From Tech to Text: The AI-Powered RPR Market Trends ScriptWriter
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 11:00 AM PDT Emails, texts, social media posts… it can be a lot to manage! And artificial intelligence is more than just a fad. But to keep your clients informed and create a growing client-base, these tools are must-haves! In this webinar, we'll show you how to leverage market trend data to keep in touch with your sphere of influence. In this class, we'll show how you can: Use RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter feature to automatically generate market summaries for a variety of audiences Quickly provide context and correlation to statistics, such as Month's Supply of Inventory and 12-month change, List-to-Sold Price Ratio, Median Days on the Market within RPR and Median Sold Price Choose messaging tailored for buyers, sellers or both Select from three different tones of speech (Professional, Engaging or Conversational) Easily create content for a social media post, video or email Utilize Canva to create eye-catching graphics for local markets Share Market Trends from the RPR Mobile™ App We'll review how to create a campaign that puts you at the center of the information and solidifies you as the “local market expert.” Register now!

Let the Madness Begin! Introducing RPR's Market Madness Contest
RPR presents Market Madness… where a $500 gift card is up for grabs! We're putting a fun twist on the annual college hoops tourney and the upcoming spring housing market. This contest allows RPR users to predict advancing teams in the March Madness college basketball tournament. They will also provide specific Market Trends data points for the team's home court city. Each round, comment your pick with the correct Market Stat for one point. If your team advances, earn a second point. Every point is an entry into the contest. It's time to engage, predict and win! Prizes in the drawing include a $500 gift card, five $50 gift cards and RPR swag. How RPR's Market Madness Contest Works We've made the contest super easy to play — no bracket busting here! Selection and Data Points: On designated dates aligning with the start of March Madness rounds, RPR will post on social media, including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Look for these posts to make your winning team pick, and to enter the corresponding Market Trends data point. Participants earn points (entries) by commenting on these posts with their team pick to advance from the upcoming games and a Market Trends data point specific to the team's home court city. The required data point will change with each round. You can participate in every round, and you can enter the contest at any round. Your team does not have to advance for you to enter the next round. Here's how the scoring and accumulation of points works: Scoring Points 1 point for including the correct market trend stat for the chosen team's home court city in your comment 1 additional point for correctly picking a team that advances to the next round Round Dates and Data Points First Round Selection Sunday (Post: March 17th) Games: March 19th – March 22nd.Data point – Median Sold Price Second Round (Post: March 22nd)Data point – Months of Inventory Third Round: Sweet Sixteen (Post: March 24th)Data point – List to Sold Price Percentage Fourth Round: Elite 8 (Post: March 29th)Data point – Median Days in RPR Fifth Round: Final 4 (Post: April 1st, Game on April 6th)Data point – Month over Month Change % of Months of Inventory Final Round: Championship Game (April 7th Post, Game on April 8th)Data point – Number of Active Listings Prizes First Prize: 1 winner will win a $500 gift card + RPR swag (t-shirt or water bottle) Second Prize: 5 winners will win $50 gift cards + RPR swag (t-shirt or water bottle) Third Prize: 10 winners will receive RPR swag (t-shirt or water bottle) Winner Announcement: Winners will be announced on April 9th. View full contest rules. Enter the RPR Market Madness Contest It's time to pick some winners and post some stats! Be sure to enter and play RPR's Market Madness contest for a chance to win. Keep an eye on RPR social media posts to make your picks and comment to earn your entries. RPR's Market Trends is a collection of local housing market data that REALTORS® can access with just a few clicks. Conduct a search, by a ZIP code or neighborhood name, to see important housing stats such as List to Sold Price Percentages, Inventory Levels and Median Sold Price. Then easily share these numbers with your clients and prospects by tapping a button. Try it now! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Make DIY Marketing Campaigns a Reality with RPR
As a REALTOR® — a self-employed entrepreneur and small business owner — you probably don't have a huge marketing budget. However, as an individual real estate agent, you need to be a master of self-promotion. You need to stretch your budget as far as possible, and take advantage of no-cost resources at every step. And RPR, Realtors Property Resource, is here to help you do it! In fact, with RPR you can create all kinds of marketing materials, including digital and printed items, that are jammed with local market insight. And you can produce them in very little time, at no additional cost. This article is about how RPR can be your all-in-one, in-house marketing agency, by utilizing: Shareable Market Trends Market Trends ScriptWriter Canva templates Mailing labels RPR: your one-stop-shop for creating market update materials To successfully reach your targets with your message, you don't need to hire a full-service marketing team. And you don't need to exhaust yourself toiling away for hours trying to conduct research, write copy, design layouts and create content. What you need is a trustworthy source that offers up-to-date, hyper-local market statistics — a place to easily view market data to spot trends and gather insight. And a place that offers tools and templates that can help you build marketing materials that convey these market stats to your clients and prospects. That place is RPR! Residential Market Trends The first place you need to go is RPR's Residential Market Trends. Once you're logged into the site, click Research in the upper navigation bar, and then select Residential Market Trends. Check out this link for a special guided tour of how to use this tool. If you're a regular reader, we know we're in broken record territory when it comes to how much we emphasize the RPR Market Trends. Well — it's because they're important! Shareable Market Trends contain vital market information such as the Market Trends Indicator with key details on Month's Supply of Inventory, List to Sold Price Percentage, Median Days in RPR and Median Sold Price. Conduct a search as macro as a county, or drill down to ZIP codes and neighborhood names to define your area. (Note: To ensure that you're providing the most up-to-date Market Trends information, try gathering Market Trends data at or around the 7th of each month.) You'll get an up-to-date snapshot of a local market and be able to point out key metrics that can really help position you as a source of truth in all types of real estate marketing. By keeping tabs on your market on a monthly basis, you can establish yourself as a trusted, local market expert. And you can easily communicate these points with the… RPR Market Trends ScriptWriter Again, we're beating that Market Trends drum! With the AI-powered Market Trends ScriptWriter, you take your local market search, then you get to tap a very powerful button: Create Script! Make your audience, tone and category selections, and you're almost instantly provided with personalized video scripts, engaging social media content and detailed metrics analysis. Even better, you can take the text that is churned out for these categories and easily repurpose it for other types of marketing communications. For example, take out parts of the video script and use that copy to create headlines and bullet points for social posts, emails, digital ads, postcards and mailers, or even print ads. Just make sure you remove all the video direction text and all the first person language. You can do the exact same thing for the social media posts: take out the emojis and use the copy to create marketing messages! Also, be sure to add your own brand voice into any messaging you create or version from the Market Trends ScriptWriter tool. Check out this article for more on that: How to add Your Brand Voice to RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter. Now that you've got the words, it's time to create some visuals… Free Canva templates from RPR Now that you have some local market insight to share, including charts, stats, graphs and text, you need to deliver that information in an eye-pleasing layout. And RPR makes it super easy with our pre-designed Canva templates. What is Canva? Canva is a web-based tool designed to help you build graphics for social media, presentations, brochures and more. They also provide thousands of preset layouts that can be adapted, or you can start your design from scratch. And they offer a free plan that will get you started. RPR has taken the Canva layouts and made an entire collection of templates that you can customize and fill in with your local market stats and info. To get started, visit the "Canva Templates" section of the RPR blog. Here you'll find everything you need to quickly create digital graphics for a market update. Just pick a design that catches your eye, and start dropping in your market numbers and your contact information, etc. Keep in mind, you will need to create a Canva account, but it's pretty painless and there's a free version that lets you use all of the RPR-created templates. You can always upgrade your account with Canva if you want to get more advanced in your designs and layouts. Click here to attend a special RPR webinar on creating Canva materials for your marketing efforts. You can use these visual graphics digitally, for social media posts, ads, emails and on websites. Or you can print them out as flyers or postcards (postcard layouts are an option in the Canva section of the blog), and deliver them the old fashioned way… RPR Mailing labels Now that you have the materials and a message, you need to deliver it! Of course, for digital items you simply upload and/or post. But many agents find that direct mail continues to play a crucial role in marketing outreach in competitive markets. And RPR is a perfect way to do it! With the RPR Mailing Labels feature, you can create up to 2,000 mailing labels per month — for free! Use them for actual label printing at home, or export the owner information from your RPR search results into a CSV list and hand them off to your local printer. These ready-to-print mailing labels are perfect for farming, prospecting or direct mail marketing within custom geographies. Here's how: Conduct an area search, then use filters to narrow it down or use a previously saved area, such as a farm area Sort your results using the List View and click Mailing Labels once you have the right number of addresses A pop-up window appears; then choose your label type or a CSV file Hit Print and, remember, you have 2,000 EACH MONTH to use Use RPR to research, craft and deliver marketing messages RPR provides REALTORS® with comprehensive data and analysis tools to help them serve their clients more effectively. While RPR is not exactly an in-house ad agency, it does offer a range of services that can be valuable for marketing and self-promotion. RPR can be instrumental in marketing yourself or your listings. As well as providing conversation-creating local market updates that explain the current market and position you as local market expert. Get in the RPR sandbox and start creating today! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog. Related reading How RPR Can Enhance Your Real Estate Marketing Strategy RPR Announces the Winners of Their 'How's the Market?' Video Contest How to Create Instagram Posts for Your Real Estate Business with Canva

RPR's Data Partners: Your Secret Weapon in Commercial Real Estate
RPR (Realtors Property Resource) offers commercial real estate practitioners a wealth of listing and property data, plus access to an array of analytical and ROI-focused tools. With over 800K listings, 57 million off-market property records, site selection tools, consumer demographic research, trade area data, traffic counts, POIs (points of interest) and more, RPR Commercial is basically a one-stop-shop for all things CRE. However, one question we hear over and over is: where does RPR get all of this commercial data and information? As an aggregator of data and resources, RPR is the ultimate commercial hub for REALTORS® to conduct commercial real estate business. In this article, we'll present our impressive list of commercial partners by what category they fall under and how our partnership can help you in your daily commercial duties. RPR Commercial partnerships can help power your business RPR has collabs, partnerships and affiliations with some of the biggest names in commercial real estate. Here's a list, by category: For Sale/For Lease Data Partners Brevitas: Brevitas is a national commercial listing platform that is integrated into RPR. Their real estate marketplace provides REALTORS® a turn-key marketing solution and an instant competitive edge by offering a robust collection of property search and marketing tools. CREXi: CREXi offers a database of commercial listings, including more than 48 million property records. It also provides RPR with daily updated data, which helps commercial real estate professionals quickly manage deals and close them faster. TotalCommercial: TotalCommercial.com has been providing commercial real estate listing information online since 1995. TotalCommercial.com shares its listing information through RPR to offer REALTORS® more listings and more property research resources. Land Broker MLS: LandBrokerMLS.com was formed in 2018 by real estate brokers and agents to assist rural real estate professionals in their ability to view land listings. LandBrokerMLS contributes listing data to RPR's commercial platform. Biproxi: Biproxi's new public marketplace is called Officespace.com and it provides powerful listing capabilities for "for sale" and "for lease" properties. Biproxi's Officespace.com provides listing information for RPR's commercial real estate users. Catylist: Moody's Analytics Catylist offers a commercial property listing and marketing solution to numerous REALTOR® associations and CIEs (Commercial Information Exchanges). It helps RPR receive licensed commercial listing content from many markets across the country. CompStak: CompStak is a nationwide crowdsourced commercial comp database that offers RPR users to receive 500 free credits to search and share commercial comparables. Get started by clicking on the CompStak logo in the Additional Resources section of any RPR commercial property page. Officespace.com: See BiProxi above. ICSC: ICSC, The International Council of Shopping Centers, has a special agreement with RPR to offer retail and commercial real estate data, which contributes significant insight relevant to the shopping center industry and broader commercial sectors. Off-Market Properties Black Knight: Black Knight is the backbone of RPR property data. It provides RPR users with quick access to public records including tax details, zoning, ownership information down to the corporate level, and much more, including Assessment and Recorder datasets. Site Selection Data Esri: Esri is RPR's main source of consumer data. It supplies RPR with economic, demographic, and spending data, as well as tapestry segment profiles. This particular data fuels RPR analytical tools such as Trade Area Reports and Site Selection Analysis. Financial Analysis Valuate: Valuate® is a web-based financial analysis and marketing tool for the purchase and sale of commercial and residential investment properties. From RPR, users can easily access the platform to perform real-time, interactive ROI analyses in a collaborative work environment. Traffic Counts Kalibrate: Kalibrate powers the traffic counts found on RPR's commercial maps. They provide this data quarterly from various sources, including governments, transportation departments, and Kalibrate's own field verifications. Tenant Data SMR Research: SMR works with RPR to provide a proprietary database of 25 million U.S. companies, schools, and other institutions for commercial property insights, and the data is updated quarterly. ClimateRisk Assessment and Mitigation Climate Check: ClimateCheck®, available in the RPR "Additional Resources" section, offers an assessment of a property's climate risk. It will rate a property's future risk of climate change-related hazards and assign a rating from 1 to 100, with 100 representing the highest risk. Risk Factor: Also available in the RPR "Additional Resources," Risk Factor provides climate and environmental risk data for real estate properties, helping REALTORS® understand and communicate potential risks related to climate change. Existing Businesses (POIs – Points of Interest) Data Axle: Known for its robust business databases, Data Axle provides detailed company profiles and other commercial real estate-related data to enhance the commercial offerings on RPR. Esri: Supplies RPR with economic, demographic, and spending data, as well as tapestry segment profiles. RPR: Commercial listings, data and tools–all under one roof As you can see, RPR brings a vast amount of commercial resources and data and puts them all in one place so you can search listings, conduct research and tap into resources that help your clients make data-backed decisions. And if you're a REALTOR®, there's no extra charge to use as part of your membership in The National Association of REALTORS®. However, if our impressive list of commercial partnerships doesn't convince you, listen to what Dave Ferro, Managing Broker and Vice President of Watson Realty Corp in Gainesville, Florida, has to say about RPR Commercial: "I go to RPR Commercial to save time and simplify. That perfectly sums it up for me. I don't have to go to each individual's website for listing info. I can see all my properties and deals in one location. It's such a great place to search, every commercial agent should try it." To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Putting Clients First: How to Deliver Positive Real Estate Outcomes with RPR
As a REALTOR®, you're a champion for your client's best interests, guiding them through the complexities of a real estate transaction. Your expertise instills confidence and trust, and with RPR (Realtors Property Resource®) at your disposal, your capacity to deliver positive outcomes is unparalleled. Let's examine five ways RPR's indispensable tools can sharpen your negotiation skills, ensuring each client's journey leads to the best possible destination. 1. How Data-Backed Valuations Earn Client Trust Gaining a client's trust requires starting with an objective valuation that can stand up to scrutiny. RPR's RVM®—the Realtors Valuation Model®—gives you that starting point. It's an automated valuation of a property, using a vast array of data points and predictive analytics. It's the foundation upon which you can build a solid case for a property's worth. However, the true skill of a REALTOR® is shown in taking these RVM® estimates and refining them. Factors such as recent home improvements, the property's unique features, and the local market nuances are all taken into account to adjust the valuation. This refined value isn't just a number—it's a starting point for negotiations that reflects a deep understanding of the property's true market position. Real-Life Impact: Consider the success of James and Penny Brockway, the REALTOR® duo who utilized the RVM® and Refine Value tool to pinpoint a value that captured the essence of the property, resulting in a win-win sale. 2. The Unique Value of RPR's CMA RPR's CMA is your secret weapon for customizing your comparisons to match a property's unique features. It involves a detailed process where you confirm the subject property details, select comparable properties and make informed adjustments. Through RPR, you can tell your client's property story with quantifiable data and spot-on analytics, offering a convincing, custom strategy for any negotiation. Step-by-Step Instruction: Our upcoming webinar will walk you through creating a data-driven CMA, step-by-step, ensuring you're equipped to handle any negotiation curveball. 3. Hyper-Local Insights: Your Negotiation X-Factor A deep understanding of local market dynamics is an advantage in any negotiation, and RPR provides precisely that. These Shareable Market Trends and insights arm you with the knowledge necessary to forecast market movements and buyer behavior, offering a strategic edge that can make all the difference. Integrate RPR Market Trends into your negotiation techniques to steer discussions toward maximizing benefits for your clients. AI-Powered Content: Check out the Market Trends ScriptWriter, which allows you to create customizable "How's the Market?" video scripts, social media content and additional insights all with just a few clicks. 4. Presenting Compelling RPR Reports to Influence Outcomes Every successful negotiation depends on the compelling presentation of facts, and RPR reports are the data-backed format for laying out a convincing case. Tailor each report to your client's situation, using the most impactful trends and data points to prove and influence stakeholders. A well-prepared RPR report can significantly tip the scales in your client's favor. 5. Bridging Appraisal Gaps: Data-Driven Solutions An unexpected appraisal gap can be a deal-breaker, but it doesn't have to be. RPR's nationwide database supplies you with the facts needed to approach these gaps head-on. Offer various data-backed alternatives to counter low appraisals, comprehensively showcasing the property's actual value. A proactive approach rooted in RPR's data can keep the transaction moving forward, aligning outcomes with client expectations. When it comes to negotiations, RPR arms REALTORS® with convincing data The art of negotiation in real estate is nuanced, requiring both the expertise of a REALTOR® and the support of powerful data and tools. RPR's platform is designed to boost your strategy, giving you the data you need to back you up, persuade, and ultimately succeed. Explore the full capabilities of RPR for your next negotiation and see just how much you can enhance client satisfaction and outcomes. Ready to enhance your skills? To explore RPR's powerful tools for yourself or to further refine your negotiation tactics, visit our training center and sign up for an upcoming webinar. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

[Podcast] How Agents Can Leverage AI Tools, with Jeff Lobb
This month's episode of Decoding Real Estate is centered on a hot topic: Generative AI for real estate. Reggie and Genie from RPR® (Realtors Property Resource®) welcome special guest Jeff Lobb, founder and CEO of SparkTank media and Coach 52. Jeff brings over 26 years of real estate experience to the table, where he specializes in mobile tech branding, social media, video content creation and digital marketing. And for this conversation, he brings deep insight as a specialist who is experienced at marrying technology with real estate. Jeff and the DRE crew discuss generative AI ChatGPT tools and the impact they're having on agents as individuals and the industry as a whole. Jeff explains that many of the tools being introduced, especially the Market Trends ScriptWriter from RPR, are so easy to use and have so many benefits, that not using them is a real missed opportunity. On the flip side, the group also talks about the concerns of relying on too much AI and how to avoid these pitfalls. Hit "Play" and hear how AI (and RPR) are making it easier for REALTORS® to market themselves and navigate a tricky market. Don't miss this month's Decoding Real Estate with guest Jeff Lobb! Decoding Real Estate is hosted by Reggie Nicolay and Genie Willett. Subscribe/Follow And be sure to check out these helpful and relevant links: SparkTank Media Coach 52 Realtors Property Resource RPR Market Trends ScriptWriter Listen on: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.   Thank you to RPR for sponsoring this article on RE Technology!

