In these times when buyers rule, marketing a property is key. For me that means working with a stager like Nancy Linebarier from Habitat Enhancements and Susan Friedman Photography. When you put out a professional looking product you might be noticed by someone like Carrol Lloyd from Surreal Estate who writes for SFGate. But more importantly, buyers looking on the internet might find your clients’ home as well. My listing at 1895 42nd Avenue in San Francisco is featured in Carol’s article today: Old Home, New Home, What can you get for the same price today.

Read Carol Lloyd’s article.

The interactive way of communicating on the web is certainly not a new idea. However I did not know that the world of blogging was created 10 years ago. Last week NPR ran a series of different topics about blogging. There is so much to learn about blogging and now there is talk about microblogging. This means sending short blogs, including audio and video blogs from your cell phone. I am excited about this new way of communicating with buyers, sellers and other realtors and bloggers in 2008. If time allows, I will even read one of the books given to me for Christmas: Buzz Marketing with Blogs FOR DUMMIES!

More on this topic on the NPR website:  http://www.npr.org/

When discussing the list price with a seller, the discussion very often leads to the Zillow web-page. Unfortunately for sellers, I have been the bearer of bad news lately. Zillow’s zestimates have been far to optimistic. The number given by Zillow will not reflect current market conditions. Much goes into determining the list price. A current market analysis is just the first step. Pre-viewing active listings in the neighborhood and knowing why the house around the corner sold for $ 50,000 less than expected, is a must. It is important to know which active listings are short sales or bank owned. Sellers are well served to have a discussion with a full time Realtor to determine where the market value of their home really is.