real estate agents

Real Estate Agents and SEO: Learn What Not to Do

October 24, 2016 by Matt Stigliano 1 Comment

This post is for all the real estate agents out there who read our blog…

SEO, or search engine optimization, is a word that gets thrown around a lot. It’s an ever changing world of tips and tricks to help get your website noticed and many people don’t have the time or skill to learn it or keep up with it as it evolves. Real estate agents, hungry for more traffic to their websites, often employ SEO companies to help them boost their sites in search engine rankings so they can get noticed. What they don’t know, is how many of these companies are doing it. As someone who spends a lot of time fiddling and tweaking their real estate website, I know a thing or two about the internet. I wouldn’t call myself an expert, there are people out there with far more knowledge and experience (and I turn to them often for advice and information), but I do know enough to know that real estate agents need to stop wasting their money on some of the garbage tactics that I’m seeing more and more of.

SEO: The Linkback

One of the best known tools for generating better search page rankings is the linkback. Every time Google sees a link heading back to your site with appropriate keywords, it starts to think “wait a minute, if everyone is linking back to this site, it must be important” and when Google starts to believe something is important, it begins pushing the value of that site up in their search engine results. The more links, the better your exposure to people searching for keywords related to your website’s topic.

Links are not easy to come by though. Many sites block the search engines from seeing and cataloging these outbound links, so as not to open up the floodgates to a flurry of spam comments with no purpose other than to gain linkbacks. However, some websites use what’s known as “dofollow” to allow such links to be read and cataloged by the search engines. We are an example of such a site. We believe in a more open, sharing web where we are more than happy to give our fellow webmasters and bloggers what tiny little boost we can provide in return for them stopping by our site and opening up good conversation.

But, this same openness can be abused…and it is quite often. An agent or real estate brokerage pays a company oodles of money to “get them to page one of Google” and these companies set out to spam the internet with garbage comments on sites like ours that allow links so that they might get a bit of a boost from what we have created. We don’t mind giving anyone a boost (as long as they’re a legit company and not trying to do something scammy or nefarious). What we do mind is watching agents waste their hard earned money chasing a dream without any understanding of what it is they’re chasing or how the company they have chosen is going about doing it. We see instances on this site all the time of links back to agents, some that we even know and respect greatly, where the actual comment is nothing more than some gibberish in order to just comment for the sake of getting that link. What does that say about the owner of the website it is linking to?

An SEO Appeal To All Real Estate Agents

Instead of hiring these companies and throwing your money at them, take same time to understand what it is they are doing for you. Get involved. Want a link on our site? Comment on our posts and leave your link in the field provided, but don’t just comment blindly. Take a moment to talk about the subject at hand – discuss, dissect, and add to the conversation. Give your thoughts, stories, anecdotes, and relevant additions. By being a part of the community, you not only get a link, but you also show people who you are. Agent from another company? Go ahead and comment on our website. We’d love to hear your thoughts. (Keep the need to advertise out of the picture – if you’re awesome, people will recognize that, we don’t need your phone number and company name plastered after every sentence.) We have a ton of content here on the site and there is sure to be something that you know a lot about or feel passionately about or even have some extra information to bring to the table (some of the posts are much older and as we know, rules and laws change, so maybe there’s an update that you’d like to discuss). We as an industry should be and can be more of a community – and we’d love to be a part of making that happen.

And if you’re an agent in San Antonio or surrounding areas, feel free to drop by and comment. I know in talking to many of you in person that you read our website. We love reading other blogs and we’d love to see more of them in San Antonio. Build a website and get involved in helping educate and inform the buyers and sellers of all the things we see on a daily basis. The more they know and understand what we do, the more we can do for them as an industry. Just stop wasting your money on junk services – we get the calls all day long, so we know what these snake oil peddlers are selling you. Don’t be impressed by fancy tech-speak and “we work with Google” sales tactics. You want linkbacks and a boost in your SEO? It’s right in front of you and you can get more out of some personal involvement than a poorly spelled, grammar destroying, nonsense filled post. Would you hire a doctor based on a comment and link if they posted an unfocused, rambling comment about the latest advances in neurology on a blog about the best ice cream in Texas? Probably not.

