in this issue…
Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995™
• HBA Crawfish Boil • WCAoR Quarterly Luncheon • Nextage Lincoln Ray Realty Grand Opening and much, much more!
Associates in Progress page 25
TM
APRIL 2011 • VOLUME 15 • ISSUE 12
Offer Good Through 4/24. Details on Pg. 5
Communication Styles Vary Among Generations If a REALTOR can connect with their customer on their level, they will encounter less miscommunication and find greater success in getting deals to the closing table, Tinnell says. Connecting with boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964) means giving
by Linda McNabb
C
ommunicating with clients, on the surface, may seem like a simple and natural skill. Call and stay in touch, right? But what method should a REALTOR use to contact clients — phone, text, e-mail, social sites, in person or direct mail — there are so many methods to choose from. Depending on the situation or the client, one method might be preferred, so how does a REALTOR know which is best? Oftentimes, the age of the client determines the selection, says Marjorie Tinnell of Independence Title, who offers a workshop called Generational Selling that teaches REALTORS to communicate with clients who might range from age 20 to 80. “In today’s fast-paced world, it is crucial to know how to speak to different generations,” she says. “Because computers have been present their entire life, a Gen Y buyer may want to do a lot of their own research online before
Front Page: Continued on page 8
Upcoming Events Thursday, April 21 Capital Title Open House Austin Research Office - 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. HBA Networking Social BMC Select Showroom - 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
ever seeking professional advice, while a Baby Boomer may need to know you personally
before they feel comfortable conducting business with you.”
Educating Buyers on the State of the Local Real Estate Market Helps Industry Professionals to Set Realistic Expectations explaining why their clients’ pie-in-the-sky
by Naomi Bludworth
B
uyers in the current housing market often mistakenly expect to make out like bandits, thanks to information pouring out of national news outlets. This leaves REALTORS with the daunting task of
RL austin
dreams for their looming home purchase might not be practical.
So how can REALTORS and other industry
professionals get the message across that there is no such thing as a national housing market,
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Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995
P. O. Box 81366, Austin, Texas 78708
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all markets are local and local factors are what determine housing prices? Facts, facts, facts. Facts are indisputable. Furthermore, if buyers’ experiences reflect the facts REALTORS have been providing them, the deeper the message sinks in and REALTORS will find themselves in a better position to be viewed as the real expert. And like all other marketing principles, consistence is key to driving home the point. First, REALTORS should be diligent in collecting facts and be sure they are as current as possible. For example, the Austin Board of REALTORS (ABoR) recently reported that home prices for existing inventory in the region have actually increased two percent since February 2010. The median sales price now sits at $193,000 in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical
Expectations: Continued on page 16
WCR $2,000 Drop Dinner and Dance Reverse Sweepstakes Elks Lodge - 6 p.m. Monday, April 25 NAHREP Austin Buyers/Sellers Fair The Business Location - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 26 CCIM 11th Annual Power Luncheon Four Seasons Hotel - 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. WCR/NAHREP Austin Networking Mixer The Upper Decks - 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28 WCR Business Resource Luncheon Cool River Café - 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 10 NAPMW Monthly Luncheon - Norris Conference Center - 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 14 HBA MAX Awards Gala Renaissance Austin Hotel - 6 to 10 p.m. More at www.myRealtyLine.com