I’ve been very fortunate this year to have been able to help 27 families buy and sell their homes.  I’m looking very forward to next year and this dedicated Realtor is now accepting new clients for 2012!  Call Laurie Peniuk today (503) 969-2073.

Here is a List of Questions You Should Be Asking During an Interview:

1. “What types of social marketing do you employ?” Let’s face it. If your agent is not investing the time into building a Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ following (or the host of other media available today), then there are literally hundreds of buyers and other professional contacts that are slipping right into the hands of their local competitors.

We are in the day and age of networking, and word travels at the speed of light. Therefore, your agent should be promoting your home on all of the following platforms by building specific pages and listings for your property where buyers can instantly find you. This will give you maximum exposure.

2. “How do you capture leads?” On the other hand, not only is it important for your agent to network and promote your property online, but they also need to collect the necessary contact information from website visitors in order to do business with each prospect.
Therefore, your Realtor should have their own website with an active blog, in order to keep in constant contact with their audience. By marketing on Craigslist, Google, Youtube, article directories, and any other medium available, your agent should be able to drive traffic back to their own sites.
Next, each person should be directed to some form of lead capture where they can enter their contact information for further updates on your listing. This could also include using mobile marketing, which will allow people to offer their cell phone number in exchange for property details. QR and/or text codes can be included on websites or even signage and postcards.
3. ”How do you follow up with your leads?” Finally, can you be certain that your agent will go to work for you? Regardless of how many leads they may generate, if they do not have an effective follow up plan in place to build relationships and get buyers taking action, then your efforts could be wasted.
It is important that your agent spends the time to build effective email campaigns, submit updated blog posts and social media updates, and make direct phone calls to incubate each lead and ensure that action is taken while leads are still hot.
Also, can they provide strong evidence of quantifiable results with their real estate marketing campaigns, and are you confident in their ability to sell? Do you see the potential of getting a head above the rest and truly taking advantage of all the resources that are available at your fingertips?
By carefully reviewing all of the above criteria before choosing an agent, you will be able to ensure that you are receiving the best attention and service possible. If you are interested in setting up a time to review our in depth presentation on how we will put our comprehensive marketing strategies to work for you, please contact us today. We guarantee you will not be disappointed!

• Is this neighborhood a desirable location and how are crime rates?
• What schools would be available for my kids or future buyers?
• Were there any other foreclosures or investor sales that could negatively affect the future value of my home?
• How long do I plan on living there and how could that affect things?
• What type of appreciation should I expect?

3. Get Preapproved: Before you even start looking at homes, you must get preapproved on a mortgage in order to know exactly what you can afford. Sadly, many buyers can miss out on some phenomenal deals or spend hours of wasted time because they avoid this step. Show banks that you are a serious buyer and have your financing in place!

4. Get Professional Help: Not only should you seek the expertise and of an experienced Realtor, but you may also need guidance from a real estate attorney or financial consultant as well. Each professional can ensure that you are making the right choices throughout the process and can protect you from any issues you may come across along the way.

Remember that there is a lot more than meets the eye when you are trying to buy a foreclosure property. Negotiating with the banks, filling out paperwork properly, and undergoing all the necessary inspections can be a very detailed and tedious procedure.
Therefore, we encourage you to give us a call today to get started. Our agents have years of experience assisting other clients with buying foreclosures for their next home or investment property. Discover how we can help you to make a smart and profitable investment as well!

#1 rated Real Estate Agent in Portland

Washington County Real Estate Statistics January 2011