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 Survey details real estate marketing spending
 With the focus on slumping home prices and stagnant sales, one issue is not being addressed: How are REALTORS actually marketing properties in a down market? So in a buyer's market, what are REALTORS doing?
VHT, a leading provider of visual marketing services, surveyed more than 1,300 brokers about the number of listings each is handling, what they are spending to market properties and what marketing vehicles they are using. VHT is publishing these results to highlight marketing trends in the real estate industry.
Some of the hightlights include: Sample size of 1304 REALTORS
- Most of the REALTORS surveyed (34.8%) had between 10-20 listings
- The average listing price for 59% of the agents was between $250-500k
- 24.5% of agents/brokerages spent $250-500 to market their listing
- Agents with more experience are spending more on a listing than their counterparts
- Some of the biggest challenges in managing their media is managing multiple inputs and tracking the results of their media buys
- There is a significant disparity between spending on higher priced listings vs low priced listings
- Agents who market higher priced homes need to know what their counterparts/competition are spending.
Other areas covered include most popular media vehicles, online ad effectiveness, seller preferences, top online sites, average ad spending.
View full release and survey graphs.
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Managing the multigenerational workforce
Meeting the unique needs of the Traditionalists, Generation Xers, and Millenials...As the baby boomers approach retirement age, companies must begin to plan ahead by investing in leadership development and succession planning. The numbers are truly staggering; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 25 million employees plan to leave the workforce by 2010. Of these, 22 million will be at least 45 years of age and will be exiting due to retirement; creating a significant need for younger workers to fill the vacated jobs. Unfortunately, a recent report by the Center on Aging and Work indicates more than 25 percent of U.S. businesses have done little to plan for the effects of this aging workforce. Additionally, respondents acknowledged that they are facing challenges when it comes to replacing the retiring workforce. Read more...
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Consumer moving survey reveals surprising results...
The ups and downs of the housing market aren’t only keeping the real estate industry and consumers on edge; the professional moving industry is also being challenged. Relocation.com recently conducted a national consumer survey to gain insight on attitudes about housing and moving, as well as state moving trends.
Among the statistics, the survey found that only 15 percent of people moved from a rental to home ownership and that more people went from ownership status to renter status than the reverse--both a direct correlation with the deteriorating U.S. housing market and economic slump.
Consequently, consumers are experiencing higher levels of anxiety during their move. These findings pose unique challenges--as well as new opportunities--for the moving industry as well as REALTORS.
Read the survey's findings, including information about online moving search trends and regional moving preferences.
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Group releases Internet trends forecast
What online trends are shaping the creative profession? To get a snapshot of the shifts taking place and how to best prepare for them, The Creative Group tapped the expertise of The Webby Awards. The information in this report is compiled by an executive of The Webbys, dedicated to creative, technical and professional progress of the Internet and evolving forms of interactive media. The industry's elite were interviewed to get their perspectives on how the Internet is evolving. Read further...
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Will states topple the Electoral College?
 Stateline.org--First it was the presidential primary calendar that state legislatures across the country upended to give their voters a greater say this year in choosing candidates. Now a few states are orchestrating an overhaul of the way voters select the U.S. president. Voters this fall will still use the Electoral College to determine the next occupant of the White House, but a movement is bubbling at the state level to bypass the process and instead ensure future presidents are the candidates who get the most votes nationwide--an outcome not always guaranteed under the current system. Read full story... .
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2008 school enrollment in US expected to set record
 Washington Post--Public school enrollment across the country will hit a record high this year with just under 50 million students and the student population is becoming more diverse in large part because of growth in the Latino population, according to a new federal report. Nationwide, about 20 percent of students were Hispanic in 2006, the latest year for which figures were available for ethnic groups, up from 11 percent in the late 1980s. Overall, about 43 percent of the nation's students are minorities. Read story...
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Violent crime down, FBI reports
Washington Post--Violent crime appears to have declined nationwide in 2007 for the first time in three years, with major cities showing the most significant drops, according to a preliminary FBI report released this week. Bureau officials said the number of violent crimes reported--offenses including homicide, robbery and assault--dipped by 1.4 percent across the United States last year compared with 2006. Read story...
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On the lighter side
 Real estate ethics...First Agent: Did you pass your ethics exam?
Second Agent: Yes, I passed my ethics exam. Of course I cheated.
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Save with OAR and NAR
 Your membership in the Ohio Association of REALTORS allows you to take advantage of a number of member benefits. For questions about member offers and benefits contact Greg Stitz at stitz@ohiorealtors.org.
In addition, the National Association of REALTORS also provides its members many more benefits and offers.
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Tech Tips
Techno logy changes quickly and so, too, the etiquette rules
You could be checking your Office Live Small Business or Windows Live Hotmail account on your smartphone, completely unaware that you're either offending those around you or the person to whom you're sending. For instance, you shouldn't be typing and talking to a customer at the same time. And you shouldn't be sending the great American novel to someone who's checking e-mail from a cell phone. Inside are eight new tips for handling e-mail on a wireless device.
Paste text from Explorer into Excel...Do you want to paste text from Word or Internet Explorer into Excel without having it interfere with the formatting in the cell? Hit F2 so you are in editing mode before you paste. Then, only the text will come through, not the formulas.
Remove your dead site link from Google...Old sites often stay cached in Google's search engine. If you own a site that you want removed, you can request its removal using Google's webmaster tools at: www.google.com/webmasters/tools/removals
Is time flying right by?...If you have been spending a lot of time on a project and want a quick and easy way to track it, let 88 miles figure it out for you! This web-based service allows you to set up projects and simply PUNCH IN and PUNCH OUT. You do not have to look at the clock; 88 miles will do it for you! You can share your time study with other staff members, or keep it for your eyes only. 88 miles even offers a mobile edition!
Don't forget OAR's free Tech Hotline service...
866.478.TECH (8324) New EXPANDED hours of operation: M-F: 8 am - 8 pm ... S-S: 10 am - 4pm
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Education
Appraisal courses coming in July
The 7-Hour USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) and Contemporary & Emerging Issues in Appraisal will be held on July 22 and 23 respectively at OAR headquarters in Columbus. Register for either program, however discounts apply for a two-course registration.
NEW from RECampus...
- Satisfy your entire 30 hour c.e. package
- 70 years of age or older: 9 hour c.e. package requirement
- 9 hour c.e. package fulfills core c.e. requirement ... Register today...
NEWS from REALTOR University...
Don't forget you can get your ePro certification and ABR and CIPS designations online. Check it out...
30 hours online...Take your real estate continuing education hours online. You can take 3, 6 or all 30 hours in any combination...Sign-up today...
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