Monthly Archives: November 2015
10 Reasons Why You Need To Build A Relationship With Your Mortgage Adviser
Mortgage advisers play an essential role in the property sales process, often helping to close a deal. In many cases a mortgage adviser is able to secure finance for clients who may have already been turned down or who may not fit the exact lending criteria of banks and lending institutes.
As a Harcourts Real Estate Agent you have the opportunity to work closely with our partner, Mortgage Express, accessing its wide range of financial products and services.
Here are 10 reasons why you need to build a relationship with your Mortgage Express mortgage adviser.
1. Professional and objective advice
Because Mortgage Express works for your clients and not the lenders, they offer objective, unbiased advice on the right financial product to best fit your client’s specific needs. And they’re not restricted to working with just one lender; Mortgage Express has a range of lenders and lending products so they’ll work with your client, the same way you do, to find the right solution.
2. Saving time and money
Finding the right home loan can be stressful and time consuming. As experienced mortgage professionals, Mortgage Express mortgage advisers understand the often complicated processes and lender requirements that go with a loan application. They’ll guide your clients every step of the way, saving time and money, and helping them achieve their financial goals. In the same way you do all of the running around for your clients when they’re buying or selling, a Mortgage Express mortgage adviser does the legwork when it comes to finding a financial solution.
3. Negotiate on behalf of your client
Ensuring your client’s best interests are always top of mind, a Mortgage Express mortgage adviser will negotiate with lenders on rates, fees and approvals, and secure the best rates and terms to fit your client’s individual needs. Strong lender relationships and more negotiating power means they’re often able to secure a better deal for your clients.
4.Effective and Efficient
With access to a wide range of lending options, a Mortgage Express mortgage adviser is able to move quickly, meeting with your client and providing them with access to the best loan for their purpose. Often that can make the difference when it comes to closing the sale.
5. Keeping you informed
Your Mortgage Express mortgage adviser works closely with both you and your client, providing a cohesive link and open communication throughout the loan application process. That means you’ll have more control over the sale and can troubleshoot any issues before they arise.
6. Obtain pre-approval
By pre-qualifying your vendors and potential buyers, Mortgage Express helps ensure your clients are in the best position possible to make an informed decision. Your clients will know up front exactly how much they can afford and how much they can apply for, saving you any unnecessary time.
7. Free to use
Mortgage advice won’t cost you or your client anything. In most cases, a Mortgage Express mortgage adviser’s fees are paid by the lender if your client goes ahead with the loan.
8. Shared commission
Like you, your mortgage adviser will only get paid if the sale goes through. But did you know, even if you don’t sell to the client and Mortgage Express secures their loan for them, you will still get paid? Mortgage Express shares its commission with you as a thank you for your referral.
9. 360 degree relationship
By working with a Mortgage Express mortgage adviser, you improve your chances of reselling to that client. Any time your client is looking to move and Mortgage Express is handling their finance, they’ll re-introduce the client back to you. That’s what’s called a 360 degree relationship!
10. Ongoing support
Your Mortgage Express mortgage adviser provides ongoing support and advice, helping you to grow your business. Whether it’s through advice on a case by case deal or helping you do First Home Buyer and Investment Property Presentations, your Mortgage Express mortgage adviser is on hand to support you.
Apple recognises Harcourts custom apps across global web network
Harcourts, has been selected from a world-wide category to be the first real estate company to be featured across Apple’s global web network with a case study showing how they have used Apple’s iOS technology to transform their business.
In recognition of their innovation and use of the iPad and iPhone to enhance client experience and drive greater efficiency for their business, Apple has produced a video and business case study about Harcourts’ work – an accolade reserved only for companies developing the most cutting edge business solutions using Apple technology.
Harcourts is the first company from the Australasian region, and the first real estate group world-wide, to be selected by Apple for this recognition.
Harcourts New Zealand CEO Hayden Duncan, says the custom suite of apps developed by Harcourts, is transforming the way they do business.
“By nature real estate is a mobile business. Agents are on the road, meeting clients, inspecting properties and showing homes.
“The power of Apple iOS inspired us to develop a suite of apps for our global network of sales consultants that would provide them with a full range of marketing, research and technological tools while they’re on the move. The apps save our consultants hundreds of hours per year by streamlining tasks and they help us deliver a great client experience.
