In the following interview, Deborah Thompson, REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Hartung and Noblin, Inc., in Tallahassee, Fla., discusses the advantages of Homes & Land marketing, the direction of the market, social media and more.
Region Served: Tallahassee
Years in Real Estate: 24
Number of Offices: 1
Number of Agents: 70
Most Effective Method for Communicating With Clients: While it ultimately depends on their age range, I always ask clients how they prefer to communicate. I then stay in touch through the channel they prefer.
Please describe some of the current trends you’re seeing in your market today.
We’re seeing a lot of single-story homes with open floor plans and high ceilings in our area. It’s also important to note that wood floors are a hot commodity among today’s buyers, a trend that most don’t typically associate with the area. Another trend is the movement toward downtown, which seems to be very popular among younger buyers. Those in their 20s and 30s enjoy being in metro areas where they can either walk where they want to go or take advantage of public transportation. For buyers in their late 40s and 50s, neighborhoods in outlying areas typically top the list. And for those with school-aged children, school zones are an important factor when it comes to choosing the best location.
What demographic segments are driving your business today?
It’s truly a mix. We have two universities and a popular community college in the area, which encourages a lot of young people to stay and continue their education. We also have a lot of people who want to come back to the area when they’re ready to retire.
In what ways do you see your market evolving throughout the next year?
I believe we’ll experience more of what we’ve seen over the last few years. New construction is going up in all price ranges and there’s a lot of talk about mixed-use neighborhoods popping up throughout the area.
How are you using social media to stay top of mind and connected with your sphere?
I have a Facebook business page that I use for communication, in addition to posting and promoting open houses and current listings. I also use this space to share housing-related information. Staying on top of social media can be time-consuming, so I generally stick with Facebook because it’s a good social media platform all around due to the fact that most everybody has a profile. I try to balance my time so that I can keep my finger on social media, and Facebook serves me best when it comes to the clientele I deal with.
You utilize Homes & Land as part of an integrated marketing strategy that includes print publications. How does this benefit you?
I’ve used Homes & Land for just about all of my career, mainly through the company’s advertising page, but over the last three or four years, I’ve done everything from half- to full-page ads on my own. Not only do I utilize them for their print advertising, but also for their web presence—which I have found to be very successful. The production team is easy to work with, and if we’re ever in a bind, I can always count on them to help with the ad creation process.
For more information, please visit www.homesandland.com.
Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at paige@rismedia.com.
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