Ohio Real Estate Professional Points to Plentiful Profits With Homes.com
Jim Van Paepeghem, a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Revealty in Columbus, Ohio, has worked in real estate for six years and enjoys every minute of it, especially when he doesn’t have to worry about lead generation and return on investment. That’s why he values his relationship with Homes.com, where he says he gets leads that are “second to none.”
Taking the advice of his RE/MAX team lead after being recruited in his first year of business, Van Paepeghem looked to Homes.com to help build his market exposure by finding a solid lead generation source.
“Homes.com was one of the more affordable ways to diversify my lead source,” says Van Paepeghem. “With it being so reasonably priced, I didn’t think I had too much to lose.”
His service of choice? Local Connect. Purchasing zip codes for the hottest markets in his area has allowed him to maintain a competitive edge. While the start-up was slow going after an initial boost from his first zip code, the lead generation quickly gained traction.
“I went on to close four deals within the first 10-12 leads,” says Van Paepeghem. “The price ranges were from $150,000 to $425,000 and equated to more than $800,000 in total sales.”
As a result of his initial success, Van Paepeghem quickly jumped on more zip codes when he saw the profit potential.
“I currently own 22 or 23 zip codes at 100 percent,” says Van Paepeghem. “The annual investment is $10,000 to $12,000 with a return of no less than $50,000 annually.”
And the business flows through both buyers and sellers, he says.
“I currently have three active buyers that I’m showing houses to and two properties that I’m going to list from those very leads,” says Van Paepeghem. “It’s not uncommon for me to help my leads find a better fit, but also help them sell their existing homes, too.”
After wasting time and energy on other marketing strategies that didn’t amount to much, Van Paepeghem says he’s sticking with Homes.com. The biggest advantage is in the quality of leads, he says.
“The overall quality of leads is far more superior than anything I’ve experienced elsewhere,” says Van Paepeghem. “I’ve been getting so many leads that I’ve been cherry-picking quite a few of them. I don’t think there’s any doubt I could potentially close 20 deals each year.”
In fact, Van Paepeghem says he can expect a 400-500 percent return each year. The process does, however, require work, and Van Paepeghem is committed to converting as many of those leads as possible.
“One of the most important things in this business is to be an effective communicator. Once I receive a lead from Homes.com, I’m on the phone very quickly,” says Van Paepeghem, who understands the value of offering outstanding customer service and market knowledge.
In hopes of growing his business even more, Van Paepeghem is considering expanding his marketing budget with Homes.com, and is open to learning more about their upcoming opportunities.
“The potential for growth is limitless,” concludes Van Paepeghem.
For more information, please visit marketing.homes.com/advertising/agent-broker-advertising/local-connect-details/.
Liz Dominguez is RISMedia’s associate content editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at ldominguez@rismedia.com.
