How To Be Successful In Real Estate Geographic Farming

What is Geographic Farming?

Geographic farming, is a proven method of marketing your real estate business to a local housing estate or neighbourhood in a way that raises awareness of your personal real estate brand, and will also help you get property buyer leads, referrals and
property listings
. Geographic farming provides an excellent opportunity to connect with potential home sellers. But what should you consider when selecting your local area to farm? This article will show you how to be successful with geographic farming and be able to become the local real estate expert and generate continuous leads, listings, and referrals.

How to become Property Expert in Your Local Area?
Real estate geographical farming is a lead generation strategy designed to position you as a local area’s go-to agent and property expert, using high-quality marketing targeted to homeowners in a specific neighbourhood. If done successfully, you can capture 30%+ of all sales in your target housing area and establish a reliable source of annual sales.
Real estate farming is a must-have strategy for all high achiever property agents. The goal is to consistently deliver value and showcase your real estate market expertise in your local farm area. Here are some steps to follow to get started.

1. Target the Right Local Neighbourhood
The success of your real estate farming operation depends on choosing the right area to target. A good farm size is 500 properties or less. Choose an area where there is high demand, and high turnover. Ideally, you should choose a place where you’ve got some name recognition and some built-in expertise.

2. Plan How to Deliver Value to Your Local Area
Property agents successful in the
 real estate geographic farming
 game are delivering consistent value to property owners in their farm areas. The key to this step is to plan the “what,” “when,” and “how” in advance. That way, you can reserve your time for real client conversations that will move your prospects closer to an actual transaction.
Examples of successful real estate farming outreach include postcards, market updates, social media, and property websites. Create a calendar with each message you’re planning to send, and note what value it will provide to your target audience. How does it contribute to your overall goals?

3. Make a Plan to Manage & Track Your Leads & Listings
The contacts you get in your geographic farming area results from your consistent effort to build relationships with people in and around your area. Those efforts are also tied to the budget and time you allocate to real estate farming.
To be more efficient, you should use a good real estate CRM (customer relationship manager) that helps you manage your contacts, automate digital communication like email or Whatsapp text messages, and create a record of the value you’ve delivered over the life of your farm. Real estate CRMs provides an easy system to track every reply and ensure you promptly follow up on every point of contact.

4. Execute Your Geographic Farming Plan & Start Delivering Value!
Now that you have done all the preparation work, and now it’s time to execute your plan. You have chosen the right location and farm area, made a plan to deliver consistent & long-term value, and set up a system to help you manage and track your leads.
Now, it’s time for action and to set your automated communication plans in motion and start sending out your postcards, social posts, and market updates.
Successful real estate farming is a combination of long-term automated communication and smart, day-by-day, personal follow-up. If you treat farming as a set-it-and-forget-it strategy, you won’t be as effective. Be active in your local target area, and your clients will appreciate you!

Essential Real Estate Farming Tools You Need To Succeed
Successful real estate farming requires a high level of organisation, a solid plan for execution, and, of course, the tools you will need to consistently deliver value to your local farm area. While these tools could include
anything
 that will get your marketing message to your target audience, here are the strategies we have found work best for real estate farming.
1.              Real Estate Postcards & Flyers
The backbone of your farming campaign strategy is your real estate farming postcards and flyers. These are ideal tools to convey valuable messages, stats, and authority to your local farm area. Use them to deliver a property market report,
home valuations
, or interesting stats.

2.              Local Area Specific Content on Your Website
Your farm area should have a dedicated section on your property website where you can post weekly updates about the local neighbourhood market, goings-on in the neighbourhood, and even events of interest to community members in and around town.
Your
real estate website
 can serve two purposes: to act as an online hub for your local neighbourhood to stop by and see what’s going on, and to show potential buyers interested in purchasing in your chosen area that you’re the local go-to expert when they are ready to buy a property.

3.              Property Market Update Emails
Your
real estate email
 newsletter is an ideal way to share market deep-dives since you have more space for in-depth thought and analysis. Talk about what’s going on in your local area and share messages that communicate to your farm that you’re the local property expert when it comes to buying and selling homes and LIVING in your local community.


How to build trust with your real estate clients

Building trust with property clients
Sometimes one of the hardest parts of being a property agent is getting your clients and potential client to have trust in you.

But the truth is, that trust is something that’s earned. It’s not immediately given to anyone.

Real estate agents should understand that the most important commodity you’re selling is trust.

With Covid-19 it’s a sensitive time in the real estate market. Your clients are going to be bombarded with confusing headlines from media about an impending recession. So it’s natural for them to be wary of any property agent that says, “Don’t believe the news. It’s a great time to buy property! Just trust me on this.”

Here’s four ways to win your clients trust:
SHOW THEM REAL DATA
People can’t argue with data. They can, however, argue with your opinions. If you’re presenting an educated statement, you better have some hard facts and data to back up what you’re saying.
Not only does being well-researched help your property clients make the best decisions, but it also cements their faith in you and helps them become repeat clients. The RealestateMY monthly
property market report
 is a great tool to use for facts, data and statistics. You can even share the professionally designed graphs from the
TALGIC platform
 directly with your clients, on social media or as part of your client presentation. Always remember, there is no such thing as being too prepared.
STAY UP TO DATE ON THE CURRENT NEWS
In order to know what your potential clients are thinking, you need to watch the same news they are watching. Set aside at least 10 minutes per day to catch up on the local and national media.
Sign up to RealestateMY
Property News Blog
 for high quality, relevant and engaging content sent directly to your email everyday. Share the blogs with your clients or use the market insights to help you as a property agent. It’s a win-win result!
ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU’RE GOING TO DO
This is a major factor in the client trust-building process for property agents. Be the agent your clients can rely on and always do what you say you’re going to do. The minute you drop the ball on something, your clients will naturally build skepticism about you. Never miss appointments. Respond quickly to messages. Respect their space. And always do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it.
SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT
Video is one of the most powerful tools in the hands of real estate agents in 2021. It’s also the most direct way to get your message across without standing in front of your clients. Every agent should be making a video that confronts the recession rumours, includes helpful facts and local market insights. It’s a one-two punch that gets your message across to your entire audience immediately. Plus, this is a great way to take advantage of the TALGIC platform video upgrade. Our professionally designed and experts researched videos were made to make a property agent’s life much easier. They are ready to be shared, beautifully designed and can be branded to your real estate business.
In Summary
Now is the time to stay informed, arm yourself with facts and accurate data and be the trustworthy property agent your clients deserve.

Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to buy a home in 7 steps in Malaysia

