Platinum Marketing Plan

3.5% | Plus Selling Broker Coop Fee

Minimum: $3,000

Estimate of Value (CMA) and Estimated Seller Proceeds

Competive Market Analysis (CMA) and Seller Proceeds

Two of the most important processes that a professional real estate agent should always provide a seller are a Competiive Market Analysis (CMA) and an Estimated Seller Proceeds.

 

A CMA is similar to an appraisal in that it compares comparable homes that have sold, are on the market, or expired without selling, to your home, so that a reasonable fair market price can be determined.  The most weight is given to recent solds, of course.  Going no more than 3 months back is preffered, but it is common to go back six months, and in some extreme cases, up to a year to catch any trends.  Proper pricing is one of the most important elements to selling a home. Overpriced properties can cost a seller time and money, while underpriced properties will sell quickly, can can leave money "on the table."

 

An Estimated Seller Proceeds helps deternine what a seller might expect if the property were to sell at a particular price.  Existing loans, commissions, title/escrow fees, repair costs, etc. all go in the mix so a seller gets an idea that if their property sells, what their check may look like.  While it is an educated guess, if done properly with the correct data, it can be very close to a sellers actual proceeds.  This process helps a seller determine their bottom line and start making future plans.  Most agents don't do them because they don't know how to do them or think they are too much work.  But you will always get one from a Country Air agent.

Standard "For Sale" Sign

One of the leading sources of buyer phone calls is off of "For Sale" signs. Yet, not all "For Sale" signs are the same.  Some stand out, some don't.  Country Air Properties "For Sale" signs were designed to jump and grab attention of passerby’s.  And it's not just the sign itself that is important.  Have you ever seen a "For Sale" sign incompetently placed and hard to see, or so weather worn they should be recycled?

Country Air agents are trained to analyze every site for the best possible placement of the sign to attract maximum attention, and use only high quality and attractive posts and signs for the most attractive display.

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CRMLS (MLS)

Having informatoin about your propertty loaded into a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is an important part of a smart marketing strategy as it invites agents from firms other than your listing company and offers part of the commission to them if they introduce the buyer.The are hundreds of MLS's, each one covering a specific area with different numbers of members. Not all agents belong to an MLS, and some who belong to one may not belong to one that serves the area of your property.

 

Country Air Properties belongs to California Regional Multiple Listing Service Inc. (CRMLS), the nations largest MLS with over 70,000 members throughout California.  For Lake County, this is currently the most important MLS to have your property in.

 

For additional MLS coverage in the Bay Area Real Estate System MLS (BAREIS) consider upgrading to the Upgraded or Premium Marketing Plans.

 

 

 

 

 

Web syndication to Zillow, Trulia, and over 30 other websites

Syndicating Information on Your Property Across the Web

 

When we input information about your property it not only goes to just the websites we belong to.  Your properties information is syndicatd (distributed) to dozens of other web sites that buyers frequent, making your properties information easlily accessible all around the world, 24/7.  Here is a partial list of where we can provide information about your property:

Realtor.com Company Showcase

Realtor.com Company Showcase Homes

Realtor.com is the most searched real estate site in the world.  Every home put in an MLS gets syndicated to Realtor.com.  However, unless your agent is part of their Showcase Homes upgrade, your listing will not get the interaction and marketing overlays that are part of this program.

 

Realtor.com Company Showcase Homes creates a better visualizaton of your property for buyers.  Consumers can more easily reach their agents than the majority of agents who do not belong. Ultimately, it will aid greatly in the effective presentation and marketing of your property.

Country Air Properties was the first brokerage in Lake County to join Realtor.com Showcase homes when it first came out in 2005, and our sellers have benefited from it ever since. Today, many brokerages also belong, but most still do not.  Make sure you property gets promoted with Realtor.com Company Showcase.

Professional Flyer

With our affilation with Circlepix, we will be able to create a variety of outstanding, eye popping flyers within minutes of getting the photography uploaded.  Flyers are great tools for buyers to have while they are out looking at properties, and to hand out to prospective buyers at events and open houses. 

