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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

High Vacancy, High Stakes in Southwest Florida Housing Market

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FORT MYERS, Florida (October 15, 2013) - Nearly five years after hitting rock-bottom in the  Southwest Florida real estate market, area professionals have found themselves in the middle of a new and intriguing conundrum: fewer active listings for single family homes but more overall closed sales. What do these seemingly counterintuitive points mean for local real estate professionals trying to make a living in Lee and Collier counties?

First, let’s look at the facts. According to The Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and The Beach, we’ve seen an increase since last year in three major home sale statistics: a 26.9% rise in median sale price, 19.3% more closed sales, and 36.1% more pending sales. However, the number of active listings has dropped 13% from last year. On top of that, by the end of 2013 there will be 20% more new real estate professionals than in 2012.

With fewer listings and more agents, along with more sales and higher prices – and by extension higher commissions – what is the takeaway for real estate professionals in Southwest Florida? Most importantly, they need to focus on standing out to potential buyers. With consumers being inundated with information both on-line and off, it is necessary that they differentiate themselves from their competitors. It comes down to image, branding, and marketing.

They should start by asking themselves the following questions:
What’s my brand?
What makes me different?
What’s my unique selling point?
What’s my niche or central theme?

The answers to these questions will cover everything from their website and YouTube channel to their wardrobe and personality. They will then base their marketing plan on these answers, ideally communicating a consistent message and image across all media platforms. Successfully executing this concept is one of the largest contributing factors into why one real estate professional makes it in the business and another may flounder. With more licensed agents fighting to sell fewer homes for more money in Southwest Florida, the ability to stand out in the crowd may be the difference between scraping by and living large.

However, some new real estate professionals my not know the first thing about designing a brand or creating a marketing plan. That’s where education comes in. Fort Myers real estate school Larson Educational Services offers continuing education courses meant to help answer these four questions for real estate professionals, giving them the confidence to portray an image and brand that will get them the sales they desire in a competitive market.

Go to www.LarsonEd.com or call (239) 344-7510 for more information and to schedule a class today.

Contact:
Brad Larson
General Manager
Larson Educational Services
1400 Colonial Boulevard
Suite #44
Fort Myers, Florida
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