How RPR Can Enhance Your Real Estate Marketing Strategy
With interest rates still high and inventory still down, agents across the country are feeling the pinch. However, now is actually the perfect time for REALTORS® to re-evaluate and revamp their marketing strategies. And RPR® (Realtors Property Resource®) can help you do it! Yes, the current market can be frustrating. But savvy, seasoned agents know that now is the time to plan for the future. You zig while they zag! And investing in yourself and your brand, through RPR's data and tools, is a smart way to approach it. Here are a few ways RPR can enhance your real estate marketing strategies… Analyze market data using RPR RPR offers up-to-date market data, including market types, active listings, recent sales and inventory levels. RPR Market Trends, a collection of charts, graphs and statistics, can help you and your clients keep up with the dynamic, ever-changing real estate market. But best of all, these housing stats are based on local markets. That means you can drill down and zone-in on specific areas versus quoting numbers on a regional or national level, which helps you market yourself as the local market expert! To get started, just visit RPR, and from the homepage, click on Research. From the dropdown menu, select Residential Market Trends. Now, conduct a search in the location bar. Start as high as state, county or city. Better yet, use ZIP codes and neighborhood names to get really hyper-local! Now, here's where the "analyze" part comes in! From your Market Trends search, click the icon in the upper right that says Create Script. This is the RPR Market Trends ScriptWriter tool and it uses AI ChatGPT tech to create housing market "explainer" copy for you. For this example, we choose "Engaging" for the tone, "Sellers" for the audience, and "Analyze Metrics" as the action. This was for a ZIP code in southern California. Here are the results, which happen in seconds! Ladies and gentlemen, today we are going to dive into some fascinating real estate metrics that will surely grab your attention. If you are a seller, this information is crucial for understanding the current state of the market and maximizing the value of your property. So, let's get started!​First on our list is the "Months Supply of Inventory," which currently stands at a remarkable 1.09. This metric refers to the number of months it would take to sell all the homes on the market if no new listings were added. A low number like 1.09 indicates a strong seller's market, where demand outweighs supply, granting sellers an upper hand in negotiations.​But what's even more intriguing is the "12-Month Change in Months of Inventory," which shows a jaw-dropping -23.78% decrease. This means that in the past year, the number of homes available for sale has dramatically declined, indicating an even stronger seller's market. With fewer options for buyers to choose from, your property becomes a hot commodity, potentially leading to faster sales and higher prices.​Now, let's talk about the "Median Days Homes Are on the Market," which currently stands at a mere 8 days. Yes, you heard it right, just 8 days! This astonishingly low number indicates that homes are flying off the market at lightning speed. Buyers are eager to snatch up properties, and if you are a seller, this means you can expect a swift transaction. So get ready to pack your bags and move on to your next adventure!​Moving on, we have the "List to Sold Price Percentage," which stands at an impressive 100.6%. This metric showcases the relationship between the initial list price of a property and the final sold price. A percentage above 100 indicates that homes are selling for more than their initial asking price. In other words, sellers are not only getting what they hoped for but often even exceeding their expectations. It's a dream come true for anyone looking to sell their property.​Lastly, let's talk numbers – the "Median Sold Price" currently sits at a fantastic $850,000. This figure represents the middle point of all the sold prices in the market. It's a testament to the high-value properties being sold in the area. So if you are a seller, this indicates the potential for a substantial return on your investment. You could be looking at a handsome sum when your property sells.​In conclusion, dear sellers, the real estate market is currently on fire, and you have all the reasons to be excited. With a record-low supply of inventory, homes selling within days, prices exceeding expectations, and a sky-high list-to-sold price percentage, your property is in high demand. So take advantage of this extraordinary market and make the most of your selling experience. Good luck, and happy selling! As you can see, terms such as "Months Supply of Inventory" and "List to Sold Price Percentage" aren't just rattled off — they're presented and explained in a very easy to understand manner. This is the type of information you can send to clients, post on your social channels or include in direct mail pieces. Right now, homeowners need data and information on their homes in their area. Be the one who delivers it to them! Also, remember that you don't have to include every single word of the Analyze Metrics script that is created for you. Edit it down and only include two terms or one market indicator. Use your own words and fill in gaps with your own local expertise. It's simply a starting point that you perfect into a compelling piece of communication. Bolster real estate social media marketing with RPR Speaking of social media… RPR puts so many tools in your hand to help you craft attention-getting social media posts. The words, the pictures, the current and relevant data–we've got it all for you! Using the Shareable Market Trends in RPR gives you access to data, stats and hard facts. But you can take these market updates and break them up (or down) into bite-sized content that your followers and friends will love and appreciate. Simply follow the same steps above to access the Shareable Market Trends. There's so many options here to super-charge your social media marketing efforts! First, let's click Share in the upper right of your Market Trends search result. This will open a box titled, Share Chart. Go ahead and name your chart (the month and year are preselected, feel free to edit as you wish), then check over the Preview of your chart. Next, scroll down to the bottom for the Share options. Choose Facebook, Twitter (now X) or LinkedIn. You will now share this chart to your social media world! Be sure to include some text so potential clients know how to reach you with questions, etc. Or personalize it with something such as, "Hi neighbors, here's the latest housing market update for [NEIGHBORHOOD NAME]. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have about the market…" Another option is to click on the More button; now you can download the Market Trends graphic, either as a .jpg or .png file, or simply copy it to your clipboard for a future paste. Now, you can place this visual market update almost anywhere! Including Instagram, where you can access the saved photo from your phone's camera roll. Of course, you might want this same market info, but in a different visual layout. RPR has that for you! Just click here and you'll be taken to our collection of free Canva templates where you can choose a design to your liking, and then customize it with RPR Market Trends data. Just click the links, follow the prompts and then plug in your numbers. And of course, post the finished product in your feed. We're not done with social yet! Another way to use social media is to once again utilize the RPR Market Trends ScriptWriter. In the first example, we chose Analyze Metrics, but this time select Create Script, and then Social Campaign (be sure to choose your tone and audience as well). You'll almost instantly get: Attention Oceanside Sellers! Get ready for the latest update on the housing market trends in our beautiful city. As your trusted REALTOR®, John Goode, I'm here to keep you informed! Let's dive into the data for September 2023: Currently, Oceanside has a low inventory with only 1.09 months supply available. This means there's a high demand for homes in our area. So if you're thinking of selling, now might just be the perfect time! Over the past 12 months, the Months Supply of Inventory has decreased by an impressive -23.78%. This indicates a growing demand for homes and a potential increase in property values. When it comes to pricing, sellers in Oceanside are in for good news! The List to Sold Price percentage is at a solid 100.6%. This means that homes are selling close to or even above their listing price, giving you the opportunity to maximize your return on investment. The market is moving fast! The median days on market for homes in Oceanside currently stands at just 8 days. This means that if priced right and marketed effectively, your home could find its perfect buyer in no time! Lastly, let's talk about the median sold price. The current median sold price for homes in Oceanside is $850,000. This shows a strong market with favorable conditions for sellers to achieve their desired sales price! If you're considering selling your home in Oceanside, CA 92057, now is a great time to take advantage of these market trends! Contact me, John Goode, your trusted REALTOR®, for personalized guidance and assistance throughout the selling process. #MarketTrends #SellWithConfidence #SellersMarket As you can see, the Market Trends ScriptWriter has created a whole social media campaign for you! Now, you don't have to run all of these messages, you could easily copy all the text and save it somewhere, then pick and choose which ones you want to post, or drip them all out over a period of time. It's up to you, but one thing's for sure – your social media feed will be fresher than ever before! Here are some other "quick hits" that RPR can help with in your marketing planning and executions: Property Reports: RPR provides access to detailed property data, including tax records, ownership history, property characteristics and historical sales data. This information can help you better understand the properties you're selling or buying, which is valuable for market analysis and client education. Sending out RPR Reports as a self-promotion tactic works really well for specific addresses, neighborhoods and market activity. Check out Houston REALTOR® Uses RPR to Deliver Reports and Results; it's about an agent who sends out five RPR Seller's Reports each day as a marketing and prospecting tool! RPR Mailing Labels: Mailing labels or mailing lists can play a crucial role in prospecting outreach in competitive markets. REALTORS® can create them or export owner information from RPR search results. And you can create up to 2,000 each month for free! These ready-to-print mailing labels are perfect for farming, prospecting or direct mail marketing within custom geographies: Conduct an area search, then use filters to narrow it down or use a previously saved area, such as a farm area. Sort your results using the "List View" or from the "Map View," and click "Mailing Labels" once you have the right number of addresses. A pop-up window appears; then choose your label type or a CSV file. Hit "print" and remember, you have 2,000 EACH MONTH to use. Watch this one-minute video to see all of the above in action or follow these step-by-step instructions. Neighborhood Insights: RPR provides information on local neighborhoods, including school data, demographics and amenities. This is valuable when working with clients who want to find properties in specific areas and need detailed information about the neighborhood. That makes it easy for you to market yourself as the neighborhood expert! Customizable Reports: RPR allows you to create branded and customizable reports, giving your marketing materials a professional and polished look. This can help you stand out from the competition and will surely impress your clients. Use RPR to make your marketing attention-getting and unforgettable Incorporating RPR into your real estate marketing strategy can provide you with valuable insights, tools and resources to better serve your clients and improve your overall effectiveness as a real estate professional. It's particularly useful for creating data-driven marketing campaigns and delivering well-informed recommendations to your clients. Tap into RPR today to give your marketing more teeth! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Want to Know More About RPR? Take a Guided Tour
At RPR (Realtors Property Resource®), our single-minded goal is to help REALTORS® be better at everything they do. From daily transactional tasks to building a prospecting pipeline, everything RPR offers is centered around increasing agent productivity and profitability. We want to arm you with data, tools and reports. We want to help you unlock everything RPR has to offer. We want to guide you to greatness! We want to take you on a Guided Tour… What and where are RPR's Guided Tours? Perhaps you're a new agent or new to RPR. Or maybe you're a regular user of RPR, but you only use it for certain things. Either way, the Guided Tours are perfect ways to get introduced to and get familiar with RPR's core capabilities. When you log in to RPR and visit the home page, you'll see the lineup of Guided Tours (formerly called "Shortcuts") right underneath the main search bar. The residential Guided Tours include: Property Search, Prospecting, Market Trends, Map Search, Create, CMA, Create Reports and RPR Mobile™. Each Guided Tour is an interactive, step-by-step journey that will take you through the process of completing a task. When you click on a Guided Tour icon, you will be shown where to begin and as you finish each step, the system will guide you to the next. For example, if you click on "Market Trends," a magenta box will appear that will welcome you to the tour and tell you what steps are next and how to progress through them. You simply click your way through and follow the prompts to see how the feature works and to get a feel for the workflow. This online walkthrough (sort of a digital hand-holding) leads you through some of RPR's most popular offerings. Each tour is easy to follow, doesn't take too much time, and it's a smart way to get your feet wet and learn some new skills! Pro Tip: To exit a Guided Tour at any time, just click the "X" in the upper right corner. You can also collapse the Guided Tours menu altogether by clicking on the three vertical dots at the end of the menu, and then select Collapse card. RPR's Commercial Guided Tours On the RPR home page, flip the toggle to "Commercial," and the Guided Tours will change accordingly. Here's what it looks like: The Commercial Guided Tours are Property Search, Map Insights, Site Selection, Research Trade Areas, Investor Analysis, Create Reports and Prospecting. The tours and the process work exactly the same as the residential versions. Want more? Take the tour… What are you waiting for? Go to the RPR website, click on one of the Guided Tours and enjoy the ride! You'll learn the ins and outs of helpful RPR features and unlock new capabilities that can make you a stronger, more skilled real estate professional. RPR offers REALTORS® unparalleled access to data, analytics and tools. And now, we're offering Guided Tours so our users can learn more and use RPR to its fullest! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Stand Out in the Crowd: Personalize Your RPR Reports with Custom Pages
Standing out in the real estate industry is a necessity rather than a luxury. And one tool that ensures you do just that is RPR's (Realtors Property Resource®) custom page feature. This valuable tool not only helps you fine-tune your RPR reports, it also allows you to leave a lasting personal impression. How to add customized pages to your RPR Reports Implementing this tool is straightforward. By navigating to the Reports tab on RPR's website, and selecting Manage Custom Pages, you can upload up to five PDF files, which can be easily positioned anywhere within your report thanks to RPR's flexible user interface. Now, let's delve deeper into the various ways this standard-setting customization tool can transform your personal brand: Your Professional Identity Highlighting your qualifications, certifications and specialized skills gives clients insight into your professional prowess. Personal testimonials or reviews from past clients inserted into your custom pages can serve as powerful references, further enhancing client trust. Your Successful Track Record Sharing details about sold properties, awards and recognitions received paints a picture of success. Also consider spotlighting exceptional transactions where you overcame significant hurdles—these stories tell more about what you bring to the table than numbers ever could. Your Team's Strengths and Collaborative Approach If collaborative effort defines your operations, displaying profiles or skills of team members gives clients an idea of the collective capabilities they're hiring. Reports of successful collaborations on past transactions could seal the deal. Your Client-Centric Approach Proactively addressing common questions shows dedication to transparency and client understanding. Including resources that explain buying/selling processes simply further demonstrates your readiness to guide them through their real estate journey. Community and Local Expertise Are you actively involved in local community events? Do you have insightful knowledge of local neighborhoods or property trends? Sharing these local-focused insights emphasizes your commitment to both community and industry growth. Custom pages can also be uniquely tailored to varying types of clients: For Sellers Sharing your unique selling strategies helps to build trust, reinforcing the feeling that they're in capable hands. Including staging tips provides a glimpse into your expertise, reassuring sellers about their sale's potential success. For Buyers Providing a glimpse into potential neighborhoods could save buyers hours of research. A guide specifically created for first-time buyers simplifies the purchasing process, easing any worries they may have. For Investors Supplying case study pages introduces investors to real-life instances of your previous successful ventures. By presenting these successful stories, you help them comprehend your effective strategies. This sort of confirmation helps them make confident investment decisions. Adding custom pages to reports sets you apart from a crowded field Are you beginning to see how using RPR's custom page feature can turn the tables in your favor, propelling both you and your clients toward success? It's really about understanding what your clients are looking for and then serving it to them pre-packaged and tied with a bow. So go ahead, give it a shot — you're already one step ahead of the game by reading this article. You've got this! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog. Thank you to RPR for sponsoring this article on RE Technology! Related reading 5 RPR Report Customizations You May Not Be Using RPR Reports: Easy to Create, Hard to Duplicate 1-Minute Lesson on How to Add Custom Pages to RPR Reports

RPR Mobile: Why It's the Must-Have App for REALTORS
Thank you to RPR for sponsoring this article on RE Technology: We hate to sound like a broken record, but the mobile application provided by RPR® (Realtors Property Resource®) should be on every REALTOR's phone. The RPR app is akin to carrying around the entire RPR website in your pocket or purse: it's jam packed with property data, reports and tools. With it, agents are as equally productive as when they're in the office at their desktop. In this article, we're going to highlight all the tangible features and capabilities of real estate's most powerful app — and put a spotlight on all the intangibles that make it an indispensable tool. The RPR app: your go-to when you're on the go The RPR app is a convenient and comprehensive resource for REALTORS®, which can be especially helpful when agents are out in the field with clients, hosting open houses, door knocking, etc. It can also be used for commercial property research, trade area analysis and transaction based tasks. The app gives real estate professionals instant access to a wide range of real estate data and task-completing tools. Here's a list of what can be tapped into and utilized by REALTORS® with the RPR app and why it's considered a "must-have" for their business: Property Information: RPR's database is the largest in residential and commercial real estate, and includes details on over 160 million properties in the country. With the app in hand, a REALTOR® can get instant property information, including tax records, assessments, transaction history, ownership details, and more. It's the perfect tool for researching properties and providing accurate data to clients and prospects. Client-Friendly Reports: Use the app to generate professional-looking, branded reports for clients. Property Reports, Seller's Reports, School Reports and Market Activity Reports can be created on your phone and shared in just a few button taps. They're especially handy at open houses or canvassing a neighborhood. Clients and prospects will be amazed at how much info you can share in such a short amount of time. CMAs: RPR offers Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) tools, which allows REALTORS® to build an accurate CMA even when they're out in the wild or away from their desk. The ability to use pricing tools and send the results to clients in minutes can definitely leave a favorable impression. Shareable Market Trends: Real estate is local and homeowners and potential home buyers crave up-to-date market stats for their particular area. You can deliver these hyper-local neighborhood insights with RPR's Shareable Market Trends. Just look for the "Market Trends" tab at the bottom navigation bar and tap into a world of revealing market stats, charts and graphs for a specific area. Better yet, you can share these numbers with clients, or out to your social sphere, with just a few "taps." New Pricing Tools: Recently added, the RPR app now boasts two new features: an Equity Calculator and a Mortgage Calculator. For homeowners who aren't completely clued-in to their home's equity figure, the easy-to-use Equity Calculator can be a real eye-opener and a great conversation starter. For your buyer clients, the Mortgage Calculator provides a ballpark, big picture on how much home can be afforded. This can aid in realistic budget discussions, narrow down home searches, and ultimately help your clients make better informed decisions. Mapping and Geo Data: The maps in the app are powerful! The mapping features allow the user to overlay various data layers onto a map area. This can help in identifying trends, understanding neighborhood demographics, school searches, searching from particular points or within a certain radius, and assessing market conditions. The Buyer Tour: Currently an app-only feature in RPR, the Buyer Tour easily allows agents to select properties and determine an order to tour them. Then they can create a colorful, client-friendly report to share with their buyers. It's a great way to set up a schedule and keep a record of what was viewed, and what was liked. Commercial capabilities: RPR also offers a commercial version of its app. In fact, it's the exact same app, you simply toggle over to "Commercial" from "Residential" (this can be done from the login screen, or on the home screen by tapping the gear icon in the upper left corner). Commercial practitioners can use the RPR app to access commercial property information, keep tabs on market conditions, research properties, search listings, assess investment opportunities, identify optimum sites, and create commercial property and Trade Area reports. NAR Member Benefit: RPR, and the RPR Mobile™ app, are provided as a member benefit by the National Association of Realtors. This means the app is built exclusively for REALTORS®. If you're a member, your dues are paying for it, so you should be using it! Want to impress clients? Get a grip on any situation with the RPR app As you can tell, the RPR app offers a laundry list of features and offerings. Agents can use it to solve or service almost any real estate situation. However, using the app also checks some intangible boxes that can really foster the agent-client relationship. For example, using the RPR app sets you up to: Conveniently respond and deliver in minutes: Emailing and texting reports, CMAs, Market Trends and answers to questions from your phone is a sign that you're dialed in and know your stuff. That last thing clients want to hear is, "I'll figure that out when I get back to the office tomorrow." With the RPR app in hand, you'll answer that question on the spot. Build confidence (in your clients and in yourself): If you're out with a client looking at a home, and they ask you a question about the place across the street, and you have an immediate answer? That's an immediate confidence boost. The RPR app can help you handle these curveball questions and hit them out of the park. One RPR user describes this type of app-assisted knowledge as "listing intel," and we couldn't agree more. Build trust: Providing your clients with up-to-date housing market information goes a long way in building a rapport and positioning yourself as a local market expert. Your clients may know a little, but they look to and lean on you for experience and guidance. The ability to discuss what type of market we're in, and how the inventory shortage is affecting sales and prices, what the listing to sales percentages mean and so forth, is trust-building knowledge that you can deliver, even when you're out and about. The RPR app can be the foundation of your tech stack If you have the app and haven't used it in awhile, it's time to take another look. RPR has added a ton of new enhancements that can have an immediate effect on your response times, skill-building and your bottom line. And if you don't have the app on your phone, it's time to download it and add it to your tech stack. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

The RPR mobile app keeps getting better
At a recent industry event, we overheard the following from an unknown REALTOR®: There's not an agent who can't benefit from having this app on their phone.   — Anonymous REALTOR® Unfortunately, we couldn't flag them down to attribute the quote. But in a textbook case of blatant self-promotion, we couldn't agree more! RPR makes more upgrades to its digital app RPR (Realtors Property Resource®) has made, and will continue to make, major improvements to its digital application. We pore over user feedback and continually conduct usability tests to help determine how we can improve our users' experience with it. It's RPR's goal to elevate the form, function and design of the mobile app so REALTORS® can get more done, and do it more efficiently, especially when they're away from their desktops. Here are some examples of how we've been doing just that, and a promise to bring even more to the app in the coming weeks and months. Market Trends and Shareable Market Trends for RPR Mobile™ Earlier this year, we brought the Market Trends feature over from the website to the mobile app. The Market Trends charts and graphs are a collection of hyper-local housing market stats and metrics. The Market Trends areas depend on your search: you can start big with state and county areas, or you can drill down to towns and neighborhoods for a more specific search. RPR then takes recent market numbers and presents them to agents in an easy-to-understand layout. These metrics include the type of market, Months of Inventory, List to Sold Price Percentage, Median Days in RPR and Median Sold Price. Having this type of information at your fingertips is a very valuable tool when it comes to explaining questions such as, "How's the market?" And then, after popular demand, we unveiled Shareable Market Trends on the app. With this great feature, users can simply tap a button on their phone to take this market information and share it directly to their go-to social media platforms. There's also an option to save the Market Trends charts as an image for email, texting or placing just about anywhere. For more details, check out: Market Trends and Housing Stats now Available in RPR Mobile™. Improved Property Details on the RPR app The Property Details section in the RPR Mobile™ app was also recently updated with a refreshed UI (that stands for User Interface). In non tech terms, it means our designers made the app easier to use, prettier to look at and beefed up the functionality. This upgrade was achieved by improving the layout, introducing color schemes and increasing the font sizes. This new Property Details section is what comes up after you search for a property. Simply enter in an address, and then click on the property, and you'll be taken right to it. Next comes the scrolling, the ooohing and the ahhhing. We can't wait for you to check it out! Here's what's new: Media Viewer Also referred to as the "Photo Viewer," this area is bigger and packs more pics than ever before. It includes a new List View that lets users quickly scroll through the photos while still offering the ability to tap to view larger photos. This lets users jump to a kitchen or backyard photo, without having to swipe through all the photos to get to there. (In a future release, users will be able to zoom in on photos as well.) There is also an option for satellite/street/map views, as well 3D tours, all centrally located within the viewer. Property Summary More info at a glance! And much easier on the eyes. The property summary details have been reorganized into three rows and the text size is larger. This is a complete facelift which standardizes how the app displays information for listings and public records. Now included are the list status date and listing ID, which is a new addition. Basic Facts The Basic Facts are now easier to find and as they reside right below the property summary. This section now displays the APN and owner(s) names, which has also been requested by users. Pricing Tools A new color-coded Pricing Tools section has been added just below the Property Facts. It includes the CMA tool and access to a Seller's Net Sheet. And we'll be adding more tools to this section very soon! Additional Resources The Additional Resources takes you directly to helpful and relevant real estate assets, such as links to Valuate® and ShowingTime, with more to come. Again, more resources on the way. In terms of "user friendly," the RPR app might be your new best friend The RPR Mobile™ app has recently been improved with enhancements such as Shareable Market Trends, an updated interface, and a plethora of data you can access while you're on the go and in the field. If you haven't seen it in a while, we urge you to fire it up and try out the new look and feel. And under the heading of "Coming sooner and soon," we've got even more great updates and improvements dropping in the next few months. Stay tuned… Download the RPR Mobile™ app today in the App Store or Google Play. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Buyers have school questions? Learn how to answer them with RPR Mobile
Schools are involved in a ton of real estate decisions, but unless you have school-age children yourself, or unless you just happen to know a lot about the schools in your market (because you attended school there, for example), then it might be difficult for the average real estate agent to answer a buyer's questions. How is the school rated? How close is it to different homes the buyer is considering — and are there possibly multiple school zones involved? If someone wants their kids to attend a specific school, where are the boundary lines? Learn how to generate a school-centric home report using the RPR Mobile app, a REALTORS® Property Resource tool. If there's one app that every REALTOR® should have on their phone, it's the RPR Mobile™ app. The app not only provides access to on- and off-market properties and market trends, it also streamlines your search process by offering other essential data sets, including school information — an efficient way to provide meaningful data to your clients and save you precious time. As August has arrived and many families are gearing up for the "back to school" season, it's important to understand the role school information plays in real estate decisions. Whether your potential buyers have school-age children or not, the proximity and quality of local schools can influence the appeal and value of a property. Welcome to our deep-dive into why every REALTOR® should be maximizing the "School Search" function found in the RPR Mobile™ app to better serve their clients. Finding Schools from the Map Verifying schools near a property can be vital during your buyer tours — and doing so is effortless with the RPR mobile app. This tool provides easily accessible and actionable information in a user-friendly format. See for yourself: Begin by tapping on the location symbol at the top of the screen From within the map, tap "Map Actions" Tap on "Schools" Select the desired school type: Elementary, middle or high school; Public, private or charter Confirm with a tap on "continue" Now schools matching that criteria display on your map as graduation-cap icons alongside the property pins Tapping these icons reveals information about each school including their names, ratings, addresses, etc. Finding Schools Near a Property Perhaps you're looking at a property in RPR Mobile and want to see the schools in the area? Just tap on "Schools" under the photos on the Property Details screen. Instantly access all of the important data about local schools and even see these schools on a map in relation to your property. School Reports Time for your final project! Pull all that school info into a branded RPR report. From details about specific schools, their ratings, attendance zones, and local properties for sale, everything can be neatly presented in a client-friendly report format. Make the grade with school stats using the RPR Mobile™ app Use this back-to-school season as an opportunity to dial-in your local school searching using RPR Mobile. If you haven't installed it yet, don't wait any longer; download the RPR Mobile app from Google Play or App Store today! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

