How to Get Your Content Shared Online

How to Get Your Content Shared Online

Producing shareable content should be key behind any internet marketing strategy. The more you can get others to share your content, the more new prospects you can land in front of, and the potential to rank higher in Google searches.

But what motivates other people to want to share your content?

It may come down to science. Firms Moz and BuzzSumo teamed up to examine a million pieces of content to learn the science behind content shares.

Type of content most shared: They found that videos, quizzes, and list-based articles tended to get more content shares than other types.

Length of content most shared: Eighty-five percent of the content reviewed contained 1,000 words or less. However, the 15 percent of content that had more than 1,000 words got far more shares and links, the study found. Detailed posts may be more effective.

Also, you’ll want to consider the purpose of your post first. In a separate study, researchers at UCLA found three main types of content that tend to be the most shared:

1. Utility: content that is viewed as useful or helpful. The desire for a person to share then becomes wanting to help friends and loved ones to know this useful information too.
2. Entertainment: entertaining pieces of content also motivate others to want to share it. For example, content that makes others laugh or amuse.
3. Inspiration: inspirational content that seeks to motivate is also among the most shared.

The element of surprise can’t be underestimated. When others read an item and see something they didn’t expect or learned something new, they may be triggered to share it to others. Surprises are also linked to better memory, which means the consumer is more likely to remember your brand. Find a way to surprise in your content, such as a surprising punch line at the end of a video or a mention of a new surprising threat that could affect your audience.

Source: “The Psychology of Shareable Content,” Forbes.com (March 22, 2017)

Home Sales Drop Amid Inventory, Affordability Issues

Home Sales Drop Amid Inventory, Affordability Issues

Existing-home sales dropped in February as tight inventory and weakening affordability conditions kept many buyers out of the market in most parts of the country, the National Association of REALTORS® reports. Total sales for existing single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and co-ops fell 3.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.48 million, compared to 5.69 million in January, according to the report. However, the pace of sales in February remained 5.4 percent above a year ago.

“REALTORS® are reporting stronger foot traffic from a year ago, but low supply in the affordable price range continues to be the pest that’s pushing up price growth and pressuring the budgets of prospective buyers,” says NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun. “Newly listed properties are being snatched up quickly so far this year and leaving behind minimal choices for buyers trying to reach the market.”

Here are some key indicators of the housing market in February from NAR’s latest report.

Home prices: The median existing-home price for all housing types was $228,400—up 7.7 percent from a year ago ($212,100).

Inventories: Total housing inventory rose 4.2 percent to 1.75 million existing homes available for sale, but that’s still 6.4 percent lower than a year ago (1.87 million). Unsold inventory is at a 3.8-month supply at the current sales pace. Inventories have dropped year over year for 21 consecutive months.

Distressed sales: Foreclosures and short sales accounted for 7 percent of sales for the third consecutive month and are down from 10 percent a year ago. Six percent of sales were foreclosures, and 1 percent were short sales. Foreclosures were discounted an average 18 percent below market value, while short sales were discounted 17 percent.

Days on the market: Forty-two percent of homes sold in February were on the market for less than a month. On average, properties stayed on the market for 45 days, down considerably from a 59-day average a year ago. Short sales were on the market the longest, at a median of 214 days in February; foreclosures sold in 49 days on average; and non-distressed homes took an average of 45 days.

All-cash sales: All-cash transactions accounted for 27 percent of sales. That’s an increase from 25 percent a year ago and is the highest level since November 2015. Individual investors, who account for the bulk of cash sales, purchased 17 percent of homes, down from 18 percent a year ago.

“The affordability constraints holding back renters from buying is a signal to many investors that rental demand will remain solid for the foreseeable future,” Yun says. “Investors are still making up an above-average share of the market right now, despite steadily rising home prices and few distressed properties on the market, and their financial wherewithal to pay in cash gives them a leg up on the competition against first-time buyers.”

