Understanding the Psychology of Owning a Home

Written on May 15, 2012 by Anthony in Coldwell Banker News

To better understand how Americans feel about owning a home…post recession, Coldwell Banker Real Estate recently teamed up with Dr. Robi Ludwig, a psychotherapist & TV Commentator in New York City.

“Clearly the recession has had an impact and one of the questions American’s have is the value of homeownership. I believe the home has a deep psychological value that goes beyond the financial investment so we decided to get straight to the source and survey more than 2,100 Americans to get a sense of their state of mind following the recession.” explains Dr. Ludwig.

“It caused me to reflect personally about my first real home, as well. My parents recently sold my childhood home in New Jersey. They were excited to move to a new community, but I was surprised at my own feelings of loss and then nostalgia. Then again, this was a home that hosted happy occasions, school pep rallies, prom photos, Thanksgiving dinners – it was essentially another character in our family, and that it was natural to feel this strong emotional pull.” Learn more about the survey and our understanding of the ‘Value of a Home’ by watching the brief interview.

Wow…the home as a ‘extension’ or a ‘character’ in the family! That’s powerful…and I couldn’t agree more! It made me think about the home I grew up and lived in for nearly 20 years, in Fishtown. As of right now…that represents half my life. When my parents sold the home over 10 years ago, it took a little while to sink in that the chapter was over. But the memories prevail. My brother now owns a home across the street…and I love visiting and seeing the neighborhood. Seeing familiar faces, storefronts, the bus, the ‘el’. You simply can’t attach a value to those memories. It’s part of who I am.

Fishtown, Philadelphia, PA

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Why Video is Important to Real Estate Marketing

Written on May 13, 2012 by Anthony in Technology & Innovation

WHY VIDEO?
Simply put, the market demands video. Not just photos. Not virtual tours. Full-motion video.

That’s why Coldwell Banker is leading the way with innovations like On Location. Now, whenever a Coldwell Banker agent posts a video, it appears on YouTube’s most visited real estate channel, and gets published at coldwellbanker.com and the Coldwell Banker App for iPad.

Take a look at the numbers and you’ll understand why Coldwell Banker is dedicating unmatched resources to helping its agents develop and market their own videos:

YouTube has more than 3 billion video views per day

Coldwell Banker On Location is the #1 most visited YouTube™ channel for real estate

More than 3 million visitors since launch
More than 2 million video views and counting
More than 100,000 user-generated videos uploaded

Listings with video generate 20% more leads at ColdwellBanker.com
73% of consumers prefer to list with an agent who uses video
Remember, if you’re not using technology like Coldwell Banker On LocationSM to extend the marketing reach of your clients’ homes, you’re putting yourself at a huge competitive disadvantage.

Seem overwhelming? Not Sure where to begin? We’ve got you covered. Check out:

THE 5 STEPS

TO CREATING PROFESSIONAL-QUALITY REAL ESTATE VIDEOS!

http://onlocationvideo101.com

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Here’s to Innovation…

Written on May 4, 2012 by Anthony in Coldwell Banker News

At Coldwell Banker we’ve undeniably lead the industry in the technological advancements since our early beginnings over 100 years ago. In recent years, our development team are constantly and perpetually pushing the envelope in testing new applications and the latest devices…trying new (and sometimes crazy) things like the touch screen coffee table app that eventually lead to the release of our iPad application. From creating the first national real estate website, to developing the industry’s first mobile websites and apps, we’ve always been about creating innovative tools that make the home buying process easier and more enjoyable for consumers.

So in the spirit of our 2012 “Value of a Home” campaign, we present to you our latest commercial. We’re calling this newest spot “Innovation” and it’s all about how our tools can help make looking for home a wonderful experience from in-market homebuyers to aspirational dreamers looking at neighborhoods and homes they’re working hard to get to eventually. The 30 second spot, which will drive consumers to our website, is voiced once again by Emmy winning actor Tom Selleck. Enjoy!

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Homes & Estates Magazine | Spring/Summer 2012 | Arrived!! Check out the Distribution!

Written on April 13, 2012 by Anthony in Coldwell Banker News

[caption id="attachment_656" align="alignright" width="224" caption="...also in an iPad app!"]

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ABOUT HOMES & ESTATES

Coldwell Banker Previews International has made its name by providing exceptional marketing services for the sale of exceptional real estate, and one of its most valuable components is Homes & Estates magazine. By showcasing the world’s most exquisite villas, chateaus and manor homes on the market, Homes & Estates has become one of the most widely read magazines of its kind.

In addition to being a stand-alone magazine, Homes & Estates also has an enhanced partnership with Unique Homes, the premier magazine in international luxury real estate for nearly 40 years. Each issue of Homes & Estates also appears in a special section within the full international run of Unique Homes magazine. That means exposure in two high-end real estate publications. The print and digital editions combined reach a global audience of nearly three quarters of a million affluent individuals in more than 80 countries. Homes & Estates and the Homes & Estates section in Unique Homes…. taking Coldwell Banker Previews International to a luxury audience worldwide.