'How's the market?' Learn how to respond with RPR Market Trends
It's probably the question you hear the most frequently, especially by people who might be interested in buying or selling at some point in the near future. Answering it regularly via an email blast or social media posts, using data, can help establish you as a local expert and the go-to source for buying and selling advice. But those three words can trip up even the most experienced agent if you haven't practiced how to respond. RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter is a ChatGPT-powered market analysis tool for real estate agents that can help you automatically write market updates, custom video scripts, social media content, and much more. Read all about how to use the RPR Market Trends ScriptWriter in your own business with a step-by-step guide. A How-to on Empowering Clients with RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter Market uncertainty often creates confusion, leading to consumer apprehension. As a REALTOR®, you have an opportunity to educate and inform clients by offering valuable market insights and regularly sharing local updates. This not only helps consumers better understand the real estate landscape, but also alleviates fears associated with national or regional headlines. But does the thought of staring at a blank screen while trying to write a market update for your clients and prospects make you cringe? Maybe diving into data and metrics isn't your favorite topic, or your to-do list is piling up with other important tasks. Worry no more, as this guide will walk you through utilizing RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter for a seamless and efficient experience in delivering high-quality content to your clients. Unlocking the power of RPR Shareable Market Trends and ScriptWriter RPR Shareable Market Trends itself cover a wide variety of data points. But the heart of any market update revolves around key metrics such as Months of Inventory, List to Sold Price Percentage, Media days in RPR and Median Sold Price. And that's exactly what the Market Trends ScriptWriter tool uses for its analysis. To harness the power of RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter, follow these steps: Log in to RPR: Visit the RPR website (narrpr.com) and log in using your credentials. Go to 'Research': After logging in, locate and click on the 'Research' button in the main navigation at the top of the page. Select 'Residential Market Trends': After selecting 'Residential,' you will find several options; click on 'Residential Market Trends.' Define Geographic Area: Enter the geographic boundaries of the area you are interested in researching – this can be county, city, ZIP code or even certain neighborhoods. Create Script Button: On the Market Trends results page generated by your search input, locate and click on the 'Create Script' button. Customize Your Script: From the dropdowns, choose options for tone (e.g., casual, formal), audience type (e.g., existing clients, potential buyers). Now select the content to generate: The Market Trends ScriptWriter generates tailored content based on your selections—video script text, social media post ideas and messaging or analysis of Months of Inventory, List to Sold Price Percentage, Media days in RPR and Median Sold Price. Create Video Script Create Social Campaign Analyze Metrics Copy Text: Once finalized, select the "Copy Text" button to copy the newly generated text. Now paste this into a document where you can refer back and edit (i.e., Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc.). Email Yourself the Content: Select "Email Content" to send a copy of this text to the account email address. Maximizing the potential of RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter: a three-pronged approach Now that you know how to access the Market Trends ScriptWriter, let's dive into the benefits it offers. In this section, we'll explore three ways the ScriptWriter can boost your real estate communication strategies: by creating captivating video content, crafting engaging social media posts and interpreting metrics for informed decision-making. Creating Market Analysis Video Scripts with RPR's ScriptWriter Video offers a dynamic and engaging way for REALTORS® to deliver market updates to prospects and clients. However, getting started can sometimes be the biggest hurdle. Thankfully, with RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter, you can generate personalized video scripts that effectively educate clients, build trust, and capture potential leads' attention while considering their preferences and expectations. After generating and customizing your video script, it's time to bring your content to life. Utilize the equipment you have at hand, such as your smartphone, webcam, or DSLR camera, and create a compelling video that highlights your local market. This data-driven video content not only enhances your credibility as a knowledgeable real estate pro, but also showcases your market expertise in a visually appealing manner. Ultimately, incorporating engaging video content into your market analysis updates empowers you to stand out and foster meaningful connections with clients on a more personal level. Crafting Engaging Social Media Content Consistently sharing market insights on social media platforms is important to keep your audience engaged and informed. RPR's ScriptWriter enables you to create tailored content focusing on local market metrics, ensuring that your message remains relevant. To optimize social media engagement, consider factors such as appropriate posting frequency, a balanced mix of educational and promotional content, and leveraging visuals like RPR's Shareable Market Trends charts and graphs. Analyzing Metrics for Informed Decision-making Metrics analysis is an essential component in guiding your clients through their real estate journey and determining your marketing and pricing strategies. RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter allows you to review crucial metrics like months of inventory, list-to-sold price percentage, and median sold price while highlighting correlations and trends. Armed with this valuable insight, both you and your clients will be better equipped to make data-driven decisions and move forward with confidence. Leveraging Local Market Data for Better Client Experiences By using RPR Shareable Market Trends ScriptWriter to address consumer concerns, you'll be able to create a stronger rapport with your clients, solidify your expertise and differentiate yourself as a go-to real estate professional in your market. Here's how: Build credibility and trust: Providing accurate, timely and relevant local market data demonstrates that you are knowledgeable, professional and committed to your client's success. Becoming a trusted source of information fosters long-lasting relationships with your clients, leading to a loyal customer base and repeat business. Enhance communication and help clients make informed decisions: Consumer concerns can often arise from a lack of information or understanding of the real estate market. With RPR Shareable Market Trends ScriptWriter, you can easily communicate complex data in a digestible format, empowering clients to make educated choices about buying and selling properties. This will not only boost client satisfaction but also streamline your decision-making process, ultimately saving you time and effort. Generate leads and secure word-of-mouth referrals: Providing exceptional client experiences, backed by accurate market insights, turns your satisfied clients into enthusiastic advocates for your services. A happy client is more likely to refer your services to friends, family members, and colleagues, growing your network and expanding your potential for new leads. You are your market's resource. By effectively interpreting market data and presenting it in an accessible way, you can simplify complex concepts, promote understanding and empower your clients to make informed decisions. Try it today and happy script-writing! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Elevate Your Business with RPR's Master the Market eBook Series
Want to attend RPR U (Realtors Property Resource® University)? Okay, we'll come clean, that's not really a thing! However, we do offer a comprehensive eBook series that will help you master the market and elevate every facet of your business. Our new collection of eBooks were inspired by RPR's Market Trends charts and graphs. This aggregation and presentation of hyper-local housing market data is the fuel that drives these ultra informative "books." Each one covers crucial topics in real estate that you need to know in order to build your skills and find success. These aren't quick, top lines that you casually browse through — they're detailed, in-depth, step-by-step guides that will immerse you in the topic and arm you with tried and true tactics and techniques. Download one or download them all! You'll learn how to master your messaging, your marketing and your market. RPR's Guide to Market Trends and Housing Charts This insightful eBook is packed with essential information, tips and tools to help you stay ahead of the curve and excel in your real estate career. With a focus on market trends, housing statistics and industry insights, this guide will enable you to become an expert in your field and provide your clients with the best possible advice. Metrics and Trends for Your Next Listing Presentation Are you a REALTOR® looking to elevate your listing presentations and captivate potential clients? Discover the power of data-driven insights with RPR's eBook: Metrics and Trends for Your Next Listing Presentation. This eBook includes tips for leveraging RPR's Shareable Market Trends to craft compelling and successful listing presentations. Enhance Buyer and Seller Guides with RPR's Shareable Market Trends Discover the tools, tips and techniques you need to create top-notch buyer and seller guides that will set you apart from the competition and empower your clients to make informed decisions in today's ever-changing real estate market. Captivating Clients through Social Media and Data-Driven Insights The digital revolution has significantly changed how people search for and purchase homes, making it crucial for REALTORS® to establish an online presence. To assist you in navigating this terrain, we have developed this eBook to show you how to effectively utilize RPR's Shareable Market Trends to enhance your social media presence, captivate clients and broaden your reach. Lights, Camera, Sold! Captivating Consumers with Market Analysis Videos Are you a forward-thinking REALTOR® looking to elevate your marketing efforts? You've come to the right place! Introducing our eBook: Lights, Camera, Sold! Captivating Consumers with Market Analysis Videos. This resource will empower you to combine the proven effectiveness of video marketing with the unparalleled insights of RPR Shareable Market Trends, giving you a winning edge over the competition. RPR's Shareable Charts: A Game-Changer for Webinars and Virtual Events In today's competitive real estate market, utilizing data-driven insights is essential for staying ahead and delivering the best service to your clients. Webinars and virtual events serve as powerful, low-cost platforms for showcasing your expertise and sharing these valuable insights. This eBook is packed with practical tips and strategies that will have you leveraging RPR's Shareable Market Trends for webinars and virtual events in no time! Stand Out in the Mailbox with RPR's Shareable Market Trends Think direct mail is dead? Think again! In the ever-evolving world of real estate marketing, the key to success lies in delivering the right information with the right value — and that's where RPR's Shareable Market Trends come in. Our comprehensive eBook will show you how to harness the power of direct mail marketing by incorporating valuable data-driven content that truly resonates with your audience. The Art of Print: Crafting Market Analysis Printed Materials In today's competitive real estate landscape, staying on top of current trends and adapting your marketing strategies is essential. By blending data-driven insights with eye-catching print materials, you'll provide valuable information and make a memorable impact during open houses, door knocking, networking events, local workshops and beyond. Learn how to effectively communicate your expertise and capture the attention of potential clients through captivating print materials that highlight your in-depth knowledge of the local market. Market Trends Unlocked: A Comprehensive Guide for Real Estate Bloggers By seamlessly incorporating RPR Shareable Market Trends into your blogging strategies, you'll be delivering data-driven insights and current market analysis that will captivate both potential and existing clients, setting you apart in the ever-evolving world of real estate. This eBook is your go-to guide on leveraging RPR Shareable Market Trends in your blogging strategy for optimum results. Get your "Master the Market" degree from RPR! As the saying goes, "We wrote the book." RPR has actually written nine books! Nine eBooks packed with information, strategies and directions on how to reach clients and prospects with RPR Market Trends data. Be sure to download and dive into a good book today. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

How to Add Your Brand Voice to RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter
RPR (Realtors Property Resource®) has recently introduced a time- and effort-saving marketing tool for REALTORS®: an AI ChatGPT-powered Market Trends ScriptWriter. If you're not familiar with it yet, check out this article, AI ChatGPT-Powered Market Analysis: Game-Changing Feature for Real Estate Marketing, for all the details. AI tech for REALTORS® to easily create copy and content To summarize, agents can now go to the RPR Shareable Market Trends (up-to-date, hyper-local housing market data) and hit a button that says, Create Script. Then, the artificially intelligent little robots will wordsmith a spot-on script for you. This is the groundbreaking tech you've heard and read so much about — and now it's available to REALTORS® via RPR! Here's a quick "how-to" on how to use the Market Trends ScriptWriter. First, log in to RPR. Then go to the Research menu tab and choose Residential Market Trends. Users can choose the market statistic or chart they want to share, based on a search area (ZIP, neighborhood name, city, etc.). Next, hit that Create Script button! Choose a tone (Professional, Engaging or Conversational) and an audience (Buyers, Sellers or Buyers and Sellers), and then choose the type of script (video, social post, market explanation), and voilà! In seconds, you've created smart, factual marketing copy and content to use in whatever medium you choose. You can use these scripts and this copy to create messages and marketing materials to inform your clients and prospects about the current status of their local housing market! Make a good thing better: add your own voice to the AI-powered scripts Here's where it gets even more fun: although the copy generated is fine to use "as is" (although you are highly encouraged to review it and approve it), we've found that adding your own voice is the best way to make it more enjoyable and memorable. Injecting your own personality, your own brand, and even your own language is the recommended way to reach your targets and your audience. Here are a few examples of what we mean by adding your own brand voice to a script or message. Below is the copy that the Market Trends Script-Writer generated for Oceanside, CA 92057. We used the first chart of data, the lead off summary of "Market Trends," which shows a Market Indicator slider, and also some important "Key Details," including Months of Inventory, List to Sold Price %, Median Days in RPR and Median Sold Price. Here's what the AI Script-Writer produced with the "Professional" tone, buyers and sellers as the audience, and a video script as the selections: AI version Hello everyone, and welcome to my latest market update for Oceanside, California. My name is John Wick, and I'm a REALTOR® with [insert company name].​As of April 2023, the real estate market in Oceanside is showing some interesting trends, particularly for sellers. Let's dive into the data.​First, we have a very low Months Supply of Inventory at just 0.69. This means that there are more buyers than there are homes available for sale. However, it's worth noting that over the last 12 months, we have seen a decrease of -25.81% in Months Supply of Inventory. This could be a sign that the market is starting to balance out, but for now, it's still a great time to sell.​Another positive indicator for sellers is the List to Sold Price percentage, which is currently at 100.7%. This means that homes are selling for slightly more than their asking price on average, which is great news for those looking to maximize their profits.​In terms of how long it takes to sell a home in Oceanside, the median days on market is just 13. This is an incredibly fast turnaround, and it's a testament to the strong demand for homes in this area.​Finally, let's talk about median sold prices. As of April 2023, the median sold price for homes in Oceanside is $750,000. This is a healthy number, and it shows that there is still plenty of value to be found in this market.​Overall, the Oceanside real estate market is showing some very positive signs for sellers. If you're thinking about listing your home, now is a great time to do so. And if you're a buyer, it's important to act quickly and be prepared to make a strong offer in order to compete in this fast-moving market.​As always, if you have any questions or would like to learn more about the Oceanside real estate market, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. Thank you for watching, and I'll see you in the next update. Again, the above is factually sound, grammatically correct and reads pretty well, considering a machine did it! However, now it needs some of your personality and style before you share it with your sphere. Here are some basics to consider: do you have a slogan or a handle? Be sure to use that. Do you specialize in certain neighborhoods or certain clients? Call that out. Also, be sure to add in any "local" knowledge you might have to bolster your credentials as a local housing market expert. Basically, add some flair and have some fun! Here's an example of how to edit your script and insert your voice: Revised version Hello neighbors! My name is John Wick, and I'm a REALTOR® here in sunny Oceanside, California, and your local Oakmont expert. The reason I'm sharing this video is because everywhere I go, I bump into folks who ask, "How's the market, John?" So sit back and watch this quick Oakmont market update. ​Right now, Oakmont is showing some interesting trends, particularly for sellers. Let's dive into the data to give homeowners, as well as potential buyers in the area, a breakdown of the trends we're seeing, and we'll define some of the metrics and terms that affect it.​Right off the bat, inventory is low. Really low. The Months Supply of Inventory sits at just 0.69. This means there are more buyers than there are homes available for sale. However, in the last calendar year, we have seen a decrease of -25.81% in Months Supply of Inventory, which could point to a more balanced market in the not so distant future. But right now, it's still a really strong situation for sellers. ​Another good sign for sellers is the List to Sold Price percentage, which is currently at 100.7%. This means that homes are selling for slightly more than their asking price on average, which is obviously great news for those who are listing their homes this month or considering it.​How long are homes on the market in Oakmont? Not long! The median days on market is just 13. This is an incredibly fast turnaround, and just reinforces the strong demand for homes in this area.​Overall, Oakmont in Oceanside is showing some very positive signs for sellers. I hope you found this video informative and helpful. If you have any questions about our local market or if you're thinking about listing your home, please don't hesitate to reach out. My contact info is in the description.​And don't forget about the Oakmont Farmers Market, every other Thursday at the Village Green. If you want to chat about real estate or the housing market, I'll be the guy by the kettle corn stand! Thanks for watching, I'm John Wick and I'll see you next month. As you can see when comparing the two, the second version is much more compelling and you get a sense of "John's" personality throughout it. The first, AI-generated option is more of a "just the facts" version, and it's a really solid start. You just need to sprinkle in some zest and jazz things up a bit! Make it your own, say things as you naturally would and explain things in a down to earth way. Own your AI AI version 1. Are you thinking of selling your home in Oceanside, CA? The good news is that the current market trends are in your favor! With only 0.69 Months Supply of Inventory and a List to Sold Price percentage of 100.7%, now is an optimal time to list your property. Contact me, John Wick, your local REALTOR®, to discuss your options. Revised version 1. Wondering what you can get for your home? I'm John Wick, your local Oakmont neighborhood specialist and I've got good news if you're thinking about listing… With only 0.69 Months Supply of Inventory and a List to Sold Price percentage of 100.7%, now is an optimal time to list your property. Please reach out if you have any questions or you want to discuss your options. AI version 2. Buyers, are you ready to purchase your dream home in Oceanside, CA? The median days on market is just 13, which means you'll need to act fast to secure your ideal property. With a median Sold Price of $750,000, it's important to have an experienced REALTOR® on your side to help you navigate the competitive market. Contact me, John Wick, to find your dream home today. Revised version 2. Your dream home is out there! However, if you're thinking about buying in the popular neighborhood of Oakmont in Oceanside, California, you might need to act fast. The median days on market is just 13, which means properties are barely lasting two weeks. With a median Sold Price of $750,000, it really helps to have an experienced REALTOR® (that's me, John Wick!) on your side to help you navigate this competitive market. Contact me today, and together we'll find your dream home tomorrow. RPR now offers an AI ChatGPT resource that helps REALTORS® in all their marketing efforts The RPR Market Trends ScriptWriter is ready now! We've made the tech easily available and usable just for REALTORS®. And there's absolutely no extra charge or fee: anyone who uses RPR can use the Scriptwriter. We hope you'll try out this new resource and tool. It's a solid foundation for creating memorable and clutter-cutting real estate marketing messages. Choose your stats, your tone, your audience and your medium… and wait for the magic. Then, take what the bots give you and make it your own! Review the scripts and copy, then work in your own talking points, your local insight, and of course, your winning personality. And in no time you'll be creating market updates that inform and convert. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RPR's Data-Driven Revolution: Shaping the Future of Commercial Real Estate Decision Making
In the digital era, data is king. And in the world of commercial real estate, this trend is particularly pronounced. As the sector becomes increasingly data-driven, commercial real estate pros need to be able to collect, analyze and interpret data in order to make informed decisions. This means being able to use data to identify trends and assess risk. It also adds to making strategic decisions about where to invest, how to manage properties, and how to market properties. The Current State of Data Use in Commercial Real Estate Today, commercial real estate pros are leveraging RPR's rich data offerings to enhance their decision-making processes. By providing access to over 800,000 listings and 57 million off-market properties, RPR empowers REALTORS® to conduct comprehensive property searches, analyze potential investment opportunities, and make well-informed decisions. For example, RPR's demographic and economic data can be used to identify areas with high consumer spending or high population growth-factors that are crucial when determining the ideal location for a new business. A perfect example of this is a case where a REALTOR® from Texas used RPR's Commercial Site Selection tool to find the perfect location for a trendy cookie bakery. By leveraging RPR's extensive data, including demographics, traffic patterns, and points of interest, the REALTOR® was able to find a location that was a perfect fit for the bakery's target audience. This is a prime example of how RPR's data-driven tools can guide commercial practitioners in making informed decisions for their clients. The Impact of Data on Decision Making RPR's platform includes advanced mapping features, such as Points of Interest, traffic counts, and data layers. These tools enable REALTORS® to conduct a more detailed analysis of potential locations, taking into account factors that may influence a property's desirability and value. For example, traffic counts can provide insights into a location's visibility and accessibility, while data layers can offer a deeper understanding of the surrounding area's demographics, infrastructure and environmental factors. The Future of Data-Driven Decision-Making in Commercial Real Estate Looking ahead, the role of data in commercial real estate decision-making is set to become even more significant. Advancements in technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning could enable more complex data analyses and predictions. This could lead to a better understanding of market trends and a more accurate prediction of future property values. Moreover, the future could also see more personalized insights. Using RPR, practitioners could offer tailored property recommendations to clients based on their specific needs and preferences, enhancing the customer experience. The Role of RPR in Shaping this Future RPR is well-positioned to lead the commercial real estate industry into this data-driven future. With its commitment to providing comprehensive and accurate data, and its ongoing efforts to integrate advanced technologies into its platform, RPR is at the forefront of this revolution. Furthermore, RPR's user-friendly interface and easy-to-use tools make its wealth of data accessible to all, regardless of their level of technical expertise. This democratization of data is a critical step towards a future where all commercial real estate decisions are data-driven. Data-driven decision-making is transforming the commercial real estate industry, improving accuracy, reducing risk and uncovering hidden opportunities. As the sector navigates the complexities of the digital age, the importance of platforms like RPR cannot be overstated. By providing comprehensive, accurate, and accessible data, RPR is not just keeping pace with the industry's evolving needs, but is actively shaping the future of commercial real estate. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Data Layers on Maps in RPR
You're a REALTOR® working with a client dreaming of buying her first home. She's watched prices snowball in her preferred neighborhoods and has made several offers without success. Her enthusiasm is waning. What to do? Take advantage of the new-and-improved housing market data overlays on the maps in Realtors Property Resource® (RPR). Start with the layer showing the median sold price. This is a monthly calculation for geographies such as ZIP code, city, county and state using public records and MLS data. It looks like your client's favorite neighborhood, Happy Place, is near the high end of home values in Pleasantville, where she hopes to relocate from her apartment in nearby Busy Town. In fact, you can validate the price escalation by looking at another overlay, the one showing the 12-month change in median estimated property value. You pan around the map and notice Hidden Gem, a neighborhood a couple of miles from Happy Place, where you can easily see that prices are declining slightly. Hidden Gem is ripe for further research on behalf of your client. This kind of visual market analysis is made possible by RPR's latest integration with Google Maps Platform, leveraging their new data-driven styling capabilities. Each month, RPR aggregates key market statistics, such as the median sold price and median estimated property value. Now, thanks to data-driven styling, RPR can superimpose the metrics on website maps, using coloring by various geography, which provides handy knowledge at a glance. The new map overlays are timely (updated monthly), intuitive (easy to access and interpret), and performant (fast to load in the RPR platform). RPR is one of the first real estate portals to implement Google Maps Platform's new capability and was spotlighted by Google Maps Platform in their I/O developer conference announcements on May 10. RPR's initial offering includes five data layers related to residential market information: Median Estimated Property Value: Shows the median estimated value for properties in an area on the last day of the previous month. 12-Month Change in Median Estimated Property Value: Shows the change in median estimated value for properties in an area over the past year. Median Sold Price: Shows the median sales price for properties in an area that sold in the previous month. Median List Price: Shows the median list price for properties in an area that were in an active status on the last day of the previous month. Pending Listings: Shows the number of properties in an area that were in a pending status on the last day of the previous month. 12-Month Change in Median Estimated Property Value: Areas with the greatest increase in median value are shaded deep blue, while the greatest declines are deep red. Median Estimated Property Value: Clicking a geography reveals a data summary, to assist in interpreting the map, and next steps, such as generating a report. Other improvements are brighter, easier-to-interpret colors and dynamic legends. This means that the data breaks reset depending on the underlying data. In a coastal market, the estimated property value, for example, may range up to $20 million, but in the heartland range up to $5 million, which requires different breakpoints to be clear on the map. Panning the map will cause the legend and shading to change in reflection of that underlying data. The new map overlays became available in early May. They will replace an older map feature that was harder to interpret and updated less frequently. The overlays are not yet available in reports—that functionality is coming soon. RPR will consider additional data layers for the maps that REALTORS® will find useful, such as concentration of distressed properties and other layers that support prospecting for clients, or even third-party data sets such as climate risk data or mobile carrier coverage. And RPR continues to display on maps flood zone information and commercial real estate-related indicators, updated annually. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Friday Freebie: 'Master the Market' eBook Series Will Help You Master Your Marketing
Your social media posts are about to get a lot more interesting! That's thanks to RPR's newly released Shareable Market Trends, a click-to-share feature that lets you quickly share charts and graphs to social media and your other marketing channels. This feature opens up a lot of intriguing new marketing possibilities for REALTORS®. That's why, in this week's Friday Freebie, we're highlighting a series of free eBooks from RPR chock-full of creative ways to use this new feature — and draw in leads with informative and attractive graphics. Free download of RPR's Master the Market eBook series RPR's Master the Market eBook series is designed to help REALTORS® like you harness the power of data-driven insights and transform your marketing strategies across various platforms. When you download this comprehensive series, you'll learn how to: Craft compelling listing presentations using data-driven insights Enhance your buyer and seller guides with valuable market trends Captivate your audience on social media with shareable market trends Create engaging market analysis videos Utilize data-driven content in webinars, virtual events, direct mail campaigns and print marketing Each eBook is packed with practical tips, expert advice and step-by-step instructions to help you leverage RPR's Shareable Market Trends in your marketing efforts. By mastering these techniques, you'll not only stand out from the competition, but also provide invaluable information to your clients — making you their go-to local market expert. Ready to rev up your marketing? Download RPR's Master the Market eBook series now!

Discover How to Unearth Tenant Data with RPR Commercial
Are you a commercial practitioner looking to find the perfect property for your clients? Do you want accurate and up-to-date tenant data to make sure the building is a good fit for their needs? Detailed tenant data is available within RPR, provided by SMR Research, to help you understand the best fit for your clients. To access it, simply visit the Property Details page of a property. You will see the tenants of the commercial property, as well as detailed data about those tenants, including tenant name, contact person, phone number, suite number, move-in date, type of business and business start date. RPR Commercial: the data you need to get deals done You also have the flexibility to edit, add or print tenant data. So, if you have any additional tenant information you would like to record for your own use, you can now do so with ease. Don’t waste time trying to dig through commercial property data! Get detailed tenant information with ease and make sure you have the best chance of finding the perfect fit for your clients. Visit the details page of commercial property now to access this data! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Multi-Family Prospecting in RPR Commercial
Last month, we showed you how to access and run a BOTE (back of the envelope) investment analysis for multi-housing opportunities. Here's the article: Multi-Family ROI Analysis in RPR Commercial. This time, we're going to dive a little deeper and learn how to prospect for multi-family clients in RPR (Realtors Property Resource). Let's take a look at what multi-family home investing is and isn't, and why it's a smart angle for commercial real estate investors, especially first timers. Multi-family property primer Multi-family properties are usually apartment or condo buildings that consist of five or more units. (A multi-family building that is two to four units is considered a residential multi-family, although the terms are quite often used interchangeably.) Other types of multi-family buildings include those that combine residential units with commercial spaces, such as offices, retail and dining establishments. Some low income housing and 55 and older housing also meet the criteria for multi-family buildings. Why should clients invest in multi-family? As far as commercial real estate investing goes, multi-family properties offer some clear advantages: A good way to grow passive income: Generating additional income does require some initial capital (it takes money to make money!), but let's assume for argument's sake that your client has some money to invest. You help them find a four unit building that costs 1M, but your client has the 25% to put down (typical lender requirement) to buy the building. Of course, there are several expenses to factor in (property taxes, upkeep, repairs, property manager fees, etc.) But at the end of the day, after paying the monthly loan balance and accounting for the expenses, your client ends up receiving $3,000 per month in passive income. That's income for not doing much, and where the "passive" part comes in. It takes some work and money to get there obviously, but the tenants are basically paying their loan, their costs and putting dough in their pocket every month. And the building grows in value, giving your investors equity and less principal to pay off. Stability in market fluctuations: Another great thing about focusing on multi-family properties is the market is generally more stable than single-family homes. It's not as impacted by ups and downs in the economy. Scale your income and use your leverage: As mentioned, when your tenants pay down their loan balance, they gain equity. As owners, they can tap into this equity for other investments, or decide to renovate their current multi-family property. Then they can charge more for rent, and pocket more monthly money. This is called leverage and helps commercial investors grow their assets. Multi-family assets are relatively stable: On a national level, apartment and condo buildings are solid streams of income. While rents certainly can fluctuate, they mostly just go up or hold steady in price. Multi-family investments aren't subject to the pains associated with retail and office spaces, most recently felt (and still going on) from the pandemic. Take a guided tour of RPR's multi-family prospecting feature As you can see, multi-family properties offer a slew of advantages for the right client/investor. Now, you just have to figure out where those buildings are, who owns them, and how to reach them. That's where RPR Commercial and our multi-family prospecting guided tour come in! In the RPR website, there are all different kinds of "Shortcuts" or guided tours that walk you through features of the platform. From the home page, you can click a button and learn how to: Prospect for Clients Search using a Map Create a Report Investor Analysis Opportunity Zones Create a CMA Tour Homepage And when it comes to multi-family prospecting, we've got you covered. Simply click into this link and follow the steps. You should see: Follow the wizard and make your way through the journey. The magenta colored boxes will tell you exactly what to do. You'll need some information, including addresses and ZIP codes for area searches to find target properties, that you'll be directed to type in as you progress through the tour. In the last step, with the RPR Mailing Labels feature, you'll be able to create a list of all the properties in your search area that fit within your search criteria. You can then export this information into a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file. Your multi-family prospecting cheat sheet is here This file is your prospecting cheat sheet! With it, you have the street address of the property, the owner's or owners' name, the tax address (which is often the owner's mailing address), the city, state, and whether or not the person is on a "Do not mail" list. You can now pinpoint potential multi-family property owners for your investment clients! You can look for properties that are in distress, you can find ones that have gained significant equity and the owners might be ripe to sell, or buildings in a particular neighborhood or area that you know is ready for growth opportunities. And you can send them marketing mailing pieces to gauge their interest: try postcards, flyers, personal letters, or run property reports and send them in a big envelope to stand out from the rest of the clutter. You might even be able to track down a contact number with their name and address information. Use RPR Commercial and our guided tour to get your hands on a multi-family prospecting cheat sheet today. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Multi-Family ROI Analysis in RPR Commercial
RPR (Realtors Property Resources) offers commercial practitioners access to an array of business-building tools: Site Selection and Trade Area Reports that utilize Esri consumer segmentation data, and recently added commercial comps from CompStak. Not to mention 846K listings, 57 million off-market properties, traffic data, points of interest and climate risk assessment. However, one capability is flying a bit under the radar: BOTE (back of the envelope) ROI analysis for multi-family properties. This helpful resource enables commercial specialists to quickly vet and qualify multi-family investment opportunities before undertaking a full, detailed analysis. The ability to evaluate a project's potential in minutes rather than hours is a time-saving, efficient move. Here's how to do it in RPR… RPR BOTE: Back of the envelope ballparking and guesstimating Before we dive into the walkthrough, and in case you're not familiar with the term, here's the definition of Back of the envelope: a rough calculation, typically jotted down on any available scrap of paper such as an envelope. It is more than a guess, but less than an accurate calculation or mathematical proof. It's basically a ballpark figure, based on some starting numbers, that when run through a quick formula, lets agents and investors know if a project or purchase is worth the investment. To find the BOTE assessment calculator in RPR, go to the site, toggle to Commercial, and search for a property. Once you have your property, you will see the commercial Property Details and Property Information for that address. Scroll down a bit to find the Additional Resources section on the right hand side of the page. Then click Valuate® to Analyze investment potential, and then the continue button. An RPR/Valuate®/BOTE walkthrough The numbers for your potential deal are actually crunched using Valuate®, one of RPR's service and data partners. Note: When clicking over to the Valuate® site, you are leaving RPR and accessing Valutate® as a third party additional resource. Therefore, there is an important disclaimer that Valuate® is provided as a free benefit to RPR users. RPR is not responsible for information or conclusions that may be reached using the tool. Also note that RPR passes through to Valuate® only the data needed to perform this analysis. Once you're in Valuate®, you can assess a commercial investment in land development for multi-family dwellings or buildings. To get to the back of the envelope calculators, you will want to hover over the File tab, then the option of New, and finally click on BOTE, which stands for Back of the Envelope. There are multiple options for you to choose from, including Office, Apartment, Condo and Industrial Developments. The quick load screen will change slightly based on your selection, but they all function the same way. Make your choice based on your chosen property, then enter in the property name, scenario, and basic details of the development, such as the number of units, square footage, income and expenses from the property, etc. Be sure to plug in any areas necessary. Then select Submit. Back of the envelope calculator You'll be redirected to the calculator where you can fill in the rest of your assumptions. Build out your timelines, use of funds, project cash flows, as well as expenses, and ultimately determine what the current stabilized Net Operating Income Yield on Cost is for your potential development. The analysis also reveals the cap rate, and the cash on cash rate. (You typically want your cash on cash rate to be higher than your cap rate.) You can play with the numbers to find out where your purchase price needs to be to get right side up on your deal, etc. If you want to take it to the next step, you can also look at profit ratios should you sell this development project once it is fully leased and is creating a stable cash flow by filling in the fields in the Analysis for Sale upon stabilization section with your projections. BOTE note Quick back of the envelope run throughs are great for preliminary research and opportunity quests. You can basically rule out a potential investment before you commit too much brain power to a more thorough analysis or a fully developed pitch to an investor. Take advantage of RPR Commercial and its partnership with Valuate® by plugging in some rough estimates to see if your multi-family property opportunity gets a thumbs up or a thumbs down. And if you have time, watch this video for a demonstration: Investment Analysis With Valuate®. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

