This winter has been exceptionally brutle for the DC Metro region, as we have adjusted to life in what has felt like a real-life snow globe. Despite this year's uncharacteristic winter, buyers are still searching for the perfect home in the area for their springtime purchase. Here's some tips on how to spruce up your house in time for a spring sale.
1. Get your green thumb on!
Courtesy of bhg.com
Erase the evidence of this year's harsh winter storms. Increase curb appeal by brightening up the yard with fresh flowers, or start a container garden for a welcoming touch. Be sure to replace any yard-ware that the snow took a toll on, such as mailboxes or railings.
2. The big spring clean
Courtesy of bhg.com
As always, de-cluttering is key to staging your home to appeal to potential buyers. Before a good deep-cleaning, pack up all seasonal decorations, clothing, and shoes. Don't just stuff everything into a closet, it's important to exhibit your home's storage spaces. If possible, store off-season items in an attic or storage room to maximize closets.
3. Showcase sunshine and spring time
Courtesy of bhg.com
Play into buyers' love for the spring market by creating a bright and cheerful ambiance. Most importantly, let there be light! Open up windows, blinds, and shades to create a light and airy feel in your home. A vase of flowers or a cotton-scented candle for a fresh aroma will seal the deal.
The real estate market is a constantly changing industry that has been effected greatly by technological developments in the past decade. Ten years ago, someone interested in buying or selling real estate would have likely browsed properties through print sources such as magazines or flyers. Thanks to new technology, agents can throw together a property advertisement in a matter of minutes.
This not only saves the agent time, but it assists potential buyers as well. With the development of real estate websites and even phone applications, today customers have the ability to virtually explore homes with a few short clicks. Instead of traveling to tour houses every weekend, buyers can explore properties virtually anywhere in the world from the comfort of their own home. Some realty teams have even introduced the use of social networking in order to reach a large population of potential clients, free of charge!
Thanks to the internet, buyers can perform much of the house hunting process independently.
Local agents assign each property an MLS number when posting the listing online, so that homes can be found on both a local level through their company site, and at a national level on the Multiple Listing Service Listings database, or MLS for short. By having access to virtually any city in the United States, potential buyers can decide on the best area based on their independent research and comparisons through the MLS site. Real Estate agent Annette Bergmann explains, "Buyers are much more involved in the process. They go online and start searching for their homes." Online listings are extremely helpful for buyers who may be debating moving between different regions of the country, and would like to compare home prices or values in the different areas. Bergmann further states, "Sellers like to go on and see what other houses like theirs have sold for, so they know what to price their house at." Online listings allow both buyers and sellers to perform extensive research on properties independently. Further, many real estate sites conveniently embed mortgage calculators on the online listings, so that buyers can explore what homes are in their budget adequately. Bergmann reveals, "Buyers can also go online to see how much they can qualify, and use a mortgage calculator tool to figure out what their payments are going to be, and even select a mortgage company." Potential buyers can simply punch in a few numbers into a calculator or mortgage application, rather than hire a financial expert to do so.
Not only can buyers compare properties online, but they can actually take virtual tours and view hundreds of photos as well.
The home buying process was traditionally seen as a time-consuming headache, with weeks and sometimes months dedicated to finding the perfect home. Buyers and agents would spend hours on end traveling and touring potential properties in search of the perfect match. However, thanks to to digital photos and videos, potential buyers can browse properties anytime, anywhere with internet access. By having the ability to view homes online, buyers can preview properties and choose to tour only the ones that they are most interested in. Bergmann recalls recently learning that "...about ninety percent of people will do that [preview online] before they actually go to see the house, especially people that are in the younger age range." By choosing to tour only the properties that they are truly interested in, buyers save their, as well as the agents, valuable time.
As well as a time-saving technique, technological developments have encouraged agents to use social media as a form of self-promotion.