Buying a house will probably be the biggest purchase of your life. Making the leap to be a homeowner is an exciting yet daunting experience. The process can be overwhelming if you don’t know what to do. To help you get started, we’ll explore how you can buy a home in 7 steps in Malaysia.
Check your budget
Before you do anything else, work out if you can
afford a house
 in the first place. In Malaysia, the standard costs are:
– Earnest deposit 2% of the SPA price
– Down payment: 10% of the SPA price (or balance 7%)
– Legal Fees: approximately 0.4% depending on SPA price
– Valuation fee (if required): around 0.3% of the property value
– Bank processing fee: RM50 – RM200
On top of that, most financial experts recommend that your monthly loan instalments (including taxes, fees and insurance) should not exceed one-third of your household income.
Finally, you need to consider costs for disbursement fees, fluctuating interest rates, renovation, new furniture and appliances.
Verify your loan eligibility
Check with the banks how much you are allowed to borrow. They will require you to submit a copy of your IC, latest EA form, recent three months payslip and banking transactions. They will use this information to check your financial situation and determine how much they can lend you.
However, keep in mind that just because the banks are willing to loan you a certain amount, doesn’t mean you can afford it. It ultimately comes down to your budget but having that pre-approved
home loan
 will give you an idea on the price range of properties that you should be viewing. It also boosts sellers’ confidence that you have the financial resources to make a purchase.
Engage a real estate agent
A real estate agent is a valuable partner to have when you are buying a home. The best part is you don’t have to pay a cent because they are getting their commission from the seller. They are privy to information on houses and locations which are not commonly known to the public. You will benefit from their knowledge of the area, negotiation skills and guidance throughout the home buying process.
Start house hunting
By this time, you should have an idea of the location, price range and type of home to buy. Narrowing down your search to an ideal neighbourhood will make it easier to choose a home. Then decide what are the essential-must-haves and non-essential-but-nice-to-have things for you. If you’re having trouble here, speak to your real estate agent about it. After all, it’s their job to help you make the right choice.
Once you have a few potentials, your real estate agent will arrange for a viewing. Take your time here. View as many houses as you need until you find The One. Scrutinize each house carefully and take note of things like structural defects, leaking roof, how busy the street is, etc. To avoid getting confused at this stage, bring someone you trust for a second opinion, take photos and notes of every house you visit.
Make an offer
Once you have decided on a house, discuss with your real estate agent and make an
offer on the property
 to the seller based on the local market condition and the asking price. The seller will either accept, reject or propose a counter-offer.
A counter-offer is quite a common scenario and your real estate agent will have the expertise to conduct a negotiation. For example, if a seller is asking for RM 500,000 but the property valuation is just RM 400,000 then you should consider that a 90% loan will come up to RM 360,000 only. Are you going to fork out the remaining money or offer a lower price? When negotiating, it is also important to look beyond the offer price and consider different terms as well like waiving contingencies or raising the earnest money. It is up to you and the seller to decide what will make you both walk away feeling satisfied.
Closing the deal
When there is a final agreement on the purchase price, you will enter the
closing process of home buying
. In Malaysia, this can take between 3 – 5 months and you’ll need to complete a series of steps as such:
– Hire a lawyer to draft the SPA and loan agreement. Get someone who has your best interests at heart. If you’re buying directly from a developer, they may offer “free legal services”. Remember that they are acting on behalf of the developer who is paying their fees. Please note if you are a
foreigner buying Malaysian property
 there are extra regulations and documents to you to provide.
– Apply for a loan. After reviewing all the banks, pick the one with the lowest interest rates, the most reasonable fees, the highest loan amount it offers you and the best service. The bank will also order a valuation of your property.
-If you have a contingency clause, conduct a home inspection and request for repairs.
-Sign the Letter of Offer and pay earnest deposit of 2% – 3%. This money will be held in escrow while the rest of the loose ends are tied up.
– Sign the SPA and pay the down payment balance. This happens between 2 – 3 weeks after signing the Letter of Offer. During this time also, your lawyer will do the appropriate title searches.
– Sign the loan agreement and other documents. Depending on the circumstances of your sale, you may have to get an insurance policy, Deed of Mutual Covenant and the Memorandum of Transfer.—
– Payment of balance purchase price. At this point, your lawyer will ensure all the remaining payments and documents are in order before the balance purchase price is transferred to the seller’s lawyer. Keep track of the progress so that you won’t be penalised with late payment charges which is three months after the SPA date.
Get ready to move in
The vacant property and the keys must be handed to you within the timeframe stipulated in the SPA. Before accepting the keys, request for utility receipts that show all the outstanding bills have been paid. Once the keys are in your hand, you can start planning for renovations and finally, a housewarming party.

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How to capture real estate leads effectively

If you’re like 50% of real estate agents, you probably have failed multiple times doing
property lead generation
. You probably spend your time and money doing your old lead generation tactics again and again but getting the same lousy results.
But the truth is there are lots of ways to get more property leads. Here are 10 expert tips from RealestateMY for converting those distracted and busy people visiting your
real estate website
 into your newest, best quality leads that you can turn into sales.
Your network is your net worth.
Leverage your already existing relationships, especially if you’re a
new property agent
, by making a long list of everyone in your phonebook, facebook account, and then setting a goal each day to personally reach out to each of them and let them know you are in the real estate business. Let them know to keep you in mind if they need your property services or know anyone looking for a real estate agent.

Your previous clients will also need your attention. Once a deal is closed, make a schedule to routinely call for a
follow up
. An easy way to do this is to send Happy Birthday greetings. This shows past buyers and sellers you’ve worked with you genuinely care and are a decent person to keep in contact with.
Also trying to get
client testimonials
 from your happy clients as soon as you’ve closed their property deal is also a great time to get personal with them. Don’t miss this opportunity for social proofing your personal brand!
Make email is your best friend.
Email marketing is great for
real estate lead generation
 and nurturing in the business world.
So in your emails, don’t be afraid to show your personality and authenticity. People want to deal with other real people. Avoid boring generic emails, and use your email to send content and ensure the first name of each lead is at the top; this personalisation to detail goes a long way.
When do r
eal estate email marketing
, make sure you send only quality content, and not just constantly SPAM your client database.
Be social, but also be real.
You will want to socialise your real estate business every chance you get. This doesn’t mean you should be too salesy, but rather, use what you do for work everyday as an easy conversation topic to get people engaged you on social media. There are alot of people are interested in real estate, so use your
social media marketing
 skills and share your insta story online with some smart engagement tactics.
Also, providing value on social media will help you attract more leads. In every social post to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc, aim to educate, and enrich. You don’t need to focus only on sharing your own content but can sharing blog posts from others that your market cares about, like those that talk about local market conditions and local community events etc.

Simplify lead capture form and calls to action (CTA)
Don’t ask for too much information in your lead capture forms. If you have more than three form fields on your lead capture form, cut it down. Keep it simple so you don’t scare away your leads.

Make sure your CTA buttons are large and bold across your
property website
, and add them both above the fold, and test how it looks on mobile. Don’t use vague, lengthy copy in your CTA, also include a clear and succinct value proposition for your future clients.
Simplify your property website’s user experience UX.
Make sure buttons and links to your website’s pages are clearly on the screen and state where they go to. Be simple, concise, and plain in your navigational menu links, and your visitors will have a better website experience. Your website should also be nice to look at, so squashing your pages with many images and text or leaving them blank with just your real estate business name and some links will definitely lead to low engagement with your prospects. Start with your website’s homepage. examine it and ask yourself, is it easy for people to understand the purpose of my site? and understand the business by scrolling down on my homepage in 5 seconds? If not, you need to adjust your real estate website’s setup.

Develop new landing pages and alter existing ones
Your website should have multiple landing pages and the more you have, the higher the chance you will get more exposure and quality leads. Create several landing pages with different content this will help you find what information works best for converting visitors into
real property leads
. Also, try things with your landing pages you have never done before, like adding videos to explain special project offers or your business solutions.
Continuously deliver value to your prospects.
Be strategic and generous with what you share to your leads. People actually appreciate what you have to say when you consistently give them good
property insights
 and position your brand as a trusted real estate advisor. Create blog content on your property website consistently (at least a few times a month), and optimise your posts with the latest popular keywords specific to your local area market (e.g. “2 bedroom homes for sale in Petaling Jaya). You should also have some fun with your content creation by providing
local neighborhood guides
, profiling local businesses, and offering advice for buying, selling, and homeowning on your real estate website . This means valuable information your niche audience will appreciate and will want more of when done well by you.
Track your website’s Visitor behaviour with Google Analytics
Data and visual evidence of your
real estate marketing
’s performance gives you a clearer understanding of what isn’t working. Visitor Flow in Google Analytics gives property agents a look at the flow. The feature shows your visitors’ demographics and how they behave on your site. If executed properly, your real estate website will be your most valuable assets for attracting leads and converting them into clients.
Have patience.
A major reason real estate professionals have trouble getting leads is a lack of
effective lead generation
 tactics and patience. Real estate agents are usually very busy, not ready to commit, or maybe another negotiator who has better communication or services has gotten their leads. But don’t give up, the most important thing is to keep the communication going, do consistent phone calls and emails and take it a step further by making sure you’re offering value at every stage for your real estate leads.

Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


Location Specialisation

How do you choose the right area for your geographic listing and
lead generation
 efforts? You should start with your successes. Figure out where you’ve had the most transactions in your career and think about building your niche from there.
Here are some important factors to consider:
How to choose a property location to specialise in
Evaluate The
Average Selling Price
It’s no secret that for most locations, profit is built on the number of deals you close and the average price of each transaction. If you currently fall into a pricing niche and are seeing success, choose a target area that is the same as that price range. If you’re a new agent, it’s safe to focus on neighbourhoods where homes/condos sell around the average price for your location.
Research The
Opportunity
Make sure there is significant opportunity for sales. Do some research and find the sweet spot on property numbers: enough to make the return worth your time and efforts, but don’t focus on so many that your marketing budget is spread thin. 200 homes is a good starting point for agents just branching out into a new area, and of course you can expand as business grows.

Find Out The
Real Estate Turnover Rate
Choose an active area to specialise in, the ideal turnover rates will vary from city-to-city, but a general rule of thumb is to target an area with at least a turnover rate of 6-8%. Regardless, you want an area that’s moving enough to give you opportunity and business.
Know The
Competition
You will need to scope out who’s doing property deals in the area. There are two likely scenarios:
• The location doesn’t have any agents that are dominating the market share.
• The area has a clear agent in charge, which might prove a challenge.
Either way, this presents a good opportunity to win over residents with targeted real estate marketing. Once they see your brand and your value, they’ll come calling on the new expert in town.
Your
Connection
While all the above criteria is pretty critical, its important to be mentioning that it can be a huge benefit to choose an area that you identify with on a personal level. Enthusiasm for a location will add authenticity to your digital marketing and enhance the positive interactions you’ll have with residents. When you love what you’re doing and where you’re doing it, it will show.
Although selecting the right area to specialise in can seem like a huge challenge on its own, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. If you want to see the best results from your selected location, you have to develop the right
property marketing strategy
 to help you get more listings, and generate more leads to your
real estate website
.

Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to choose the right real estate agent for property sellers

Choosing the right real estate agent is an important step when selling your property. The right agent can help you navigate the complex process of selling your home, and can make all the difference in getting your home sold quickly and at the best possible price. However, with so many agents to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start. In this article, we’ll discuss a few key strategies to help you choose the right real estate agent when
selling your property
.

The first step in choosing the right real estate agent is to do your research. Look for agents with a strong track record of success in selling properties similar to yours. This could be homes of similar size, style or value range, or in your same location. This way you can get a sense of how well the agent may perform in selling your home. One way to get information about agents is to check online reviews from past clients, and also check with the local real estate board for complaints or disciplinary actions.
Another key strategy when choosing a real estate agent is to interview several agents before making a decision. Ask them about their experience, their knowledge of the local market, and how they plan to market your property. Pay attention to how well the agent listens to your needs and how responsive they are. You want to work with someone who is willing to take the time to understand your situation and is willing to go the extra mile to help you achieve your goals.
You should also consider the agent’s communication style and availability. Some agents prefer to communicate via email or text message, while others prefer phone calls or in-person meetings. It is essential that you find an agent with a communication style that works for you. Additionally, you should ask the agent about their availability and how often they will be able to check in with you during the process.
It’s also important to consider the agent’s network and resources. A good agent will have a wide network of contacts in the industry, including other agents, home inspectors, contractors, and more. They will also have access to the latest marketing tools and technology, such as professional photography and
virtual tours
, to help showcase your property to potential buyers.
When choosing an agent, you should also consider their
marketing strategy
. Ask them how they plan to market your property, and what specific tactics they will use to reach potential buyers. You want to work with an agent who is familiar with the latest marketing techniques, such as online advertising, social media, and email marketing. Additionally, a good agent will have a detailed marketing plan in place and will be able to provide you with regular updates on the progress of your sale.
Lastly, pay attention to the agent’s commission rate and service agreement. A good agent should be transparent about their commission rate and service agreement, and should be willing to provide you with a detailed explanation of the costs involved in selling your property. Additionally, you should be aware of whether the agent charges any additional fees, such as a marketing or administrative fee.
In conclusion, choosing the right real estate agent is essential to ensure that your property is sold quickly and at the best possible price. By doing your research, interviewing several agents, paying attention to the agent’s communication style, network, and resources, marketing strategy and commission rate and service agreement, you can make an informed decision and choose the right agent for your property.


How to close on a home

Closing on a home can be a complex and intimidating process, especially if you are a
first-time homebuyer
. However, by understanding the steps involved and being prepared, you can make the process go smoothly and successfully complete the purchase of your new home.
Review the purchase agreement
1.     Before closing, you will need to review the purchase agreement to ensure that all the terms and conditions are acceptable to you. This document outlines the terms of the sale, including the purchase price, closing date, and any contingencies that must be met before the sale can be completed.
Obtain a mortgage
Unless you are paying cash for the home, you will need to
obtain a mortgage
 from a lender. This involves submitting a loan application and providing financial information such as your credit score, employment history, and income. The lender will review this information to determine if you are eligible for a loan and, if so, how much they are willing to lend you.
Get a home inspection
It’s important to have a professional inspection of the home to identify any potential problems or issues that may need to be addressed before the sale is completed. This can include structural issues, plumbing problems, or electrical defects. If the inspection reveals any significant issues, you may need to negotiate with the seller to have them repaired or to adjust the purchase price.
Review the title report
The title report provides information about the ownership and legal status of the property. It includes details about any liens or encumbrances on the property and ensures that the seller has the legal right to sell the home. It’s important to review the title report carefully to ensure that there are no issues that could complicate the sale.
Attend the closing
The closing is the final step in the
home-buying process
 and typically involves signing a stack of legal documents. These documents may include the mortgage agreement, the deed transferring ownership of the property, and various disclosures and reports. It’s important to carefully review all documents before signing and to ask any questions you may have.
Pay closing costs
Closing costs are fees associated with the purchase of a home and typically include things like lender fees, title fees, and property taxes. These costs are typically paid at closing and can vary depending on the lender, the location of the property, and other factors. It’s important to understand what closing costs will be due and to budget accordingly.
Get homeowners insurance
Once the closing is complete and you have taken ownership of the property, it’s important to get a homeowners insurance policy to protect your investment. This type of insurance covers damage to the property and personal belongings caused by events such as fires, storms, and burglaries.
Change the locks
It’s a good idea to change the locks on your new home to ensure the security of your property. You can either do this yourself or hire a professional locksmith to do it for you.
Update your address
After closing on your new home, it’s important to update your address with the post office, your employer, and any other organisations or companies that need to know your new location.
By understanding the steps involved in closing on a home and being prepared, you can make the process go smoothly and successfully complete the purchase of your new home. It’s important to do your research, understand your budget, and be prepared to ask questions and address any issues that may arise. With a little patience and persistence, you can close on the home of your dreams.


How to close the sale of your property in Malaysia

You’ve finally found a
buyer for your property
! Before you pop open the champagne though, there’s one thing left to do – the closing. It is a somewhat complicated and rigid process involving the transaction of documents and money so that you as the seller can transfer the ownership and possession of the property with no strings attached to the buyer. In Malaysia, it typically takes around three months and ranges from a property inspection to paperwork signing. Check out our painless guide on what to look out for when you close the sale of your property.
Work closely with your real estate agent
There are multiple steps in the closing process and it’s your
real estate agent
’s job to smooth the way for you. He or she will inform you about the payments you have to make and the documents you must prepare such as:
Copies of your previous Sale & Purchase Agreement and Loan Agreement/Title
Current year assessment receipt (
cukai pintu
)
Current year quit rent receipt (
cukai tanah
)
Costs in the closing process
There are several costs you have to bear when you
sell your property
 and it can eat into your profit. Some of them are:
Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT):
In Malaysia, all home owners have to pay this tax when they sell their property, and if you decide to sell your property within the first five years, you are liable to pay a higher % of this tax.
Real estate agent fee:
 This is typically 2% – 3% of the property’s selling price
Legal fee for Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA):
 This is calculated based on your property’s selling price.
Other miscellaneous fees:
 disbursement fees, processing fees, etc
CKHT 1A form to file for RPGT:
 RM300 will be charged upon submission (RM600 will be charged if the property is jointly owned).
On top of that, you still need to pay the 6% government tax on your legal services and typically, the buyer covers expenses like settlement fees, and lender fees.
Earnest Deposit
This is basically a deposit that the buyer pays to show that they are indeed serious about
purchasing your property
. It is usually 1% – 3% of the sale price and held by a title or escrow company. Under no circumstances should this money be paid to an individual and there should be a clear and legal paper trail to avoid any risk of fraud. If the buyer backs out of the sale for anything not covered by a contingency, they most likely have to forfeit their earnest money.
Contingencies
Contingencies are conditions in an offer that must be fulfilled to keep the sale moving forward. It gives the buyer an escape door to back out of a deal if the conditions are not met. The standard contingencies that you will encounter during the closing process are appraisal, inspection, title, and financing contingencies. For example, if a buyer submits an offer with an inspection contingency, he or she has no obligation to continue with the sale if anything is found during the house inspection that needs repair.
Title and financing
If the buyer has a title contingency, they will verify that the house’s title is clear of any issues before buying the house. For example, a property under master title for more than ten years is a red flag. As for the financing contingency, if the buyer is not able to secure a loan, they can back out of the deal and reclaim their earnest money.
Title insurance
Even with a title contingency in place, problems with the property title can crop up after the
property purchase is completed
. There have been several cases in Malaysia where the property was turned back to the state or original owner because the courts decided it shouldn’t have changed its title name, to begin with. A title insurance protects against loses if this happens and usually, two parties require it – the lender and the buyer.
Home appraisal
If the buyer is getting a
mortgage for the house
, their mortgage lender (the bank) will order a
home valuation
. If the house doesn’t appraise, meaning the bank thinks the buyer is offering more than the house is worth, the buyer will have to decide their next step. If they have a home appraisal contingency, they can back out of the deal or renegotiate a new price. As the seller, you can be prepared by having all your paperwork ready for the appraiser. Present all the major home improvements you have done so the appraiser can make an accurate appraisal.
Home inspection
Unless a buyer has done an inspection before making an offer or waived the home inspection contingency, they will arrange for a home inspection during the closing process. They might choose to do it themselves or hire a professional inspector to provide a report on any issues with the house. If they have an inspection contingency and find something wrong with the house, they can back out of the deal now. To avoid this, we recommend that before you put your property up for sale, conduct a thorough inspection and complete the required repairs first.
Final walk-through
The final walk-through is one of the last things you will do before your property officially belongs to the buyer. It should confirm that:
The house is in the same state as when the offer was accepted
All the required repairs have been completed (show the buyer receipts and before-and-after photos as proof to avoid misunderstandings)
Everything that was included as part of the sale is still in the house
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How to create real estate content during Covid-19