[Podcast] Decoding Real Estate: Video as a Lead Generating Machine with Karin Carr
Today we welcome a special guest, Karin Carr, the Amazon bestselling author of YouTube for Real Estate Agents, and founder of the Video Boss Agent Academy. With over 15 years of experience as a REALTOR®, Karin has become a sought-after speaker on video marketing, and she's here to share her expertise with us. In this episode, we'll explore video as a lead-generating machine and how Karin fell into the YouTube video niche. We'll learn about the competitive advantage of using video, the difference between leads generated through video versus traditional lead generation sites, and how agents can cut through the excuses and get started with video marketing. Karin will also share her thoughts on the key elements of creating a successful sales funnel with video, including calls to action, landing pages, lead magnets and auto-responses. We'll discuss the importance of increasing visibility and building meaningful consumer relationships, as well as the biggest mistakes agents make when incorporating video into their marketing plans. Finally, we'll dive into Karin's popular Market Update LIVE! and discuss the value of hyper-local market update videos. If you're looking to expand your business with video, Karin's book, YouTube for Real Estate Agents, might be a great place to start. So sit back, relax, and join us as we decode the power of video marketing with Karin Carr. Decoding Real Estate is hosted by Reggie Nicolay and Genie Willett. Subscribe/Follow And be sure to check out these helpful and relevant links: Karin Carr YouTube Page YouTube for Real Estate Agents Realtors Property Resource RPR's Market Trends Listen on: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Stitcher To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

50 Ways to Use RPR in Your Real Estate Business
In online real estate threads and face-to-face at live events, we often hear this question from REALTORS®: "What exactly can RPR (Realtors Property Resource®) do for me and my business?" Consider this nifty-fifty list the ultimate answer! Pin it, print it, bookmark it and refer to it when you want some guidance as to what RPR can do and help you get done. And of course, if you're doing something with RPR not already covered on this list, share it with us in the comments below. RPR is a powerful tool that provides REALTORS® with a comprehensive database of residential and commercial data, analytics, and tools that help you better serve your clients. With RPR, REALTORS® can access valuable insights and data to stay ahead of their competition and help their clients make informed decisions. This article/list will provide an overview of the many ways REALTORS® are using RPR to better manage their real estate business, from prospecting to valuing properties, listing presentations, open houses, anniversary follow-ups, and more. Prospecting Selecting a geographical farm: Geo farming is a proven prospecting method of marketing your real estate business to a neighborhood or defined local area. Competition: How many agents are mining the area? Research the number of other REALTORS® in the area and their market share to understand the level of competition. Future sales: Is there enough sales activity to invest your time and energy? Calculate turnover and absorption rate to help determine the best targets. Marketing to a geographical farm: Once you've chosen a ripe area, what should you send your targets? Sharing up-to-date housing market trends and statistics, or making a neighborhood market update video for that specific neighborhood is a wise move. Verify homeowner information: Simply pop in a property address in RPR and hit "search" to view the Property Details, which includes owner information and occupancy status. Generate a neighborhood mailing list: With RPR Maps and the Mailing Labels feature, you can create address lists and export them as a CSV file into your CRM or into a Google doc. Generate a mailing list based on key characteristics: Find homes of similar specs or size (beds and baths, square footage, etc.) or better yet, how long the homes have been owned. Then turn the list into mailing labels to set up a direct mail campaign! Generate an absentee owners list: Target investors or home rental owners in a given area with RPR's mailing labels capability. Keep tabs on home pricing trends: Current, local housing market stats is the kind of knowledge you want in your hip pocket when having conversations with potential clients. Check out this webinar on how to monitor the market to learn more. Show neighborhood market activity with RPR reports: The RPR Market Activity report really lines up well with your farming efforts by giving homeowners an idea of what's selling and what's being listed. Check out this "how-to" for a walkthrough: Create a Market Activity report for a custom area. The RVM® (Realtor Valuation Model®): For research and discussion of off-market properties, the RVM®, the NAR-owned automated valuation model, is a great starting point for conversations. Heat maps: Conduct searches in RPR Maps and use the heat map filter to analyze and identify potential opportunities or areas of growth. Use RPR reports as lead magnets: Facebook ads are a solid, cost-effective way to pull in warm leads. You can use RPR Market Activity and Neighborhood reports to lure in curious real estate listers or shoppers and get them to fill out a form so you can follow up. Door knocking: Old school neighborhood canvassing still works for many agents, and with the RPR Mobile™ app in your palm, you'll have all the info you need for a nice greeting and an icebreaker. Phone calls: Conduct cold (or hot!) calls from anywhere you get a signal and use the RPR website or the RPR app to pull up the property and engage the owner in a meaningful conversation about their real estate needs and goals. Post to your social channels: Use the latest local market trends and statistics to create an impressive market update. A visual graphic will garner attention, and RPR provides you with templates (via Canva) that make for attention-getting social media content. Search homes by distressed status: RPR has a nationwide database where you can search over 160 million off-market properties, including distressed properties such as: Pre-foreclosure (Short Sale/NOD), Foreclosure (NOT/Auction), and Foreclosed (Bank Owned/REO). Valuation Create a CMA: Sellers look for agents who know how to properly price properties and with tools from RPR, you can build an accurate Comparative Market Analysis every time. Sales comparison analysis: After creating a CMA, you might want to go even more in-depth with the RPR Valuation Workbook. It's also the right tool for appraisers who need more details on property valuations. Refine home values: How can you adjust home values when upgrades have been made? Or in some cases, need to be made? The RPR Refine Value tool let's agents increase or decrease home prices based on home improvements. Track changes in neighborhood home values: Keep an eye on the ups and downs of the neighborhoods you specialize in by leveraging the RPR Market Trends charts and graphs. Use them to monitor statistics, data and info to help you track changes in neighborhood trends over time. Listing Presentation Pre-listing presentation: Prepare a presentation that sets you apart from your competitors by highlighting the home's features, collecting comps to create a competitive market analysis, and reviewing the neighborhood and amenities. Research a home: Conduct a simple address search in RPR to access the Property Details to uncover a trove of information, including the home's public record history, listing history, photos, mortgage, taxes, schools and more. Plus, stay in the loop on hyper-local market statistics and trends. Create a leave-behind report: Build a winning listing presentation that highlights key features and any comparables used, and also includes your contact information and a strong call to action. Compare the listing history of any property: From any Property Details in RPR, search and compare Historical Listing Comparisons tool to research the home over time. Open House Build a neighborhood database: Invite the neighbors to your open house! This tactic will help you identify nearby neighbors, and create a CSV list or labels for a special preview invite list. Marketing prep: Use these tips (and RPR) to get your pre, during and post open house game up to par. Also a great time to learn how to create an RPR Open House Property Flyer. Interested buyer takeaway: Read how one successful against uses open houses and RPR to provide various takeaways, such as the RPR Mini Property Report, to connect with interested buyers. And sometimes even sellers! Answer unplanned questions: Don't hold any open houses without your secret weapon: the RPR Mobile™ app. When guests start throwing questions at you about other homes in the area, you can pull out your phone and engage them with plenty of "listing intel." Anniversary Follow-Up Equity Report: Following up with previous clients on a regular basis is a no-brainer. By providing past clients with valuable information and regularly checking in, agents can differentiate themselves and stay in touch to maintain positive relationships and stay top of mind for future business opportunities. Working with Buyers Buyer search tools: When working with buyers, turn to RPR to quickly identify target properties. The search filters within RPR let you drill down and hone-in on properties that fit a buyer's criteria. Create customized property reports: RPR offers eight different types of property reports, each with its own focus. Customize a property report for potential buyers (and sellers) and be sure to include custom pages that can feature testimonials and/or your business philosophy. Review FEMA flood zones: In certain areas of the country, flooding is a major concern. If your clients ask about a property being in a flood zone, you can easily find out by using the maps in RPR. Review heatmaps: The maps in RPR are powerful tools that can provide deep insights into local market trends. You can also identify potential areas for investment, keep tabs on pricing trends and make data-driven decisions and client recommendations. Investment analysis: RPR has several data partners that can help you guide your clients in a solid direction, including Valuate®. When you need to do financial analytical research on commercial properties, RPR's Valuate® is the perfect resource. Making an offer – know the market: Use your knowledge of the local market and its performance to help you craft the perfect offer by researching the recent local market activity. Making an offer – know the home: What can you gather from the home's current history? Have there been price reductions? Has the home come on and off the market? Research the home and its history. Create school reports: Homebuyers with school-age children often put schools at the top of their lists when it comes to where they want to live. RPR provides school district information, school grades and reviews, as well as school district side-by-side comparisons. Travel Time or Distance searches: "How far away will my commute be?" Answer this common question in a jiff by utilizing the Travel Time and Distance searches in the RPR Maps. Commercial Your commercial one-stop-shop: Search 846,000 active commercial listings and 57 million+ off-market commercial properties and a large network of data partners. Increase property profitability: From any property in RPR Commercial, open Valuate® by REFM to gain a comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date valuation analysis. Access to tenant data: Understand the tenant mix for millions of commercial properties nationwide. From any commercial property, when available, this section includes the tenant name, contact person, phone number, suite number, move-in date, type of business and business start date. Research a trade area: Guide and advise your commercial clients by learning where customers are, and gaining insight into their mindsets with RPR's Trade Area analysis and consumer segmentation data. Site Selection: Find the best locations with potential spending power that can support your clients' business. View traffic patterns: Retailers need an idea of how many people will drive by their business each day. The tool displays estimated current and historical data based on average daily traffic counts. View points of interest: The POIs in RPR's Commercial Maps is a helpful tool for research. This method is a really easy and smart way to search the area around a property to learn about nearby businesses. Search in Opportunity Zones: Take this guided tour in RPR to see how you can find Opportunity Zones. OZs were created to drive economic growth in economically disadvantaged communities by offering tax incentives to investors. RPR Mobile™ App On-the-go access: With the RPR app in your hands, you're a walking-talking database. Search on- and off-market properties, send reports in seconds and answer questions on the fly. Add photo and text notes: The RPR app lets you add photos and notes about a property for your records. These notes and pics sync with the desktop version, and can also be added to your RPR reports. Create reports in the wild: Out and about, on the go, in the field… your job doesn't end when you leave the office. Your RPR Mobile™ app keeps you in contact with your clients, and you can use it to create a variety of property reports that you can deliver via email or text. Buyer Tour: A mobile app exclusive, the RPR Buyer Tour easily allows agents to select properties and determine an order to tour them. And afterward, you can provide your buyers with a colorful, client-friendly report that summarizes what they've seen. Mobile CMA: You don't need to be at your desktop computer to create a CMA! The RPR Mobile™ app gives you the ability to create a comparable market analysis to help your sellers set a listing price, or to help your buyers make a better offer. There must be 50 ways… to use RPR every day There you have it! Fifty ways RPR can help you "wow" your clients and close more deals. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