So come on over and have a seat. Read, comment, get involved, and boost your website’s SEO all while having a bit of fun with the real estate community. It’s not nearly as hard as those sales people make it sound.

PS If you’re a Realtor interested in blogging about local real estate and are looking for a new brokerage, let us know. We are always looking for ways to expand our website and the content we provide. Our website has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years and we can provide you with a platform for your voice to be heard and your business to grow.

image courtesy of Christian Schnettelker

Where to Get Help With Real Estate Contracts

October 2, 2016 by khproperties Leave a Comment

When there are issues in a transaction, where do you go for help with real estate contracts? The contracts are legally binding documents and when there are problems, they can have serious consequences. You need to know as much as you possibly can about the contract and what it is your signing, but more often than not, the big questions arise after the fact – when something goes wrong and everyone is starting to get nervous. These situations are often tense and more than a little scary, because there is so much on the line. So what do you do? Who do you turn to for advice and information? Where do you get help with real estate contracts?

Your first step in determining who to turn to should be a simple question – how serious is the issue? Is this something simple that just needs some explanation to clear up the confusion or is this something bigger that might lead to termination of the contract or lawsuits?

Help With Real Estate Contracts

There are a lot of different ways to get advice and information about the contracts used for real estate transactions. Some are better than others and each one has their place. Typically, a combination of the methods described below will help answer your real estate contract questions, but remember, always turn to the people involved in your particular transaction as they have the intimate knowledge of the contract – general knowledge and understanding of real estate contracts can be helpful, but not knowing all of the details can lead you down the wrong path.

Google – We’ll be honest, we have mixed feelings about this one. Google is both the best and worst thing to happen to real estate in the past 100 years. We believe in the free flow of information and as evidenced by this website, we love to help buyers and sellers better understand the world of real estate contracts. But there is a downside to this as well and it’s not exclusive to real estate. Because Google gives us insight into industries and practices that we never had before, it creates a false sense of knowledge about things that while we may know more about than before, we are still no experts in. Having access to this information is indeed helpful, but it does not compare to working in a field or experiencing the information firsthand. Training, skills, study – all of these still apply in the real world. Doctors talk about it all the time – how many times have you looked at WebMD and determined you have either the flu, cancer, or the bubonic plague? We post the articles on this site to help give you the general knowledge to understand real estate, but it should never replace advice and information from experts and those with the knowledge of your particular transaction or situation.
Your Realtor – Your agent is one of the best sources for help with real estate contracts. They have been working alongside you on your purchase or sale and have seen the contract in question and know a lot about you from working so closely with you. They have a level of understanding that few have, because they are so involved in the process. Not only do they have the intimate knowledge of your particular situations, but they often can see the big picture. They know all the players and moving parts of your particular deal and with that knowledge can determine who knows the most about any given piece of the puzzle. They know how the contracts work in their particular state (remember, every state has different laws) and they know what they can and cannot advise you on. They know when to turn to someone better qualified to answer the questions.
The Experts – Depending on what help with real estate contracts is needed, you may need to call in the experts. Is there an issue regarding the lending side of things? You should talk to your lender. A problem with title on the property? The title company. Is the survey wrong? Call the surveyor. Depending on the problem, you may need to call the person involved or maybe you’ll need to seek advice from another in that industry – a second opinion if you will. But remember, the facts and details are important, so when someone that is not directly involved in the transaction gives you advice, they may be missing key pieces of information that don’t give them the full knowledge to give the best answer. This is a great time to talk to your real estate agent as they have both direct access to those involved in your transaction as well as other experts in those fields who may be able to help.
Lawyers – This should always be a last resort as once you cross this line, it’s usually hard to come back. Typically, once you start asking lawyers questions, everyone gets nervous and starts hiring their own attorneys. This can lead to a standoff of epic proportions that could have been avoided. In Texas, our promulgated contracts call for mediation first, so that does help resolve issues without the courts, but you should still hire a lawyer at that point, so it will cost you money. Be especially aware of combining Google and this method as there are a ton of legal advice websites out there, but if you read the fine print, you’ll often find disclaimers about using such advice. As we mentioned previously, the facts and details are crucial to getting the right kind of help with real estate contracts, so a “quick question” often isn’t so quick (or advised), because in order to properly answer the questions, the lawyer will need all of the facts first.