Source: National Association of REALTORS®

Smart Reminders for Your Home Sellers

Smart Reminders for Your Home Sellers

Besides staging, sellers also should take a few more steps to ease the stress of their sale. Realtor.com® offers up some of the following often-overlooked tips:

1. Highlight improvements and any issues.

“If you’ve owned your home for a while, make a list of all the problems you’ve solved for a while, make a list of all the problems you’ve solved while you’ve lived there,” suggests Avery Boyce, a real estate pro with Compass Real Estate in Washington, D.C. For example, be ready to disclose any potential past issues like chimney fires, water damage, or a flood in the basement. Disclose “invisible improvements,” such as a French drain system, too, says Boyce.

2. Google your address.

Nearly all buyers now search online for homes, and sellers need to be aware of how their listing looks on the Internet too. For example, Google Maps’ street view may not show your recent home improvements, so you’ll want to flag those updates in your listing. Also, “is the site’s estimated value very different from your asking price? It might be because tax records have the wrong information about the number of bedrooms or bathrooms your house has, and this is easily fixed,” says Boyce.

3. Test out the doorbell.

A lack of cosmetic repairs, even seemingly minor, can cost you a sale. “First impressions make all the difference,” says Marianne Leonard Cashman, a real estate professional with William Raveis Real Estate in Andover, Mass. “A well-kept home, starting with the view from the curb, gives the perception that the seller has great pride in the home and has taken good care of it—which translates into less energy and costs for the buyer as they prepare to move in.”

4. Clean everything.

Buyers are going to snoop everywhere, from inside drawers and cabinets to even the dishwasher. They are going to judge how clean everything is, too. “Spending the money on a service to deep-clean your home will come back to you at least 10 times in your sales price,” says Boyce.

5. Designate which items aren’t included in the sale.

If the custom window treatments aren’t included, sellers need to be sure to let their agent know. “The law says that anything bolted to the wall or ceiling goes to the buyer unless specifically excluded in the contract,” says Boyce. “If you want to take your flat-screen TV, chandelier, or custom pot rack, be sure to label it as soon as the house goes on the market, so that buyers don’t bank on owning that item and wind up disappointed.” Read more: Fixture Feuds

Source: “7 Important Things Home Sellers Often Forget to Do,” realtor.com® (March 21, 2017)

Bidding Wars to Heat Up This Spring

Bidding Wars to Heat Up This Spring

Likely to be a hallmark of this year’s spring home selling season: Bidding wars. As home listings are scarcer and buyer demand remains high, home shoppers are finding a lot more competition this spring, particularly in hot markets like the San Francisco Bay area, Denver, and Boston.

“Home buyers are going to find this spring that, in a lot of markets, the inventory of homes priced and sized at price levels they were hoping for will be very limited,” Thomas Lawler, a former Fannie Mae economist who’s now a housing consultant in Leesburg, Va., told Bloomberg. Even “unlikely places are getting significantly tighter.”

An improving job market, growing consumer confidence, and the threat of rising mortgage rates have Americans flocking to housing. But many markets remain tight for listings. Housing starts remain well below levels prior to the recession and are geared more toward the higher end of the market. Homeowners also are reluctant to sell their existing home because they’re unsure of where they’d move to with the dearth of listings.

Homes are selling at a rapid clip in places like Denver; Seattle; Oakland, Calif.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Boise, Idaho; Madison, Wis.; and Omaha, Neb., according to the real estate brokerage Redfin.

Grand Rapids has seen a 27 percent decrease in the number of homes for sale over the past year. One listing alone reportedly attracted 40 bids.

“People need to get their houses on the market, but they’re gun-shy,” Tanya Craig, an associate broker with the Katie K team at Keller Williams, told Bloomberg. “Unless they know where they want to go, everyone is hesitant.”

Home buyers certainly aren’t being hesitant, if they can find a home they want. They’re in a rush for financing too. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has risen by more than half a percentage point since November 2016. The Federal Reserve last week voted to increase its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point and strongly hinted it would do so two more times this year.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is expected to increase to 4.7 percent by the end of 2017 and could reach 5.5 percent next year, according to Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®.