THE HISTORY OF PREVIEWS

The Previews program was founded in 1933 by Henderson Talbot, a young entrepreneur who was one of the first to market real estate beyond his local area. He specialized exclusively in marketing fine properties nationally and internationally, which allowed Talbot to place these luxury properties in front of the clientele who could afford this type of home. Acquired by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC in 1980, this luxury home marketing program continues to build its success through the Coldwell Banker Previews International program. Through the Previews program, Coldwell Banker has represented an impressive array of the world’s most fabulous real estate. In 2010, the Coldwell Banker Previews program participated in nearly 13,547 transactions worth $25 billion. On average, Previews handles $68.9 million in luxury home sales every day.*

TOTAL OUTREACH: Approximately: 690,000 + pass along

DISTRIBUTION

Published twice a year (Spring & Fall)

90,000 total print distribution

50,000 stand-alone copies sent to:

• Multi-Millionaires
• Celebrities
• Fortune 1000 Executives
• Real Estate Investors
• US Delta & US Air East Coast Shuttle Locations
• US & Intl Gateway Airline Lounges
• US Delta Airline Lounges
• US Four & Five Star Hotels & Resorts
• NRT Coldwell Banker Local Operating Companies

40,000 inserted in Unique Homes Magazine sent to:

• Domestic & International newsstands
• Unique Homes Subscribers
• Private Jet Facilities & Airline Lounges
• Owners of Homes Valued at $5 million+

600,000 digital editions sent via e-mail to:

• Affluent consumers (Domestic & International)
• Consumers with a $10 Million+ net worth
• Unique Homes e-mail subscribers

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Survey: iPads are the marketing tool of the future

Written on April 4, 2012 by Anthony in Technology & Innovation

Email still rules, print is dead

BY INMAN NEWS, TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012. Inman News®

[caption id="attachment_646" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="iPad app by Coldwell Banker, available in iTunes"]

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It’s an iPad world. More than 75 percent of the 110 real estate professionals who participated in a survey by marketing technology firm Imprev selected “iPad presentation” as the marketing tool they would most like to have.

“Drip” e-marketing campaigns placed a distant second at 35 percent, followed by websites at 29 percent, and blogs at 28 percent.

“Real estate agents are shouting that they want their iPad apps,” said Renwick Congdon, CEO of Imprev, the marketing technology firm that conducted the survey.

About 52 percent of respondents reported smartphones as their favorite hardware, followed by iPads/tablets at 26 percent, laptops at 16 percent, and desktop computers at 5 percent.

Fifty-one percent of survey respondents selected email as the most effective current marketing tool, followed by Agent website at 50 percent, virtual tours at 42 percent, printed postcards at 36 percent, and Facebook at 32 percent.

Ten years ago, according to survey respondents, the most effective marketing tools were all print-based, including newspaper display ads, postcards, fliers, newspaper classified ads and magazine display ads.

[caption id="attachment_650" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="CNBC Real Estate Coorespondent Dianna Olick broadcasting from Inman Connect"]

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Welcome to Coldwell Banker Heroes

Written on March 25, 2012 by Anthony in Coldwell Banker News

Welcome to Coldwell Banker Heroes

Coldwell Banker launched a new charitable program that recognizes the full scope of those within the Coldwell Banker system who assist those in need. The “Coldwell Banker Heroes” program debuted last week at the Generation Blue Experience in New Orleans. The newly created program will highlight the financial giving, time, goods and services donated to charitable organizations by members of the Coldwell Banker global network.

The Coldwell Banker brand is known worldwide for our charitable efforts. The list of organizations that benefit are endless – from well-known entities like Habitat for Humanity to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to Toys for Tots or to the countless local charity programs in communities across the globe.

Locally, Coldwell Banker Casa Bella Realtors has demonstrated a strong initiative with several important organizations. We have organized events and programs for both Gilda’s Club in Linwood and the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Egg Harbor Township among others. The Coldwell Banker Heroes program will simply provide the framework for us to have a more structured approach to supporting important causes within our community and nationally.

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Summer at the Jersey Shore = Backyard fun!

Written on March 19, 2012 by Anthony in Uncategorized

There are many things that make a house a home. Warm family space. A entertaining basement or kitchen. Often times, its even the location…proximity to the beach or schools or a favorite golf course. But one of the main attractions about on a home…especially in the southern New Jersey region…where our summers are truly glorious… is the backyard.

Backyards are memory makers. Think about it. Barbeques, pool parties, decks and fire pits. It’s the space family and friends congregate around.

When I grew up…in an 18 foot wide row home in Philadelphia….we had a patio. In my early years it was simply bricks set over top the dirt. My job was to ‘weed’ the spaces between the bricks. I hated that! But one summer…my father and I pulled up all the bricks and set them back in concrete. When we finished…we wrote our names in the corner in a small square of concrete. The patio had a trellis with grape vines growing up and over to provide shade to the patio area below.

We also had a garden that formed a perimeter around a grass area…that as a child was large enough to play catch. Because the property was less than 20 feet wide, I quickly learned to climb fences as the ball would frequently enter a neighboring yard!

