So forget print advertising ?.... NOT at this time.

So forget print advertising ?.... NOT at this time.

Internet Advertising Only? ..... I Think Not !    
                 
Call me old-fashioned, but I do both print media and Internet advertising. I know that not everyone who buys a house - or who is helping someone look for a house - is in their 30's. There is another generation and they do read newspapers, and they do need print ads. This generation includes people with lots of disposable income who are looking for nice homes. It also includes people with children and grandchildren who may need a new home, and these parents have time to help their kids with the search.

Knowing the market, taking the time to listen and learn about the client's needs, working my wide network of connections and resources, investing my time and talent in each transaction, and yes, placing ads in all appropriate media is what  sells houses. Sure, you can Google me and my properties anytime. I'm there. In the page above, there are many references to get readers to the internet. Just counted 22 times that my website or email are mentioned.

The full-service commission that I receive pays for my print media, for my Internet ads and for the many hours of my time. It is recognition that I apply all my knowledge,marketing  skill and experience to getting the best price for the home. This advertising also keeps my name and face in front of the public and keeps a future waiting list of sellers.

So forget print advertising ?.... NOT at this time.

Special Connections in Baltimore, MD - From Internet to Inter-Personal...and More!

Special Connections in Baltimore,Md…From Internet to Inter-Personal ...And More!

There was a wonderful out town buyer who found me through the Internet, all the way from the British Virgin Islands! She has been looking for several months for a home, a condo in Baltimore, Maryland, for her 18-year-old daughter who will be attending the University of Baltimore. She loved one of my condos at 6210 Park Heights and wanted to put in an offer sight unseen. Nope, I could not do that - sometimes photos look better than the real thing.

So a couple of Fridays ago she flew in.... we spent hours getting to know each other, the condo unit she thought she wanted, and also another in the same building. There were similarities in both units but also a price difference - one in original condition, the other in move-in condition with updated baths, kitchen, carpet, appliances, etc.

We found there was a tremendous connection between all of us...the mother, the daughter, the uncle who lives in Maryland and wants to make sure his niece is "taken care of," and me. There was so much to talk about - where will she shop, what are the bus routes, what about safety, the security of the building, and the neighborhood? They had done lots of research and had lots of questions, but I could answer some of those questions before they were even asked – another benefit of knowing the area for years.

And when we were done, yes, they decided to make an offer, but not on the unit they came to see, but the second one instead. Strathmore Towers 6210 Park Heights Ave #701 Baltimore, Maryland 21215

As we parted later in the evening, I told her I had a gift for her…my book already in a gift bag. Then she said, "I have a present for you." She bought it in the islands, did not know why, but felt she “had” to get it, and it was for me. She seemed almost embarrassed as she presented me with the absolute perfect gift. Remember, we had never met. And out comes a BROWN pocketbook made of coconut SQUARES! How would she have known how to pick the perfect object, perfect shape, perfect color? All the things I love - it's brown, it has squares, it is made of natural material (coconut shells), and it is the same size as my book. It was made for me!

In such a short time... with the help of the Internet, email, phone, and finally face-to-face, we made a very very special connection.

.............Wait.....there's more........

When I wrote to this wonderful lady and asked permission to post her story, she not only approved but added her own wonderful comments:

This is her email that I am going to share in it's entirety:

"Margaret,

You have me blushing all over .... the map of the BVI, the Strathmore Building, the beautiful brown purse and the amazing story!!!! Well, look how things were unfolding. It is just amazing to meet you, a powerful lady with lots of charm. You have my permission to post this amazing story.

There are just a few little details that you can propably insert in the story. It is written in third person. The buyer for #701 said that she was first attracted to my website because I, Margaret Rome took the time to carefully showcase the properties and she thought that my website was done professionally. She also said that was what really singled out the HomeRome Website from the others! She also stated that she felt that I was appealing to her as a buyer with lots of information about the properties and plenty of pictures to help narrow down her search. She confirmed that I was the only realtor that she contacted from among the many, many websites that she researched.


The story does not end with what you wrote. The other amazing part just seems to blow my buyer away by the very thought of it is that the owner for the first condo she visited heard me talk about how my buyer and I met. Did you know that he is proposing to pass on his beautiful furniture that is used to stage his condo to my new friend although he had never met my buyer. How amazing!

Margaret, this is a compelling story to show how rewarding your profession can be. You meet all types of people, other linger around you for a reason or for a season, and others are just amazing people.

Continue to shine.

Marva"

Connections can start on the internet...become special and so much more!

Special Connections in Baltimore,Md...From Internet to Inter-Personal ...And More!

Internet Only Advertising? Not For Me!

An article I read recently seemed to take the position that anyone who spends money on print advertising is wasting money, and that those old-fashioned ads that stain your fingers may make the sellers feel good but they don't sell houses.

Call me old-fashioned then, but I do both print and Internet advertising. I know that not everyone who buys a house – or who is helping someone look for a house – is in their 30's. There is another generation and they do read newspapers, and they do need print ads. This generation includes people with lots of disposable income who are looking for nice homes. It also includes people with children and grandchildren who may need a new home, and these parents have time to help their kids with the search.

Why would you ignore an entire group of potential clients by refusing to talk to them in the way that will reach them? Sure, many of them are tech savvy, but they often find us on the web after seeing our names and faces in newspapers, in glossy magazines, or hearing us on the radio.

It's true that many potential buyers start a home search on the internet before they ever contact a Realtor®. But that doesn't mean that just having a Web presence is enough, any more than doing the Three P's is enough. Placing the listing in the MLS (which is NOT the same as advertising on the Web, though some agents think so), Placing a sign in the ground, and Praying – these won't sell houses.

Knowing the market, taking the time to listen and learn about the client's needs, working my wide network of connections and resources, investing my time and talent in each transaction, and yes, placing ads in all appropriate media, that sells houses. Sure, you can Google me and my properties anytime. I'm there. But I'm also in the Merchandiser, the Baltimore Jewish Times, and the New York Times when the property needs that.

Some sellers like to see their home in the paper, others love to see it on their computer. Whether it's a big ad on your web site or a print ad in the local paper, how can it be wrong to do whatever it takes to reassure your seller while you market their home?

The full-service commission that I receive does pay for the print ads, for the Internet ads, and for the many hours of my time. It is recognition that I apply all my knowledge, skill and experience to getting the best price for the home and making sure the seller is happy. This advertising also keeps my name and face in front of the public and keeps a future waiting list of sellers.

So forget print advertising? Not at this time!