How Economic News Affects Your Clients' Mindset
We see the headlines every day. "Rising interest rates throw cold water on a hot market." "How to prepare for the inevitable economic recession." "Mortgage demand takes a big step back." Homeowners, renters and home buyers are being bombarded with these national, some might say sensational, messages on a daily basis. Your clients and prospects hear it too, and it may be making them nervous or thinking twice about buying, selling or investing in real estate. How can you ease their apprehension and nudge them off the fence? Be the source of truth by sharing relevant, up-to-date housing data that affects their actual neighborhood or town. RPR (Realtors Property Resource) puts this type of information at your disposal so it's easier than ever to position yourself as a local market expert. Keep it local and keep them focused on their market's data National statistics, as they relate to housing markets and the economy, can be helpful in certain discussions. Housing costs and policies can shape where people choose to live, work and study, as well as their ability to move or change jobs. However, when it comes down to an individual and their situation, financially and personally, national or even regional numbers don't tell the whole story. That's because real estate is local. Hyper local in reality. What's happening in San Jose, California is definitely going to be different than Cave Springs, Arkansas. Homebuyers and sellers need the latest market trends and data in their immediate area to make informed decisions. And what's the best thing to arm yourself with to do that? Knowledge. Knowledge is your best friend in a changing real estate market. Here's how RPR gives you quick access to an abundance of it: Charts that are smart The "Summary" and "Housing" sections of the Neighborhood details pages, and the new "Market Trends" tab on any Property Details page, are your ticket to real estate market knowledge. Pro Tip: To see these new charts in detail, check out this article: RPR Unveils New Charts and Graphs in its Neighborhood Pages. These charts present local market activity, sales stats and inventory details, and package them in an easy to digest format. There's even a slider that indicates what type of market the area is in. Here's an example: The charts are a snapshot of local market stats, including months of inventory, list to sold price, median days in RPR, and much more. You'll find this collection of data, graphs and statistics incredibly helpful in explaining local market trends to your buyers and sellers. It's also an easy to understand topline that you can share with clients and prospects, which positions you as THE local market expert. This "Market Trends" chart is something home sellers and buyers will really appreciate. You can save the page as a PDF file (through the "Print" option") to add to reports, or make a screen grab and send them an email or text, or even post it as a graphic to your social media channels. Get hyped! The key to adapting and succeeding in a changing market is keeping tabs on it from a local perspective. Gaining the knowledge and delivering hyper local market trends data is really easy, thanks to RPR's charts and graphs. Show potential sellers that even though things have come down to earth, homes are still selling and many markets are still considered a "Seller's Market." Or show potential buyers inventory levels and list to sale prices. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Tap into Big Data with RPR and Esri Tapestry Segmentation
Looking for the optimal business site? The right customers to support a business? A high-traffic area packed with disposable incomes that offers a significant ROI? Understanding consumer segmentation data can help lead you to the answers and working in RPR can help you build a commercial real estate strategy that's based on consumer and market trends, not a whim or a hunch. To get started, familiarize yourself with Tapestry Segmentation data from Esri, an RPR data partner/provider, which helps power two key areas: our Trade Area details and our Site Selection tool. Esri Tapestry Segmentation Esri Tapestry Segmentation provides a detailed description of America's neighborhoods. U.S. residential areas are divided into distinct segments based on their socioeconomic and demographic composition. Neighborhoods with the most similar characteristics are grouped together, and neighborhoods showing divergent characteristics are separated. In total, Tapestry includes 67 distinct market segments: 14 LifeMode groups and six Urbanization groups. How do these segments help in commercial real estate? Defining an area and conducting a search in RPR can help you find business opportunities that line up with commercial real estate recommendations. If your client wants to open a yoga studio and is looking for young, active moms with X amount of income, you can find where this group lives and spends. Read up on LifeMode groups and urbanization groups over on the Esri website. Esri Tapestry Segmentation LifeMode groups represent markets that share a common experience—born in the same generation or have immigrated from another country, for example—or a significant demographic trait, such as affluence. Tapestry segments are classified into 14 LifeMode groups: LifeMode 1 Affluent Estates Established wealth—educated, well-traveled married couples. Less than 10% of all households, with 20% of household income. Homeowners (almost 90%), with mortgages (65.2%). Married-couple families with children ranging from grade school to college. Expect quality; invest in time-saving services. Participate actively in their communities. Active in sports and enthusiastic travelers. Segment Name 1A Top Tier 1B Professional Pride 1C Boomburbs 1D Savvy Suburbanites 1E Exurbanites LifeMode 2 Upscale Avenues Prosperous married couples living in older suburban enclaves. Ambitious and hardworking. Homeowners (70%); prefer denser, more urban settings with older homes and a large share of town homes. Primarily married couples, many with older children. Financially responsible. Serious shoppers, from Nordstrom to Marshalls or DSW, who appreciate quality and bargains. Active in fitness pursuits such as bicycling, jogging, yoga, and hiking. Subscribe to premium movie channels such as HBO and Starz. Segment Name 2A Urban Chic 2B Pleasantville 2C Pacific Heights 2D Enterprising Professionals LifeMode 3 Uptown Individuals Young, successful singles in the city. Highest-educated market, highest rate of labor force participation, and averse to traditional commitments of marriage and home ownership. Urban dwellers, partial to city life, high-rise apartments, and uptown neighborhoods. Prefer credit cards over debit cards, while paying down student loans. Green and generous to environmental, cultural, and political organizations. Internet dependent, from social connections to shopping for fashion, tracking investments, making travel arrangements, and watching television and movies. Adventurous and open to new experiences and places. Segment Name 3A Laptops and Lattes 3B Metro Renters 3C Trendsetters LifeMode 4 Family Landscapes Successful young families in their first homes. Prosperous married-couple families, residing in suburban or semirural areas with a low vacancy rate (second lowest). Homeowners (79%) with mortgages (second-highest %), living in newer single-family homes, with median home value slightly higher than the U.S. median value. Two workers in the family, contributing to the second-highest labor force participation rate, as well as low unemployment. Do-it-yourself types who work on home improvement projects as well as their lawns and gardens. Sports enthusiasts, typically owning newer sedans or SUVs, dogs, and savings accounts/plans; comfortable with the latest technology. Eat out frequently at fast food or family restaurants to accommodate their busy lifestyle. Especially enjoy bowling, swimming, playing golf, playing video games, and taking trips to a zoo or theme park. Segment Name 4A Workday Drive 4B Home Improvement 4C Middleburg LifeMode 5 GenXurban Gen X in middle age; families with fewer kids and a mortgage. Second-largest Tapestry group, composed of Gen X married couples, and a growing population of retirees. About a fifth of residents are 65 or older; about a fourth of households have retirement income. Own older single-family homes in urban areas, with 1 or 2 vehicles. Live and work in the same county, creating shorter commute times. Invest wisely, well insured, comfortable banking online or in person. News enthusiasts (read a daily newspaper, watch news on TV, and go online for news). Enjoy reading, renting movies, playing board games and cards, doing crossword puzzles, going to museums and rock concerts, dining out, and walking for exercise. Segment Name 5A Comfortable Empty Nesters 5B In Style 5C Parks and Rec 5D Rustbelt Traditions 5E Midlife Constants Lifemode 6 Cozy Country Living Empty nesters in bucolic settings. Largest Tapestry group, almost half of households located in the Midwest. Homeowners with pets, residing in single-family dwellings in rural areas; almost 30% have 3 or more vehicles and, therefore, auto loans. Politically conservative and believe in the importance of buying American. Own domestic trucks, motorcycles, and ATVs/UTVs. Prefer to eat at home, shop at discount retail stores (especially Walmart), bank in person, and spend little time online. Own every tool and piece of equipment available to maintain their homes, vehicles, vegetable gardens, and lawns. Listen to country music; watch auto racing on TV; and enjoy outdoor activities, such as fishing, hunting, camping, boating, and bird watching. Segment Name 6A Green Acres 6B Salt of the Earth 6C The Great Outdoors 6D Prairie Living 6E Rural Resort Dwellers 6F Heartland Communities LifeMode 7 Sprouting Explorers Young homeowners with families. Multilingual and multigenerational households with children who represent second-, third-, or fourth-generation Hispanic families. Neighborhoods feature single-family, owner-occupied homes built at city's edge, primarily built after 1980. Hardworking and optimistic, most residents aged 25 years or older have a high school diploma or some college education. Shopping and leisure also focus on their children—baby and children's products from shoes to toys and games and trips to theme parks, water parks, or the zoo. Children enjoy playing video games on personal computers or handheld or console devices.Many households have dogs for domestic pets. Segment Name 7A Up and Coming Families 7B Urban Villages 7C Urban Edge Families 7D Forging Opportunity 7E Farm to Table 7F Southwestern Families LifeMode 8 Middle Ground Lifestyles of thirtysomethings. Millennials in the middle: single/married, renters/homeowners, middle class/working class. Urban market mix of single-family, town home, and multiunit dwellings. Majority of residents attended college or attained a college degree. Householders have traded their landlines for cell phones, which they use to listen to music, read the news, and get the latest sports updates on their favorite teams. Online all the time: use the internet for entertainment (downloading music, watching YouTube, finding dates), social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), searching for employment. Leisure includes nightlife (clubbing, movies), going to the beach, some travel and hiking. Segment Name 8A City Lights 8B Emerald City 8C Bright Young Professionals 8D Downtown Melting Pot 8E Front Porches 8F Old and Newcomers 8G Hometown Heritage LifeMode 9 Senior Styles Senior lifestyles reveal the effects of saving for retirement. Households are commonly married empty nesters or singles living alone; homes are single family (including seasonal getaways), retirement communities, or high-rise apartments. More affluent seniors travel and relocate to warmer climates; less affluent, settled seniors are still working toward retirement. Cell phones are popular, but so are landlines. Many prefer print to digital media: avid readers of newspapers to stay current. Subscribe to cable television to watch channels such as Fox News, CNN, and The Weather Channel. Residents prefer vitamins and a regular exercise regimen. Segment Name 9A Silver & Gold 9B Golden Years 9C The Elders 9D Senior Escapes 9E Retirement Communities 9F Social Security Set LifeMode 10 Rustic Outposts Country life with older families in older homes. Depend on manufacturing, retail, and healthcare, with pockets of mining and agricultural jobs. Low labor force participation in skilled and service occupations. Own affordable, older single-family or mobile homes; vehicle ownership is a must. Residents live within their means, shop at discount stores, and maintain their own vehicles (purchased used) and homes. Outdoor enthusiasts, who grow their own vegetables, love their pets, and enjoy hunting and fishing. Pay bills in person; use the yellow pages; read newspapers, magazines, and mail-order books. Segment Name 10A Southern Satellites 10B Rooted Rural 10C Economic BedRock 10D Down the Road 10E Rural Bypasses LifeMode 11 Midtown Singles Millennials on the move—single, urban. Millennials seeking affordable rents in apartment buildings. Work in service and unskilled positions, usually close to home or public transportation. Single parents with very young children. Embrace the internet, for social networking and downloading content. From music and movies to soaps and sports, radio and television fill their lives. Brand-savvy shoppers select budget-friendly stores. Segment Name 11A City Strivers 11B Young and Restless 11C Metro Fusion 11D Set to Impress 11E City Commons LifeMode 12 Hometown Growing up and staying close to home; single householders. Close-knit urban communities of young singles (many with children). Owners of old, single-family houses, or renters in small multiunit buildings. Religion is the cornerstone of many of these communities. Visit discount stores and clip coupons. Purchase used vehicles to get to and from nearby jobs. Segment Name 12A Family Foundations 12B Traditional Living 12C Small Town Sincerity 12D Modest Income Homes LifeMode 13 Next Wave Urban dwellers; young, hardworking families. A large share are foreign born and speak only their native language. Young, or multigenerational, families with children are typical. Most are renters in older multi unit structures, built in the 1960s or earlier. Hardworking with long commutes to jobs, often using public transit to commute to work. Spending reflects the youth of these consumers, focus on children (top market for children's apparel) and personal appearance. Also a top market for moviegoers (second only to college students) and fast food. Partial to soccer and basketball. Segment Name 13A Diverse Convergence 13B Family Extensions 13C NeWest Residents 13D Fresh Ambitions 13E High Rise Renters LifeMode 14 Scholars and Patriots College and military populations that share many traits due to the transitional nature of this LifeMode group. Highly mobile, recently moved to attend school or serve in the military. The youngest market group, with a majority in the 15- to 24-year-old range. Renters with roommates in nonfamily households. For many, no vehicle is necessary as they live close to campus, military base, or jobs. Fast-growing group with most living in apartments. Part-time jobs help to supplement active lifestyles. Millennials are tethered to their phones and electronic devices, typically spending over 5 hours online every day tweeting, blogging, and consuming media. Purchases aimed at fitness, fashion, technology, and the necessities of moving. Highly social, free time is spent enjoying music, being out with friends, and seeing movies. Try to eat healthy, but often settle for fast food. Segment Name 14A Military Proximity 14B College Towns 14C Dorms to Diplomas Six Urbanization groups Tapestry groups are also available as Urbanization summary groups, in which markets share similar locales, from the urban canyons of the largest cities to the rural lanes of villages or farms. Tapestry segments are classified into six Urbanization groups: Principal Urban Centers Young, mobile populations living in the most densely populated neighborhoods of the largest cities (populations of 2.5 million or more). Traits shared by more than 2.5 million people: crowding, high cost of living, and full access to urban amenities, including jobs. Youngest population among the Urbanization groups. Households are renter occupied by singles or roommates. The most challenging market for auto sales: half the commuters use public transportation, bicycles, or walk to work. Focus on style and image with liberal spending on apparel. Constantly connected, using the internet for everything from finding jobs to finding dates. Segment Name 3A Laptops and Lattes 3B Metro Renters 3C Trendsetters 8D Downtown Melting Pot 11A City Strivers 13C NeWest Residents 13D Fresh Ambitions 13E High Rise Renters Urban Periphery City life for starting families in neighborhoods that fringe major cities. The earliest suburbs, built before 1970, primarily single-family housing with some apartments. Young families with children. Homeowners living closer to the city, with below-average vacancy rates. Leisure focuses on the children (visits to theme parks or water parks), sports (soccer, basketball, football), and movies. Spending also emphasizes the children—clothing, toys, and baby products. Parents of small children favor family restaurants and fast food. Smartphones are popular for social contacts, downloading apps, games, and music. Segment Name 2C Pacific Heights 5D Rustbelt Traditions 7B Urban Villages 7C Urban Edge Families 7D Forging Opportunity 7F Southwestern Families 8A City Lights 8C Bright Young Professionals 11C Metro Fusion 12A Family Foundations 12D Modest Income Homes 13A Diverse Convergence 13B Family Extensions Metro Cities Affordable city life including smaller metropolitan cities or satellite cities that feature a mix of single-family and multiunit housing. Single householders seeking affordable living in the city: usually multiunit buildings that range from mid- to high-rise apartments; average monthly rents and home value below the U.S. average. Consumers include college students, affluent Gen X couples, and retirement communities. Student loans more common than mortgages; debit cards more popular than credit cards. Residents share an interest in city life and its amenities, from dancing and clubbing to museums and concerts. Convenience and mobility favor cell phones over landlines. Many residents rely on the internet for entertainment (download music, play online games) and as a useful resource (job searches). Segment Name 5B In Style 8B Emerald City 8E Front Porches 8F Old and Newcomers 8G Hometown Heritage 9E Retirement Communities 9F Social Security Set 11B Young and Restless 11D Set to Impress 11E City Commons 12B Traditional Living 14B College Towns 14C Dorms to Diplomas Suburban Periphery Urban expansion: affluence in the suburbs or city-by-commute. The most populous and fastest-growing among Urbanization groups, Suburban Periphery includes one-third of the nation's population. Commuters value low-density living, but demand proximity to jobs, entertainment, and the amenities of an urban center. Well-educated, two-income households; accept long commute times to raise their children in these family-friendly neighborhoods. Many are heavily mortgaged in newly built, single-family homes. Older householders have either retired in place, downsized, or purchased a seasonal home. Suburbanites are the most affluent group, working hard to lead bright, fulfilled lives. Residents invest for their future and insure themselves against unforeseen circumstances, but also enjoy the results of their hard work. Segment Name 1A Top Tier 1B Professional Pride 1C Boomburbs 1D Savvy Suburbanites 1E Exurbanites 2A Urban Chic 2B Pleasantville 2D Enterprising Professionals 4A Workday Drive 4B Home Improvement 5A Comfortable Empty Nesters 5C Parks and Rec 5E Midlife Constants 7A Up and Coming Families 9A Silver & Gold 9B Golden Years 9C The Elders 14A Military Proximity Semirural The most affordable housing—in smaller towns and communities located throughout the country. Single-family and mobile homes in the country, but still within reach of some amenities. Embrace a quiet, country lifestyle including listening to country music, attending country performances, riding ATVs, and camping. Prefer domestic products and vehicles, especially trucks. Shop at large department and discount stores such as Walmart. Fast food and frozen meals are much more common than fine dining. Many make a living off the land through agriculture, fishing, and forestry. Time off is spent visiting nearby family rather than flying to vacation destinations. Segment Name 4C Middleburg 6F Heartland Communities 7E Farm to Table 9D Senior Escapes 10D Down the Road 12C Small Town Sincerity Rural Country living featuring single-family homes with acreage, farms, and rural resort areas. Very low population density distinguishes this group—typically fewer than 50 people per square mile. Over half of all households are occupied by persons 55 years and older; many are married couples without children at home. Mostly homeowners (80%), but rentals are affordable in single-family or mobile homes. Long trips to the store and to work—often drive alone in trucks or SUVs, listening to country radio. Blue-collar jobs dominate the landscape, including manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and construction. Many are self-employed, retired, or receive income from Social Security. Satellite TV and landline phones are necessary means to connect. More conservative in their spending practices. Comfortable, established, and not likely to move. Segment Name 6A Green Acres 6B Salt of the Earth 6C The Great Outdoors 6D Prairie Living 6E Rural Resort Dwellers 10A Southern Satellites 10B Rooted Rural 10C Economic BedRock 10E Rural Bypasses How Tapestry data weaves its tale We hope you learned some useful information with our spotlight on consumer segmentation data found within RPR, via Esri. And why it's so critical, insightful and applicable in today's commercial real estate world. Check it out for yourself by searching a Trade Area or by conducting a Commercial Site Selection. These links will take you on a guided tour to get you familiar with the workflow. Good luck! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RPR's Best Success Stories of 2022
Throughout the year, RPR (Realtors Property Resource) features a Question and Answer style interview with REALTORS® who are RPR users. Their success stories are shared in an effort to enlighten and energize agents about just how powerful and helpful RPR can be when applied to a real estate business. We get tons of emails and tagged on social posts about how agents are using RPR to "wow" clients and close deals. It covers the gamut from all types of agents (from rookies to seasoned pros), and all types of real estate topics (prospecting, farming, creating CMAs, mailing labels, property reports, local market trends, and the list goes on). All the Success Story interviews in 2022 were good, but these five really stood out. Make sure to carve out some time to read these interesting and informative stories! Happy New Year! We'll see you in 2023 with plenty of more Q&A Success Stories from real RPR users. #5 - KW Broker Utilizes RPR to Help His Agents Build Skills for the Market Shift Randy Vanderpool, a Supervising Broker for Keller Williams Realty Partners, explains why he encourages his agents to learn and use RPR in their business. #4 - Agent with a Can-do Attitude Uses RPR to Build Skills and Crush Goals A REALTOR® combines her positive outlook and RPR data to identify and target a niche prospecting market. #3 - Tap into RPR Commercial to Land More Closed Deals Applying RPR Commercial to land research? That's exactly what this REALTOR® is doing for his successful business. #2 - REALTOR® Creates RPR Reports to Help Sellers and Relocating Buyers RPR Reports are packed with data and make a huge impression. See how REALTOR® Wendy Kaprelian uses them to help both her buyer and seller clients. #1 - New Agent: "RPR is 10 Apps in 1" A new real estate agent from Hawaii finds the perfect companion for her mainland trips: the RPR app. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Realtor Market Expert Q&A: Scarlett Green and Josh Taylor
In the spring of 2022, RPR's Broker Services Team put together a special training series for Howard Hanna agents. To receive their "RPR-Howard Hanna Market Expert" certificates, the agents were required to complete four classes on four different topics (available in an on-demand video webinar format available to them via the RPR blog). After each session, they were also asked to complete a "homework" assignment to get full credit. After four lessons and completed "homework," the agents received their certificate. They were also asked to fill out a survey, where they were asked to "Share Their Story" about their RPR training experience. In this Q&A, we speak to two RPR Howard Hanna Market Experts about their experiences taking the training, what they learned, and how they plan to apply their new RPR skills to their business. Scarlet Green Here's what Scarlet Green from Allen Tate Realtors, North Carolina had to say about the training sessions: I have been using RPR for months now and I love it!! Reasons why: 1) the more you use it, the easier and faster it becomes as the best and latest tool in real estate 2) the simplicity of RPR, user friendly 3) RPR offers so much info that you are able to choose exactly what you want/need so you may customize the reports/info for your client(s) 4) RPR offers material and info that are appropriate for both buyers and sellers! 5) Love having a mobile app that actually works! This app was well planned out and created to be user friendly. I also love that you are able to send the info the way your clients like to receive it; example, by text, email, airdrop, etc. I plan on continuing using RPR and appreciate all those who were involved in creating this. Thank you! Q. Hi Scarlett, thanks for joining us. How long have you been in real estate and what area do you specialize in? Ten years, I'm a residential agent, and I mostly work with sellers. A few buyers here and there… Q. How did you get introduced to RPR? Another agent in my office uses it. I heard that doorbell "ding," the sound effect from the reports being generated, and I wanted that! (LAUGHS) I love that doorbell chime of the notification. It's brilliant. It's the small things, you know? Then I started using it for doing comps. I love (and hate) doing comps, but RPR makes it easy. You can't go rogue, the program keeps you right on target. For clients, buying or selling a home is a milestone in life. And they trust us to watch their wallet through the process. I appreciate RPR for helping me create CMAs. Q. In the testimonial you sent us, you mentioned that RPR is simple. Can you give me an example? Sure, I was messing around in RPR last night… and I started looking into Opportunity Zones. As I started, these little prompts came up and I was able to follow along with the pink boxes. So helpful! It's a wizard/teacher to help and guide you. It helps me not waste time! Every time you get on RPR you learn something new, and the more you use it, the more knowledge you get for your clients. Q. You also mentioned the RPR app; how do you like using it? I love it. Whoever came up with it should teach other programmers how to create user friendly tech. I use it in the field all the time, because I can easily pull stuff up. I can instantly send reports and answers to my customers. I have the tech in my hands and it works every time. Tech that works makes me a huge RPR advocate! Q. We love hearing that! What else did you get from the training? Basically, I felt refreshed about navigating the comps and it gave me more confidence. I now tell other agents that I can't believe they're not using RPR. It's a whole different level of experience in real estate. Josh Taylor Josh Taylor from Howard Hanna Pennsylvania had this to say about his Market Expert training series: I'm a newer agent and still learning and growing everyday. I have really enjoyed this series as an introduction to getting more in-depth with RPR. I have used the research pieces and some of the reports already, but I have many new ideas now. I have learned how to drill down in a much better and more efficient way. I love the micro-neighborhood reports to really have that access to learning about even the smaller neighborhoods in my area. RPR helps me to present my expertise and show clients the knowledge base that I have access to in order to show my value add for them. Thank you for this learning opportunity and I look forward to learning more! Q. How long have you been practicing real estate Josh, and what area do you work in? Just over a year and a half, and I work in residential. Q. How did you get introduced to RPR? I had used it on my own a bit, and I was getting monthly emails about the training and webinars from my brokerage, NAR, etc. But I must admit, this Market Expert series was more of an incentive, the certificate was appealing. As a new agent I need help learning CMAs and RPR helps with that in a lot of ways. Q. You mentioned new ideas for using RPR, how are you doing that? So many! I didn't know about mailing labels, or how to search neighborhoods and subdivisions for specific owners. It's great for direct mailings and new listings. Drilling down into neighborhoods and uncovering the demographics, that stuff is really helpful. I like using the neighborhood search and the neighborhood reports. And the maps are great for prospecting. I've used that a few times since the training took place. Q. How does RPR help you in your business? I like that the CMA has different ways to achieve the goal to get the right pricing. Some info is outdated and you can add updates to the home using the Refine Value tool. That gives me a framework to the price, and then I can pull up really specific values and features, like a pool. The flexibility is controlled, and I get more accurate results using RPR than just my MLS. The other thing I really like is when you print something from RPR, the branding and the cleanliness of the report is important. And that it looks like it comes from me! Having my picture and my information in the reports makes it well branded. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RPR's Latest Release: A Refreshed Version of the Property Details Page
On the afternoon of March 8th, 2021, from 2:26 to 2:28, someone put their feet up and exhaled. Those two minutes were the last time an RPR product developer sat back and stopped thinking, "What's next?" At RPR (Realtors Property Resource), we simply aren't satisfied with "good enough." We constantly ponder, push and pursue to improve and enhance the RPR platform to help REALTORS® be better at everything they do. Our goal is to make you more efficient, more skilled and more productive so you can "wow" your clients and close more deals. Our latest site upgrade is a textbook example: a refreshed and redesigned version of our Property Details pages. Based on feedback from surveys, user groups and one-on-one testing, we heard what you wanted, we listened and we're delivering it proudly. With less clicks and scrolling, consolidated sections, faster load times, and more info where you want it, the reworked Property Details pages are sure to optimize your workflows. Here are the highlights of this latest release. PRO TIP: Take a guided tour and see the new Property Details page for yourself See the big picture (and everything to the right of it, too) Here's the big reveal! Right off the bat, you'll notice that the new layout offers better "at a glance" visibility to key property information. That's because we've taken the Property Summary and Basic Facts information and moved it right next to the property photo. By moving these details right alongside the media viewer, you'll no longer have to scroll down to view this important information. (This was a big "ask" from many of our users!) Putting the Basic Facts and quick links to valuation info right next to the property photo(s) is a strategic workflow improvement that helps you see more with less effort. Check it out: Search 'til your heart's content Another frequent request we kept hearing from users was that they wanted the ability to search for a property from any page they were on. Drum roll… the full search bar is back! Now agents can "property hop" and conduct searches from the page they're on versus having to go back to the homepage. This includes the ability to pull off a full search by applying all the parameters and filters they desire. The full search feature is now available on the Property Information, Market Trends, Refined Value, My Updates and Trade Area pages. The reworked Property Details pages are sure to optimize your workflows Clean. Concise. Consolidated. That's the best way to describe the new Listing and Public record history sections. The history of a home and all the relevant data associated with it have never been easier to locate and digest now that we've consolidated multiple areas (Historical Records for This Property, Mortgage, Deed, Tax, Prior Sales Transaction and Price Change History) into two. This valuable information is located on the Property Information page. The Listing History card shows more details on status changes for the current listing, including a tab to view previous listing details (this Listing History is also now available in RPR Commercial). The Public Record History section includes tabs for Deed, Mortgage and Tax Information. Simply click the forward arrow button to browse through the three areas. (RPR will show as much historical data as available for that jurisdiction.) And once again, the amount of scrolling and clicking required to analyze the entire history of a property has been reduced and reworked. Easy to navigate, hard to duplicate To help make your most used tools and features easier to find and access, we've also added some new Navigation Bar elements. You'll notice the new Market Trends tab as your first choice, just to the right of Property Information. (Check out Future Proof Your Business by Knowing Your Market and Your Numbers to see what you can do with these insightful stats!) This is followed by Refined Value, CMA and Neighborhoods. A new addition, the My Updates tab now resides in the Property Details navigation bar. This section is now easier than ever to get to, and its capabilities have been beefed up. In addition to refreshing the Sellers Proceeds area, some nice improvements have been made to the Photos section, including the ability to select/deselect all photos, and a quick button to select a photo as your report cover photo. We're working harder–so you can work smarter The changes in this redesign are sure to make agents more productive and more precise in RPR. We revel in taking your feedback and turning it into real, tangible improvements that make your RPR experience easier and your business more successful. Watch this video to see it in action, and also be sure to check out these convenient Printable Guides that offer step-by-step explanations on all the new features. And these are just the highlights! For even more details on the Property Details, dig deep with these product release notes. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RPR Now Boasts a Better Buyer Tour
If you're an agent who works with buyers, you're pretty accustomed to weekend afternoon tours of homes for sale. You line up a list of homes that meet their wants and needs (and budget, of course), and then you drive around and view each one. This list can be achieved through your hard work and research, but will also often come in the form of specific addresses from your online house-hunting clients. Either way, it's a process. And that process is a whole lot easier with the RPR (Realtors Property Resource) Buyer Tour report, an app-exclusive that is only available via RPR Mobile. The app has recently been updated and improved to make your Buyer Tour experience that much better! The new and improved RPR Buyer Tour Simple in nature but comprehensive all the same, the Buyer Tour Report easily allows agents to select properties and determine an order to tour them. And under the "wait it gets better" category, it then lets agents create a colorful, client-friendly report to share with buyers. It's a great way to set up a schedule and keep a record of what was viewed, and what was liked. If you're already familiar with the RPR app and using the Buyer Tour, we've got great news: the app was recently updated and now boasts some quality enhancements! The most important (and requested) is the ability to "Add known property" to the tour you're building by address or listing ID. The ability to add properties manually, versus running a search and using the map, is a big deal in the Buyer Tour user world. This has been the number one ask from our app users, and we're glad to deliver it. The new Buyer Tour is also the only RPR report that allows you to feature more than one, single property. Watch the new Buyer Tour in action To see how the new Buyer Tour function works in the updated app, watch this step-by step video. It's just over three minutes long and will walk you through the necessary steps to properly set up a buyer tour. And if you prefer written directions, or want to print something out to keep at your side, check out our handy Buyer Tour Printable Guide. It also has step-by-step instructions and some screen grab visuals to help you follow along. Take your buyers on a tour! Reminder: The Buyer Tour is only available via the RPR Mobile app. Download and/or update your app today to experience all the new changes and features, including upgrades to the Buyer Tour function. Set up appointments and tours, add or delete properties from the schedule, then follow up with a report that includes all the homes that were viewed — all from your phone and wherever you have service. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RPR Launches New and Improved Mobile App
Back in February of 2021, RPR (Realtors Property Resource) released a refreshed version of its website. The desktop version of RPR was revamped and redesigned from top to bottom, giving users a fresh, powerful and more streamlined user experience. Fast forward to now and our team of ace developers are at it again! This time around, we're launching a new and improved version of the RPR Mobile™ app. Update and download the new RPR app The new version of the RPR app is now live! Fair warning: users will be required to download the latest version (update the app) and log in with their RPR credentials (username and password). An in-app message will remind you and direct you where to go to complete the update. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we promise it will be worth it! Not to get too technical, but the new app is built on a completely new technology platform, hence the "forced" update in order to continue use. With the app being just over seven years old, our tech team decided to take advantage of the latest technology to deliver a newer product app with a solid foundation that will support future enhancements—all in the name of helping members "wow" their clients and close more deals. And here are the results… Modernized look and feel Welcome to the new! Your RPR app has been modernized and looks sharper and cleaner all around. However, it's not a complete redesign: this refreshed interface will offer users familiar usability. Basically, we took a good thing and made it even better! You asked–we listened. Improved Buyer Tours… Our Buyer Tour is a mobile-only exclusive. Simple in nature but comprehensive all the same, this report enables agents to select properties, determine an order to tour them, and then create a colorful, client-friendly report to share with buyers. And with the new update, we've beefed up the Buyer Tour experience with some quality enhancements! The most noticeable and important is the ability to "Add known property" to the tour you're building by address or listing ID. No more map searching and gumming up workflows! This has been a huge request from our app users, and we're happy and excited to deliver it. The ability to add properties manually versus running a search and using the map is a big user win. The new Buyer Tour is also the only RPR report that allows you to feature more than one single property. Improved property search filters What do agents do most in RPR? Search! Searching for properties (and doing research in general) is where the process starts for just about every agent. The new app offers upgraded property search filters that are more in line with the website search filters. That means the app has more parity with the website than ever before. This is another user request that we've heard more than once. Now you can search by any property status, including Time Owned, Occupancy type, Current Distressed Status and more. These added fields allow members who use RPR for prospecting to now do that on their phone! Generating reports: the app closes the gap Property and market reports are RPR's bread and butter. And just like most app versus desktop debates, the workability and available features process always favors and leans towards websites. However, the new app closes the gap on the report generation experience! The steps necessary for report generation have received a nice makeover. The improved design makes the entire process more intuitive and more user friendly. The report generation steps process has been redesigned to make it clearer which steps the user is on. Also included is a progress bar so that users know how many steps they have left to go. The page hierarchy has also been addressed, making the primary information on each page more obvious, which will help guide users to completion. Upping the app and our Maps The maps in the app are getting an upgrade, too! New to iOS are Google base maps, which is a nice improvement from Apple Maps. The Map Menu experience has changed as well. For example, when searching or viewing schools in an area, the map will now display the school pins alongside the property pins. We've also added a control that allows users to select the school types and levels, as well as the display of the school attendance zone when a pin is selected. This same "alongside" pin feature has also been applied to Traffic Counts. Listing history To mirror the refreshed RPR website, we've added a new tab to the app version so users can view the price and status history of previous listings. Again, this is an agent request that we know will be appreciated. The sun has set Of course, whenever you make so many great additions and improvements, you also have to say "goodbye" to some previous capabilities. Each decision was made based on low usage factors in an effort to optimize the overall app performance. The following features have been removed from the RPR Mobile app: Tablet use (As part of the new update, the RPR Mobile app will no longer function on tablet devices. Tablet users should begin using the RPR website, which includes a responsive design.) School search (You can still search for schools in the "Maps," but not from the third homescreen) Travel Time Voice Notes Your go-to when you're on the go The RPR app literally puts data, reports and tools in the palm of your hand to help you work in the wild and respond to clients in seconds. Property searches, reports (including the mobile-only Buyer Tour), CMAs and so much more. The RPR app: your go-to when you're on the go! The new mobile app update is a perfect example of RPR's mission to continually help REALTORS® be better at what they do. Update your app now to start experiencing all the new features. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RPR Commercial: A Simple and Solid way to Search for Properties
In two recent RPR (Realtors Property Resource) Q&A articles with commercial practitioners, we noticed a theme: simplicity. Here's what Dave Ferro and Stephen J B Davis had to say about NAR's commercial property data platform: RPR really simplifies my search. I go to RPR Commercial to save time and simplify. – Dave Ferro, REALTOR®, Watson Realty Corp. REALTORS®, Gainesville, Florida I use RPR because it's really simple for getting solid info on a particular area. It's just so easy to get super specific data! Right down to the zip code and neighborhood level. – Stephen J B Davis, REALTOR®, SJBD Land and Homes at Keller Williams Bluegrass Successful commercial agents like Dave and Stephen know that RPR Commercial is a one-stop-shop for listings and research. In fact, RPR makes it possible for users to see on-market and off-market properties in one place—no matter which listing partner they use. Strategic listing and data partnerships RPR has worked diligently to bring everything a commercial practitioner needs to one central spot. Streamlining workflows, giving easy access to data and providing useful commercial tools in one hub can certainly work to your advantage and make you more efficient and productive. And having big league data partners goes a long way in making all of the above happen. RPR's partnerships with Biproxi, Brevitas, Crexi, Land Broker MLS, Officespace.com and TotalCommercial.com, to name a few, let you search more than 864K+ active commercial listings. For prospecting, RPR offers 56 million off-market properties around the country, which includes owner info for easy contact opportunities. Plus, strategic data and software integrations with Valuate® for calculating the return on investment, and Esri for rich economic and demographic statistics. Here's how to get started with your simplified search tool… RPR: your simplified commercial search tool First, visit RPR at www.narrpr.com and set the toggle to "Commercial" and begin your property search by entering a specific address, APN, or listing ID in the location field to go directly to the property. If you're searching by multiple APNs or Listing IDs at one time, use a semicolon to separate each. In this case, you'll be taken to search results displaying each property. You may also find that using the Commercial Map Insights found by selecting "Research" from the main navigation is a good way to look for land. Search areas vs. specific addresses You can also search for properties in a general area. To do that, you'll need to make sure that you have the correct "Filters" set. RPR will remember your last filter setting, but it's a good idea to make sure they're still set properly before beginning your search. You can also quickly remove previously set Filters by selecting the More Filters icon (you'll see it in the upper right navigation menu) and then the Reset button. Next, enter a neighborhood, ZIP code, city or other defined geography into the location field. As you type, RPR will auto suggest results, based on the location nearest to you. If you select the name of the auto suggest, your search will automatically be executed. Funnel down your commercial search If you started searching without any filters, or have too many results, you can now narrow down your results by selecting the type / status for your search. For example, drill down by selecting properties that are For Sale or For Lease or Active Under Contract. You can even choose Off Market Public Records. Each status has a corresponding calendar that can be used to set the date parameters that will restrict your search to that exact time period. One helpful tip as you are learning how agents in your market prefer to list properties, is to keep the "Commercial" property checked as this is a catchall property type and can house a mixture of properties that you may be interested in. Select your Price or Lease Price and enter the building or leasable square footage parameters and/or enter the lot size. Note that RPR features a mobile responsive design. This means that the layout will adjust based on screen size. For smaller screens, some search options are moved to the "Filters" area. Select the filters icon to expand the advanced search. You'll immediately see the count of properties matching your criteria. This is a helpful reference that will allow you to better pinpoint the specific properties you're looking for. Pro Tip: RPR has a max number of properties that you can search. Once your search area exceeds 5000 properties, RPR will show a message requesting that you adjust your search filters to narrow down your results. Advanced search filters include distressed actions, land use, and miscellaneous fields such as occupancy type, owner name, year built, time owned, and keyword search. Search Results: List View Now that we've gone over the basics of searching, let's move on to property search results. Choose List View to arrive at your results (the first set of icons in the upper right). To continue narrowing down your results, select the Filters icon and adjust the parameters of your search. You can also sort your results by clicking the Sort By dropdown or one of the column headers. From the List View, you can also save properties by clicking the heart icon (all the way to the right of the column). The property is automatically named after the street address, but you can type a new name if desired. Then select Save and the property will be added to your saved properties. Your Saved properties are listed on the homepage, or you can access them from the top navigation by choosing My Work and My Saved Properties. Printable View If you're looking for a printable view of the search results, select the properties you want by using the corresponding checkboxes and then selecting Print. A window will open allowing you to print Only Selected Properties or All Results. Note: selecting All Results will print the properties currently showing on your screen. If you have a large number of properties to print, make sure to scroll to the bottom of the screen to view all your results. From this results list, you can also create mailing labels or similar data to export into a CSV file, which is great for importing building and owner details into your customer relationship management system. Do that by selecting Mailing Labels from your results and then walking through the onscreen prompts. You can also go straight to creating a report by selecting Create Report. Photo and Map View There are also other options for viewing your results. You can change to a Photo Grid View or to the Map view by selecting those icons (in the upper right). The Photo Grid View gives you a way to view larger photos of the property. And the Map View allows you to further define your areas by drawing them on the map, or by displaying the outlines of geographies such as neighborhoods, ZIP codes, Opportunity Zones and more. (We cover that in more detail in this Commercial Maps article.) And finally, once you've found a property that you want to review further, select it to view the full property details. RPR Commercial: Keep it simple and solid It's no wonder commercial agents are talking about how easy RPR is to use and how the tools and property reports make them look so smart to their clients. The insight you gain from RPR Commercial isn't just a hunch; it's tried, true, hard data that can help you deliver recommendations that get results and ROI. Visit narrpr.com today to learn more. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Shifting Real Estate Market: How to Create a Video That Clears up Confusion
Most agents are pretty aware that the housing market is changing. A combination of higher interest rates and increased inventory has brought the scorching hot seller's market down a few degrees. Consumers are aware too, but most only hear snippets and their main takeaway is sensational terms such as "shifting," "correcting" or "normalizing." Or worse, scarier phrases like "recession," "bubble burst" and "crash." Of course, this leaves clients feeling anxious, uncertain and out of the loop. Now, more than ever, consumers need advice, guidance and a little clarity as to what's really going on. And that's where you, and your awesome new video content, come in. In this article we'll show you how, step by step, to produce a video that helps position you as THE local market expert. Use RPR data to create a video that cuts through Here's how to create a quick video to send to your prospects and previous clients that will ease their fears, erase doubt and build confidence. Both in their situation—and in you! RPR® (Realtors Property Resource®) has the current and local data to help you do it. First things first: yes, you can create a video! You just need your phone or desktop computer, a simple video editing app, and a script (which we're going to give you!). Sure, you could send an email or post to your social pages, but videos work better than anything. Consumers from Gen X on down (even some Boomers!) prefer them and consume them regularly. They're fast, easy to digest and memorable. Here's how to pull it off. Step 1 – Grab their attention: Begin your video with a question or a really compelling statement. Make it short, sweet and right to the point. "How's the market?" I get this question a half a dozen times a day, and here's the truth… Or, Our seller's market has shifted to a buyer's market. What does this really mean? Ask questions or make statements that engage the viewer right off the bat. Step 2 – Introduce yourself: After your opener, tell the viewers your name, and what area you're from or what neighborhood(s) you work in. Don't bother with your brokerage or brand name yet, just keep it casual and friendly. I'm John Smith, and I too live in Silver Pine. (You will obviously enter your name and area.) Step 3 – Use local market housing data from RPR: This is where you set yourself apart from other agents and position yourself as a local market expert. Using up-to-date data from RPR on specific ZIP codes and neighborhoods is the key to your credibility. Check out this article, "Know Your Market and Your Numbers," to see how easy it is to find RPR market trend stats and graphs that back up your opening statement. In our neighborhood, home inventory has increased, while prices have inched up. And even though it's still a seller's market, things are starting to balance out a bit. Step 4 – Include some graphics or charts: talking about data points is one thing—seeing them is much more powerful. Be sure to add a visual representation of your data. You can either screen grab it right from the RPR Market Trends tab, the Housing tab of a neighborhood, or you can enter the numbers into a templated graphic. And you can always use more than one. As you can see, inventory is up over 21%, but still down from its peak just a few years ago and very similar to inventory levels in 2020. The median sales price is up 1.98% from the previous month. And over or under sales have declined slightly by 2.3%. Step 5 – Tie it all together: Now use your premise and your data to deliver a "What's in it for me?" message. Explain how this current market data applies to them and their situation. Point out opportunities and challenges. What's this mean for you? If you're a seller, don't worry. Home values have eased up, but they aren't decreasing. Now it might take 10 days to sell your home, instead of three. That's okat. And buyers, increased inventory means more options. Over-asking bidding wars may be in the rear view, and you might have just a little more time to craft a perfect offer. Step 6 – The call to action: Now that you've delivered all this great information, the crucial next step is to get them to act. Ask your viewers to reach out and ask you questions. Offer to buy them a cup of coffee to discuss their real estate goals. Have them email you or direct them to your website. Give them some type of call to action to get the ball rolling. I hope this quick video helped clear up any confusion you may have heard about the housing market. And if you have any questions about Silver Pine real estate, please don't hesitate to call or email me. I'm John Smith, thanks for watching. Every market's different: use local stats for local updates When deciding what statistics or data to use, the best part about using RPR's Market Trends and housing charts is that you can pull the data for specific ZIP codes and neighborhoods. Most real estate news stories that people are reading about are reports from national sales statistics, which is fine, but they don't tell the whole story as it relates to an individual's situation. However, using up-to-date data and drilling down to your specific, local market puts you in a unique position. You're providing relevant, hyper local data on their market, which makes you a smart, trusted and informed advisor. Almost like you're a local economist giving out free real estate advice! This is a keen way to check in on previous clients, and a super smart way to break ice with prospective clients. The sample script Here's the sample script, all put together: (Note: the items in BOLD would be filled in with your information and statistics, from whatever article or chart you are referencing.) "How's the market?" I get this question a half a dozen times a day, and here's the truth… I'm John Smith, and I too live in Silver Pine. In our neighborhood, home inventory has increased, while prices have inched up. And even though it's still a seller's market, things are starting to balance out a bit. As you can see, [VIDEO GRAPHIC HERE] inventory is up over 21%, but still down from its peak in 2019, and very similar to inventory levels in 2020. Median sales price is up 1.98% from the previous month. And over or under sales have basically declined slightly by 2.3%. What's this mean for you? If you're a seller, don't worry. Home values have eased up, but they aren't decreasing. Now it might take 20 days to sell your home, instead of five. That's okay. And buyers, increased inventory means more options. Over-asking price bidding wars may be in the rear view, and you might have just a little more time to craft a perfect offer. I hope this quick video helped clear up any confusion you may have heard about the housing market. And if you have any questions about Silver Pine real estate, please don't hesitate to call or email me. I'm John Smith, thanks for watching. This script is provided, but of course you can feel free to change or modify anything. It's your script, so it's up to you! Example of agent-produced market trend videos Here's an example to show you how other agents have tackled market update videos. Watch this agent-produced version to get a feel for how it's done: Nicole Nicolay and Robyn Annicchero from Love Livermore of Compass As you can see, this example is brief, friendly and full of local housing market data. In a shifting market, clients need solid advice Build confidence. Build relationships. And build this video! Providing relevant, factual, timely data to your sphere is a solid way to build trust and credibility. A short, casual, friendly piece of communication that clears up the confusion of today's shifting real estate market, by breaking it down in layman's terms, will be remembered and appreciated. We hope you were inspired and motivated to create your own market update video. And we'd love to see how yours turns out! Post your vid to our Facebook group and we'll be sure to comment and offer encouragement. Good luck! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Future Proof Your Business by Knowing Your Market and Your Numbers
Markets move, and if you read the tea leaves, changes are coming. Rising interest rates, among other things, are cooling home sales in many areas and experts believe that housing inventory will rise from its historically low levels. As a Realtor, you need to be informed of any market changes so you can deliver local market expertise that highlights the opportunities of today's real estate market. One way to do that is to keep a constant tab on your market, and the corresponding statistics and data. And RPR (Realtors Property Resource) provides that knowledge in big, heaping spoonfuls. Read on to see how RPR can help you stay up to date and in the know. Markets, trends, charts and graphs In true RPR fashion, we're constantly striving to improve your user experience. Your input, feedback and suggestions fuel our designers and developers. And it's why we keep making access to property data, and how to understand and share that data, better and better. And now we make it easier than ever to answer the question, "How's the market doing?" Case in point: the new "Summary" and "Housing" sections of the Neighborhood details pages, and the new "Market Trends" tab on any Property Details page. To see these new charts, check out our recent blog post: RPR Unveils New Charts and Graphs in its Neighborhood Pages. All of these new layouts present local market activity, sales stats and inventory details, and package them in a new, easy-on-the-eyes layout and presentation. Pro Tip: Locating the New Charts All of the new charts are on the Neighborhood pages (Summary and Housing tabs) On any Property Details Summary page, there is a new "Market Trends" tab that replaced the old "Charts" tab These updated charts are a snapshot of local market stats, including months of inventory, list to sold price, median days in RPR, and much more. You'll find this collection data, graphs and statistics incredibly helpful in explaining local market trends to your buyers and sellers. It's also an easy to understand topline that you can share with clients and prospects, which positions you as THE local market expert. For example, in the Neighborhood "Summary" section, you can save or print out the "Market Trends" charts. (To include these new charts in an RPR Report, click the "Print" button, and then under the "Destination" pull down menu, you can choose to save the file as a .pdf. Save the file (chart) and then you can attach it to other RPR reports from the Reports generation page.) This "Market Trends" chart is something home sellers and buyers will really appreciate. You can save the page to add to reports, or simply send it an email or text, or even post it as a graphic to your social media channels. Sharing this information to potential and past clients is a solid strategy to position yourself as a market expert. Send it over and then connect with prospects or clients to walk them through the key details of Months of Inventory, List to Sold Price %, Median days in RPR and Median Sold Price. It can help sellers see how the market is shifting, and help buyers prepare competitive offers. The RPR Market Activity Report When one chart won't do, you can also send complete, comprehensive reports that are packed with housing data for a particular area. The Market Activity Report showcases what is happening in the local real estate market. You can include new listings, closed sales, price changes, expired listings, open houses, and more. Market Snapshots display data for estimated home values, sale price, and list price, in the form of stats and map layers. A Market Activity Report can be generated for almost any area, including; neighborhoods, zip codes, cities, school attendance zones, and even custom areas you create and save on the map. Run it for 3 days, a week, a month, 3 months, or 6 months Choose which property statuses to display Select property types, then filter by property characteristics For a detailed how-to, check out: How to Create a Market Activity Report for any Neighborhood. "My Markets" in RPR Another smart way to keep tabs on local markets is to set up the "My Markets" area from the RPR homepage. This section is located just under the RPR "Shortcuts" icons, and is clearly labeled "My Markets." This customization feature offers you "at a glance" updates on specific neighborhoods. Just hit "ADD" or "EDIT" to get started. Now, every time you visit RPR, your chosen markets will be waiting for you. From there, you can easily track activity within the area. And while it's pretty intuitive, here's a My Markets How-To if you need more detailed instructions. Market awareness and preparedness Wherever the housing market is headed, you need to be prepared. Be open with your clients about inventory levels, days on market, and whether homes are going for above asking price. Share your insight on emerging trends and how they can use this info to their advantage. After all, they count on you to be a trusted adviser when it comes to their (most likely) largest investment. Knowing these important metrics and statistics can help you prepare for the ups and downs that are sure to come. And keeping tabs on local markets with up to date charts, stats, data and graphs from RPR is one of the best ways for you to do it. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Grab Previous Clients' Attention with the RPR Equity Update
In the last few years, home values have risen in every market in the country. In fact, "stratospheric," "torrid" and "skyrocketing" are commonly used terms to describe what the real estate industry has been experiencing month after month for the last couple of years. In 2021, median existing-home sale prices rose 14.6%, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. And this year, it looks like home prices will jump another 11%, and 3% in 2023. And of course, those numbers are averages. In many markets, prices have jumped even higher—up over 40% in some areas. As a REALTOR®, this should come as no surprise to you. However, there are some homeowners out there who might not be aware—or, at least, not fully aware. They know their homes have appreciated, but they're not exactly sure how much. Sometimes they simply need to see that number to nudge them a bit. That's where you and RPR's (Realtors Property Resource®) Equity Update come in! RPR's Equity Update: the ultimate lead conversion tool Most homeowners have gained significant equity in their homes. And now is the perfect time to capture their attention! As a REALTOR®, you're in a unique position to be able to keep them in the loop on what may be their largest single investment. Consider sending them a deliverable and leave-behind that's all about their home, how much it's currently worth, and more importantly, how much equity they've gained. Pointing out this figure is a surefire way to garner interest, and possibly spark the idea of putting their home on the market. RPR's Equity Update, also commonly referred to as an "equity checkup" or "equity assessment," is a great conversation starter and conversion tool. Why? Because current homeowners never get tired of hearing how much their home is worth. And if you catch an owner who isn't exactly sure, after seeing the equity figure, chances are they will be very curious. This technique really works well with previous clients (past sellers or buyers) and as a prospecting touchpoint. The RPR Equity Update How-to Figuring out an owner's equity isn't really that difficult to do if you have the right resources. It takes just a bit of digging, running a CMA and some easy math. And as a REALTOR®, you have exclusive access to RPR (Realtors Property Resource®), so as far as resources go, you're all set! To create an Equity Update, the first thing you'll need to do is get the current mortgage balance of a property. This is where your past relationship with the owner will come in handy. You simply have to ask them for their mortgage balance. Some may be apprehensive, because they consider that figure to be private, while others will have no problem giving it up. If one of your previous customers does balk a bit, let them know that you're working on a special packet, created especially for them and their property, that they will find very appealing. This tactic will hopefully pique their interest and get you the number. PRO TIP: Use the original loan balance as a starting point. Often this information will be found within RPR in the Mortgage Records section. Then using RPR, perform a current CMA on the home. Once you have a solid understanding of its current value, your next step is to create an RPR property report. (Customize and trim down the report to just showcase the essentials.) Check out this article, 3 Report Customizations You Should Be Doing Now, to learn how to add custom pages and how to trim down your report (steps 2 and 3). Now comes the math, but don't stress—it's easy! Simply take the home value and subtract the mortgage balance to arrive at the total equity in the home. This is the figure (slash carrot) that you want to dangle in front of your prospect. Delivery and message templates Your next step is to deliver the package to the homeowner. Some agents like to print out the report, bind it, include a cover letter, and either mail it or hand it off in person. It presents very well this way! The other option is to go digital and either email or text it as a PDF file. It depends on your style and the recipient's preferences. At this point, you should know how your clients like to receive information. You also need to remember to include a personal message to the owner(s). This can either be done with a custom cover page that has an area where you can include some text, or you can send an email or text attachment, and then create an email message in the body. Sometimes agents need help putting together the right message. Below we've included two templates for you to copy and paste. Do make sure you update and change out the information that goes to the homeowner. In other words, fill in the blanks (owner names, property address and the equity number) with their information and numbers, and don't use the template examples or the "Xs"! Email template #1 This one comes from REALTOR® Julie Toy, who has a whole strategy for reaching out to her previous clients. Check out her message: Hi Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner! Attached is a property report for your home at 123 Main Street. What a difference a year makes! I don't know if anyone could have predicted the seismic shifts our real estate market has seen — even in the last 12 months — but I sure am happy for homeowners like you. You may not be thinking about selling, but if you were, now could well be one of the best times to pull it off.​Here's a fun fact for you: your home equity is up to $XXX,XXX. That's no small potatoes any way you slice it!​Anyway, if you need anything or know anyone thinking of buying or selling, please let me know.​-[YOUR NAME and CONTACT INFO] Email template #2 We penned this one ourselves just for RPR users: Hello Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner at 123 Main St! I'm sure you've heard the news about the housing market. To sum it up: it's hot! Home values are skyrocketing… and so is the equity that you've built up in what is probably your biggest financial investment.​So I decided to crunch some numbers to let you know that you have $XXX,XXX amount of home equity. And that your home is currently valued at $XXX,XXX. ​Even if you're not thinking of selling or buying, I thought you would appreciate having this information. If you do have any questions about the market or about real estate in general, please don't hesitate to call me. I'd be happy to have a conversation with you to discuss your options.​Thanks for your time,​-[YOUR NAME and CONTACT INFO] Feel free to use these examples word for word, or make edits to fit your voice. Or, write your own version from scratch—it's up to you. Just make sure to include the equity number, and ensure that your tone is centered around helping them out with this information. You're doing them a kindness. Don't push too hard, just dangle the information and let them know you're available if they have any questions. The RPR Equity Update checklist and wrap-up Now you know what to send and what to say when you deliver the RPR Equity Update. This approach to getting new clients from previous ones has a high probability of response if you target previous owners who have built up loads of equity. Use RPR to pull the data, make your CMA, and create your property report. Then include your personal message and the equity number, and you'll be on your way to positioning yourself as a trusted expert who can answer all their questions. If done right, you could soon be sitting down to talk about listing their home. Good luck! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Realtor Creates RPR Reports to Help Sellers and Relocating Buyers
We're always on the lookout for helpful RPR user success stories. Our latest Q&A comes from Wendy Kaprelian, a REALTOR from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Wendy sent us this email: I always use RPR! I use it for market analysis with both buyers and sellers. This shows a range value that is very helpful for sellers and buyers. The statistics are very helpful for them. I also use it as a tool when a client is relocating to an area. I work with a lot of corporate relocation. I also like the reports feature to use as a share tool on my social media. -Wendy We wanted to hear more about how Wendy utilizes RPR reports for all her clients… Q. How long have you been a REALTOR® and what area do you specialize in? I've been a REALTOR® for 15 years, and my area of expertise is residential, although I do a few commercial deals here and there. Q. How do you use RPR in your business? Oh, I use it so much. Anytime I go on a listing appointment, I bring my RPR market analysis and reports with me. One of the features I really like is specific community statistics and information. I can bring up the demographics, school ratings, average age, I love that. Corporate relocation is a big thing I do and out of the area buyers always need info on schools! They really appreciate that community info. Once a week, I post RPR reports on my Facebook page and I always make sure to include all the school info. Q. You mentioned using RPR for market analysis, tell me more about that. I create a market analysis using RPR because I can provide a range value. I go out on listing appointments, and clients are shocked to see the value of their house from three years ago. So I make sure I fall right into the range value, and then I back it up with CMA. I use the Seller's Report with sellers, and with buyers I use the Property Report. The Seller Report is nice because if I'm competing against another agent, I can figure out what the clients owe on their mortgage. Then I show up with a net sheet, and the people are shocked because you show them the numbers, and you essentially have their mortgage information. You present those stats and it makes them feel better about you as an agent. Most of the time they're really impressed and sort of shocked. It often puts me over the top versus another agent. Q. How are you handling the current market? There's a lack of inventory in my market, it's definitely still a seller's market. It doesn't appear to be cooling off yet. The RPR reports really help with that. Having all this data and charts and history, it helps justify the pricing, to both buyers and sellers. Overall, RPR helps agents make better presentations, especially to sellers. I do a Property Report in RPR, then I go to my MLS and do a CMA, and then I combine them. I deliver both in my listing presentation packet, which I bind together to make it really look sharp. Q. You also mentioned using RPR as a tool to help relocating buyers. How so? Well, when someone is coming into an area blind, they need guidance. They know almost nothing about the schools, the traffic, the population, all that stuff. I can pull all that info in RPR for a property or municipality and it gives them everything. The best part is, it's not just me, it's in print and it's backed up by data and studies and research. It comes from a reputable source and that really puts a relocation buyer's mind at ease. Q. What are some of your favorite, "go-to" features of RPR? I like that you can instantly see who owns a property. I also like the "My Listings" area on the homepage. When I list a property, it gets pinned into the "My Listings" area and it's so easy to access. Q. Any stories about how you've used RPR to "wow" a client? I do! I was at a listing appointment in an area where I had sold a property down the street. The couple asked me about another property in the area, saying "Do you know about such and such address?" So I pulled out my phone and popped the address into RPR, and pulled up the info just like that. They were kind of blown away by that. So then they asked "Can you check to see if the owner of this place we're looking to rent is the actual owner? It feels like a scam. Could you look that up with that fancy thing on your phone?" (Wendy laughs). RPR puts a lot of property power in my hands! Indeed! Great story Wendy, and thanks for sharing your tips on RPR reports for market analysis and relocation. If you want to learn how to put RPR reports to use for you and your business, be sure to attend RPR's featured webinar, titled: "RPR Reports–How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market." Our trained experts and webinar guests will show you how to create and deliver reports that are sure to impress. Sign up for this free webinar today! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