In addition to the long list of benefits that agents reap from technological developments, the most recent revolution seems to be in the integration of social media into the real estate field. Along with many other forms of businesses, many real estate companies have decided to set up social networking sites in order to promote their services in a free, fast, and relatively easy way. Realty companies have started setting up Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and LinkedIn profiles in hopes of expanding their clientele. Bergmann reveals, "You can also do YouTube videos of the house, or even of yourself to do some self-promotional videos." Instead of traditional forms of paid advertising like signs, agents have the ability to self-promote for free through endless networking sites.
In addition to social networking, agents use many other forms of technology to develop and maintain relationships with their clients.
Busy agents are often challenged by the need to effectively manage their many buyer and seller relationships simultaneously. Catering to the needs of all clients can become overwhelming, but technological resources can really help facilitate effective communications between agents and their clientele. In the past, many agents were forced to keep a hand-written address book with the contact information for all of their clients. When trying to contact a buyer or seller, the agent would have to look up their phone number, call the person, and engage in a sometimes unnecessarily long conversation. Additionally, as buyers and sellers would constantly come and go, this method was not extremely practical for keeping contacts up-to-date. As the use of e-mail has dramatically increased over the past decade, many realty teams have adopted the practice of email for both marketing and a method of contact with clients. E-mail recipients can be added, edited, or removed in a matter of seconds, which is ideal for agents with a quick client turnover rate. Bergmann concludes, "Most everything we do now is internet based. We can do electronic signatures on the internet."With these practical advancements, e-mails can be quickly composed in order to communicate with potential buyers and sellers about new listings, open houses, even property offers and sales. By using e-mail, realty teams can manage organized relationships with each and every one of their clients in fast and free manner.
Despite the many benefits, some fear the effects of technology on the future of real estate careers.
Although the technological developments previously mentioned have seemingly eased the responsibilities of real estate agents, some are fearful of what the future holds. Will the use of online resources eventually eliminate the need for a real estate agent? Look at the history of travel agencies. Jumping back a decade or so, travel agents played a huge role in the vacation planning process. Some modern-day real estate agents such as Annette Bergmann make a worrisome connection between past travel agents and today's real estate agents. While travel agents used to be nearly necessary for vacation planning, the use of the internet has enabled people to take their vacation planning process into their own hands and essentially eliminated the need for a travel agent. Likewise, the use of new technology and internet listings in the real estate field could potentially lead to a dramatic decrease in the use of real estate agents in the housing market. The use of technology in the real estate industry proves to be a double-edged sword; providing convenience, while threatening the future of careers in the field.
When most people think of GPS, they likely recall the luxury of their car or mobile phone navigating them around a city. Or maybe, they think of cellular applications such as Tinder or Yelp, which allow them to explore people and attractions around their current location. With new GPS technology developing beyond just navigation and recreational use through mobile devices, various groups of people are benefitting from the new methods of global positioning symptom tracking.
Tracking devices are extremely useful to others who may need surveillance or guidance during everyday tasks.
Despite the humor that the dramatic Life Alert commercials may bring, there is value in technology's ability to locate an elderly or disabled person during an emergency. Similar to Life Alert, iLoc Technologies has developed a GPS wristwatch to assist caregivers. The TriLoc Personal Locator Device uses both machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity, used widely in the medical field, and GPS data in order to accommodate both the patient and their caregiver. Patients with autism, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease can be assisted by their caregivers in the comfort of their own home. The watch has endless practical uses, including handsfree calling for medical check-ins, Bluetooth connectivity to other home medical devices, and most importantly geo-fencing features. The geo-fencing feature uses GPS technology to alert family, friends, or caregivers of potentially dangerous situations in which the patient has wandered out of the designated location. This amazing device allows disabled adults to lead a relatively independent life, while reassuring loved ones and medical personnel of their safety.
New tracking devices using GPS technology are not only used by high-risk candidates, such as the elderly or the disabled.
Thanks to new technology and the cooperation of Tulane University Police Department, escort programs have been created in order to ensure campus safety. Students at Tulane have the privilege of signing up for the new Rave Guardian program, which can pinpoint their location on campus. Participants can set up a user profile, where they enter information about their common on-campus locations and activities. By dialing Rave Guardian through their mobile phone, a timer begins as they walk towards their destination. If the student's GPS location does not reveal they have made it to their destination in the designated time, a police officer will make a follow-up call to ensure their safety. If they still cannot contact the student, they are able to use their cellular GPS location in order to track them down and ensure their safety.