Real estate professionals have a unique opportunity right now amidst the obvious challenges of social distancing and the temporary slowdown in the property market. Everyone is online during the lockdown and social media impressions are up 33% and more than ever people are seeking out digital information and entertainment.
Because of this, it’s a great time to utilize your “local expertise” and leverage your insights within your local market to be a
property guide
 and leader in your community. However, because of this we have seen plenty of not so good content that either sounds self-serving and opportunistic, or reads as insensitive and tone-deaf.
So here are a few tips for how you can create more meaningful
content marketing
 that ends in a win-win scenario: you gain exposure for your brand and build relationships within your local community and your audience gets access to helpful resources during a difficult time.
Always create helpful and accurate content
There are a lot of people in the real estate space that are not active, at a time when clients are starving for property insights and to be educated. Now is the time when prospects want and need data to help them make informed decisions.

Accuracy is important here as well. Stick to the facts, and if you’re going to share predictions, just make sure they are from trusted expert sources. If you do share your opinion on predictions, just be sure to state that it is your own opinion. Remember that things are messy until we are over with the COVID-19 crisis and we can’t predict the future with 100% accuracy.

Here are a Few Trusted Resources:
 Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
World Health Organization (WHO)
JPPH
IPPEH
Over-Communicate
Communication is King at the moment. You need to be actively getting in front of your clients and prospects as a resource with
valuable property information
. Even if they’re not asking questions right now, when they have questions in a few months they will remember that you’re the one with all of the answers.

Contact as many of your clients as you can, individually, to check in on them and let them know that you are available as a real estate resource. Lead them with empathy and education. Just remember that your actions during this crisis will affect your opportunities when things settle.

Create & Share Good Resources
Everyone is using their social media platforms and consuming information digitally right now. So now is the time to create resources to share information with your own client networks.

Video is very important right now. Video content is the most consumed content on
social media marketing
 networks and it’s the easiest way for you to get information to your target audience while also sharing your brand and making a personal connection.

You can try creating video “check-ins” on Facebook and Instagram with updates or valuable information in your market. Share inspiring news that you’ve seen in your own community to add some positivity into your clients’ social media newsfeed. Is your business doing something to give back to the community right now? Make a video about it, and upload it to your
property website
 and social media accounts.

Just remember that everyone is panicking a little and everyone needs a little positivity, a little reassurance right now. Lead your community with humanity and compassion in everything that you do and you will see positive outcomes in the near future.
Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How To Do Commercial Real Estate Marketing During Covid19

The commercial real estate industry in around the world and especially Malaysia is experiencing a challenging period due to the Covid-19 crisis.
So in order to do well in this current situation, real estate professional needs to be more intelligent with their marketing efforts and strategy.
In today’s tech-enabled environment, real estate professionals must be able to expand their marketing strategies to include digital marketing real estate campaigns, paid social media advertising, online commercial real estate listings classifieds, and high quality branded property websites for individual projects.
How to develop your commercial real estate marketing strategy?

Below are 12 tips to ramp up your marketing strategy along with effective commercial real estate marketing ideas to expand your digital footprint and grow your business during the pandemic.
 Define Your Target Audience
How you market your commercial property depends mostly on who your target audience are. So you should start out by defining your main objectives and who your target audience is.
What industry is your audience in?
Where does your audience spend its time online?
What methods will you use to reach them?
What assets do you need to create?
What is your marketing budget?
You also need to have a good and clear value proposition for your audience, your value proposition will help set the foundation for your future marketing communications and materials.
Create a Commercial Real Estate Marketing Plan
A Commercial Real Estate Marketing Plan provides a comprehensive overview of your overall mission, unique selling point, target audience, strategy and metrics you’ll measure success on.
When creating your plan, you need to include:
• business summary
• target market and audience
• marketing budget
• marketing channels
• marketing material
• metrics
A healthy commercial real estate marketing strategy should have a well-balanced marketing mix and leverage Earned, Paid and Owned media.
Earned Media – Includes marketing activities that you typically “earn” by advocates of your brand and include free channels such as SEO, Social Media, influencers.
Paid Media – Refers to any performance-based channels or paid advertising like
Facebook advertising
, Google search marketing ,cost-per-click, banners, remarketing and paid advertising.
Owned Media – Typically includes your own media assets such as your property websites, blogs, social media profiles and email marketing database.
This marketing mix should be distributed across different channels to help mitigate any downside risk in the case things don’t work in a specific marketing area. With this plan in mind, start mapping out the elements that will be needed to implement your strategy.
Develop Your Commercial Real Estate Website
Your property website will be the first impression you give a potential client and a key factor to promote trust and confidence to future prospects.
It can also serve as an important marketing asset allowing you to feature project news, demonstrate thought leadership through blog posts and research studies, and promote your properties with the help of a commercial property listing search engine.
An experienced
digital marketing real estate agency
 can help turn your ideas intro reality .
You will need to create feature-rich
property websites
 that stand out from the crowd. In 2021, if you don’t have a strong digital footprint online for your commercial properties then your competitors are going to overtake you.
Interactive property websites are a great way to showcase your commercial properties. Not only do they serve as a digital hub for your commercial property marketing efforts where you can display your unit listings, photography, video, floor plans,
360 virtual tours
, brochures, availabilities, interactive real estate maps, property guides, real estate data and more but can also add “wow” factor to help engage and convert visitors much more effectively.
Optimise Your Property Website for SEO
Make sure you develop a
real estate SEO
 strategy as early as possible. Being visibility from search engines can have a powerful impact for your commercial real estate business and help drive tenants, buyers and investors to your website. Keep in mind SEO is a long-term process and requires months to start seeing impact.
Technology Tools You Need
To execute an effective commercial marketing strategy, you need to make sure you have the right technology in place. The list of
 real estate marketing technology
 you use covers a variety of different uses and requirements, everything from
Real Estate CRM
 contact management to email marketing to listing presentations and more.
It’s important to give the technology selection process the attention it deserves so you don’t have to keep changing platforms. The switching cost from one platform to another can be high, and will not only decrease your productivity but also hinder your ability to operate at 100% as you manage the transition.
Commercial real estate companies that streamline and optimise the various processes in their operations will experience sustained growth and overall success.
Setup Email Marketing Campaigns
A great commercial
real estate email marketing strategy
 is one of the most effective strategies to reach prospects, engage them in conversations, and convert them into real deals.
Building and segmenting a database of potential prospects for sending targeted real estate email communications is one of the single most important marketing activities you can do to help fuel your commercial sales or leasing efforts.
Engage Your Prospects with Useful Content
Nurturing your contacts with relevant content is one of the key tactics to stay top of mind and nurture your prospects until they are ready to actively engage with you.
Create high-quality content that is useful, relevant or entertaining. This can be done in many different ways including blog posts, market studies, infographics, videos,
property reports
, and
real estate data
.
Share Your Content on Social Media Channels
Using
social media marketing
 for commercial real estate is free and an effective way to build brand awareness and drive visits to your website. Savvy commercial real estate professionals are also using social media to initiate conversations and facilitate connections with potential customers and partners.
Using LinkedIn for real estate, Facebook or even Instagram to get more attention for your listings can be a very effective tactic when used properly. The three mentioned social media networks are most relevant for commercial real estate, and where your company should be most active.
Set Up a Google Search Marketing Campaign
There are 700 million searches on Google every day and your clients are searching for keywords related to your commercial property or business right now.
Google Advertising For Real Estate
 is a very powerful acquisition channel to help you set up commercial real estate ads , and what’s great about Google Ads is that you can specify your Ad budget to whatever you feel comfortable with and stop at anytime. Find out
How much Google advertising costs
.
Set Up Paid Commercial Real Estate Ads Through Google Display Network (GDN)
Display advertising comes in different formats and can help raise brand awareness and impact thousands (or millions) of people very quickly in the Google network of websites.
Working with Google Ad networks can help you with advertising your commercial real estate to the right audience and will provide you with very granular targeting and allow you to decide what websites you want your Ads to appear on, like youtube, Bloomberg etc.
Target Your Past Visitors With Remarketing
Remarketing goes beyond simple display advertising. When a prospect visits your website, a cookie is dropped on their computer so you can target them and show relevant Ads when they browse on different websites on GDN or Facebook.
This is an effective way to stay “top of mind” and drive visitors that engaged previously back to your commercial property listing or commercial property website.
Always Measure Your Success With Real Metrics
The most important component of a success commercial real estate marketing strategy is measuring the success of your activities against your
real estate metrics
. Define key metrics for each of your marketing channels, setup a real estate marketing report, and make data-driven decisions to continuously improve your efforts. Test , measure and scale.
Also its very important, not to lose sight of how your marketing strategies impact your business objectives. If you can’t quantify the direct or indirect impact on your lease-up, sales or tenant retention efforts (or whatever else) then you need to go back to the drawing board.
Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to do marketing for your property location niche