8 Proven Prospecting Methods to Build Your Real Estate Business
Purchasing real estate leads can be effective, but can also be expensive to maintain. Learning new and creative ways of "who" to target can be a terrific way to future-proof your business. But where should you focus your time? See a list of eight proven prospecting methods below: 1. Neighborhood Prospecting A geographic farm continues to be one of the best ways to market yourself as a real estate agent. And luckily for you, as a REALTOR® you have access to RPR (Realtors Property Resource®) to help power your neighborhood prospecting every step of the way. Leverage RPR's search and mapping to compare neighborhoods based on important stats such as turnover, absorption rate and competition. Then use RPR to generate labels and/or a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) export to populate your CRM. Reports such as the Market Activity Report and Property Report also make terrific "leave-behinds" as you prospect the area. See for yourself with this how-to on setting up your geographic farm. 2. Circle Prospecting So you just got a new listing? It's time for circle prospecting. Circle prospecting is a lead generation technique designed to let the surrounding neighbors know about your listing, open house or recent sale. Usually, this is done by sending a postcard or mailer to a few hundred homes around the subject property. RPR makes the process of getting these contacts quick and easy. To get started, look no further than RPR's mapping. From the map, make sure Type/Status is set to Public Records. Then locate the neighborhood of the subject property and then choose Draw. Next, select Radius and click on the subject property to create the center point, and then drag out. Once you've achieved the desired distance, click again to set the shape. Now choose Search in This Area. Grab labels or CSV export by selecting Mailing Labels above the map. 3. Open House Prospecting You're getting ready to hold your open house. You've prepared by ensuring the home looks its best and is staged well. Yet, beyond that soft landing, serious homebuyers will want the facts about your listing and the area. Stand out with each prospect walking through the door by providing client-friendly reporting on all the details that matter most: the property, neighborhood, schools and local market. Use the RPR app to create data-packed reports on the spot and text or email them as the conversations happen. This is a great opportunity to build your brand and create a wow factor with each potential prospect that comes through the door. Learn what you should be doing at your next open house here. 4. Niche Prospecting Strategies Focusing your business on a real estate niche is a great way to target a specific group of people you'd like to be working with. You can establish a specific real estate niche for just about anything: location, properties, or even the type of prospects. In many cases, it can all start with a search in RPR. Find expired or distressed listings, luxury homes, absentee owners, and lots more. For examples of how RPR's search and filters work, check out this article or watch this video. Once you have the results you want, watch this video to create your mailing labels or CSV export. eBook: How to Farm and Prospect for new ClientsThis detailed prospecting ebook provides step-by-step instructions, formulas, videos, guides, testimonials and more on how to prospect like a pro. 5. Sphere of Influence (SOI) Most successful real estate pros will tell you that long-term success comes from nourishing relationships and converting contacts into clients. And more times than not, those clients come from your own sphere of influence (SOI). Your SOI is a group of your personal connections. These are people you know well, plus loose connections and acquaintances, too. A few SOI examples include family, friends, social media friends, friends of friends, coworkers and community connections. Nourishing your SOI takes time. Make sure to start by building the list itself. Identify your connections. Compile them into a spreadsheet or CRM. Then layer on your communications and touchpoints. If you send out a regular newsletter or mailer, use RPR to include consistent market updates or trends. 6. Social Media Prospecting Social media prospecting as a real estate pro really is a no-brainer. Also one could argue that social media prospecting is an extension of the sphere of influence and past client marketing. Although it's hard to disagree, it's also unique enough to deserve its own callout. Social media has been growing in popularity for years, and is now as commonplace as any traditional media. Today it's one of the fastest ways to spread information. And the more connections you have in your network, the more people you will likely reach. Social media also happens to be a terrific place to ambiently build and showcase your real estate expertise. This is where RPR can help. Compile real estate trends covering your local market, including inventory levels, new homes, open houses, home ownership tips and much more. For a few examples, check out this article on creating Instagram sharables and this one on using RPR and Canva to make shareable market charts. 7. Past Clients Any successful REALTOR® will tell you when it comes to earning repeat business, past clients are where it's at. Over time, this can become a significant portion of your overall business. It's much easier to retain an existing client than it is to attract a new one. But to be successful, you need a plan to stay in touch. This can involve social media, events, mailings, phone calls—if you're interacting, it counts. Be sure to have some of your touch points revolve around real estate and their current property investment. For example, with the low inventory and high appreciation over the last few years, most homeowners have gained significant equity in their homes. Consider sending an equity checkup, because chances are your past clients will be very curious. As their REALTOR®, you have a unique position to be able to keep them in the loop on what may be their largest single investment. To start sending the equity checkup, you'll need to get the current mortgage balance. Then using RPR, perform a current CMA on their home. Once you have a solid understanding of its current value, generate a property report. (Customize and trim down the report to just showcase the essentials.) Now simply take the home value and subtract the mortgage balance to arrive at the total equity in the home. 8. Prospecting Letters Okay, so this is not really a niche. But prospecting letters certainly can be a useful method of outreach when it comes to your prospecting efforts. For a few examples, check out these articles from Tom Ferry, Fit Small Business, and one from The Close. The Many Paths of Prospecting Prospecting comes in many forms. Whether it's nurturing repeats and referrals, or digging for new leads through a variety of methods, it's important to keep laying tracks that lead to listings and buyers. RPR offers data, tools and reports that can power up your prospecting efforts across the board. Be sure to take advantage of the valuable resources that RPR puts in the hands of every REALTOR®. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RPR Commercial: Trade Area Reports
If you're a commercial real estate practitioner, you need as many commercial tools in your tool belt as possible. That's because your clients look to and lean on you for expert recommendations and guidance. For the best tools, look no further than RPR (Realtors Property Resource). This digital platform, provided by the National Association of REALTORS®, offers a wide range of commercial data-based tools, analysis capabilities and reports. This includes the ability to run a trade area analysis and create Trade Area Reports. These reports allow you to deliver a summary of the demographics, economics and data tapestry segments for a defined area. A breakdown of a community and its residents' characteristics and spending habits are also explained in great detail. Of course, this type of information is crucial when advising your commercial clients on where to set up shop or renovate an existing property. Before we dive in on how to run Trade Area Reports in RPR, here's a quick primer on exactly what a trade area is and how it can help you (and your clients) make better commercial real estate decisions. Trade Area 101 Straight to the point, a trade area is a defined geographic area which generates the majority of its customers. Figuring out the size and scope of a trade area is a vital piece of the puzzle, because these boundaries help determine how we can measure the number of possible customers, their demographics, and their spending power. Knowing a community's customer base allows commercial agents and RPR users to approximate how much demand there is (or will be) for stores and services. This basically means: how many people (shoppers) are in a given area and how much do they spend on products and services? Knowing this data goes a long way in determining whether your clients' business is a good fit for success and growth. Contributing Trade Area Factors Many factors go into determining trade areas, especially when you're trying to map out convenience versus destination shopping habits. Some things to consider: Population size: The bigger the community, the bigger the trade area. Nearby competitors: The cutoff point where customers are drawn to a competing area. Destinations: Big box stores or discount department stores usually attract customers from a long distance. Business mix: A cluster of popular businesses tends to pull customers from a distance. Large employers: A business with lots of daytime employees means lots of lunch, snack and beverage dollars being spent. Traffic: High traffic areas, either by foot or by vehicles, typically have an impact on visitors and sales. Trade Area Report How-to Now that we know what factors go into defining a trade area, we can use the RPR Commercial Map to select an area and extract the data. For example, let's say you have a client who is looking to open a new boba/bubble tea retail shop, and they have a general idea (neighborhood, ZIP code, town) of where they want to open their location. With an RPR Trade Area Report, you can scope out the area in a map, define the trade area, and see if this area is indeed a smart choice. Here's a quick and easy "how-to" to get you started: Start by going to narrpr.com, and then toggle to "Commercial." Put in an address, ZIP code, town name, etc. in the search bar, and hit "search" (the little magnifying glass icon). Next you'll be presented with a map view of the area. Click on the "Draw" icon (it's a pencil to the right), and choose a way to set your boundaries. Start with radius, it's the easiest. Click "search this area," then click "Create a Report," in the upper right navigation. Next step is to click "Run Report" and follow the prompts. Look at all that wonderful consumer profile data! Now's the time for you to crunch the numbers and review all the statistics and determine how right an area is for your client to open up their store. Trade Area Wrap RPR Trade Area Reports are packed with up-to-date consumer data, they look polished and professional, and they're ready to send off to your clients in seconds. For a more in-depth look at RPR Trade Area Reports and analysis, check out this article: Commercial Trade Area Details, which includes a short video tutorial. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RPR Announces Data Refresh for Its AARP Livability Scores Integration
Last year, RPR (Realtors Property Resource) announced an important data integration with AARP. This year, we're pleased to announce that the AARP Livability Index scores have been updated and refreshed with brand new data. If you're not familiar with the AARP Livability Index scores, here's how they're described on the AARP website: "The most comprehensive, web-based tool of its kind that scores every neighborhood and community in the United States—in all 50 states and the District of Columbia—for the services and amenities that affect people's lives the most as they age." This data integration with RPR and The National Association of REALTORS® arms REALTORS® with another data set to help their clients make better informed decisions. It really comes in handy when assisting seniors gauge how "livable" an area is if they're making a move. Besides the home itself, seniors are particularly focused on community and neighborhood amenities, including medical services, public transportation, entertainment, etc. A Q&A With Laura Kovacs To gain some insight on how agents can use this valuable data, we spoke with Laura Kovacs, the owner of REVIVE-Learning Real Estate School in Phoenix, Arizona. Along with 46 years of experience in the real estate business as a REALTOR® and broker, Laura is also a full-time real estate instructor and a fully accredited and approved real estate education instructor for NAR. As part of her SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) designation class, Laura helps promote the AARP Livability scores to her students so they can better understand and advise their clients. Laura speaks volumes to the value that this data-based tool can offer, and how easy it is for agents to access it through RPR. Hi Laura, thanks for joining us. How did you find out about the AARP Livability scores and why did you decide to incorporate them into your classes? Well, I've been a long-time proponent of using local information when teaching a national class. Nationwide class content is well done, but because it's a national scope, it might not always be relevant to local situations. When teaching at a local level, you need to make an effort to be inclusive about local information. All real estate is local! So I always seek out information and resources that local REALTORS® can use for my classes. When the AARP Livability Index first appeared, I really liked it. I had used AARP information for my "Senior Living" class way before it was put into the "Scores" format. And now that it's packaged together and easily available to REALTORS® via RPR, it's just this "a-ha" type of moment. This is cool! I can get a score for any community, ZIP code or specific property. And I can either market this home differently thanks to this info, or I can sell this home to this buyer based on this data. It's a real enhancement to the process. What do you suggest agents do with all this great information? I use my personal address as an example. I pop in my address and walk my students through the index. We discuss how to use this valuable info, such as the fact that you can pinpoint the approximate age of a community. Which is important because someone in their late 50s doesn't necessarily want to live with folks in their 80s or 90s. There are generations of difference amongst seniors and not everybody thinks about those things! Then we get to the real, tangible benefits for the customers: how far is the library, can they take a bus to a theater, how close is medical care and services, what options are there for community transportation, where is the nearest grocery store? Everyday necessities in life that directly affect how a senior lives. That information is powerful when you are talking to someone about where they want to live and stay. This is a very practical and useful way to address the concept of "aging in place." For seniors, it's often much more than just the home or the space. It's about what surrounds them: the neighborhood, the community, the support. Interesting, and makes a lot of sense. Any closing thoughts? Having the AARP Livability Index available through RPR is a tremendous opportunity for REALTORS®. Having all this information and data aggregated in one place makes it so much easier. I tell my students: "Be the source of the source." You have this tool, this risk management tool, it's yours for the taking. Be resourceful and share this with your clients. They don't care where you get it, they just know they're getting it from YOU. Also, it's truly a good tool no matter what niche you specialize in. Handling a job relocation? Buying and selling? First-time buyer? It really touches every phase of real estate sales. Use RPR, use AARP and enhance the information you're offering your buyers and sellers. Great points, Laura! The AARP Livability™ Index is now displayed on the RPR website and mobile app through its Property Details pages as well as within the Neighborhood page. It's also featured in four RPR reports, including the Property Report, Mini Property Report, Neighborhood Report and Seller's Report. Make sure to access it in RPR and apply these valuable data points and statistics when working with clients of all ages and backgrounds. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

