sales, referrals and repeat business. Continue reading →

Finding value is easier in a tough market

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Rich Dad Poor Dad author Richard Kiyosaki uses the example of a sale at the local supermarket to illustrate a common investor mistake – focusing on price movements instead of value. He notes that if a supermarket held a “25% off everything in the store” sale, the store would be packed.

But when prices plunge in the stock market or real estate market, many investors hear the bad news and head for the sidelines until prices begin climbing again. In any market, it’s important to consider value along with price. Supply and demand dictates that real estate values are easier to find in slow periods and become harder to find when markets heat up.  Continue reading →