“Take e-Campaign for iPad, for example. From the comfort of your living room, a sales consultant can help you build your ideal marketing campaign; displaying real-time market data from your local neighbourhood, visually showcasing the complete range of marketing options available, and booking everything into an online calendar so you know exactly what to expect every step of the way.
“Information is all stored digitally so there’s no need for paper forms or folders or for data re-entry back at the office, which means we can deliver a timely, professional, and consistent level of service,” says Mr Duncan.
Harcourts was selected above several other global real estate companies because they showed how Apple technology has enabled them to become game-changers in their industry.
“The integration of our apps both with third-party real estate data sources and the company intranet is key to our success. This means sales consultants have access to an unprecedented level of information from wherever they are providing a distinct competitive advantage,” explains Mr Duncan.
Mr Duncan says Harcourts’ focus is firmly on the future and innovation is at the forefront of everything they do.
“Client expectations are changing and it’s essential that we change with them. Technology is helping us to be more agile and responsive to our clients’ needs, delivering faster and more effective communication, and providing a seamless client experience overall.”
“Being able to launch our apps across multiple devices in multiple countries and integrate to our intranet is one of the key reasons we chose iOS as our platform.”
How Much Is Your Home Worth?
It’s spring time, the weather is warmer, and more people are out and about looking at open homes. As such, spring is often a popular time to list homes for sale. So if you are looking to sell your property, how much is your home worth?
Did you know?
The average time it is taking to sell a home in your market indicates the market climate. It is very important a seller understands which market they are in and the average time it is taking to sell a property within that market. Ask your sales consultant about the current market in your location.
There are three types of market climates:
A seller’s market
There are lots of buyers and very few homes for sale. High demand for property is in the seller’s favour as properties spend less time on the market and sale prices rise due to scarcity.
A buyer’s market
Often there are literally hundreds of homes for sale and very few buyers. High demand for buyers is in the buyer’s favour as properties stay on the market much longer and sale prices reduce to compete for buyers.
A balanced market
Numbers of buyers and properties for sale are about equal. Neither buyer nor seller has an advantage as properties are not languishing on the market or being snaffled up.
If you have decided now is the time to make a move, one of the most crucial aspects of selling is determining a fair market value for your property.
How do you go about doing this?
If you choose to market your home with Harcourts, your sales consultant will provide you with a comparative market analysis (CMA).
This will help advise you of the market value of your property by comparing your home with others that have sold recently. Using these properties as a guide, you can objectively calculate an accurate market value.
Of course, identical homes are not always readily available, so sometimes you will need to add or subtract the differing features. For example, if one of the comparative properties in the CMA has a single garage yet your home has a double, you can discuss with your sales consultant how much more value that places on your home. If on the other hand, the other home has three bedrooms and yours only has two, then you might conclude that your property may be worth less.
If you choose to auction, you will be letting the market determine the value of your property. Marketing with a price limits what a keen buyer may pay. Once a listing price has been established for a property, a ceiling has been placed on what a buyer expects to pay for it. Auction, on the other hand, offers a real opportunity to get more for a property than the seller might expect.
You may be very pleasantly surprised by the price your home achieves on auction day, however it is sensible to have in mind a fair price you would be prepared to accept. This is where your CMA will be invaluable.
If you choose to market your property with a price indication, it is absolutely critical to set this at a fair market rate for the following reasons:
- The best buyers inspect first – the longer a property is on the market, the less sense of urgency there is amongst the buyers.
- Website activity is at its highest when a property first enters the market. Many buyers have an automatic alert in place to notify them of new listings.
- The right price will attract the right buyers for that particular property rather than buyers in a higher price bracket inspecting the property and expecting more based on its price.
- A fair market price attracts more offers, resulting in a faster sale.
- Urgency creates more realistic offers from buyers and often a better price achieved.
- All listings are perishable and deteriorate with time on the market. Therefore, the longer an overpriced listing is on the market, the less perceived market value it will have.
- An overpriced home makes the competition look good – it helps other houses to sell.
Selling soon?
If you’re looking to sell your house soon get a free no obligation appraisal from one of our sales consultants.
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If you’re preparing to sell your home, you may have started to go through the process of tidying, decluttering and making modest repairs, but to really make your home stand-out against the competition, have you considered property staging?
Hot Tips for Selling in Summer
It’s getting to be the hottest time of the year and as the sun comes out, so do the hats, cold drinks and backyard barbeques.