One important note: We all know someone who is an agent or a lawyer or just bought a house, so they’ve been there and can help us. Tread lightly in these areas. While friendly advice or facts from someone else’s home purchase (or sale) can seem to be a quick way to get help with real estate contracts, it often is not the best way. These friends are all well intentioned, but again, they may not know the important facts or details, and may not guide you in the right direction. Bad advice can be worse than no advice at all. Also remember that when someone tells you about their experiences buying a house (family members often do this) and gives you pointers on what to do, when they did this matters greatly. Your uncle that bought his last house in 1979 will have had a much different experience than you as both laws and methodology change over time (sometimes overnight!), so he may have his heart in the right place, but he may be steering you in a completely wrong direction.

We also have to point out to be careful of investment sites and webinars that tell you what to do. We have seen many cases where clients have been advised by one of these sites of gurus of the flipping/investment television shows that are selling a package to teach investors how to make millions to do things that are actually illegal or simply dangerous. From adding wording to the contract that actually puts them in a precarious situation to trying to rewrite sections of the contract that already exist (and have been tested and approved by legal experts) to things that are flat out illegal and should never be done – these things can actually increase your risk and exposure in your transaction. So don’t just write it in because some website or TV personality that overcharged you for a one day seminar told you to do it. Remember, they don’t necessarily have your best interests at heart and often they teach a one-size fits all world of real estate, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Every state has its own laws, but real estate practices vary from town to town. While we obey the same laws, we don’t work the same here in San Antonio as they do in Kerrville.

image courtesy of TMAB2003

There’s a New Kid in Town: Newly Licensed Agents

August 1, 2016 by Jessica Flores Leave a Comment

There’s a new kid in town. In fact, there are always new kids in town. Lots of them. As agents enter the world of real estate, they are often faced with their biggest challenge: how do they get their business up and running, when the odds are not in their favor? Their newness weighs on them and clients sometimes don’t see them for what they truly are – ready and eager, willing to ask questions of their peers and themselves, and not afraid of a challenge. Sure, the common wisdom is that you need someone with experience, but that experience comes from doing and the only way to learn is to get your hands dirty and dive right in. Homebuyers and sellers may feel that they won’t get enough experience with a new agent and it might cost them, but we speak with confidence when we say that that lack of hands on experience is not the reason to hire a new agent. Agent Jessica Flores explains what it means to be a new agent and why you shouldn’t be afraid to work with one. – The Staff at Kimberly Howell Properties

There’s a New Kid in Town

Chances are that we have all had our oil changed, hair cut, car sold to us, or even a medical procedure done by a professional and we had no idea that we were their first client or patient. It’s probably safe to assume that things went well and we were pleased with the outcome. Still, I get it. It’s scary to think that you may be a doctor’s first patient or a stylist’s first hair cut. However, a lot of the time these first time professionals have to work harder than their experienced counterparts to prove themselves. They may be nervous, but more than anything they want to make sure things are done and they are done right.

Just like the professions mentioned above a Realtor has hurdles to jump and obstacles to overcome. They may be fresh out of school and newly licensed but the training is continuous and ongoing…and then it continues some more (it never truly ends). This is true especially if they work with an amazing brokerage that has a great reputation who provides training, support, and even expertise and advice to their “newbies.” There are many reasons why one should look past the negative idea of an real estate agent being new and “not experienced” enough. The new kid in town has a lot to prove and they’re going to do everything they can to make sure your experience is more than incredible.

New real estate agents have a lot more going for them than one can imagine. First, they are passionate and eager to help out new clients. Second, they are also aware that they will not know everything, so they take extra care to ensure that they are doing their best work. Communication will be prompt and if they are unsure of a question, they will be sure to find the answer. A new agent may be busy learning, but they are not as busy as those who are more experienced, so they often have more time for their clients. Lastly, new real estate agents can depend on and learn from experienced Realtors in their company. They often work together which gives a client the best of both worlds – the agent’s eagerness to do their best with less distraction and the incredible wealth of knowledge from the pros. So, when searching for a new tooth brush, go with a brand new one. If it’s a real estate agent then make sure they are a good fit regardless of experience. You’ll be spending a lot of time with them in the near future, so you want to ensure that you feel comfortable with them and can build a trust so that you can both work together to get things done. It would also benefit you to ensure that they work with a reputable company, so that you will feel at ease and have a great experience.

