Social Media and Real Estate Trends for 2013

Social Media and Real Estate Trends for 2013

• For many real estate and mortgage professionals in Canada, 2012 will always be remembered as the year when the housing market finally reached a bottom in terms of property prices.

Social Media and Real Estate Trends for 2013

• This event triggered a budding housing market recovery in key metropolitan areas like Toronto and Vancouver, and healthy activity in other areas is a good indicator that 2013 will see even greater improvement.

What to Expect in 2013

• Over the last few years, the housing market in Canada was undermined by pessimism and a lack of activity. For many housing and mortgage professionals, the economic downturn during the Great Recession was a period of reflection and introspection.

What to Expect in 2013

• Many lessons were learned about the excesses of the early 21st century, and one of the most prominent mistakes of the housing bubble was the irrational belief that it would last forever.

What to Expect in 2013

• As we came to find the hard way, the housing market grows and contracts in cycles. According to various experts and analysts, the housing market will most likely continue to recover in 2013, but at a measured pace.

What to Expect in 2013

• There are no forecasts past the end of 2013, and it is better to cautiously approach the recovery. The cyclical nature of the housing market tends to reward early participants, which means that those who expect to profit from this industry should prepare their marketing strategies now.

What to Expect in 2013

• Many aspects of housing transactions, from listing to closing, are taking place online. The Web has been the starting point for most house hunters for years; this will continue in 2013, but the expectations will be much higher.

Strong Web Presence Thanks to Social Media

• Every home that goes on sale in 2013 must be listed online, but the listing must have quality real estate content to support it. In the past, a Realtor was happy with simply doing some offline marketing to direct prospect to a website where they could flip through listings displayed by a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) plugin. Home shoppers are looking for a lot more than that these days.

Strong Web Presence Thanks to Social Media

• House hunters have greater expectations in terms of the quality of information that is given to them. Realtors are looked up to as experts, and they can expect to be put to the test in 2013. Home buyers and sellers know that they can always negotiate among themselves and come to an agreement on the price; what they are looking for is true expertise and resourcefulness, and this is where a strong Web presence comes in.

Strong Web Presence Thanks to Social Media

• In 2013, home shoppers will be announcing their intentions to their social media circles. They will vet their Realtors by going to their websites and reviewing the content they have published therein. First-time home buyers will have many questions, not only about their purchase but about real estate in general.

Strong Web Presence Thanks to Social Media

• They may turn to their social network in this regard, but they expect to see rich answers to their queries prominently displayed on the websites of their Realtors.

What to Expect in 2013

• The success of the housing market in 2013 will strongly depend on the interaction between buyers, sellers and the professionals who bring them together. With the proper use of social media tools and the Web, we can expect a smooth recovery.

Further Reading…

• Doug Heldman Real Estate Homeward Brokerage is Toronto’s real estate expert. Let him and his team help you move into your dream home, in that desirable Toronto neighbourhood. Visit http://www.dougheldman.com/ today!