MySMARTblog.com

How Your Business Card Can Get You Leads Now!

Mikel Erdman — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:50:24 +0000

Do you ever wonder, “How can I get my business card to generate leads?”

Or, “Why do I even pass these business cards out? They don’t seem to ever get me any calls?”

Well, I was looking through a group of business cards that I’ve collected at recent events and saw one that caught my attention. And I’m pretty sure it would catch a potential clients attention too!

This business card was even more interesting because I happen to know that the loan officer, Eric Mitchell, has been a very successful mortgage loan originator for nearly 15 years.

Now, you might think I’m talking about his photo, or his logo, or about his personal branding. That’s not it at all!

Here’s a photo of the BACK of his business card:

Eric Mitchell, First Priority Financial, uses a Benefit Based Call To Action on the backside of his business card.

Here’s why this is important.

Just having your name and phone number on your business card doesn’t inspire anyone to pick up the phone and call you.

Now, I believe in personal branding and having a high quality image. That’s why we market a done-for-you service to make sure you look like a million bucks online.

But that only works after a prospect has a reason to look you up, or place a call to get their questions answered.

When you add a specific call-to-action on your card it inspires the specific prospect you’re looking for to pick up the phone because they think you can answer their question. Specifically.

And that’s what being an expert in your field is all about.

It’s a lot easier to convert your prospect into a loan application and raving fan if they feel like you are the perfect fit even before they pick up the phone.

Do this on your next business card order!

What is the loan program or product that you most like to do?

What is the single most important benefit that you provide for someone looking for that product?

How can you convey that message in the fewest words and boldest type within a 3.5 x 2 inch billboard that you can hand out all over town?

Enter your business card call-to-action or question in the comments section below and I’ll respond personally!

Free, Fast And Easy Social Media Links – May 10, 2013

Samantha Shoemaker — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:40:30 +0000

US Housing Recovery is Facing an Obstacle: Not Enough Homes are For Sale

Many Americans are now ready to buy a home, but there’s one problem. We’re seeing housing shortages in many places around the country, and there’s just not enough homes for sale to keep up with the current recovery.

DC area claims mortgage interest deduction at highest rate in US

Almost 37% of taxpayers living in the Washington, D.C. area took advantage of the mortgage interest deduction. This was the highest percentage of any other place in the country. They received an average deduction of about $4,580.

Tips For Working As A Real Estate Agent

Are you a real estate agent? Make sure to check out this article for great information on how to build contacts and generate leads, how to develop a professional image, and how to utilize tools and technology to get more sales.

10 Best Housing Markets Right Now

We’ve definitely been seeing some improvement in housing, more so in some places than others. Here’s a list of the 10 Hottest Housing Markets right now.

Housing — Where are the jobs? US home building is surging, but job growth isn’t

Demand for new homes has risen, but builders and subcontractors can’t hire quickly enough. This problem is most prevalent in states like Arizona, California, Texas, Colorado and Florida.

Housing a concern, but those fearing crash in for ‘pleasant surprise’

After some mortgage restrictions from Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, Canada’s housing sales have plummeted, but their prices have remained relatively stable. The housing sector is expected to undermine Canada’s economy and employment growth.

Mortgage Rates Rise for 1st Time Since March

The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose for the 1st time since mid-March. It has jumped to 3.6%. Just a year ago that rate was 4.02%.

Free, Fast And Easy Social Media Links – April 29, 2013

Samantha Shoemaker — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:51:32 +0000

Underwater Borrowers Getting More Time to Refinance

Instead of expiring at the end of 2013, the HARP (The Home Affordable Refinance Program) will be extended into 2015. This program helps reduce losses for taxpayers and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. You can apply to HARP if your mortgage was sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on or before May 31,2009, and your loan-to-value ratio must be more than 80 percent to qualify.

Berlin Real Estate, Rents Spike Amid Foreign Investment

In the past three years, Berlin’s property values have increased by 30% to 50%, and they’ve doubled in the last eight. During the 2008 financial crisis, investors began looking for safe property investments, and German property has always been viewed as the safest property investment.

Today’s Dream House May Not Be Tomorrow’s

As our society makes shifts, both socially and economically, will we begin to see new housing designs and types of communities developed? Our industrial sector has become less important as social connections, education and business networking have become such a huge part of our lives. So how will this affect housing in the future?

