TOP 5 IN REAL ESTATE, June 2010 –
Pat Neville
Top 5 in Real Estate Network®
Associate Broker
Prudential Holmes & Kennedy
Years in Real Estate: 30 years
Region Served: Northern Westchester County and Putnam County, New York
Average sales price in your market: $600,000-$700,000.
Average number of days a home spends on the market: Approximately 180
How have you evolved your strategies in this tough environment?
I am developing an integration of multiple marketing platforms combining offline and online, with a focus to relevant consumer content and solid information on the communities that I service. I continue with direct mail, and am using print as a spring board to the current venues of social media that I manage – Westchester NY Home Blog, Facebook business pages including 365 Things to Do in Westchester, Bedford Real Estate and Come Home To South Salem.
I make an effort to add new social media content on a frequent basis and look for members of my community to enhance the informational content value. YouTube, Vimeo, Flicker are also utilized.
Are you relying on more technology?
Definitely. I love the technology advances. Videos and the ability for high-quality graphics strengthens the visual message to the buying population as to why they would want to live in Westchester.
Talk about the importance of your website.
My Pat Neville website is the cornerstone to my overall marketing strategy. The site has been out there since 1998. It’s fun to look back and see the technology innovations that have brought the site to what it is today. Updating and maintaining a cutting-edge visual to the graphics and site content is a continuing work in progress. My sellers properties are customized with individual websites specific to their home and community. Additional Internet presence is achieved through multiple websites including Home Values in Westchester, Truesdale Lakefront, Truesdale Lake Living, and other domains.
Where do you get the biggest bang for your marketing dollars?
The bang that I am looking for is long term. I am looking to build future relationships by providing consumer value, so my marketing and home merchandising is both comprehensive and extensive.
What are you doing differently this year to attract buyers?
I always work towards attracting buyers. My blog and my website are collectively geared to this end. The underlying business thought is a dual goal – it’s important to have buyers, and it’s even more important to have creative strategies to attract buyers, for sellers to recognize our marketing and merchandising differentiation abilities. Different this year is the extensive use of social media and social media networking to accomplish this business objective.
What are your priorities for sellers when they first list in this market: Merchandising is key. Have the house ready to market. That may mean staging the house or merchandising it in whatever way will make it stand out. Secondly, it is very important that sellers communicate with me and that we work as a team in the presentation and marketing of their property. I also ask that they bring their ideas to me. I think we have so many more venues available to us than in the past. I should point out it doesn’t have to take six months to sell if the house is priced well and it stands out from the pack. Some homes are selling at the early introduction to the marketplace
What is the most important trend today? Online presence is so important. The trends are always changing so my goal is to keep current with the most effective merchandising and marketing solutions. Here again is where the world of social media opens the door. What is the most important trend this week is likely to be something completely different than last week.
Why did you become a Member of Top 5?
Allan Dalton introduced the value of Top5 Membership at a conference I attended last year. Through the years, I have been very aware of Allan’s leadership ability and his extensive knowledge and contributions to the changing environment within our industry. Knowing that Allan would be the one to lead the messaging of Top5 membership to the consumer, combined with the multiple resources of RISMedia, made it a “no-brainer.” I am proud to have been accepted as a Top5 member. Going forward in this fast changing and challenging market, I believe the affiliation will continue to be invaluable.
How are you/will you utilize the Top 5 program to help build your business?
I try to use and maximize all the content that Top 5 provides. For example, I have developed a customized video channel that utilizes, in part, the real estate videos developed by Top 5. The current Top 5 publications are lead generators on my website as integrated into a web page created specifically to spread the Top 5 value to our consumers. The resource library available to members creates a wonderful basis for informative blog content.
What is the key to a successful life in real estate?
Stay positive, listen attentively, keep it local, keep it fun, and remember to smile!
