365 Real Estate Virtual Assistant

I understand how frustrating a real estate agent’s job can be…especially these days dealing with banks trying to get short sales through!! I am not one who passes on many jokes, but as your real estate virtual assistant, every once in awhile I will share something particularly funny.

This spoof by Mike Ferry, How to Stand out Over Other Agents in the Real Estate Industry, is one of those too funny videos, I know you will get a kick out of. Take a few minutes and laugh at our industry…

If your market is experiencing a high number of foreclosures, your clients and prospects will be interested in up-to-date real estate foreclosure statistics for your area.

As a real estate virtual assistant, I bring added value to my clients by subscribing to RealtyTrac.com which allows me to provide foreclosure information to my real estate agents free of charge. Providing this free information is a $660 value to my clients.

Foreclosure information can be used in any number of ways…market reports, blogs, videos, newsletters to name a few.

Here is how we used foreclosure statistics in Drew Hartanov’s blog.

Your real estate virtual assistant shares knowledge concerning Internet scams and other issues relevant to the real estate industry. Scammers have been targeting Craigs List rental listings for some time now. Below is a new wrinkle you need to be aware of:

Craigs List Email Scam:

Subject: Very interested in your posting

Hello,
I’m very interested in your add posted on Craig’s list, is this your add because I was looking at a few listing and I don’t know who is who. Please look and tell me if this is the one.

<http://www.newyorkjoa.com/bbs/data/accounts.craiglist.org>

Is the price right for this posting!!! because I want to buy it 100%!!!
Thanks !

Of course the verbage is a little off – it usually is, but when you read this email, the “who is who” part might make you think, “Oh no, somebody duplicated an ad on us again and now they can’t figure out which one is the real price.”

The trick is when you click on the link in this email, you think it will be your ad, but instead a screen pops up that looks JUST LIKE the official Craigslist login screen.

They are hoping you will be confused and/or curious enough to trick you into logging in to see your ad. When you do, they will get your log in and your password information.

The clue is, you need to check out the address up top – its not Craigslist. When you are looking at that fake login page, at the top it reads:
<http://newyorkjoa.com/bbs/data/accounts.craiglist.org/>

http://newyorkjoa.com/bbs/data/accounts.craiglist.org/

Craigslist has a warning now on their login screen, telling you all about this same kind of thing. (see below)

WARNING: scammers may try to steal your account by sending an official-looking email with a link to a fake Craigs List login page that looks like this page, hoping you’ll type in your username and password.

Look carefully at the web address near the top of your browser to make sure you are on the real Craigs List login page, https://accounts.craigslist.org

The safest way to login is go to the Craigs List homepage directly by typing in the web address, and then clicking on the ‘my account’ link.

As a real estate virtual assistant, I stay on top of new marketing techniques and share them with my clients. For example, Mr. Internet, Michael Russer, shared part of his latest coaching webinar ‘How Google’s MyMaps Can Put You Ahead of the Pack!’ on Facebook.

There are some great ideas regarding map useage, how maps can be personalized to your market, how they can be integrated into your website to drive traffic,  the seo benefits and much more. And how to have a real estate virtual assistant create maps for you.

Want help creating your maps? I’m glad to help!

This is a copy of an email that went out to my clients this morning…

“Daylight savings starts this weekend. Would you like a reminder email sent to your real estate database? See sample below…”

A real estate virtual assistant makes your life easier by suggesting marketing ideas and ways to stay in touch with your database.

Contact me anytime to talk about how a real estate virtual assistant can make your life easier.

Many real estate professionals focus the majority of their time generating leads and servicing current clients and are excellent at it, but drop the ball when it comes to staying in touch with clients after the sale.  As your real estate virtual assistant can create and implement an ‘After the Sale’ stay in touch campaign so you stay top of mind consciousness with your closed (I hate saying ‘past clients’) clients.

Management of this plan is best done in your contact management software and might include staying in touch with the following activities:

New home Congratulations card
Monthly online newsletter
Quarterly referral reminder card
Birthday cards to the whole family
Home Anniversary card
Daylight Savings reminder
Holiday greetings
Quarterly phone call
Annual appreciation event
Halloween pumpkins
Thanksgiving pies
Discounts from local vendors
Mother’s Day flower
Father’s Day gift certificate

Have questions or need more ideas? Feel free to contact me at anytime!

Many real estate agents that I know either hate writing descriptions for their properties or don’t have the time to put much thought into it. Guess what? You don’t have to! Your real estate virtual assistant can do this for you with photos and basic information about the property.

We handle Listing Coordination for Mike Manosky in Huntsville. Mike sends us the MLS sheet, photos and a check list he completes when taking the listing. Mike had compliments form a Craigs List prospect from this property description we wrote for him:

Paradise is here and you have arrived. Come take a look inside this amazing ranch with your own private oasis. The one of a kind floor plan makes for enjoyable family living and easy entertaining.  From the moment you enter into the tiled foyer you will see that this specially designed home has something for everyone. Step down into the great room with wood floors, gas fireplace and a wall of windows that brings the lovely outdoors in.

An awesome designer kitchen features wood floors, vaulted ceilings, smooth top range, dazzling window, and an abundance of cabinet space. A beautiful gas fireplace adds ambience to both the sitting area and the great room. In addition to the formal dining room, there is a charming eat-in kitchen area with two picture windows. Need a place to call your own? Check out the sitting room, perfect for a home office as the view is endless. The master suite boasts an 11 foot trey ceiling, dual vanities, walk-in closet, whirlpool tub and separate shower. The additional bedrooms are sized perfectly for guests or a growing family. Relax on your covered patio and enjoy your retreat’s lush landscaping. Summertime is a blast with the inviting super-sized pool with waterfall. The tree-lined property has no neighbors behind and is fenced for extra privacy. Come on out today and start living in paradise!

Getting back to Listing Coordination, your real estate virtual assistant can enhance your listings on Realtor.com.

Do you know you can add a scrolling Headline that rotates between two messages? A great place to promote your real estate website.

You are not limited to just the photo uploaded by your MLS and can add up to 23 photos.

There is also a Custom Message Box. Here you can talk about the home buyer tax credit, a service your offer, free reports and anything you can think of. How about a link to your blog with local events and happenings?