The new kid in town is here to stay and it will take some time to collect all that experience, but they will work twice as hard to get there. We’re determined, we’re ready, and we’re going to take on the world!

image courtesy of hlkljgk

Welcome to All of Our New Real Estate Agents

July 15, 2016 by khproperties Leave a Comment

We’ve welcomed several new real estate agents over the past month or so and we wanted to take a moment to welcome them to the Kimberly Howell Properties family and hope you will too. Agents have many choices of where to call home when they’re looking for a brokerage to work with and having them choose us is an honor. We work hard to provide our agents with the tools they need to grow and be successful and the support that is important to both them and their clients. We’re proud of our agents and the countless hours they pour into their work as Realtors, helping clients all over the San Antonio area and beyond. We hope you’ll get to know them as we do as well – their stories, their experiences, their knowledge, and their work ethic – all of these go into making a real estate agent and driving our company forward so that we can serve you, our clients, in all of your real estate transactions. Take a moment to get to know your real estate agent and you’ll have both a trusted advocate and a friend for years to come. It takes a lot of dedication to be a Realtor and these agents are excellent examples of the passion and drive necessary to assist clients throughout their lives and become much more than just a real estate agent to the people they’ve helped along the way.

Looking for a new brokerage? Give us a call and see what happens when a company stops worrying about sheer volume and starts caring about the people they surround themselves with.

image courtesy of Realtor Action Center

Who Do You Call in an Emergency? Your Real Estate Agent

March 10, 2016 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Recently we posted about how useful your real estate agent can be when you need a plumber, electrician, or other home-related service. We’re big fans of customer service and helping our clients find the best services and products when they need them most, but when something goes wrong, we really see just how important those connections and relationships that your real estate agent has built over time can be. Many of those relationships are built through hard work and amazing experiences, whether it’s in the quality of the services the vendor provides, their level of customer service, or the prices they charge (or a combination of all three). This week, we had a great example of that with one of our home warranty providers, Landmark Home Warranty.

A client of ours sent us an email about having some issues getting Landmark Home Warranty out to change the locks. The person at the other end of the toll free number told the client that she had to wait for 30 days before the coverage started (which is true in some instances, but not this one). The client was worried that they now had to wait and would have to pay a locksmith out of pocket to get the locks rekeyed. The information about the wait time sounded incorrect and we were sure about it, so we called Linda Wright, our local Landmark rep to clarify what we were hearing from the client. Because the client was an investor (there are different rules for them when it comes to home warranties), there was some confusion as to when the coverage began. Linda quickly answered that yes, we were correct in our thinking that the client was covered and that they would not have to wait. She asked us to connect her and the client so she could personally take care of it.

Within an hour from start to finish, we had a happy client and a next day appointment to have the locks rekeyed. Linda and her team got to work right away and solved the problem with one of the best examples of customer service we’ve seen in awhile. The client was thrilled, we were happy, and the new tenants about to move in would have their new keys in less than 24 hours.

Thanks to our great relationship with Linda from Landmark, we were able to quickly get the issue resolved and help our client get the work that they needed taken care of. Sometimes all it takes it as simple phone call to one of our vendors and things get sorted. It’s a great situation for everyone – our clients get the work they need done, we strengthen our bonds with the client so that they know they can count on us, and the vendor knows that they helped resolve the issue and will get more referrals and recommendations from both us and their new clients, the homeowners.