“In today’s market, many buyers think the trough in rates is over,” says Sam Khater, deputy chief economist at CoreLogic. “If you don’t get in now, it’s just going to be worse later. Rates will be higher, prices will be higher, and maybe inventory selection will be lower.”

Source: “Homebuyers Face Bidding Wars on Scarcer-Than-Ever U.S. Listings,” Bloomberg (March 17, 2017)

3 Sources of Odors That Offend Buyers

3 Sources of Odors That Offend Buyers

Your sellers may have “nose blindness.” The term refers to the process of adapting to the smells around you and becoming so desensitized to them that you learn to ignore them or become less sensitive to them, says Dr. Richard Doty, director of the Smell and Taste Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

But, of course, buyers will probably notice the stench as soon as they walk through the door. HouseLogic flags the following scents as common offenders in a home and how to get rid of them.

Pet Odor

If the sellers have a pet, they will likely need to neutralize the trail of odors it leaves behind. Ask your clients to bathe and groom the pet regularly. Sprinkle some baking soda on the carpet and vacuum frequently. Remove pet hair, paying special attention to tight spaces where it most often accumulates, such as the border between the carpet and the wall or on the edges of steps.

Dank Basements

Basement mustiness caused by mildew and mold is a common culprit in nose blindness, HouseLogic notes. Inspect the basement carefully, including every cardboard box, to try to find evidence of any gray or white splotches or mold. Take precaution when removing mold and mildew if using bleach. A trick to deodorize rooms: Set out a bowl of vinegar, cat litter, baking soda, or even an onion (the onion smell goes away in a few hours), HouseLogic suggests. Also, consider running a dehumidifier to improve the air circulation and ensure the smells don’t return.

Mattresses

Yes, mattresses can stink too and can make the entire room smell. Sprinkle baking soda on them and let it remain there for an hour or more. Then, vacuum up the baking soda. You also might try adding a few drops of essential oil (like lavender) to the baking soda.

Source: “You Can’t Detect These 4 Odors, But Your Guests Can,” HouseLogic (March 2017)

What to Watch for in Home Renovations

What to Watch for in Home Renovations

Home renovations can help boost the resale value of a property, but they also can expose homeowners to costly repairs or even make them physically sick, if they don’t take some precautions.

Help your renovating clients be on the lookout for some of these dangers that could surface in a home renovation:

Flooding and electrical issues.

Urge do-it-yourselfers to call 811 before they start digging. That is the service line that will inform them where underground utility lines are, such as for water, gas, or electrical lines. This is critical for to avoid, for example, a small water pipe during the renovation, which could lead to flooding. Also, if flooding in a home does ever occur and the water submerges appliances or electric tools, turn off the home’s power before wading through the water.

Mold.

In a home renovation, always consider proper ventilation. “Most bathrooms have so little ventilation that they unintentionally become labs to grow mold and mildew,” says David Schneider, an interior designer in Chesterfield, Mo. Kitchen and bathroom remodels need fans that can exhaust all of that moisture-ridden air (many experts recommend one 100 cubic feet per minute fan per appliance).

Asbestos and lead.

If the home was built prior to 1978, some extra precautions will need to be taken if the home is at risk for lead or asbestos. “Inhaling or swallowing even small amounts of lead or asbestos is extremely dangerous,” says Dan Barr, property restoration expert with 1-800 Water Damage. “Any time you remove walls or ceilings or do major work on floors, you run the risk of encountering both.” Always wear a mask. Also, contact an indoor environmental expert to take samples before knocking down a wall, to be certain.

High-VOC materials exposure.

Wearing a face mask is smart to help avoid inhaling fumes when painting. Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemical-emitting gases found in several renovation materials, including many paints, carpeting, or upholstering. Many VOCs are also known as carcinogens and can cause headaches and asthma. Low-VOC paint and carpeting are available. Also, keep windows and doors open to help ventilate the home.

Source: “7 Terrifying Things That Can Happen During Home Renovations,” realtor.com® (March 16, 2017)