Summer is the season that most of us long for all year and a season where many prospective buyers are braving the heat to look for their next home. Here are a few tips to make your home more summer-friendly to prospective buyers which will enhance the chance of achieving the best result for your property.
Brighten with colour
Using the right colours can add a summery, fresh and cool look to your home and you don’t have to spend lots of money on repainting the walls. In fact, a common interior design trend these days is to keep walls fairly neutral. Instead, invest in bright, summery cushions and décor, fresh fruit and bright flowers which will give your home that fresh, and colourful edge.
Let the outside in
Open your windows and any sliding or bi-fold doors. Although air-conditioning is a quick way to cool down your home, consider using the air-conditioner only prior to a home inspection and then open windows and doors to let in fresh air and summer breezes.
Allowing natural airflow through open windows and screens, with fans turned on at a low speed, can help to show how naturally cool your property is, as well as highlighting outdoor entertainment areas and gardens.
Freshen up the garden
Make sure the grass and garden is tidy. Your garden is often the first thing to make an impression on potential buyers, and first impressions are important. In summer, our lawns and shrubbery tend to grow faster and some plants need additional watering, so ensure your lawn is mowed, hedges and unruly shrubs are trimmed, and any wilting or dead plants are revived or removed.
Make the most of outdoor spaces
Summer really is the best time of year to showcase your home’s outdoor area, so spend some time making it look as appealing as possible. Put away any pool toys or play equipment, consider replacing or buying new outdoor cushions for seating areas, place a bowl of fruit or fresh flowers on outdoor surfaces or even a jug of cold lemonade, sweep and tidy entertainment areas and even consider staging these areas to show just how inviting the space is in the warmer weather.
Overall, the best tips for selling in summer are to put on your ‘buyers shoes’ and take a look around your house as if you were inspecting it for the first time on a hot, sunny day. Think about what appeals most to you and think of what you can do to further enhance that area. Also take the time to consider what needs to be done to fix any problem areas. Happy summer selling!
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It’s a convenient way of moving quickly on a new property, without having to wait until your current home is sold.
Why Do People Leave? Building A Culture In Real Estate.
The real estate world is often thought of as a ‘24-hours a day, seven days a week’ kind of business, and it attracts the kinds of people that are willing to work long hours to get ahead and reap the rewards. However, in an industry where there is often an expectation that everyone within an office must work hard, and go the extra mile for their clients, often times we forget to turn the focus inward and ensure our own people are a key focus.
In my experience, you really can’t overestimate the importance of fostering a culture which puts people first. Not only does it make it a more enjoyable environment to work in, but it pays dividends in the long-run when it comes to staff retention.
The culture of a business is evident from the front desk through to the principal and it sets the tone for the agency, so it’s a key driver of success.
When you look at most administration staff within real estate offices, they often cite feeling unappreciated as a driver for leaving. Office support staff often work hard, put in long hours and generally need to have a similar set of skills and knowledge to the agents they work with, yet often times they’re treated like second-class citizens when compared to sales teams.
Property managers too often experience burn-out after clocking in long hours, dealing with complaints from both tenants and landlords and often times also feeling unappreciated for what is a very demanding role.
Sales agents are always to looking to grow, they’re looking for principals who are able to offer them the systems, tools and processes to help them get ahead. A lot of agents also reach a point where they’re looking to build their own teams, and may look to leave an office in the hopes of making more money by starting up their own office, or after being lured away by a competitor who offers better commissions or conditions.
I believe to attract and retain talent, agencies need to develop a culture that focuses on putting people first. That’s the people we service and those we work with.
So how do we do this?
Retaining staff doesn’t necessarily mean you have to offer higher commissions or pay to keep people in your business.
As a principle, if you’re providing good working conditions, recognising and rewarding success, offering learning and development opportunities, supporting your people with the best in technology, and remembering to have some fun along the way, it not only comes across to your clients, but goes a huge way to retaining staff.
- Offer the best in technology. It’s about removing barriers and offering the best solution, so that your people can do their jobs well and communicate effectively.
- Reward and recognition. It’s about rewarding and recognising staff through proper events and award nights.
- Training and development. Offering professional training and mentoring opportunities can also go a long way at retaining agents that may feel they aren’t growing in their roles.
- Fun and laughter. It’s important to make time for socialising as a team and to recognise that it can’t be serious business all the time.
The bottom line is, money is a motivator, but generally people want to enjoy coming to work every day and culture plays a very big part in that.
Mark Morrison