Now that you have established a location to specialise in, it’s time to start some targeted, compelling
real estate marketing
. Make sure you are adding the leads you generate to your database and tracking them over time.
Always remember your goal is to have a real presence in your target neighbourhood. That means you need to go all in or don’t do it. Your strategy is based on building many relationships and being a source of knowledge for the location you have chosen. This takes time, investment, and most importantly, consistency. You need to keep your marketing consistent. Establishing a strong reputation takes repeated positive interaction in your location marketing.
You will need to position yourself as the local expert. Make sure you have a solid grasp on hyper-local pricing trends, buyer/seller demand, and can communicate these statistics effectively to your prospective clients. Your prospects will want compelling stats on the market in their area and hyper-local “Sold stories” with happy endings. So invest your time and money in relationship building. The community will return the favour.
Here is how do you marketing for your property niche
Direct mail
The buying and selling game has mostly moved online, but mailings and postcards like “just listed” and “sold” cards are still an effective way to supplement your real estate digital marketing efforts. Remember that consistency is key, both in your branding and your outreach plans. Too many mailing or too frequently will keep your costs high, you need to be careful to target your outreach mailings properly and create a plan around frequency .

Face-to-face
Personal one to one contact will always be a great way to attract new business and build relationships. Attending local community events, hosting home viewings and personally inviting neighbours to attend are great ways to meet prospective clients and start conversations.

Online Marketing for your location niche
Now onto the most powerful marketing mechanism in this day and age: the Internet. The best strategy for your
online property marketing
 is to take the proven tactics you’re probably already using to market to your target areas offline, and take them online. E.g. identifying homeowners, collecting addresses, and building a database of leads that you can continuously market to. Whether it’s Facebook advertising or Google marketing, make sure you advertise yourself has the market specialist.

Your Online Presence
This is the red carpet for your brand and the first step to generating online seller leads. Carefully control of your online footprint to ensure the branded experience communicates your value and the perception you’d like to establish about your business. Whether if its your
real estate branded websites
, or property classified ads, make sure you communicate the same message.

Geo-Targeted Ads
Potential clients are performing google searches based on their specific neighbourhood search terms. This is a big opportunity for you to get exposure and reach them with
digital property ads
 that show your brand, value, and expertise in that neighbourhood. These people want to do business with the real estate agent who appears to be the specialist in that area, so make sure you stay visible.

Keeping in touch with existing clients
To stay top-of-mind with potential clients who aren’t ready to make decision yet, Execute some simple to do
property email marketing campaigns
 that keeps leads informed on neighbourhood stats, market trends, and the price of homes that sell nearby.
In summary
A single campaign that blends your online and offline real estate marketing efforts is the most effective. Prospects have a physical introduction to your brand along with a tailored and convenient digital experience from you. Your offline efforts can be a nice complement to your online marketing efforts. For example, include links to your real estate website on your postcards and consistently drive traffic from the local neighborhood to your website. It’s all about looking at your chosen geographic area, building your
client database
, and continuing to create opportunities for yourself.
Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to do real estate marketing during Chinese New Year

Real estate marketing
 during Chinese New Year can be a tricky endeavor, as many potential buyers and sellers may be preoccupied with family gatherings and celebrations. However, with some careful planning and a bit of creativity, you can still make the most of this festive time of year to promote your properties and grow your business.

One strategy to consider is to target international buyers, as many Chinese people living abroad may be in the market for a new home during their visit to families. By creating marketing materials that are translated into Mandarin or Cantonese, and highlighting the cultural amenities and attractions near your properties, you can appeal to this demographic and make a strong impression
Another approach is to focus on virtual tours and online marketing. With many people avoiding in-person gatherings, virtual tours can be a great way to showcase your properties and make it easy for potential buyers to view them from the comfort of their own home. You can use
social media platforms
, video conferencing apps, or even virtual reality technology to create an immersive and engaging experience for your audience.
Additionally, you can take advantage of the festive atmosphere of the holiday by hosting open houses or other events that are designed to appeal to Chinese buyers. For example, you could host a traditional Chinese New Year banquet or offer special discounts or promotions to buyers who close a deal during the holiday period.
It’s also important to remember that the Chinese new year is a time of giving and good luck, so consider incorporating this theme into your marketing materials. You can create ads or flyers that feature images of red lanterns, gold ingots, or other symbols of good fortune, and include messages that wish your potential buyers and sellers a happy and prosperous new year.
Overall, real estate marketing during Chinese New Year requires a bit of extra thought and planning, but by targeting international buyers, using
virtual tours
 and online marketing, hosting festive events, and incorporating Chinese New Year themes into your marketing materials, you can still make the most of this festive time of year to promote your properties and grow your business. #gongxifattchoi
Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to Educate Your Real Estate Clients with Great Real Estate Content

How do you educate your clients and help them get a helicopter view of what’s going on in the property market?
When your clients turn on the news or read major headlines being posted on Whatsapp or social media, the data is reflected on the national real estate market as a whole.
It’s certainly very important to understand this
property market data
. But it’s even more important to find real estate data on what’s going on in your local real estate market.
But how do you build an effective content marketing strategy for your client base?
You need to start by leveraging tools and resources like
property articles
 and blog posts and also monthly market reports, which will show you what’s trending and what information is important to your clients. You can get this content from RealestateMY’s
TALGIC
 platform.
How you can be ready?
When clients or prospects see a report on the news or ask “How’s the property market?”, you will want to be able to confidently compare both the national information as well as what it means to them directly in their local neighbourhood.

Find a Trusted Source
You will need to find the best, most current real estate information to use in your
content marketing plan
. That means staying up to date on the latest local property and economic news impacting the real estate market. At RealestateMY, we believe every person should feel confident when buying and selling a home. Our mission is to change the way real estate agents educate and serve their clients. RealestateMY’s new TALGIC tool has a go-to database of trusted and great content that can be easily shared to your clientbase.
The
TALGIC
 tool enables you to show your buyers and sellers that you know and understand what is going on in the market. It differentiates you from every other agent who is not taking the time to give their clients the facts.
Select content or piece of information you would like to highlight and share.
This should:
Signal a shift in the market
Be an opportunity for buyers or sellers
Explain a unique aspect of the real estate process

Then share with clients or prospect via email, social media, or a post on your own
property website
.
You can also find articles from property news websites that report on the current overview of the property market.
With these kinds of property articles you will need to find the major points that can be enhanced using local data, the kinds of data include:
Local Month’s Inventory of Homes for Sale
Average Days on Market for Homes Listed
Average Number of Homes Sold per Day
Median Home Prices
Find local data from your property classifieds website that matches or accompanies the data in the article.
As the saying goes “location, location, location”, so you will want to have the information and context that applies to your specific local market!

Write Your Message
Write a message to accompanying the content or article link that explains how those data points are reflected in your local market and what it means for your client.
Post your article to your property website and/or social media, then share it with your clients and local news outlets too.
To those of you who are new to content marketing, this is likely the trickiest step.
Not all of us have the time or know-how when it comes to websites, email, and social media marketing. RealestateMY’s TALGIC tool has the features and content to save you time while positioning you as the local property market expert.
Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to evaluate yourself as real estate professional

In order to evaluate yourself as a top real estate professional, you need to measure, analyse, iterate, and improve yourself all the time.
Improving your skills and increasing your household income as a real estate agent begins with monitoring your behaviour and performance regularly. Here are a few methods for self improvement.