6 Ideas for Prospecting with Your Property Data System
Low housing inventory got you down? There's a tool available to you with powerful prospecting capabilities--and the best part is that it's already included with your MLS or association membership dues. That's right, we're talking about your MLS's public records/property data system. Did you know that you can use the rich information it contains to precisely target potential leads? Frank Goswitz, a Realtor from Knoxville, Tennessee, definitely knows. He recently told us how he uses his property data system to target potential leads in his area. In this article, we'll share Frank's prospecting tips and offer six campaign ideas you can execute with your own property data system. 6 Prospecting Ideas for Low Inventory Markets Frank's local Realtor association provides him access to CRS Data's MLS Tax Suite. He says he uses it for everything from "finding what the owner originally paid to reviewing pictures of the property plat map, lot size and school zones. The possibilities are endless and make it possible to service my clients beyond their initial expectations." When it comes to lead generation, however, he primarily targets homeowners near listings that have just sold using CRS Data's built-in Prospecting tool. "I target approximately 500 prospects at a time, depending on the size of the subdivision." Frank's "just sold" campaign is one of many ways you can use your property data system. Here are six more ideas you can leverage to your advantage: 1. Rising home values campaign - Record-high home prices go hand-in-hand with record-low housing inventory. Nudge reluctant sellers off the fence by reminding them how much profit they can make off their home if they sell now. Send out mailers that list how much home prices have risen in the area you're targeting. Be sure to include a call-to-action to contact you for a free home valuation, or to visit a dedicated landing page for a free online valuation (e.g., What's your home worth? Find out here!). 2. Sold listing campaign - Let's revisit Frank's favorite type of campaign for a moment to break down how it works: when you sell a home, you then send out a mailer to homes nearby that shows what the home sold for. In today's market, that's usually a big number, so make that information prominent. If the home sold over the asking price or very quickly, mention that success point. You want your prospects to associate you with a potentially lucrative opportunity to sell their home. As with the above idea, include your contact information and a call-to-action. 3. New listing campaign - One thing you can count on with homeowners—they're curious about other homes in their neighborhood. What do they look like? How much are they worth compared to my home? Tap into this curiosity by sending a postcard or flyer that announces your new listing and all its details: price, bed/bath, square footage, school district, etc. Your goal here is to build awareness of you as the go-to Realtor for selling homes in the area. 4. Expired listings campaign - If there's one thing expired listings have going for them, it's this: they want to sell their home. Something went wrong with their last attempt at a sale—the price was too high, repairs were needed, or maybe their previous agent wasn't the greatest. Whatever the case, they are prime targets for prospecting. Send them or physically drop off a packet touting your experience and successes to encourage them to list their home with you. 5. Likely mover campaign - How long do residents in your area stay in their homes? If you know this piece of information, you can use it to target owners who have been in their home for around that amount of time—and statistically may be likely to move soon. A postcard or other mailer from you may help nudge them into listing. Just be sure to use your public records tool to remove active "for sale" homes from your list, as they obviously don't need your services—and you don't need to waste your marketing budget. 6. Renters/new buyers campaign - Do you enjoy working with first-time buyers? Consider targeting renters in affluent neighborhoods. Finding them in your property data system is a little less straightforward than finding current homeowners, however. Fortunately, your property data platform's "owner type" filter can help. For example, with the MLS Tax Suite, you can filter results by absentee owner, out-of-state owner, in-state owner, and owner-occupied properties. All options except owner-occupied can help you target properties with renters. Bonus: You can also use this filter to unearth vacation properties or second homes. Creating Your Prospecting Campaign So you know what kind of prospecting campaign you want to send out. Now, how do you execute that campaign? To find out, we spoke with Sara Cooper, Director of the MLS Market at CRS Data. Step 1: Narrow down your targets You know what you want to send, but to whom should you send it? Tap into your property data system's filters to narrow it down. Users of CRS Data's Prospecting tool can "target exactly who you want to prospect to," says Sara. "It could be a street, a subdivision, or even an entire ZIP code. There are a variety of filters that can be enabled to narrow down the list—from the type of home and length of time it's been owned to how old the current mortgage is and acreage size." Depending on your property tool's capabilities, you may also be able to target prospects more precisely by drawing shapes on a map. For CRS Data users, Sara offers these tips: Draw map shapes to EXCLUDE certain areas specifically. "This is useful when not all areas within a city or ZIP code are within the same price range or interest of whom you are trying to market," she says. You can draw multiple shapes when your target areas are not in a continuous/connected area. Step 2: Create your mailing list Once you've identified your prospects, it's time to create your mailing list. "You can export the data to use in your CRM," says Sara. CRS Data's MLS Tax Suite lets you download your prospect data as a .CSV file so that you can easily import it into your CRM for prospecting strategies. Alternatively, "you can skip the export and create mailing labels instead." The intuitive platform lets users print mailing labels from within the program itself. Just select how you want to address recipients (by name or "Current Resident"), and your preferred label size. Next, simply print your labels and send off your campaign! "I use the mailing labels feature of the Prospecting tool consistently. It makes the process of creating labels so quick and easy," says Frank. "Creating mailers through CRS Data's MLS Tax Suite has benefited my business tremendously." To learn more about CRS Data and the company's MLS Tax Suite, visit CRSData.com. Not a CRS Data user? Contact your public records provider or MLS help desk for assistance.

[Podcast] Decoding Real Estate: Growing Business through Your CRM with Ricardo Bueno
You hear the acronym "CRM" all the time in real estate, and you probably even know it stands for Customer Relationship Management. But... are you really managing it? Ricardo Bueno, from Follow Up Boss, can help. His first take? "Your phone is not your CRM!" Ricardo joins Decoding Real Estate to offer strategies, tactics and checklists for utilizing a CRM to its fullest potential. Get tips for managing your contacts, mastering the software, automating "busy" tasks, engaging your sphere, how to revive your touchpoint campaigns, and how to evaluate and segment your database. Decoding Real Estate is hosted by Reggie Nicolay and Genie Willett. Subscribe/Follow Download high converting campaigns And be sure to check out these helpful and relevant links: Follow Up Boss Realtors Property Resource To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Agent with a Can-do Attitude Uses RPR to Build Skills and Crush Goals
REALTORS who use RPR (Realtors Property Resource) to elevate and accelerate their business have some great stories to tell. We've featured quite a few of these in our Q&A "Success Stories" content series. This month's spotlight is on Trevia Ivey-Ojajuni, who has one of the best attitudes we've ever seen in the real estate business. Her hustle and glass half-full outlook is truly inspirational. We first crossed paths with Trevia on our RPR Facebook Connect group, where she is very active and a helpful motivator within the group. We reached out to ask about her RPR success story, and she responded with this: "We don't always have success stories, but that doesn't stop us from doing what is beneficial. I send out reports for sellers and some listed, but with another agent. I like to think I had something to do with that. I didn't get that listing, but I'm persistent. It gets rough with no immediate results, but I'm successful because I know the reports are beneficial, and I'm working on my marketing plan. For me, that builds skills! It feels good to crush personal goals by doing so." Wow! A success story based on the process, not necessarily the results (which will come!). We're so impressed with Trevia's take, we just had to speak with her. How long have you been a REALTOR® and what area do you specialize in? Since 2016, and I specialize in residential: listing, buying and I also work with renters. How were you first introduced to RPR? First, I just want to say that I love the RPR Connect Facebook network and I really appreciate how engaged the admins in RPR Connect are. It really makes a difference to know that people are actively looking to help and support us—you don't see that from too many real estate tech sites. My first experience with RPR was actually when I googled "RPR CMA," and the results came up: "a tool for REALTORS® to help with a CMA." It was so helpful! This is what they should mention in those new agent training classes! RPR is online and available to every REALTOR® through NAR. Everyone should use it! I lean on RPR for everything I do. I give my clients more data, more options, more market info. They can then look at all these options and make an offer or determine list prices. I promote it to everyone I talk to, especially newer members. Trevia, your posts on the RPR Connect Facebook page are so positive and helpful to members. Tell me about your great attitude towards prospecting. I was trying to determine what my niche was, and I wanted a way to find sellers. So I decided to focus on an area that isn't as popular in this market: distressed owners, with pre and foreclosure citations. I was doing normal prospecting through postcard mailings, but I switched it up because I wanted to do something with my SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource). It's a designation available through NAR, and it focuses on various home seller skills, including short sales and foreclosures. I focus on people who are going through the foreclosure or pre-foreclosure process and help them list their homes. And you're using RPR to do that? Yes, my brokerage, Coldwell Banker, has a program called SAFAssist, which provides legal assistance for CB agents and customers, to help them understand and complete the process. So, first I find the distressed properties and owners in RPR through the mapping and prospecting tools. Then, I create a Property Report and a Seller's Report, each modified with just one page each, and show the RVM® (Realtor Valuation Model®) for the property and then provide a personal note via the "Add a personal page" feature in RPR Reports. I draft a letter that puts people at ease to let them know what I'm trying to do to help them. And I offer assistance to help them list their home. I follow up with the SAFAssist flyer, which explains the program. I send the first page of the property report, with the RVM, to hook them. They see what their property is worth. I let them know that they have equity and it might not have to be a short sale. Then I follow up with the complete report when they respond (none have yet, but I'm sure it will work if I stick to it!). Niche prospecting plans like yours are a long run game. At the end of the day, I feel confident in my process. I'll continue to crush my own goals. This is what I want to do and focus on. Positive vibes, not negative. Sure, I post on social media the successes I've had. I got into this business to help first-time buyers achieve a home. I walk them through the process, and I get them to the lenders, and I love posting those stories to social media. I love helping people get to a goal they thought they couldn't achieve. I post on Nextdoor a lot. And of course, there's friends, family, word of mouth. That's my regular marketing sphere. This niche target of distressed homes is a whole different focus and side project. But I'm committed to it and products from my brokerage and NAR are helping me. What's one of your favorite or go-to features of RPR? My favorite is the mobile app. When I'm out and my location picks up what's going on in that area automatically—Boom! I know what's going on. When I'm on the go with buyers, I pull up RPR and just like that, I know everything about the area. I also really like how the app and the desktop version are in sync—I love that. I also appreciate the RPR Learning Center, all the free classes and training. The prospecting webinar and the farming eBook, I love the formulas in there. It really helped me see what I was capable of doing with tools from RPR. Any stories about how you've used RPR to "wow" a client? (laughs) Oh yeah, when I was working with clients last year, they were first-time homebuyers, and they found a place and wanted to put in an offer. I pulled the CMA right there in front of them and they were impressed! They had previously worked with another agent, and they said, "You're really impressing us, because our last agent had to leave all the time. She had to go to her laptop at her office…" That delayed their opportunity to put in an offer. We did the offer right there at the showing! That data I shared with them really made an impression. I couldn't have done it without my RPR app. As you can see, Trevia is really working hard to make a difference in real estate and to help her clients achieve their dreams. And she's using RPR to cast an even wider net and market herself to a specific, niche group of homeowners. You can learn more about the tools and features that RPR offers by visiting the Learning Center. There are on-demand videos, live webinar sign-ups, and printable guides to help you sharpen your skills. Good luck Trevia, and thanks for spreading those positive vibes! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RPR: Your Open House Secret Weapon
So far, the 2022 housing market is a sequel to 2021: inventory is still low and listings are tough to come by. However, a million or so homes are still actively for sale, and every state has lifted pandemic restrictions. That means everything is open! If you're thinking of holding an open house, this article is for you. We'll tackle the basics of prep and planning, and tips for how to promote and host. We'll also cover important ways that using RPR (Realtors Property Resource) can help you sell this listing (and hopefully line up some new prospects). The open house prep Once you and your client decide to hold an open house, there are a few basics that need to be taken care of and thought out ahead of time. Here are few ways to prep and plan to find success: The Date: Most open houses are held on Saturdays or Sundays, starting in the late morning or early afternoon, and scheduled for three to four hours. And of course, that's because people tend to have the most spare time on weekends. However, you might also want to consider other days and times. For example "Happy Hour" open houses are quite popular nowadays. Pick a weeknight, Thursdays are great because the weekend is close, and hold it from 5-8PM. Promote it as a casual, after work, happy hour with beverages and snacks. Working singles, and moms and dads who have busy weekends, will find it especially appealing. The House: This is common knowledge for most agents, but in case we have some new agents out there… Before you open it, the house needs to be presentable! Decluttered, depersonalized, cleaner than a whistle, and perhaps even staged. Crank up the curb appeal by having the gardener come the day before, too. You'd be surprised how much a freshly mowed lawn does for first impressions. Also, any little nagging repairs such as paint touch-ups, squeaky doors, carpet stains, pet odors, etc. should all be taken care of in advance. And, of course, no owners or pets in the house on open house day. The Promotion: These days, social media is your best friend and a great way to add some sizzle to your open house. It's called emotional storytelling and it can do wonders. Take two to three pictures of the home, or one really nice one, and create a post for your Facebook feed. Include some anecdotes and observations about certain features of the home, and of course, the address, date and time, and your contact information. (Be sure to also do a quick Facebook livestream the day of the event, as well.) You should also consider conducting a video walk-through on your Instagram Story a few days before the big day. And, you might even want to try TikTok. It's the fastest growing social media platform and it's not just for dancing teenagers anymore. Do a search for "TikTok real estate open houses" and you'll see what we mean. Any or all of these social media tips are highly encouraged. Be sure to also include open house dates in your newsletters, emails and website, as well as use door hangers in the immediate neighborhood a few days before. Neighbors know buyers and word-of-mouth works! The day of the open house Signage! This is another obvious tip, but you have to put out signs. Cover as many corners and high traffic areas as you can. Some agents use 10, some use up to 30. Doing a drive-through of the neighborhood the day before is a good way to plot out where to plant your signs. It's a little tedious, but well worth it. Arrive early: You don't want to be the second person to show up and have someone waiting. Come at least a half hour in advance, get your clients out the door, and then conduct a walkthrough of the home to make sure everything is clean and no personal items are on display. Then set out your refreshments and snacks, and any takeaway promotional items, such as flyers or brochures, etc. Baking cookies is cliche, but it works. You can also use a deodorizer or air freshener in high traffic areas and in each room. Home base: Find a good place, near the entrance, to post up and greet your guests. If the kitchen is close to the front door, kitchen islands or tables work great. Somewhere to welcome people, answer questions, and ask them what they thought of the house when they're done touring it. This is also a strategic place to get some contact information after they've toured the home. (More on that below.) Wrap up: When you go from open to closed, do one more lap around the home and pick up any brochures or water bottles or anything that may have been discarded. Gather up all of your promotional materials, and then go retrieve your signs. Some agents leave the refreshments behind for the owners, others keep unopened items to use again in the future. Be sure to make some kind of contact with the owners to give them a summary of how the showing went. RPR open house tips Those were some general on-site tips and things to keep in mind when hosting an open house. Now we'll share some ways that using RPR can really help and add to the experience, for you, the guests and your client(s). The RPR app: Where it all comes together On game day, lean on your open house secret weapon: the RPR mobile app. Make sure it's downloaded to your phone and with you at all times on open house day. The reason? Ahead of time, you can run a variety of different reports on the home and the area. Everything you do on the RPR website syncs with your phone app. So when you create the reports for your property address, all those reports will be one touch away. You can also create reports right there in the house, on the fly, and instantly send them to open house goers. These reports will arm you and prospective buyers with data and information so you'll be ready to have conversations about the home itself, the neighborhood, the schools and the market. Here are the reports you should run ahead of time: Neighborhood research The Neighborhood Reports you can generate in RPR will give you a summary and details about the people, economy, quality of life, and charts and graphs on local market activity. Data and info such as this can help you prepare to handle all types of questions and position you as a local expert. For prospective buyers, they're a great digital, branded takeaway item. They can also help agents get familiar with a neighborhood, in case it's out of your usual area. Schools For people with children, schools are at the top of the list when it comes to relocating. And you'll get an "A" from these parents when you keep the RPR mobile app handy to help them with school related questions. Just ask them the age of their kids, and you can create and then text or email the school report directly to them. RPR School Reports provide a wealth of information on schools, including student populations, testing outcomes, reviews, ratings and school zones. You can also compare schools within a district or a specified radius, and/or include up to 20 nearby listings. Market Activity Market Activity Reports are a perfect way for prospective buyers to see what's moving in the market. Having this information also positions you as a local market expert. RPR's Market Activity Report can help you discuss what the local market has to offer by presenting recent price changes, as well as active, pending, sold, expired and distressed properties. Mini Property Report/Property Flyer Before the open house, run an RPR Mini Property Report. These scaled down versions provide just enough data to give buyers a solid understanding of the property, including price, value, comps, home facts, taxes, photos, and neighborhood information. An even more scaled-down version is the RPR Property Flyer, which is a one-page promotional piece with the most basic of facts. Plus, you can write your own headline, and include your own photo and contact info. They're perfect for open house promotions. Having these reports at your fingertips during the open house goes a long way in positioning you as THE local real estate expert. Delivering the reports and collecting contact information is a solid way to gain a warm lead. You simply have the property in your app, hit Recent Activity and all of your reports for that property are displayed, then you hit Share, and your new prospects receive it within minutes, maybe even seconds. Pro Tip: Here's another way to use the reports: print out one copy and leave it in a high traffic area. Then, when a guest starts reading it, you can break the ice and say, "Isn't that Property Report great? Unfortunately, it's my last copy. But I can send you one directly. I just need your number…" This conversation-starter is a keen lead generation tactic that helps you connect with prospects without coming on too strong. RPR open house tips wrap-up With the right amount of prep and planning—and RPR at your side—your next open house is sure to be a success. A solid game plan and the reports you create in RPR will no doubt impress your client and those that tour the home. That can help you go from open house to closed deal in no time. Download the RPR app today and hold a memorable open house tomorrow. Good luck! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