 

Basic local print media (monthly ad in Record Bee or PennySlaver)

 

The Lake County Record-Bee is Lake Couny's' largest print newspaper, with over 8,000 copies distributed 5 days a week throughout Lake County.  It is a favorite for morning readers, lobbies, restaurants, and tourists.  While the internet is now where most people go to find real estate, it is a mistake to underestimate the effectiveness of a local newspaper.  Country Air Properties is one of very few brokerages to run weekly ads in this publication.

 

The Penny Slaver is a weekly classified paper also put out by the Record-Bee.   This has been a local favorite for years to find all kind of things, from jobs, cars, appliances, yard sales, and of course, real estate.

50 or more "Just Listed Cards" to surrounding neighbors

Just Listed Cards by

 

Direct mail has continued to be proven a very effective way to market real estate.  By sending a post card announcement that your property is for sale to all the surrounding property owners, it can increase the odds of you getting additional offers.  People who own around your property already have been sold on the neighborhood and are likely to share your property information with others.  If they are an investor, they may be interestd for themselves or a fellow investor.  At Country Air Properties, we try to leave no marketing stone unturned, and Just-Listed cards are a big part of our marketing plan.  They work!!

 

"Country Trails" or one open house (if property qualifies)

Since 2003, Country Air Properties has conducted more open houses than any other Lake County brokerage combined.  We believe in them and have perfected them.

 

Most agents today refuse to do open houses.  They claim they don't work. But in reality, they either simply don't have the time, the skills, or the energy to hold an effective open house.

 

Why can open houses be effective?

1. The more visits a house gets, the faster it will sell. As agents, we need to expose our listings to the widest possible audience, and an open house will get that done quickly and efficiently.

 

2. Buyers love open houses. Buyers are reached by the marketing that is done for an open house, and that is what you are looking for as a listing agent: buyers. The NAR 2013 study also reports that 45 percent of buyers said they used open houses as a source for information in their home search.

 

3. Marketing Leverage- Even if no one who attends buys the home, if the event is leveraged properly, the property will get promoted far and wide, and even non-attendees may later make an appointment to see it. 

Many agents who do an open house do not do them effectively.  They often do nothing more than throw a sign up in front of the house, and open the house up for a few hours, then race away. So what is the right way to promote an open house?

Planning an Effective Open House:

1.  Effective signage-   Multiple directional signs should lead people from high traffic areas to the property.

2.  Attractive presentation-   An open house needs to draw attraction to it.  Large signs, flags, even balloons can make a home stand out.

4.  Staging the home-   It should be clean and clutter free.  The lights should be on, and the temperature controlled to a comfortable degree. The yard should be trimmed. The agent should be able to offer waters or sodas, along with a snack.

5.  Promoting the home-   Open house invitations should go out to the neighborhood.  An ad in the local paper should go out that week.  It should be promoted on the company website.  Other agents should be invited in addition to buyers.  

 

Your home deserves to have an open house.  Your home deserves Country Air Properties.

 

NOTE:  Not all homes qualify for an open house.  They must be accessible, presentable, and be safe, and if they do not meet all of this criteria, an open house will not be done. In these cases, additional print media can be done in lieu of the open house.

 

Promotion at Office Meeting

Office Meeting "Haves and Wants"

At Country Air Properties, all agents are required to meet on the first and third Wednesdays for an office meeting.  In addition to reviewing  current market conditions and do some education, agents take time to share their new listings and buyer needs, what we call "Haves and Wants."   Often a connection at one of these meetings leads to a sale.  This is the best group in Lake County to promote a listing to as Country Air Properties holds most every sales record in Lake County, including selling more property in Lake County than any other company in history.

If you want to sell real estate in Lake County, you need to get in front of this group.

Inclusion in MLS Caravan (if possible)

MLS Caravan

Even with the ubiquity of virtual and brokerage video tours, the traditional MLS caravan (where agents drive their own cars to visit listings in person en masse) is alive and well in Lake County. Country Air Properties believes strongly that  previewing properties in person is the best way to keep their finger on the pulse of the local real estate market and for an agent to reach adequate market competentcy.