1. Performance Reviews
Depending on the real estate agency you are with, you may be subject to a performance review on a yearly or half-yearly basis. If there is no formal performance assessment, you should take the initiative in arranging one. As a new real estate negotiator, it’s important that you see these evaluations not as a painful formal requirement, but rather as an opportunity for serious self-reflection and personal growth.
Take advantage of these performance reviews to ask questions. In your agency’s opinion, where should your sales figures be at this point? Do your numbers reflect the agency benchmark? If not, what should you be doing to improve yourself? What strategies haven’t you tried? What have others noticed about your practice that you may have missed? Your agency’s answers will help you identify weaknesses and find ways to strengthen them.
Even if you’re struggling, it’s important to come to your performance review with a good positive attitude. Don’t get defensive: instead, be receptive and absorb as much as possible. Then, implement you’re agency’s feedback, creating a checklist of important steps you can take to improve your skills.

2. Writing notes and Benchmarking
You shouldn’t simply wait for other people to point out your weaknesses. Instead, you should be self-reflecting all the time on your performance and developing your own personal system of benchmarks to stay accountable and motivated for growth.
❖          Daily: Keep a journal to jot down your notes. Record your schedule, including starting and ending times. Keep a count of how many prospective clients you talked to and how those conversations went. No need to be very detailed: just get in the habit of always evaluating your habits.
❖          Weekly: Consider your daily notes. Was it a good week? If so, did you do anything differently? If not, why not? What can you do to make the next week more successful or more productive?
❖          Monthly/Yearly: Set specific sales goals. How many sales/rentals do you need to do to make a living? Check the numbers you actually achieved against your targets. Do you do alot of
property lead generation
, but are not making a lot of sales? You may be better off spending more time on fewer clients.
You should also be tracking clients and leads from start to finish. Are some steps in your sales funnel working better than others? Do you tend to lose leads at a certain stage? If so, you might need to change your strategy.

3. Analytics
If you have one already, your
real estate website
 can be one of your most valuable assets for attracting leads and converting them to customers. If you don’t have a personal branding real estate website, I suggest you get one. The best way to ensure that you stay on track of your web engagement is to connect Google Analytics to your website.
Of all the self-evaluation methods we have listed, Google Analytics was the most popular, with 19 percent of agents using the service. With Google Analytics, you can measure how much traffic you’re getting and how those visitors are behaving, helping you adjust your content to maximize your site’s impact. Here are a few of the most important metrics to measure.
Visits: How much total traffic are you getting? If this number is exceptionally low, you may need to adjust your SEO practices to boost your search visibility.
Unique Visitors: Not counting repeat visits, how many individuals came to your site? The more uniques, the better.
Duration: How long are visitors staying on your site? If your average duration is short, chances are visitors aren’t finding your content worthwhile.
Bounce Rate: How many visitors leave your site without visiting any other pages? Again, if your bounce rate is high, you may need to work on making your site content more valuable and informative.
Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to find a facebook marketing agency for real estate

As a real estate professional, you likely know the importance of having an online presence. While social media platforms like Facebook can be a great way to connect with potential clients and showcase your listings, it can be challenging to know how to effectively use the platform for marketing. That’s where a
Facebook marketing agency
 can come in handy.
But with so many agencies to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? Here are some tips for finding the right Facebook marketing agency for your real estate business:
Determine your marketing goals
Before you start searching for an agency, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your Facebook marketing efforts. Do you want to drive traffic to your website? Increase leads and sales? Improve your brand awareness? Having specific goals in mind will help you find an agency that can effectively meet your needs.
Look for an agency with experience in the real estate industry
It’s important to find an agency that has experience working with real estate professionals. This will ensure that they have a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities that come with
marketing real estate
 on Facebook.
Consider the size of the agency
Depending on your needs, you may want to consider working with a larger, more established agency or a smaller, boutique firm. Larger agencies may have more resources and experience, but they may also be more expensive. Smaller agencies may be more flexible and able to provide more personalised service, but they may not have as much experience.
Check out the agency’s portfolio
A good way to get a sense of an agency’s capabilities is to look at their portfolio. This should include examples of past work they have done for other clients, as well as any case studies or testimonials. This will give you a good idea of the types of campaigns they have run and their success rates.
Ask about their process
Every agency will have its own approach to
Facebook marketing
, so it’s important to understand how they work. Ask about their process for developing campaigns, how they measure success, and how they keep clients informed. This will give you a good sense of whether their approach is a good fit for your business.
Get references
Don’t be afraid to ask for references from the agency’s past clients. This will give you a chance to hear firsthand about their experiences working with the agency and whether they were happy with the results.
Consider the cost
Marketing can be a significant investment, so it’s important to consider the cost when choosing an agency. Be sure to get a clear understanding of what services are included in the agency’s fee and how they determine their pricing. It’s also a good idea to get quotes from multiple agencies to ensure that you’re getting the best value for your money.
Look for a long-term partnership
Marketing is an ongoing process, so it’s important to find an agency that you can work with for the long haul. Look for an agency that is willing to commit to a long-term partnership and is willing to evolve and adapt as your business grows and changes.
Finding the right Facebook marketing agency for your real estate business can be a challenge, but by following these tips, you can be confident that you are making an informed decision. With the right partner, you can effectively use Facebook to reach new clients and grow your business.

Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to find new real estate clients 2022

Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to find the right real estate agent for property buyers

Finding the right real estate agent can be a daunting task, especially for first-time property buyers. A good real estate agent can make the process of buying a home much smoother and less stressful, but a bad one can add unnecessary headaches and complications. With so many agents to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? Here are some tips to help you find the right real estate agent for your needs.
Do your research
Before you start searching for an agent, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you’re looking for in a property and what your budget is. This will help you narrow down your search and find an agent who is familiar with the type of properties you’re interested in and who has experience working with clients within your price range.
Look for an agent with local expertise
An agent who is familiar with the local real estate market will be able to provide valuable insights and guidance throughout the home buying process. They should be able to provide information about local schools, crime rates, and other important factors that may affect your decision to buy a home in a particular area.
Consider an agent’s reputation
Reputation is important in the real estate industry, so it’s worth taking the time to research an agent’s reputation before making a decision. Look for agents who have a track record of success and who have received positive reviews from past clients. You can also ask for references or check with the local real estate board to see if the agent has any complaints or disciplinary actions on their record.
Look for an agent who is responsive and communicative
Buying a home is a major investment, and it’s important to have an agent who is available to answer your questions and address any concerns you may have throughout the process. Look for an agent who is responsive to your needs and who keeps you informed every step of the way.
Consider an agent’s negotiation skills
A good real estate agent should be able to negotiate effectively on your behalf to get you the best deal possible on your new home. Look for an agent who has a history of successful negotiations and who is confident in their ability to advocate for your interests.
Find an agent who is a good fit for your personality
It’s important to find an agent who you feel comfortable working with and who understands your needs and goals. Look for an agent who is easy to talk to and who is willing to take the time to get to know you and what you’re looking for in a home.
Don’t be afraid to shop around
It’s okay to interview multiple agents before making a decision. This will give you a chance to compare their experience, expertise, and personality to find the right fit for you. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions or to walk away if you don’t feel comfortable with an agent.
In conclusion, finding the right real estate agent can be a challenging task, but it’s worth the effort to ensure a smooth and successful home buying experience. By doing your research, looking for an agent with local expertise and a good reputation, and finding an agent who is responsive and communicative, you can increase your chances of finding the right agent for your needs. Don’t be afraid to shop around and take the time to find an agent who is a good fit for your personality and goals.


How To Find Your Real Estate Niche

To be a successful real estate professional, you need to earn respect and attention by becoming a local expert and getting specific with your property industry focus.
The best way to stand out from other agents is to be the best. Of course, that’s a easier said than done. To make this more actionable let’s look at the best way to stand out is to be the best in your property niche.