High school attendance, or lack thereof, seems to be a common issue among American teens. Whether they struggle to get out of bed in the morning, stay in school during the day, or even simply remain in the correct classroom, school attendance seems problematic among many. Noticing this common problem, the program Aim Trauncy Solutions seized the opportunity to encourage school attendance with GPS devices as positive reinforcers for attendance. The voluntary program allows students who struggle with attendance to receive a small, hand-held device which relays their precise location to their mentor. Having a device that always keeps tabs on their whereabouts encourages the students to remain in school, in the correct classrooms for the entire school day. Based on the participation of almost 1,000 Texas high schoolers, the GPS device does indeed produce higher attendance rates. Since the program is entirely voluntary, and requires consent from both the student and their guardian, there are minimal complaints from the targeted participants. In addition to popular iPhone apps and car navigation systems, GPS data has allowed the creation of an entirely new method of surveillance and security for users of all demographics.
From monitoring a rebellious teenager's activity to assuring the safety of a high-risk patient, advanced GPS technologies are proving to be a crucial tool in modern-day America. The capability to track a person's location through new methods provide users with an additional layer of protection against various tribulations.
Over the past few years, the public has been swarmed with new technology as well as news of media consolidation. Large companies are becoming even more powerful through the acquisition of other companies and mergers, in hopes of market dominance. This economic convergence seems to be leading the digital world away from the previously diverse media, and instead encouraging limited media controlled by only the most powerful companies. Companies merging and acquiring one another could potentially lead to an oligopoly; where only a few wealthy owners control the entire media industry.
The mobile marketplace is dominated by a few big-time brands.
On any given day during class, what type of computer is being used by the majority of students at the University of Maryland? What kind of mobile phone was on their Christmas wish lists? What is the go-to gift card for birthdays, appropriate for just about anyone, whether seven or seventy? Apple's dominance of the technological and digital media market is an excellent example of today's increasingly central digital media. What started off as a computer company has transformed into an entire digital culture. Apple and Android make up nearly the entire mobile marketplace, despite continuous competition from other companies such as Blackberry, LG, and Samsung. The improvements that Apple and Android continually make to their technology and software could lead to even further market dominance in the future.
Media centralization is not only exemplified by device choice; it extends even further in the mobile carrier market. Although there are countless mobile phone companies offering their services to United States consumers, there are some obviously elite companies. Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T logos could likely be recognized in nearly any part of the country because of their nationwide popularity. However, these companies became popular through acquiring and merging with other cellular companies. Over the past decade, Sprint has acquired various other cellular companies such Virgin Mobile. Consolidation of mobile carriers has taken away much of the diversity and sense of choice in the mobile market.
Diversity among media companies is steadily shrinking, damaging opportunities for competition.
The concentration of ownership is continually growing, as media companies are always acquiring more power and resources. A media universe that once consisted of hundreds of companies has condensed into the well-known "media giants" that we recognize today. Google, arguably one of the most powerful media sources today has gained such recognition through ownership of other media companies. When most people think of Google, the colorful search site logo is a likely mental image. However, Google did not gain such prestige strictly through providing a powerful search engine. Google has a market value of over $150 billion as of 2011, thanks to acquisitions such as DoubleClick, Motorola, Youtube, and Zagat. Other media dominators such as CBS, TimeWarner, and Yahoo! have spent the past couple of decades acquiring media companies and gaining both wealth and prestige.
Despite previous hostile competition between the movie industry and television companies, even they have fallen victim to the centralized system of media shift through consolidation.
Over the past twenty-five years, The Walt Disney Company has acquired various popular television stations such as ABC and ESPN in addition to their already existing Disney Channel. What was once a diverse digital media field that catered to competition and diversity has become a commercialized media, ruled by a few of the most powerful companies.
This is my test blog. I'm Bethany Johnson, a nineteen year old student at the University of Maryland. I am studying Psychology and hope to get my real estate license in Washington D.C. after graduating.