 

For a home to be on an MLS caravan, it needs to be accessible, not be too far away out of town, and be safe for 10-20 agents to inspect the home and grounds.

Virtual Tour - Posted in YouTube

CIRCLEPIX VIRTUAL TOURS

When your home is listed for sale, it is important to maximize online efforts.  92 percent of home buyers start their search online (National Association of Realtors 2013 Home Buyer & Seller Survey).  With this in mind, Country Air Properties utilizes Circlepix virtual tours for two reasons.  First, they have automated a program that makes a great video product within days of the listing.  And secondly, Circlepix virtual tours sends a feed to several major online platforms including YouTube and the folloiwng sites:

20 or more photos uploaded into MLS

Photography

Pictures are what drives real estate web sites.  If there are too few photos or if they are poor quality, potential buyers tend to move on to the next listing. Many agents will take just a few basic shots and call it a day. Our agents are required to take multiple photos from various angles, both exterior and interior. Proper staging and lighting are essential for good shots.  In addition, we can load up satellite images of your neighborhood, the parcel map, and subdivision features, if any.  For professional photography that includes High Dynamic Range (HDR) , aerial shots, or videos, take a look at our other marketing plans.

Examples of Country Air Properties photography:

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Examples of bad photography:

BARIES MLS ($100 value)

 

Did you know more buyers come from the North Bay area served by BAREIS MLS than all other areas in the world combined?  Having your property included in BAREIS MLS can go a long way to getting your property sold and for a higher price.

Bay Area Real Estate Information Services, Inc. provides Multiple Listing Services to approximately 7,500 real estate professionals in Northern California, with primary MLS coverage to the North Bay counties of Marin, Solano, Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino.

 

With BAREIS MLS®, Get Access to other Northern California MLS's with their Data Sharing Project

• Direct Access to Other MLS systems in the Bay Area and Northern California
• Your listings could be exposed to over 50,000 real estate agents
• Reduce duplication of MLS fees for multiple MLS memberships
• Access to more than 20 Northern California counties.

If you want maximum MLS coverage for your property, be sure to choose the Upgraded or Premium Marketing Plan.  But be advised that agents from the North Bay may not drive over the hill to sell a home at 2.5%..   Consider increasing the Coop buyer agent fee to 3% or 3.5%.

Circlepix Telecom ($200 value)

Call capture systems. Interactive Voice Response (IVR).  Or a toll free hotline.  Whatever you call them, they act as your 24/7, never closed Open House providing instant information to your consumer, while at the same time capturing everyone’s phone number so you can follow up and make sure they got all the information they need.  

When a buyer drives by your house, but is not ready to speak to an agent, what does he do?  If there is a flyer box, it is often empty or out of date. But with our 24/7 Info Hotline, the buyer can call to get basic information such as price, number of bedrooms and baths, and be directed to how to access additional info from their smart phone.  As they are doing this, we are notified of their visit and capture their phone number so we can send a text thanking them for their interest and inviting them to contact us if they have more questions.  It's a powerful tool and can put us in contact with a buyer at the moment of interest.  

 

Country Properties introduced this technology to Lake County in 2007 and we are still the only brokerage in the area to provide it enterprise wide.  If you think your home deserves this service, be sure to choose the Upgraded or Premium Marketing Plans.

Custom Website/URL ($350 value)

Custom Property Website:  YOUR ADDRESS.com

 

With a website designed specifically for your property, we can add information and resources that cannot be included in the syndication that MLS does.   A buyer can learn not just about the property, but the area, the schools, the weather, and other information they need to make a decision.

$250 credit toward video with aerial videography (homes over $250,000)

Videos with Aerial Photography

 

No property can be seen fully until you can see it from the sky.  The unique angles, vistas, and perspectives that can only come from above are captured by our aerial photography service.

 

We have an exclusive relationship with HawkEye Aerial Photography. They are without any doubt the best Lake County has to offer in aerial video.  Combined with HDR photography and custom digital editing, our videos compete with the very best anywhere else.

 

Take a look at some of our videos that use aerial shots.   You will see how this marketing tool will be able to sell your home faster and for more money.  CLICK HERE to see samples.