So next time you find yourself facing an emergency, pick up the phone and call your real estate agent. Let them help you resolve the issues and utilize their connections with the companies and vendors they work with, so that everyone walks away a winner.

image courtesy of eidantoei

6 Questions You’ll Be Asked At an Open House and Why

February 1, 2016 by khproperties Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever attended an open house, you’ll know that the Realtor hosting it will often ask you quite a few questions. While some people will prefer to not be bothered, there is a reason for these questions and even if you’re already represented by an agent or are just window shopping, you can assist the agent by answering those questions. They’re there to help you if you have questions as well – they can tell you about the house, the neighborhood, local inventory of homes, and prices. So come on in, say hello, and grab yourself a cookie or two – the open house is a great way for you to see the home and ask some questions, just remember, we might have a few for you as well.

What brought you in today? Other than a friendly greeting, this is a question that agents use to gauge the effectiveness of their marketing. If the home was advertised online or in a newspaper, this is a great way to see what results these sources are getting for the agents so they can fine tune their marketing. It also helps the host agent determine your level of interest – are you just window shopping or are you on an active house hunt? The agent wants to get a better understanding of their marketing and what’s effective, so let them know what your interest level is so that can better focus it in the future.

Will you sign in? The sign in sheet or registration card serves many purposes for an agent. First and foremost, it helps them to remember you and reach out to you for follow up after the fact. If you had questions about the property, they can follow up after the open house with more detailed answers. If you didn’t quite fall in love with that home, the agent can still reach out and offer to show you other homes that might be a better match. Second, the registry helps the seller to know how many people have come through their home. As you can imagine, it can be a bit intimidating to have strangers walking through your personal spaces, criticizing or fawning over your home and many sellers are granted a bit of peace of mind when they know there is a log or registry. And last, but certainly highly important, it’s about safety. There have been numerous stories in the news about agents who are attacked at open houses. Think about it – a lone person (often female) sitting alone in a property waiting for the strangers they’ve invited to arrive. If someone hesitates to sign in to the event, this can signal warning bells to the agent and heighten their alertness from the personal safety standpoint.

Are you working with an agent? Many times buyers begin their home search processes by perusing homes on their own, much like they’re doing right now at this open house. Not having an agent could be an indicator that you are early in the home search process. And, let’s face it, real estate is a business. If you don’t already have an agent, the host agent might look to find a way to help you and become your agent. If you do already have an agent, it is important to be up front and clear about this fact as there are special rules about what information can be shared or advice given to a client of another agent and agents look to respect those pre-existing relationships – it’s not just common courtesy, but it’s the law and part of the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics. Every consumer, no matter if they are a client of another broker or not, is to be treated honestly, fairly, and told material facts and details about a home, but advice, guidance, and confidentiality are all tenements of a more official relationship. If you fall in love with the home you see without your agent present, the hosting agent will likely reach out to your agent to better facilitate an offer.

Have you been prequalified for a loan? Financing is a huge component of a home sale and agents ask this question to gauge a visitors level of seriousness about the home buying process. Someone who has already taken the time to meet with a lender is likely someone who is ready to pull the trigger when they find the right home, whereas someone who hasn’t taken that step yet may be a bit farther out in their search or just starting and not familiar with the process. These clues help an agent provide the best level of service to you.

What stands out to you about this house? This question works in two ways. The first – selling the house. If there is a feature you absolutely love, agents will want to make sure to provide you with all of the details and make it shine. Something you don’t love so much? They are also great at pointing out ways to overcome or improve that feature to be more to your liking. The second purpose is that they are looking for feedback to present to the sellers. How is it priced? Is there something about the home that is really distracting to buyers? Is there a feature that buyers are in love with? They gather this feedback and work with the owner to come up with a plan to adjust their marketing strategy and hopefully generate an offer and sale sooner for the owner.

Where are you living now? You can tell a lot about a person by where they live. It is likely close to work or schools or family. The type of neighborhood a person lives in now can determine what they want for the future. For example, if it is in a gated community with tons of amenities, they may be looking for those same features in their next area. And often family dynamics impact the desire to move. If someone is living in a starter home but now has three kids, chances are they are looking to go bigger. If an elderly family member needs to move in for better care, chances are they may be looking to get rid of the stairs. Or living with in-laws can create a sense of urgency like you wouldn’t believe. This question actually opens the door for a lot of other conversations that help an agent start to build a relationship with you and better understand your needs in the home buying process.