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CREIG SAYS...
Dear Friend:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! The new real estate market starts today. My team and I enjoyed a stellar year, selling over 820 homes, 82 more units than last year, and are looking forward to an outstanding 2008. We've renewed our commitment to live and breathe this business for the sheer exhilaration of satisfying our client's needs.
We've rested and rejuvenated over the holidays and can't wait to bring legendary personalized service to each and every one of our clients, every single day. Our team has grown over the last year and now includes 74 incredibly talented agents and administrative professionals that are here to guide you from your first consultation to the settlement of your home. We are looking to add to our team in the coming year so be sure to visit http://www.northropteam.com/career for details on our available positions.
We are proud to announce the opening of our new office in Montgomery County located on Rockville Pike in North Bethesda in the White Flint area. Shortly after Christmas we also moved our Carroll County office to a great new location. Our team is poised and ready to make 2008 the best year ever. Are you ready to make your move? Take a look below at the exciting new marketing tactics The Northrop Team is offering sellers in the New Year, and we look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Creig Northrop
· To view Northrop Team listings, click here.
· To view Northrop Team Open Houses, click here.
Adding Value & Visibility in 2008!
We've all heard the stories — and read the media —things have slowed tremendously in the housing market in the past year. It hasn't been a panacea, but it hasn't been pretty either. And while no agent can guarantee to sell your home, they can tell you what steps they'll take to bring it to the attention of buyers.
The first step is to hire a competent, first-rate agent who brings added value and visibility to your property.
When real estate markets transition from seller's to buyer's markets, agents tend to put a lot more money and work into selling listings. However, I believe that employing strong marketing techniques is just smart business regardless of the market. In sellers markets, good marketing can bring higher prices and, in buyer's markets, it could mean the difference between sold or expired. Good marketing might not sell your house, but it will make the phone ring. Because if buyers don't call, you won't sell.
1. Brand New! The Northrop Team Certified Home Collection Magazine
One of the most recent additions to our marketing strategy for 2008 has been the launch of our own private-label, all inventory magazine. The Northrop Team Certified Home Collection is a full-color, glossy, 8 ˝ x 11 publication featuring each and every home for sale by Creig Northrop & The Northrop Team. It hit the streets the week before Christmas and we've already seen a spike in buyer calls. Putting the 380+ listings together in one publication allows us to market homes across county lines and entice both the buyers who are looking to move further out, and those who are tired of commuting and want to move closer in.
The publication features homes in Howard, Carroll, Calvert, Frederick, Washington, Montgomery, Prince George's, Harford, & Anne Arundel Counties. 40,000 copies of the premier issue have been distributed to restaurants, major food markets including Giants, hotels, financial institutions, Metros, business offices, and other retail locations. We are looking forward to the publication growing and continuing to reach new buyers across the state of Maryland in the coming year. If you would like a copy mailed directly to you, please feel free to contact us at 410.531.0321!
Below are other value-added benefits and additional advertising we utilize to increase the visibility of your home, all at no extra cost.
2. Virtual Tours
Virtual Tours aren't just to showcase million-dollar homes anymore. Every home we sell receives a virtual tour. Buyers love, love, love virtual tours. And in today's world, over 80% of buyer's begin their search online. A good virtual tour is invaluable and will grab a buyer by the hand and lead them from room to room, showing a 360-degree view. Our Virtual Tours include between 20-50 photos of your home.
3. Signage & Brochures
"For Sale" signs on the front lawn are still remarkably effective and bring in a lot of buyer calls. And many REALTORS® use brochure boxes along with these signs to market the property. But shop around and I doubt you'll find an agent who has gone to such lengths to develop a brochure that markets your home the way our brochures do. With detailed descriptions of your homes best features in a full color, slightly glossy, heavy paper stock, it is sure to stand out above the competition and ensure buyers remember your home. It includes the fine details like exact room dimensions, year built, and tax information so you have all the information at your fingertips to make your buying decision. Signage & brochures encourages home shoppers to immediately call on your property. If your home is a corner lot, we put up two signs as a majority of our buyer calls come directly from signs.