Listings that Turn House Hunters Off

Despite the fact that in a lot of places homes are beginning to sell like hotcakes, there are always a few that are on the market much longer than the median average. Read for some tips on how to prevent these house hunter turn-offs, so you can avoid being the home that takes forever to sell.

What Appraisers Look for During the Home Appraisal Process

You may be wondering what exactly an appraiser is looking for during the home appraisal process. Knowing exactly what they’re looking for can help you get an idea of how you should prepare your home for the appraisal.

Financial Facts: Does Refinancing Make Cents?

With mortgages around 3% and five-year adjustable rate mortgages being as low as 2.5%, lots of people are curious to know if it would be a good ideas to refinance their current mortgage. You’ll probably want to know how long the process takes, how much it will cost to refinance, and how much lower your payments will be by refinancing. Check out this article for all that information and more.

Housing Market Rebound: Real or Mirage?

Although we’re seeing some recovery in lots of places all around the country, investors aren’t necessarily ready to jump back into the action yet. There’s a lot of fear that the growth we’re beginning to see is growing at an unsustainable pace.

Free, Fast And Easy Social Media Links – April 26, 2013

Samantha Shoemaker — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:44:21 +0000

In China, Housing Prices Soar As Regulators Get Nervous about Defaults

Housing prices continued to rise in 68 out of 70 cities in China, which were monitored by the National Bureau of Statistics in March. This is making China’s regulators increasingly nervous, as they’re doing their best to prevent a bubble burst.

Question to Ask Prospective Mortgage Lenders

When looking for a mortgage lender, you want to make sure you get the best deal possible. So when you meet with your lender there are some questions you need to make sure you ask.

Before Housing Bubbles, There was Land Fever

Between 1997 and today, we have lived through the biggest bubble in U.S. history and the biggest decline in housing prices in history. If you’re wanting to buy a house, you’re going to want to have a good idea of when the best time to sell will be. By looking at past real estate bubbles you can learn a lot of useful information about it’s cycle, giving you the ability to make predictions about the best times to buy and sell.

Housing Starts Rise on Strength in Multifamily in March

For the first time since March 2008, the production of multifamily apartments in the U.S. past the million-unit mark. We’re definitely beginning to see signs of a strong recovery coming our way.

Jobless Rates Plummet in States with Housing Recovery

Unemployment rates dropped in 39 states and D.C. from March 2012. Nevada had the biggest decrease – their unemployment rate fell form 11.6% last March to 9.7%. California’s unemployment rate is acutally the lowest it’s been since December 2008 at 9.4%.

What Happens to Your Mortgage When You Die?

When your parents die with a mortgage, you can either continue to make mortgage payments or sell the house, otherwise it will go into foreclosure. It’s very important to discuss how the estate will be handled before your parents pass away. It can be a difficult conversation, but it’s an important one.

New home sales climb 1.5 percent, bolstering housing recovery

New home sales rose by 1.5 in March, which is 417,000 new homes sold. Sales have also gone up by 18.5% since March 2012. Even more recovery and rises in home prices are predicted for the rest of the year.

How To Buy A Home – Infographic

Mikel Erdman — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:11:01 +0000

Here are 3 ways to use this How To Buy A Home infographic in your marketing right now.

1. Add it to your blog.

1. Just Click Here and scroll to the bottom of the original post on The Mortgage Reports.

2. Then choose the size that you want to use (this one is the 550 pixel version.)

3. Copy and paste into your blog post text editor.

4. Add your personal comments and publish.

<<< SHARE THIS POST HERE IF YOU LIKE IT! <<<

2. Share it on your Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+ accounts.

Here’s where you get a lot of street cred for offering great information. Understand this important point.

You DON’T have to be the creator of the content for people to see you as the expert.

In fact, most great communicators and experts are not the content creators themselves.

Think about Oprah. She’s made her life’s fortune and a huge impact by interviewing others and sharing the information with the world!

And don’t just share it and stop there. Make a comment about what you like in the piece.

Let people know that the market is heating up for purchases this spring.

Tell people a funny story about your real estate experience helping someone buy a home. Anything really.

Just make an attempt to have a conversation and encourage people to pass the information along.

Check out this great infographic from our friend, Dan Green, at The Mortgage Reports!

We think he did a great job putting this together.

Click Here if you’d like to add this to your website or blog as well!

Homebuyer assistance via The Mortgage Reports.

3. And lastly, email an informative piece like this out to your database.

Just like I did.

It doesn’t need to be fancy to be helpful. Make it short and to the point and link it back to your blog post so you get traffic to your site.