The first way is by location.
In a recent survey, 38 percent of agents said the best way to distinguish yourself is to be an expert when it comes to the local neighbourhoods, towns, and cities that you are located in. That means experiencing all of what the location have to offer from the perspective of someone who lives there. Try to spend as much time as possible in places in this location. You need to become a resource on everything a client would want to know about the area surrounding one of your
property listings
.
•Visit local businesses and attractions: restaurants, bars, shops, shopping centres, etc.
•Drive around , and take public transportation. Know how long it takes to get anywhere, how far each neighbourhood is from nearby attractions, major offices and office centres, etc.
•Stay up to date on the happenings in the local state government: property taxes, building and infrastructure projects, etc.
•Memorise statistics on everything from schools to demographics to crime.
A second way to think about property niche is in terms of the type of listings.
Do you have experience in handling sub-sale, projects or commercial? 28 percent of the agents surveyed suggest that the best way to distinguish yourself is by focusing on a specific industry segment and be the best at it.
•Concentrate on a certain property type: luxury landed, condominiums, townhouses, retail shop lots, commercial office, etc.
•Specialise in listings with particular requirements: agriculture, studios, beachfront properties, distressed properties, bungalows, etc.
•Focus on listings with special financial or negotiation circumstances: bank repossession, auctions, distress sales, FSBO, bank-owned listings, etc.
•Buying and selling these kinds of properties requires an agent with knowledge of the red tape involved, as well as an eye for features and problems that are unique to that niche. Naturally, you’ll want to cultivate a specialty that’s needed in the areas you serve
Generally a
real estate professional
 should find a niche and stick with it. It might be a certain kind of prospecting, or a certain kind of home, or a certain area, or a specialty. Agents always try to be all to everyone, but you just can’t wear that many hats and look good doing it.
Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to get a Home Loan in Malaysia

For
first-time home buyers
, the process of getting a mortgage in Malaysia may seem as intimidating as choosing the property itself. Not only are you making arguably the biggest financial commitment of your life, but you will also be dealing with a ton of legal paperwork and bank officers spewing strange words like “flexi-loan” and “lock-in period” at you. However, once you understand the mortgage process, you will realise it is not as complicated as it seems. As they say, knowledge is power.
Check your finances
Before you even start seriously searching for houses, you need to check your
financial situation
. If you don’t, the banks eventually will. They will evaluate your debt-to-income ratio to decide how much you can afford to borrow. Ideally, your debt-to-income ratio should be below 60%.
Your credit score based on the CCRIS and CTOS reports are often the deciding factor on whether your loan application is approved or rejected. So, it is wise to check it yourself before the banks do. You can do this online or by visiting the kiosk at Bank Negara Malaysia. Being punctual with payments and settling as much debt as you can, will increase your credit score while reducing your debt-to-income ratio. Another thing that helps your credit score is not making any drastic lifestyle changes like changing jobs or taking out a new debt before and after applying for the mortgage.
Find the right bank for you
If you are buying your house directly from the developer, then you will most likely have to apply for a mortgage from the developer’s panel bank. Otherwise, you have more flexibility. Either way, it is important to do your homework, so you know what you are getting yourself into.
Your priority should be the bank that offers the lowest interest rates as this could mean thousands of Ringgit in savings. However, there are other factors to consider so approach at least four different banks before you pick one. Some questions you should be asking are:
What kind of home loan is it?
In Malaysia, there are a few different kinds of home loans like Term Loan, Flexi Loan and Islamic Loan, each with its advantages and disadvantages.
How long is the lock-in period?
The lock-in period is the time frame you are not allowed to settle your mortgage in full unless you pay the penalty (2% – 3% of the loan amount). It is better to have the shortest lock-in period and the lowest penalty rate.
What are their fees and charges?
As the buyer, you will have to bear the costs for the loan application which runs into a few thousand Ringgit.
Check your loan eligibility
Banks in Malaysia offer up to 90% loan for your first two residential properties, provided they don’t spot any red flags with your financial situation. There are many online mortgage calculators that will give you an estimate but it’s best to contact the banks in person.
They will require you to submit a copy of your IC, last three months salary slips and bank transactions, latest EA form and EPF statement and booking receipt of the property. The documents will vary slightly if you are self-employed. Based on this information and your credit score, the banks will let you know how much you can borrow and the types of loans they can offer you. Having this pre-qualification also boosts sellers’ confidence that you are financially secure to purchase the property.
Determine your budget
Before you sign on the dotted line and seal your fate, take a moment to consider this: just because you are eligible for a certain loan amount, doesn’t mean you can afford it. You still need to check your monthly budget. Experts recommend that your total house payment (including fees, insurance and taxes) should not exceed 30% of your gross income. On top of that, you will also have to pay for utility bills and general home upkeep.
Property valuation
When you decide on a bank, they will arrange for a
valuation of the property
 if required. This is most prevalent in the secondary market when the banks want to make sure if the property is worth the selling price. The valuation will be conducted by a professional valuation company and you will bear the cost. The banks will then decide on the loan amount that they are willing to lend you based on the valuation report.
Here’s how it works: You are eligible for a loan of RM 700,000 and want to buy a property priced at RM 600,000. However, if the valuation report finds that the property is only worth RM 500,000, the banks will only offer you a loan of RM450,000. So, you either have to come up with the rest of the money yourself or renegotiate with the seller.
Secure the mortgage and close
Once you have finalised the property’s offer price and loan amount, you need to secure it by putting pen to paper and making the necessary payments.
Loan agreement
Get a lawyer to prepare the loan agreement. Even though you will be paying for the legal fees, not surprisingly the terms in the loan agreement protects the bank more than you, the buyer. However, don’t be shy about checking the details thoroughly and asking questions. It is better to be safe than sorry! On top of that, you will have to pay the stamp duty on the loan amount and disbursement fees.
Mortgage insurance
The bank may ask you to take out an insurance on your mortgage so that in the event of death, illness or disability, your loan will still be paid in full. Home buyers in Malaysia can opt for the MRTA, MLTA or Takaful mortgage insurances.
Transfer of property ownership
After the loan agreement has been signed, the bank will remit the balance purchase price to the seller’s bank. Then your lawyer will prepare the Memorandum of Transfer and you will have to pay the stamp duty fee. Once all the documents and payments have exchanged properly, the property title can be transferred to your name and you will receive the keys to your own house.

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How to get pre-approved for a mortgage

If you’re in the market for a new home, one of the first steps you should take is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Pre-approval is an important process that gives you a clear idea of how much you can borrow and helps you budget for your new home. It also gives you an advantage when it comes to making an offer on a home, as sellers are more likely to take your offer seriously if you have a pre-approval letter. Here’s how to get pre-approved for a mortgage.
Check your credit score
Before you start the pre-approval process, it’s important to check your credit score. Your credit score is a key factor that lenders consider when determining whether to approve your mortgage application, so it’s important to make sure it’s as high as possible. If your credit score is low, you may want to take steps to improve it before applying for a mortgage.
Gather your financial documents
To get pre-approved for a mortgage, you’ll need to provide lenders with a variety of financial documents, including your tax returns, pay stubs, and bank statements. It’s important to be as thorough as possible when gathering these documents, as lenders will use them to assess your financial situation and determine how much you can borrow.
Shop around for mortgage rates
Once you have your financial documents in order, it’s time to start shopping around for mortgage rates. Different lenders offer different rates and terms, so it’s important to compare offers from multiple lenders to find the best deal. You can do this on your own or work with a mortgage broker, who can help you compare offers and negotiate with lenders on your behalf.
Get pre-approved
Once you’ve found a lender and a mortgage rate that you’re happy with, it’s time to get pre-approved. This typically involves filling out a mortgage application and providing the lender with your financial documents. The lender will review your application and financial documents and determine how much you’re able to borrow based on your creditworthiness and income.
Review the pre-approval letter
Once you’ve been pre-approved, the lender will provide you with a pre-approval letter. This letter outlines the terms of your mortgage, including the loan amount, interest rate, and any fees or closing costs. It’s important to review the letter carefully to make sure you understand the terms and that you’re comfortable with them.
Keep your finances in check
Once you’ve been pre-approved, it’s important to keep your finances in check. This means continuing to make on-time payments on any existing debts and avoiding any major financial changes, such as taking on new debts or changing jobs. Lenders may re-assess your financial situation before closing, and any changes could affect your ability to get a mortgage.
In conclusion, getting pre-approved for a mortgage is an important step in the home buying process. It gives you a clear idea of how much you can borrow and helps you budget for your new home. By checking your credit score, gathering your financial documents, shopping around for mortgage rates, and getting pre-approved, you can increase your chances of getting a mortgage that meets your needs and budget. Just be sure to keep your finances in check and avoid any major financial changes after you’ve been pre-approved to ensure a smooth and successful home buying experience.


How to get property listings as a real estate agent

Becoming the best real estate agent in your target location takes some serious strategy for generating good property listings.
To be successful you have to differentiate yourself from your competitors as the trustworthy negotiator in your market, but also be savvy in generating seller leads in a potentially tough market especially with the current covid19 pandemic.
We have put together a guide to help you master the art of getting property listings in your local market.
How to choose a target location to get property listings

How do you choose the right location for your property listing generation efforts? Start with your highest successes. Find out where you’ve have been the most successful in closing sale transactions and think about building your base from there.
These are important factors you need to consider:

The Average Selling Price

You know that for most locations, profit is in the number of property deals you close and the average selling price of each property transaction. If you currently specialise in a certain price bracket and have been successful in the price bracket, you should choose a target location that has the similar price range. If you’re just starting out, it’s safe to focus on neighbourhoods where properties sell around the average price for your region or city.

Your Opportunity

Make sure there is abundant opportunity for sales. Find the correct figures on
property market statistics
, and make sure its enough to make the commission return worth all your efforts, but not so many that your marketing is too spread out. 300 properties is a good place to start for agents just branching out into a new location, and of course you will need to expand as business grows.
You need to choose an active location/city as well. Ideal property turnover rates will vary from city-to-city, but a general rule of thumb is to target a location with at least a property turnover rate of 7-9%. You will want a location that’s moving fast enough to give you opportunity and business.