4. Print Advertising
If your neighbors say, "Everywhere I look, I see your home advertised," then we know we are doing a good job. Not only do we place ads in multiple papers, we have worked hard to establish prime locations in each of the papers & magazines to gain the highest possible exposure for your home.
We place ads in the following newspapers:
- The Aegis: Harford County
- Baltimore Examiner: Full page, every week in Real Estate section
- Baltimore Sun: Howard edition, 4 full pages, full color, first full page advertiser in their new tabloid format coming out this month! Features a full page of open houses.
- Baltimore Sun/Carroll Eagle: Two page spread on inside cover with a banner ad on the bottom of the front page.
- Capital Gazette: Full page, black and white ad once a month
- Carroll County Times: Full page with spot color every week
- Catonsville/Arbutus Times: Full page ad once a month
- Columbia Flier: Full page ad every week
- Frederick News Post: Full page, full color ad every week
- Gazette Papers: Full page, full color ad, every week, page 3 of the Homes Section, includes total circulation in all Montgomery County and Frederick County Gazettes.
- Howard County Times: Full page ad, inside front cover, every week
- Laurel Leader: Full page ad, black and white, once a month
And the following monthly real estate magazines:
- American Lifestyles Magazine-Inside Back cover featuring high-end homes
- Central Maryland Homes, 2 pages, full color
- Home Buyer's Journal, 2 pages, full color
- Homes and Land: Montgomery, Frederick, Washington Counties, inside front cover
- Homes and Land: Howard and Carroll County, inside front cover
- Long & Foster Extraordinary Properties
- Luxury Home Magazine, 2 page full color, quarterly
- Mid-Maryland Homes Guide: Two pages, full-color, inside front cover
- RAD Real Estate Guide/Howard County: Inside front cover
- RAD Real Estate Guide/Montgomery County: Inside front cover
- Real Estate Book/Howard County: Inside front cover
- Real Estate Book/Montgomery County: Inside front cover
- Robb Report
5. We promote your home on the following Internet Sites:
http://www.northropteam.com
http://www.realtor.com
http://www.homesdatabase.com
http://www.longandfoster.com
http://www.trulia.com
http://www.baltimoresun.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com
http://www.fredericknewspost.com
http://www.frederickhomefinder.com
http://www.newtomarket.com
http://www.mdmidhomes.com
http://www.realestatebook.com
http://www.homesandland.com
http://www.patuxentpublishing.com
http://www.radrealestate.com
http://www.homebuyersjournal.com
http://www.zillow.com
6. And generate leads through Google and other Search Engines
We generate no less than 2500 visitors per month through Google and other search engines using keyword searches such as "Howard County Real Estate," "Carroll County Homes," "Frederick Homes for Sale" and others.
7. We advertise on the following TV & Cable Stations:
- Comcast Spotlight
- Comcast Sports Net
- WBAL-TV (NBC 11)
- WMAR-TV (ABC 2)
- FOX-45
- And others
All in all, over 40 million prospective buyers see or hear our advertising on your home.
8. Direct Mail
Everyone has friends and relatives who might want to move near them and may know agents who represent buyers looking to move into your neighborhood. Our team is part of an incredible online marketing system for 2008 that automatically mails out a minimum of 300 full color Just Listed postcards to your neighborhood as soon your property is entered into the Multiple Listing System. An additional 300 are sent when your property is sold. Instituting this new program has given us direct contact with potential buyers within the community and greatly increased our buyer call volume already this month.
9. Managing Buyer "Leads"
A key strategy that has helped us bring buyer and seller together has been our consistent follow-through. We track all home showings and follow-up with agents to answer questions, and further motivate buyer interest. We dig deep to find out what hesitations a potential buyer may have, and find out exactly what is preventing them from writing an offer. Often times, the issue can be overcome and it has proven itself as an effective way to get solid offers in hand!
And last but certainly not least:
10. Managing the Transaction
When a home goes under contract, that's when it's all about the details. Our team qualifies potential buyers and ensures that any offers from buyers are pre-qualified and capable of closing on the purchase. If there are challenges during the inspection process, coordinating escrow, financing, or closing activities, our settlement coordinators act on your behalf to ensure a smooth, hassle-free, and timely closing.
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