I’ve had an on again/off again relationships with gardens ever since. It’s a time commitment for sure…but like many things in life…the benefits are so sweet! Nothing like a caprese salad in August with a Jersey tomato still warm off the vine. Or a ratatouille with fresh summer vegetables to accompany what you have on the grill.

Today, I’m on 3 acres…a far cry from 18 feet…and as for a garden?…well, we’ll see. Running out of time for this summer, I have to act quick! But whatever your memories…or your plans are…the reality is….backyards, without a doubt, hold a special place for all of us.

So let me close by sharing a video of our new Coldwell Banker TV ad that we call “Backyards.” I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Here’s to backyards and all the things that make a house a home.

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Social Media Cheatsheet

Written on March 14, 2012 by Anthony in Technology & Innovation

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The Value of a Home

Written on March 6, 2012 by Anthony in Housing Economics

March 5, 2012 | Posted by mike_fischer

I am shocked at the sheer volume of charts, graphs and heat maps that try and focus consumers on the stats and appreciation trends in home buying and selling. Now, the dollars and cents and crime stats are all a part of the decision to buy a home, but its not the only or even most important reason. Why do people buy homes? Its for lifestyle. It’s personal.

There were two things I wanted more than anything growing up on the Jersey Shore in Ventnor, NJ: a new car and a house. My mom had an old Chevy Bel Air that was always breaking down. Dates were always a challenge when you are trying to impress a girl but didn’t know if the starter would work. We rented a series of apartments during my teens because the landlord(s) either sold the building, gave the apartment to their kid, hated our dog, or raised the rent to the point where we had to move. I never was able to paint my room a color other than “off white”. I couldn’t do anything in the backyard like plant a tree/shrub, put a swingset there, or even mow the lawn when the grass got too long. The kitchens were always “apartment grade.” Things always broke and you had to wait for the landlord to fix it, if they ever did.

Fast forward to today, and I’ve had the pleasure of working for two great companies that in a bizarre way, allowed me to get what I had been looking for all those years ago. For 15 years I worked for a car company, and got a new car every year. That was sweet! And now, I am the chief marketing officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate. And not only do I help our brokers and agents make home ownership possible for hundreds of thousands of people each year, we have just developed a new television campaign that I believe really hits at the heart of home ownership. And after the past four years of doom and gloom, we need a little heart right now. We have to get back to the “why” that people buy homes.

We have a :60 anthem (see below) that explains our unique view of the value of a home. The voice on the spot is the great Tom Selleck. Not only is he the star of the hit CBS series Blue Bloods (at Coldwell Banker, it is rumored, we bleed blue), and has a wonderful, trusting voice that adds a great texture to the commercial…but the backstory is even better. You see, Tom’s dad was a vice president at Coldwell Banker for 38 years, and he was the only member of his family that wasn’t in real estate…until now!

We also have a :30 spot on the Value of a Home, and three ;15 spots that talk about some of the things that make a house a home…Kids, Backyards andPets. I can personally relate to all of them!

So 3 months ago, I bought a small, dumpy 2nd home down the shore, about 2 miles away from where I grew up in Ventnor. I never checked the crime stats. I briefly looked at the appreciation charts for this house and the neighborhood. I paid more attention to how many blocks away from the ocean it was and asked “would we walk or ride bikes to the beach in the summer?” Did it have a backyard for BBQ’s and hanging out? Was it close to a Starbucks and the local sub shop, Dino’s? Was it big enough to have tons of friends and family bunking up on long summer weekends? The price was good, the interest rate low and for a monthly payment that was the same as a car payment, it was a great deal. My Coldwell Banker agent, Bracken Markins, was great. I’m painting it now — any darn color I want. I’m fixing what needs to be fixed, and what I can’t fix, I “gotta guy” that can. My dog is welcome to be there anytime. I’m going to plant a tree. My kids will bring their kids here someday in the future. I’m going to fish in the bay A LOT. My wife and I will grow old there together.

That’s the value of my home. Share yours in the comments and take a look at our new TV ad below that we call “The Value of a Home.”

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Previews International New Campaign is unveiled

Written on March 3, 2012 by Anthony in Coldwell Banker News

Atlantic City native (& CB Chief Marketing Officer) Mike Fischer presenting the new Coldwell Banker Previews International marketing campaign at the Fire & Ice Party in New Orleans, LA. It’s hot!!

Previews International is the Luxury Division of Coldwell Banker Real Estate, targeting the most exclusive properties in the world and successfully reaching the most affluent buyers to match their needs.

Attending the party were Coldwell Banker professionals from around the globe together with representatives from key marketing partners; Maserati, Tiffany’s, Unique Homes & more.

Coldwell Banker already sells 1 out of 2 homes that sell in excess of $1M in the U.S.

And there’s an aggressive initiative to improve on that. In fact, already 3 out of 4 $1M+ sales California are by Coldwell Banker.

Previews International is an important initiative at CB Casa Bella Realtors as we look to take advantage of the global audience to which we expose our listings.

We know (according to U.S. Census) that over 1/3rd of household movers relocate out of County, State or Country when they move. A percentage that dramatically increases as household income increases…identifying the importance of Global exposure.

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