HDR Photography- 35 or more professional photos ($250 value)

HDR Stands for “High Dynamic Range”

An HDR photo is made by combining 3 or more exposures of the same subject, which creates an image that contains much more tonal information (dynamic range) than a traditional photograph. Digital photos are usually 8-bits in depth, which describes the number of tone levels in the image (from black to white, and all the grays in between). HDR photos, on the other hand, are created using 32-bit images that contain so much information they can’t even be correctly displayed on a computer monitor. Notice that an HDR image contains much more detail in the shadow and highlight areas, as compared to a traditional image which tends to either “fill-in” the blacks or “wash-out” the whites.

 

Doesn't your home deserve Country Air's HDR treatment?

 

NOTE:   Broker fronts cost ONLY if property is priced within Broker Competive Market Analysis (CMA). If priced above, seller would have to front costs of these items, and broker would agree to reimbuse seller at close of escrow.

Print Media Upgrade (RE Book no less than once every 3 months, up to $250 value).

Real Estate Book of Lake & Mendocino Counties

 

With outstanding coverage and distribution, this high quality publication has proven to be one ot the most effective pring  marketing tools in the region.  And now, they have combined their print publication with a wide range of interactive web tools that drive people to their web site, or from the web site to their publication.   Country Air Properties has been the leading Lake County brokerage to make use of this product, and we leverage their tools to the max.  Smart sellers want their home in this publication.  With Country Air Properties Ugraded Marketing or Premium Marketing Plans, you are guaranteed having your home in this publication.    

NOTE:  Broker fronts cost ONLY if property is priced within Broker Competive Market Analysis (CMA). If priced above, seller would have to front costs of these items, and broker would agree to reimbuse seller at close of escrow.

Premium Print Media ($300 value - WCR or H&L)

Homes & Land of the Wine Country and  Wine Country Reader

 

These two publications reach the more affluent buyers in our region. With a wide distribution and comprehensive web presence, these become very important for higher end or special Lake Country properties to be in.  To reach the type of buyer you need to get the best price for your property, advertising in these publications is essential.  Both are included in the Country Air Properties Premium Marketing Plan.

Point of Listing Home Warranty Coverage ($450 value)

       

Home Warranty Coverage when you list

When you choose the Premium Marketing Plan, Country Air Properties will have you covered with FREE home warranty coverage starting the moment you sign the listing.

 

The Seller Coverage is offered to the home seller for coverage during the listing period of the property. This can help protect the seller’s budget during the listing period, distinguish the property from other listings and help reduce pre-close issues related to the home inspection. Best of all, it is free to the seller. 

 

The Seller Warranty covers the most critical systems that homeowners say they want in a home warranty.  The key systems covered under Seller Coveragel include:

·         Air Conditioning (including geothermal systems)*

·         Heating (including geothermal systems)*

·         Ductwork

·         Plumbing

·         Electrical

·         Water Heater

 

NOTE: Subject to $2,000 cap for all trades during listing peri.

 

Floor Plan Creation ($150 value)

Professional Floor Plan Creation

 

When buyers are considering which property to buy, the more information they have, the more likely they will be able to make a decision.  Having access to a floor plan helps a buyer visualize living in the home, allows them to place furniture, and assign rooms.   When there are many homes to consider, a floor plan could sway the buyer to buy your home.

 

Example of the kind of floor plan we can create for your home.

Upgraded "For Sale" Sign ($150 value)

        

Upgraded Luxury "For Sale" Sign Post

No matter how they initially find out about a property, most buyers are going to drive by it at some point to inspect it.  First impressions are critical.  So why not upgrade to a superior looking "For Sale" sign post?   Stand out from all the other properties competing against yours.  A great looking post will enhance that critial first impression.   No doubt you have seen other companies put up unattractive posts that are leaning, need to be painted, or over due to be recycled.   At Country Air Properties, we want your property looking it's best so when someone drives by, they are impressed. Sellers who upgrade to the Premium Marketing Plan get the luxury treatment, and a luxury looking post is part of the program.