Make it easy for the people on your list to share it as well. That’s the way you get viral exposure.

If you don’t have an email list or a system set up, go get one at MailChimp for free (http://www.mailchimp.com)

Would you like to be able to easily use this type of content marketing to generate more repeat and referral business?

If you’d like to have a top-quality blog website set up 100% for you and working right away, check out our current offer here.

Free, Fast And Easy Social Media Links – April 22, 2013

Samantha Shoemaker — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:29:03 +0000

Housing’s Breakout Year

A recent report shows that 82% of real estate agents believe that it’s a good time to sell a house. The single-family housing industry is doing especially well, and it’s expected that we’ll have a solid housing recovery.

Housing Starts Top Estimates; CPI Inches Lower

Last month alone, U.S. builders started over a million new housing projects. And we’re not just seeing improvements in housing, we’re seeing improvement in all areas of the economy.

4 Signs That The Housing Recovery is Stalling

Some economists predict that home prices will shoot up as much as 8% this year, but we’ve been beginning to see some signs that the recovery may be slowing down. Read on to find out about recent analysis that shows that housing recovery may be stalling.

Housing on the Rebound: Is it Better to Rent or Buy?

While we are seeing some recovery, there’s still a lot of hesitance among Americans about whether or not a full recovery will be a reality anytime soon. For advice on whether or not right now is a good time to buy or if you should just continue to rent, check out this article.

Paying Off Mortgage Has Pre-Retirement Appeal

Paying off your mortgage before retirement is always a great idea, but we’re seeing more and more retired people still paying off mortgages. In 2010, 40.5% of househoulds where the head of the house was between 65 and 74 years of age had a mortgage, which is up 8.4% from 2004 (32.1%)

Housing and Auto Sales Lifted Economy, Fed Says

Due to the housing recovery and some increases in auto sales, the overall health of the economy has gotten much better since late February and March. Hiring has improved a little and consumer spending went up, but higher taxes and gasoline prices have slowed sales a bit.

Upswing in US Housing is Good News for Canada

Last Wednesday, the Bank of Canada said that the housing recovery in the United States has actually helped the Canadian economy. They predict that their investments in U.S. residential properties will increase by about 12.5% each year from 2013 to 2015.

Free, Fast And Easy Social Media Links – April 16, 2013

Samantha Shoemaker — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:38:02 +0000

Housing Trends, Short and Long Term

We’ve seen huge changes in home prices in the US since the 2005 housing bubble and the 2007 housing bubble burst, when we experienced the steepest decline in prices since the Great Depression. Now in 2013, we’re finally seeing some steady growth, but how solid is this housing recovery?

New US Housing Bubble Sparks Import Surge from China

The U.S. economy is now performing better than China’s economy. Since August 2012, the U.S. economy has been steadily improving and our growth rate was actually higher than China’s in February.

Mortgage Application Fraud Up 9%

We’re seeing an increasing amount of people falsifying their job histories and credit to get mortgages. Check out these interesting facts about application fraud.

How To Pay Off Your Mortgage Early

If you’re considering paying off your mortgage early, take a look at this article first. Make sure that paying off your mortgage early is a good option and learn about the possible benefits of paying it off early.

Disadvantages of an Interest-Only Mortgage

Interest-only mortgages may be a good move if you’re trying to maximize your purchasing power, but there are some disadvantages. Find out when interest-only mortgages are a good choice and in what situations you should stay away from them.

Mortgages with 10% or less down are on the rise

It used to be that in order to get a mortgage with 10% or less down you had to go through a government guaranteed loan program, like the Federal Housing Administration. Now, many lenders are offering these mortgages without a government guarantee.

Housing Starts in U.S. Surge on Seven-Year High for Multifamily

In March, new-home construction was the highest it’s been in almost five years. This new growth has been set in motion because of recent demand for multifamily buildings.

Free, Fast And Easy Social Media Links – April 13, 2013

Samantha Shoemaker — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 15:58:08 +0000

10 Tips for Maintaining Your Rental Properties

Routine maintenance is super important when it comes to owning rental properties. If you’re not constantly checking the condition of your properties, you could end up having to pay a lot more in the long run for costly repairs that could have been prevented.

Housing Recovery, But No Hiring Boom

Home construction has gone up 28% over the last year, but construction jobs have only increased by 3.8%. Why is that?