The Competition

Research who’s doing sales in the target location. There are two type here:
•          The location doesn’t have any agents dominating the market share.
•          The location has a clear agent or agency in charge
Either way, this presents you a solid opportunity to win over sellers with targeted advertising and cold calling. Once they see your brand and your value, from your sales record,
property website
, and social media postings, they will come calling on you as the next property expert in town.

How to get property listings from your chosen target location

When you have established a location to start property listing generation, it’s time to start some targeted, marketing and cold calling strategies. Make sure you are adding the leads you generate to your seller database and tracking them over time.

The General Best Practices

Firstly your goal is to have a real presence in your target neighbourhood. That means if you’re not going all-in then don’t do it at all. Your strategy needs to be based on building relationships with sellers and being a source of knowledge, which takes time, investment, and most importantly, knowledge consistency.
Keep your marketing and outreach consistent. To establish a strong reputation you will need repeated positive interaction in your
personal branding
, outreach, marketing, and communication.
Position yourself as the location expert. Make sure you have a solid grasp on local pricing trends, buyer demand, and can communicate these numbers and statistics effectively to your seller prospects. Your prospects want compelling information and stats on the market in their location and hyper-local “Sold or rented stories” with successful outcomes.
Manage your budget appropriately. Property marketing is a numbers game, you want exposure to get more listings, but only market to a number of people that you can afford to.
Here are some strategies for marketing for property listings:

Direct mail

The buying and selling game has mostly moved online, but direct mailings and postcards like “just listed” and “sold” cards are still an effective way to supplement your property digital marketing efforts. Remember the consistency is key, both in your branding and your outreach. Mailing out to too many properties, or too many time will keep your costs high, but if you’re careful to target your outreach audience correctly and create a plan around reach and frequency you should be fine

Face-to-face Interactions

Personal face-to-face contact will always be a great way to attract new clients and build relationships. Attending community events, hosting open house viewings and personally inviting neighbours to attend are great ways to meet prospective clients and start conversations.

Cold calling

If you are able to obtain
property masterlists
, you will be able to do call canvasing, by introducing yourself to potential sellers, and asking them if they are in the market to sell or rent out their properties. While we don’t condone obtaining masterlists illegally, a better way would be to build your own database of potential sellers from online marketing, and social media marketing.

Online Presence

Your own property website is like a welcome mat for your brand and the first step to generating online seller leads. Keep careful control of your online reputation to ensure the branded experience communicates value and the perception you’d like to establish about your real estate business. To identify seller leads online and collect their addresses, an effective strategy is to employ a home valuation page. The promise of a free valuation estimate and market report are a good way to find new seller leads and are perfect for new and established agents.

Online Marketing Ads

Potential sellers are performing searches on Google and Facebook based on their specific geographic neighborhood location. This is a huge opportunity for you to gain exposure and reach them with
digital ads
 that show your brand, value, and expertise in that neighborhood/location. These sellers want to work with the real estate agent who appears to be the specialist in their location, so you need to stay visible.

Keeping in Touch:

To stay top-of-mind with potential clients who aren’t ready to make sell or rent out yet, it’s simple to set them up on a
drip campaign
 that keeps them informed on local neighbourhood stats, market trends, and the price of property that sells nearby. This type of communication keeps your property listing generation consistent, automated and effective. Find a
real estate digital marketing expert
 to help you set this automation up.

Other strategies and ways to get property listings

Reach Out to the Neighbors of Your Listings

Neighbours will want to know how their property market is doing and what that means for their own home prices.
Make yourself the go-to seller listing agent in the neighborhood by door-knocking and introducing yourself. To get the conversation happening you can offer a free valuation appraisal. Most people will probably be ok to get a free valuation report and you can get some contact information quite easily.

Offer Advice or More Services to FSBOs

So the seller is confident they can sell their property on their own, but there’s probably some kind of advice, or value you can give to help them out, no strings attached, this is a great way to get yourself known out there.  Because helpful people are usually rewarded and if they end up deciding to go with any agent, they will probably pick you. Also, another thing you can do is offer your services to FSBOs with a provision in your agreement for a reduced rate .

Stay tuned with the
realestatemy.com/blog
 for more up-to-date tips and guides for real estate marketing professionals.


How to impress Malaysian property buyers with virtual staging

A smart seller knows that a better-looking house will be easier to sell than one that is derelict and dirty. In western countries, house-staging is a popular method to improve a house’s aesthetic appearance from the buyer’s perspective. However, the time, effort and cost it takes to prepare a traditional staging (think developer’s show houses) are beyond the realm of average Malaysian sellers. Enter virtual staging. With 9 out of 10 buyers using the internet to search for homes, we’ll show you how virtual staging will help you to impress
Malaysian property buyers
.
What is Virtual Staging?
Virtual staging is the art of decorating rooms with lifelike digital images of furniture and accessories to make it attractive to buyers. First, you need a professional photographer to take the
property photos
 which are important for the final image to look realistic. Then the photos are edited using a design software to “fill” furniture and accessories in the room. The end result is beautiful photos that help potential buyers to make an emotional connection to the house and motivate them to view it.
Can Virtual Staging be used for all homes?
Virtual staging is not suitable for all types of home. Some are better off with traditional staging. However, when done right, it works wonderfully for:
Vacant homes
Homes with outdated furniture
Properties with tenants
, which leave the owner little control over the space’s appearance
If you are still living in your house, then traditional staging is a superior choice for you. You can still virtually stage a few rooms if you and your
real estate agent
 think it’s worthwhile, though.
Why should you use Virtual Staging to help sell your home?
With virtual staging, potential buyers get the best of both worlds. They get to visualise the potential of a home that has been virtually staged as well as the empty one, so they get a complete view of the property. It can be a fantastic asset to impress Malaysian property buyers when you are selling a vacant home, a home occupied by tenants or filled with old-fashioned décor.
Comparison between Virtual Staging and Traditional Staging
One of the best things about virtual staging is that it is a whole lot cheaper than traditional staging. Here’s what you can expect:
Virtual staging costs between RM200 – RM1,000, depending on the designer you use, your location and the amount of space you need to be staged
Traditional staging runs over thousands of Ringgit per month, depending on the stager you use, the amount of furniture and accessories you need to rent, your location and the amount of space you need to be staged
Cost is not the only thing you need to consider, though. Here’s a side by side comparison of the pros and cons of virtual staging versus traditional staging in Malaysia.

Pros and cons of Virtual Staging
Empty rooms don’t impress. Especially when buyers are flicking through photos online. Virtual staging can help your property to stand out, but you have to get it right from the start. Be sure to hire a professional photographer and a reputable design company to get the best results.
Pros of virtual staging:
Is cost effective compared to traditional staging
Offers you the opportunity to stage any number of rooms
Easier to attract prospective buyers’ attention online
Allows you to stage flex rooms in multiple ways
Helps you showcase an empty home’s best features

Cons of virtual staging:
Can be difficult if the house is occupied, unless you have photos of the empty rooms
All the furniture and decorations don’t physically exist, so the buyer doesn’t get to see it in reality
Becomes more expensive when you need to remove furniture or items from photos
Pros and cons of Traditional Staging
Traditional staging, which real estate agents and
 property

developers
 have been using for years, doesn’t always need a professional stager. However, it does require a flair for interior design, an eye for detail and the ability to create spaces that attract a wide audience.
Pros of traditional staging
Appeals to buyers’ imagination
Prevents buyers from having to view an empty shell of a house
Gives buyers a real perspective when they tour your house
Makes spaces appear bigger and helps potential buyers to gauge the size
Helps your house to stand out in buyers’ memories after they leave

Cons of traditional staging
Requires actual pieces of furniture and decoration to be rented
Can be expensive and it’s an on-going cost until the house sells
May be unnecessary, depending on how quickly houses sell in your market
Stay clear of these Virtual Staging mistakes
The ultimate mistake in virtual staging is hiring a design company that’s not good enough. For virtual staging to work, the photos have to be extremely realistic – buyers shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a real photo and a computer-generated one.
Other mistakes to avoid in virtual staging are:
Using virtual staging when it is not necessary. Removing or replacing elements in photos when they were perfectly fine anyway incurs extra cost and is a waste of time
Not providing potential buyers with photos of the empty rooms. Buyers may expect the house to look the same as the listing photos so make sure to provide these photos as well as the staged ones
Making a house look worse instead of better. Be careful of going overboard with furniture and decoration in the staged photos
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