Post in the Category Press
By Angelene
Posted in - Press on December 23rd, 2015
Social marketing is changing the marketing world, and real estate development is no longer an exception to the rule. For Cotton & Company’s client, Alteza Residences above the Grand Hyatt in Downtown San Antonio, the sales and marketing challenge focused on creating an appreciation for an urban lifestyle in the land of sprawling ranches and mansions. Word of mouth exposure has always been a key driver of success, and today’s social channels provide an outlet unlike any other. The key is tapping into the conversation that’s already occurring, and sharing information people find interesting and valuable. When the stars align, the impact is dramatic. So what does this have to do with Gene Simmons? Well, he opened a new restaurant…
By Alexis
Posted in - Press on December 3rd, 2015
Realtor.com chief economist Jonathan Smoke checks the first and second derivative rates of change in the rich and deep data pool at the National Association of Realtors, and clocks in with a 2016 Top 10 markets to watch for growth in prices and sales volume. Here’s a look at the basic approach to the methodology: Smoke and his team took past trends and seasonal variations of housing and economic data for the 100 largest markets in the country and stuck them into a time machine—oops, we mean a statistical model that predicts future values for home sales and prices. Then they identified the markets whose forecasted growth was equal to or better than the U.S. average. The resulting top 10…
By Alexis
Posted in - Press on December 2nd, 2015
At the close of last year, many real estate experts predicted the U.S. Federal Reserve would raise interest rates in 2015. That prediction never came to be, but even if rates rise later this month or next year, Ralph McLaughlin, a housing economist at Trulia, doesn’t think it will scare away many buyers. If rates do increase, it could be as little as a quarter percent. McLaughlin doesn’t expect that to have a big impact on the market, but it could temper home price growth, “which is good news for prospective homebuyers,” he says. “Interest rates won’t have much of an effect on the ‘rent versus buy’ math,” he explains. “Buying would still be cheaper than renting in most metros…
By Angelene
Posted in - Press on November 30th, 2015
With the economy continuing to recover, baby boomers are finally feeling confident enough to take action on their plan to purchase a retirement home. After delaying their decision due to the recession, the long-awaited influx of wealthy retirees is opening the doors for development in Sunbelt destinations. Today’s retirees are the first post-Vietnam era empty nesters, and they are blazing a new trail in every aspect of life. It’s no surprise that boomers wants and needs are revolutionizing the development industry. Amenities and Social Events: Healthier and wealthier, America’s baby boomers want amenities that fit their active lifestyle. They are focused on their wellbeing and the origins of their food through community gardens, farmer’s markets and farm-to-table dining. They are…
By Angelene
Posted in - Press on November 24th, 2015
Black Friday has recently become a tradition during the holiday season. The same approach that so many retailers use when marketing Black Friday can be applied to marketing a home or community. AWARENESS This is an essential first step that retailers use during Black Friday. Is there a single person who doesn’t know what Black Friday is, or what stores are selling? Real estate marketers need to show their target market that an opportunity exists. Newspaper ads, open houses, and direct mail are all effective ways to get the word out that your product is available. ONLINE PRESENCE Even a successful event like Black Friday, had to find its online presence. Retailers learned to capitalize on the Internet with online advertising. Since…
By Laurie Andrews
Posted in - Press on November 11th, 2015
Golf legend, philanthropist, businessman and global ambassador of the sport will be first to receive renamed Ali Legacy Award Nicklaus.com, November 10, 2015 Today, Time Inc.’s Sports Illustrated announced that Jack Nicklaus has been chosen to receive the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award. The award was created in 2008 to honor athletes and sports figures that have embodied the ideals of sportsmanship, leadership and philanthropy as vehicles for changing the world over their lifetime. Earlier this year the award was renamed theSports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award in tribute to the iconic boxer and humanitarian. “It gives me great pleasure to know the first Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award will be given to one of sports’ biggest living legends, Jack Nicklaus,” said Muhammad Ali. “Jack’s passion…
By Angelene
Posted in - Press on November 11th, 2015
The baby boomer generation is more active than generations past, has a more sophisticated style and wants options and choices in their homes. Whether they are selling the homes where they raised their children and heading to sunnier pastures, or buying a second home to accommodate their retired lifestyle, boomers are making an impact on housing trends. They want to lower their housing expenses. Many boomers look forward to moving to a smaller house or condo in warm weather to free up equity to pay for travel or other extra expenses they know they’ll face at some point in the years ahead. Peninsula on the Intracoastal in Boynton Beach provides luxury condos and townhomes with Palm Beach waterfront views offering boomers a…
By Angelene
Posted in - Press on November 4th, 2015
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has changed residential real estate as of last month. Contract forms and the terminology got a facelift. And the “Know Before You Owe” rules were added. A lender is now a creditor, and the borrower/buyer is a consumer. The initial Truth in Lending statement and Good Faith Estimate that has been used for a number of years is now the Loan Estimate. And the old-faithful HUD-1 has been discarded in favor of a Closing Disclosure. When a person buys a single-family house, the lender needs basic information including income, assets, and monthly expenses before a firm loan commitment can be made. But if the person is buying a condominium unit, the lender needs additional information…
By Angelene
Posted in - Press on November 4th, 2015
According to a recent article by CityLab, “Environmentally conscious construction and building systems are old news at this point, but building-integrated food production is a relatively new and growing area of focus.” As real estate continues to strengthen in a number of U.S. cities, real estate developers are looking to small-scale food production to augment their plans. At the same time, food activists are beginning to recognize how even luxury builders can advance their cause. Many of these developments view agriculture and farms as an added amenity for homeowners, similar to a gym or a media lounge. Having fresh, local food readily available is an incentive homebuyers are valuing. Henry Gordon-Smith, who advises Boston schools, builders and cities as they…
By Angelene
Posted in - Press on September 21st, 2015
According to Realtor.com the median “days on market” is down 6% year-over-year and up 6% month-over-month at 75 days, which shows the season is naturally shifting to favor buyers as inventory moves more slowly than in spring and summer. A combination of market volatility pressuring rates and seasonal slowdown looks to be serving as an advantage to buyers as summer winds down. A temporary drop in demand in the luxury segment by those negatively affected by stock market instability might be just what strained would-be buyers need to gain the advantage in a market that has given sellers the upper hand so far this year. The hottest housing markets receive 1.8 to 3 times the number of views per listing compared…