Low-Cost Bamboo Housing in Vietnam

These bamboo homes, developed by vietnamese H&P architects, were built to be situated in a region of Vietname that is constantly flooded. These homes were actually designed to be strong enought to float in floods, and they only cost about $2000 USD to build.

Get a better mortgage deal with these six steps

Trying to get a home loan? Getting a mortgage can definitely be a stressful and confusing process. Check out these tips so you can increase your chances of getting one.

Obama Administration Says Housing Agency Needs $943 million

The Federal Housing Administration will most likely need a $943 million taxpayer bailout. This will be the first time the FHA has ever needed a bailout.

Housing Inventory Picked Up in March

The number of homes for sale has increased by 3.5% since January. Lots of cities had large inventory jumps in March, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta are up by 9%, and Boston and Philadelphia are up by 8%.

LA and other hot housing markets are getting frothy

As home prices rise faster than incomes in Los Angeles, the city is more prone to a new housing bubble. We’re seeing the same thing in other major cities like Washington, San Diego, and San Francisco.

Free, Fast And Easy Social Media Links – April 9, 2013

Samantha Shoemaker — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:57:25 +0000

Housing Prices Show Best Gain in 7 Years

We’re begining to see some steady recovery in housing, and with spring buying season approaching, we should see home prices soar. Home prices have risen 0.5% each month so far this year. Which is phenomenal, considering the fact that the housing market is usually slower during the winter months.

Most Americans say housing crisis isn’t over, survey finds

We’ve been seeing improvements in the housing market, but there’s still a lot of skepticism among Americans about whether or not the housing crisis is really over. According to a recent survey more than three-quarters of Americans believe we’re still in a housing crisis, and some even believe that the worst is yet to come.

6 key considerations when applying for a mortgage

Applying for a mortgage can definitely be a stressful and confusing process. It’s important to keep yourself update to date on changes in the mortgage market. Here are some tips that will help you increase your chances of getting a mortgage loan.

London housing market is out on its own

We’re seeing london properties going for 24% more than their peak during the last bubble in 2007. Although cities like Belfact are seeing prices 50 – 60% less than what they were in May 2007.

7 Top Mistakes People Make When Shopping for a Mortgage

Buying a home is a big deal, and there’s a lot involved in the process, which means there are lots of way you can trip up. Read this article for seven mistakes to avoid when getting a mortgage.

Will the housing crisis ever end?

Over 75% of Americans believe that the housing crisis is not over and some believe it’s going to get even worse. Only about 20% actually believe it’s over.

Investor frenzy over housing has peaked

During this recession, millions of families lost their homes to foreclosure – which forced a lot of people to have to start renting. In turn, investors began buying up cheap foreclosed properties and rented them out, which is what fueled the recovery we’re seeing now.

Free, Fast And Easy Social Media Links – April 6, 2013

Samantha Shoemaker — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 16:10:46 +0000

Housing Prices Show Best Gain in 7 Years

We’re begining to see some steady recovery in housing, and with spring buying season approaching, we should see home prices soar. Home prices have risen 0.5% each month so far this year. Which is phenomenal, considering the fact that the housing market is usually slower during the winter months.

Most Americans say housing crisis isn’t over, survey finds

We’ve been seeing improvements in the housing market, but there’s still a lot of skepticism among Americans about whether or not the housing crisis is really over. According to a recent survey more than three-quarters of Americans believe we’re still in a housing crisis, and some even believe that the worst is yet to come.

6 key considerations when applying for a mortgage

Applying for a mortgage can definitely be a stressful and confusing process. It’s important to keep yourself update to date on changes in the mortgage market. Here are some tips that will help you increase your chances of getting a mortgage loan.

London housing market is out on its own

We’re seeing london properties going for 24% more than their peak during the last bubble in 2007. Although cities like Belfact are seeing prices 50 – 60% less than what they were in May 2007.

7 Top Mistakes People Make When Shopping for a Mortgage

Buying a home is a big deal, and there’s a lot involved in the process, which means there are lots of way you can trip up. Read this article for seven mistakes to avoid when getting a mortgage.

Will the housing crisis ever end?

Over 75% of Americans believe that the housing crisis is not over and some believe it’s going to get even worse. Only about 20% actually believe it’s over.

Investor frenzy over housing has peaked

During this recession, millions of families lost their homes to foreclosure – which forced a lot of people to have to start renting. In turn, investors began buying up cheap foreclosed properties and rented them out, which is what fueled the recovery we’re seeing now.