New Agent: 'RPR is 10 Apps in 1'
RPR (Realtors Property Resource) is continuing its popular "Wow" Moment Success Stories. We're kicking off this year's series with a feature on newcomer Jocelyn Mugot. She sent us this message in late 2021, and we knew we just had to share her story in early 2022: I absolutely love using the RPR app when I'm traveling outside of my home state of Hawaii. I pulled information on my cousin's home in Las Vegas while visiting for Thanksgiving. Then I went to Houston and pulled neighborhood information for an old friend. Then I went to Seattle and was able to find open houses to help out another family member. Thank you so much for making information available at our fingertips and on our smartphones; such a great resource for REALTORS®!!! Jocelyn Mugot, REALTOR®Keller Williams Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawaii What a trip! And as Jocelyn puts it, "With the RPR app, I turn every vacation into a business trip. It helps me help my family and friends with their real estate needs." Here's our Q&A with Jocelyn Mugot. How long have you been a REALTOR® and what area do you specialize in? I got my license in February of 2020, but because of the pandemic, I really started practicing in July of 2020. Right now I only do residential real estate, but I would be open to trying commercial in the future. How were you first introduced to RPR? The Hawaii MLS I belong to brought it up when I first started. Then our KW coaching program mentioned it as a great tool, especially using the app for when you're "on the go." And they couldn't have been more right! I soon learned that when you're with a new client and you pull up info at your fingertips, it really impresses them. They're just sort of in awe that you have this much up-to-date info at the touch of a button. I have to admit, at first, I was like, "Oh no, another app." I'll also admit that I'm not super tech savvy. But RPR is just so easy to use and I couldn't believe how much data was there and how easy it was to access. With RPR, I don't have to use 10 different apps, I'm just using one. And it pulls all the data I need from all the sources I trust. Ten in one, what a great quote! What's one of your favorite features of RPR? The Seller's Report is such a great resource, I'm always amazed by what it pulls. The Property flyer is also impressive. And boy, comps can be tedious. But with RPR, it's all right there. It just makes the whole process so much quicker. I also like how when you search, there's a way to draw your search area. I love that! I used that tool in Las Vegas and Houston to find an open house nearby to my location. I was visiting my cousin in Vegas, and I pulled up his property. He was amazed! He and some of his family have real estate backgrounds, and they didn't know about RPR. And they were blown away by the info I had on their home and the areas they were looking to buy in. Then I went to Houston to visit a friend. We started talking about her recent real estate experiences. I'll be honest, the house she was looking at online wasn't in a really great neighborhood, so I did a neighborhood search and found better options, prices, more beds and baths, etc. I don't know the area, which made the RPR app so helpful because looking at different options was easy. And it made me look really professional, too. My friend was impressed! Any pain points that RPR helps or alleviates for you as a newer agent? As a new agent, I'm more of a face-to-face person. I have a background in airline hospitality, so I'm good at personal communication. I don't like having to rely on digital apps for every step, it's just so overwhelming. I was reluctant to try all the different real estate apps out there… until I found RPR. Funny story, when I was a brand new agent, another new agent and I went for a drive in the car and while I drove, he'd pull data and info from RPR with the mobile app. We were just driving around randomly. And we were like, "What is happening?!" We couldn't believe how much data was there and easy it was to access. I also really like how RPR has accurate, up to date photos, not old photos. I say to clients as I hold up my phone, "Look at all your neighbors, I have their info in my hand. Look at this property, I know everything about it." This knowledge I carry, it's why I'm valuable and it sets me apart from other agents. Wow, what a great story. Three different cities in 16 days: Las Vegas, Houston and Seattle. And Jocelyn used her RPR app in every one to advise and guide her family and friend clients. Get more info and get your hands on the RPR mobile app today. No matter what your skill level is, having RPR at your fingertips will help you be more efficient, more effective and more impressive. You can also sign up for this free mobile webinar, RPR Works Everywhere–Just Like You. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

4 Ways to Prep for the Spring Real Estate Market
First off, our title is a tad misleading. Prepping for the spring "selling" season might actually be a thing of the past. The demand for inventory, combined with rising interest rates, means spring may have already sprung (sorry, Punxsutawney Phil!). That means to stay competitive, you need to plan and prep for February and March, not April and May. And to help you do that, RPR (Realtors Property Resource) is teeing up four ways for you to get going and get clients in 2022. Let's do this... 1. Invest in you! Start attending RPR webinars At RPR, we make it easy for you to invest in yourself. We do that by providing a full program of training classes to keep you sharp on RPR products, tools and features. At least two to three times a week, our expert training team will walk a group of skill-seekers and knowledge-builders through one-hour webinars. These online educational opportunities are designed to show you how to use RPR to your advantage, and how to be more effective and successful in real estate. These live sessions are quick (under one hour), free and available all month long, every month. Register today to: Learn how to prospect for new clients Solidify your pricing skills with the RPR CMA Create killer listings presentations Search for properties and filter through map data layers Discover data-packed commercial real estate tools Check out the full line-up in the RPR Learning Center. Signing up is easy and you're sure to find a topic that appeals to you. Lock down your spot today! Pro Tip: If a live webinar doesn't jibe with your schedule, you can also watch one of our pre-recorded video tutorials. 2. Subscribe, follow and listen to the RPR podcast Decoding Real Estate RPR recently launched Decoding Real Estate, a podcast dedicated to helping agents and industry professionals stay on top of trends and best practices in real estate. Each month, hosts Reggie Nicolay and Genie Willett will welcome an expert in their field. Listen in as they chat, converse and keep you in the loop on all things real estate. Their deep dive discussions on a variety of topics will accelerate your business, and help you be a more informed and more capable real estate practitioner. You might not think you have the time, but you definitely have 30 minutes to listen to this podcast! Here are the links for Episode 1: Building a Winning Real Estate Team with Verl Workman and Episode 2: Social Media Marketing with Travis Thom. Just hit "play," then listen in and soak up all the insight, advice, wit and wisdom you can handle. 3. Use RPR data to supercharge your social media posts If you've listened to our latest podcast, or read our latest survey results, you'll know how important social media can be to your marketing plan. There are a handful of reasons that social and digital marketing are essential to a successful real estate marketing strategy. It's cost-effective and measurable (not something most traditional forms of media could claim, not together anyhow.) Perhaps the biggest reason, though, is that it's simply where the fish are. Gex X is in or reaching their 50s, and are quite comfortable with online tech and social media, mostly Facebook. Millennials, who many in the industry feared would never be home buyers, are now home sellers, and spend a lot of time on Instagram and YouTube. And Gen Z is just starting to make its way into the homebuyers' club, and they have made TikTok the fastest growing social platform. Yes, of course you can still reach older demographics and use traditional, self-promotion tools. However, all the growth and potential (and eyeballs) are in social/digital media. Putting more of your budget and your effort toward it is sure to pay off in the long run. And easy access to accurate housing and property data from RPR can help you do it! Use RPR with other apps and software to boost your presence Here's how: create RPR Reports, such as the Market Activity Report, the Neighborhood Report, School Reports, and in some cases where you want to get really personal with a specific address, the Seller's Report. Then use all the current data from these reports as the foundation of your social media posts or ads. Free data at your fingertips! For example, you can use Canva and RPR together to create all kinds of content. Check out these two previous articles for complete, step-by-step instructions on how: How to use RPR and Canva to Make Shareable Market Charts for Social Media How to Create Instagram Posts for Your Real Estate Business with Canva If you take the latest home sales data for one neighborhood, and use Canva to create an attention-getting graphic, you'll be much more likely to be noticed than an agent who isn't. You can also use all this great data to create videos to post on YouTube, Instagram, even TikTok. Yep, it's not just for teenagers anymore! Choose some info or stats on schools, and go shoot a video of yourself in front of one of the schools. Take some neighborhood demographic stats and walk through that exact neighborhood while delivering your message. Then download an easy to use video edit app, such as InShot or use iMovie (if you have an iPhone), and edit together a quick 1-2 minute video. Slick-looking graphics and videos combined with RPR data make for a winning combo! 4. Forge a farming area Yes, we know, we're starting to sound like a broken record. However, farming for prospects with tools from RPR is simply a great way to target and go after new clients. Search, research, mine data, track trends, identify prime targets, create geographic boundaries ("farms"), and create 2,000 free mailing labels/lists a month. As a REALTOR®, you can do all of this in RPR, your NAR member benefit. Start taking advantage of it now! If you're interested, but don't know where or how to start, we've got just the ticket. Get your hands on our exclusive download, How to Farm and Prospects for new Clients. This eBook has everything, from A-Z, on how to set up and maintain a successful prospecting program and how to do it with help from RPR. Pre-empt your prep Don't wait for spring to fine-tune your real estate game. Start now with these handful of tips and you'll set yourself up for success all year long. Hands-on educational instruction, easy listening podcasts, a supercharged social media plan, and RPR's eBook on prospecting are all doable ways for agents to get ready and get busy. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Mother/Daughter Real Estate Team Lean on RPR to Build Their Business
Mary Ann Baunach has been a REALTOR for 24 years and has been an RPR user since it was launched. She consistently uses it for "fast, accurate comps." Elizabeth Cogley, her daughter, has been a REALTOR since May and is helping her mom close deals as she learns the business. Elizabeth is also furthering her education by taking advantage of RPR webinars and tutorials. Together, this mother-daughter real estate team represent two distinct types of REALTORS®: a seasoned vet and the new, up and comer. And each one knows how to use RPR to their advantage. This Q&A will show you how you can use RPR to solve real estate problems and better your business, no matter your current experience level. Hello Mary Ann. How long have you been a REALTOR® and what area do you specialize in? MA: I've been a REALTOR® for 24 years this past July. I work mostly in residential, but I do some commercial deals every now and then. How did you find out about RPR? MA: Oh, I've been on RPR since the beginning, since Twitter was new! Back then, my local and state association announced that this new tool was now available, a national property database from NAR. I got right into it full time with no brakes. What are some of your favorite, go-to features in RPR? MA: First off, I love how I can use it with my MLS data, that integration is perfect. I also really find the five star rating in the RVM to be so helpful. Oh, and the app. It's a strong app, definitely my favorite real estate app. I use it all the time with clients when we're out in neighborhoods. I just pull up properties right there on the spot; things like distressed properties or other comps in the area. Do you use RPR to market yourself? MA: Absolutely. I use RPR reports and flyers and I send them out to an area after I've sold a house. I also walk door to door with flyers from RPR. They look so professional! It really impresses prospective clients. Any good RPR "Wow" moment stories? MA: Not one in particular, because it honestly happens all the time! I make a point of sitting down with people and I share with them all this data and these great tools about their property or a property they're interested in. It's kind of a "under the hood" moment, where I let them see how much info is available to me through RPR. They're always very impressed with the data and how easy it is to digest. If you met a new REALTOR® that didn't know about RPR, what would you tell them about it? MA: Well, I've trained new agents on RPR for years. And I always encourage them to take the live webinars, the Zoom classes. In fact, my daughter Elizabeth is a new REALTOR® and we're now working together as a team. One of the first things I told her was "get going in RPR"! Well, let's talk to her! Hi Elizabeth, how long have you been an agent? E: I started in May of 2021, so I'm pretty new. I've been helping my mom with her deals while I get used to the business. As a new agent starting out and juggling new mom life and a second part-time job, I've been learning through assisting my mom with her transactions. I have not yet had clients of my own, but I'm looking forward to learning the ins and outs and being able to utilize RPR to its full potential with my future clients. She's been training you on how to use RPR? E: Oh yeah, with over 20 years of experience in real estate, I fully trust her judgement and recommendations. She uses RPR on a regular basis and raves about how helpful RPR has been in her business. What's your take on RPR so far? E: As a new agent, all the tools offered can be somewhat overwhelming. It's difficult to navigate which are the top tools that should be used/learned off the bat. RPR stands out for me for being one of the more user-friendly resources, which is really important to me as a new agent trying to find my way. The footprint pop-ups are great if you're trying to put something together quickly and don't have the time to sit down and learn all the great features RPR has to offer. Pro Tip: The "footprint pop-ups" Elizabeth is referring to are RPR "Shortcuts" and they greet you right in the middle of the RPR homepage and take users on guided tours of popular RPR features. Try one out for yourself. Are you familiar with the RPR Learning Center on our blog? E: I am! The learning center is great for new agents. I especially like the option to pick your skill level. This option highlights all the features I should know so that I don't get overwhelmed trying to learn it all at once. There's always something in RPR you could be learning; the options are endless. And I love that we can reach member support though a 24-hour call center, live chat or email. Wrapping up As you can see, RPR has something for everyone at every level, such as the RVM® for spot-on home valuations and marketing materials for prospecting, as well as guided "Shortcuts" to help agents learn new skills and a special Learning Center that can be tailored to experience levels. If you're new to the business, check out this webinar series created just for you. And if you're an experienced pro, check out these intermediate/advanced RPR classes to help further your skills and career. REALTORS® Mary Ann Baunach and Elizabeth CogleyRE/MAX Central, Allentown, PA To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Under 1-Minute Lesson in Printer-friendly Views in RPR
Have you ever wanted to just print what was on your screen in RPR? Perhaps a list of properties that you'd like to share with a client and you certainly don't want to run a report for each one? You can! RPR has printer-friendly views, which allow you to: Simply print what's on your page to save time Check boxes from a list or from the Photo List to select properties you want to print Make your selections, then hit the print icon (it's between Mailing Labels and Create Report) Also perform this print page option from the Property Summary pages and the RVM® Details page Watch this under one-minute video to see all of the above in action: To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Find the Right Commercial Site for Your Clients' Customers
RPR Commercial offers REALTORS access to one million on-market listings, millions of off-market properties for research, and data set after data set to help business owners make informed decisions. So how does all this access and data apply to real world commercial real estate business? Let's talk a walkthrough in a hypothetical, yet specific scenario: your client wants to open a trendy, beach-themed, women's clothing store in southern California. Here's how you can show her where her customers are, how much they're spending on her product, and why a certain location is the ideal spot for her to open shop. RPR Commercial Site Selection walkthrough For the sake of our walkthrough example, we're going to choose a ZIP code in San Clemente, a beach town in southern Orange County, and only a half hour drive from North County San Diego (it's close to where this business owner lives and she's confident that this area perfectly dovetails with her brand). Here's a step-by-step on how to run a Site Selection analysis in RPR: 1. Go to: narrpr.com and log in 2. To get started, click Research; it's in the upper navigation bar and has a little magnifying glass icon right next to it. Then select Commercial Site Selection from the dropdown menu. 3. You are now on the Commercial Site Selection page. To conduct a broad area search, enter a ZIP code, city, state or county name into the search bar area. You can also find a specific area by using RPR Maps, to the right, by clicking Select area on map. (Note: For our hypothetical example, we are entering "92673," a ZIP code in San Clemente, California.) 4. Now it's time to start finding your client's customers! To do that, we use the Find people using spending and demographic data section. Start by selecting an attribute of your client's target customer. For example, in the first box, choose What They Buy, then a corresponding box will ask you to choose from a list. We're choosing Apparel for our example, then we narrow it down even more by choosing from another list, in this case, Women's Clothing. Click Ok and then move on to our next attribute by clicking the + Add More Criteria. You may choose up to five attributes to help narrow down your desired target. 5. Now choose another attribute; we'll go with Where They Live, then keep moving on by selecting Suburban Periphery, and so forth. It's pretty intuitive and you should get the hang of it easily. Move on and choose Facts and Stats to Income Trends to 2020-2025 Household Income Growth Rate. When you've completed your attributes list, click Run Analysis. 6. The Commercial Analysis results page will now display and give you an overview of the areas that meet your criteria for your customer attributes. On the left side, you'll notice a panel that displays your criteria match on a color-coded map of the area. The darker shading represents the area(s) with the best match. You can always change your geography types here with the dropdown menu; we'll choose Micro Neighborhoods. 7. To learn more about the demographic facts and stats that comprise the "best match" neighborhoods, let's view the Trade Area Details. Selecting one of the dark shaded areas, and choose View Trade Area Details. Now we can review details on income, types of income, ages, traffic counts and also take a demographic look at different types of consumer profiles (Boomburbs, Savvy Suburbanites, etc.) so you can get a sense of who these people are, generally speaking. Click Create Report to get all this information in a Trade Area Report. 8. To search for listings in an area with the best match from a Trade Area Summary page, simply click the View Nearby Listings link. See a property that gets your attention? Click Create Report and create a Property Report. Pro Tip You can customize each report and send them to clients via email, text, or even print them out and deliver in person or snail mail. And, you can check and uncheck boxes to include or exclude any page from a report, just click the + (plus sign icon) next to View Sample to trim down/customize any report. Set your sites on greatness As you can see, what sounds like it might be quite complicated is actually fairly easy to create. You can use the RPR Commercial Site Selection Tool to give your clients a plethora of demographic and economic information to help them (and you) make thought-out, smart, data-driven decisions to help them find the optimal location for a business. If you're thirsty for more RPR Commercial content on the site selection tool, including a tutorial video, check out: Commercial Site Selection. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

3 Ways REALTORS Are Using RPR to Gain Clients
Yes, winter is coming. But there are still plenty of opportunities to gain clients and get deals done. A recent thread started in our RPR Connect Facebook group made us realize that agents don't have to screech to a halt in the last two "-ember" months. Here's a collection of the some of the best responses when a new agent asked how RPR could help her find clients and help her business grow: Look up a lead's address Sharing reports so owners can gauge recent home value appreciations Generate and crosscheck CMAs Check on approximate property values Create mailing lists for farms Create customizable presentations for clients Identify property values in neighborhoods Share reports that can be used for annual reviews Look up past sales records and mortgages Show a potential listing client a price range to determine initial asking price To conduct buyer tours (using the RPR mobile app) Open house mapping Investor reviews These are great! We love to see how our users are putting RPR to work to build their businesses. Here's a look at three of our favorite ways you can use RPR to find buyers and sellers right now… Dial up your social shares: Use Canva and RPR together In today's real estate marketing and self promotion world, having a strong social media presence is mandatory. Four generations of home buyers and sellers are active in all types of social channels and you can reach them with just a simple post. However, what you post is of the utmost importance. Typing out long-winded paragraphs of text or scanning an open house flyer aren't going to grab those eyeballs. You need graphics! Beautiful, well-designed graphics that engage the viewer/reader. You need images that you can easily create and customize with local market facts and figures. You need Canva and RPR working together and working for you! Canva is an online design and publishing tool that you can use with the data you pull from RPR reports. Give your friends, followers and soon to be clients market activity updates, new listing and open house announcements, testimonials, or even fun facts and trivia that pertains to their market or neighborhood. We've gone ahead and created six ready to use graphic templates for you to download and customize. For all the details and a step-by-step on how to pull it off, check out: How to Create Instagram Posts for Your Real Estate Business with Canva. Dig, mine and search for prospects with RPR Referrals and repeats are like gold—no question there. However, most agents need to actively look for leads to get to that next level. And that's where prospecting comes in—which is also where RPR comes in. RPR gives REALTORS® access to a slew of prospecting tools, including powerful and dynamic ways to geographically farm neighborhoods and ZIP codes. And after you get your farming list nailed down, you can also create mailing labels in RPR, up to 2,000 per month, for free. You can also take advantage of RPR's reports and data as ways to send your prospects marketing materials. For example, Bruce Inman from Houston, Texas sends out five RPR Seller's Reports directly to addresses he's identified using RPR Maps. And folks, he does this every day! His story and approach is a great way to personalize RPR deliverables to homeowners who hit the sweet spot in terms of listing potential. Another inspiring story comes from Julie Toy, from Garner, North Carolina. Julie also uses RPR Seller's Reports, and she sends them to her past buyer clients on their "house-aversary" (a year after the date they bought their home). Along with the report, Julie sends a note congratulating them on how much their home is now worth. This tactic is noteworthy because the recipient gets a personal note, a report specific to their home, and stats about their home home value. Instead of being a pushy salesperson, Julie comes off as an information ally, and it's led to a handful of her past sellers becoming "now" sellers. As you can see, there are many ways to prospect for new leads and customers. So many ways in fact, we decided to write a book on it! Download How to Farm and Prospect for New Clients today. This exclusive REALTOR® download is yours for the taking and will show you, page by page and step by step, how to identify and market yourself to potential new clients. CMAs that amaze Gaining clients isn't strictly about marketing and prospecting. When you reach the next stage, which might include face to face meetings and listing/capabilities presentations, you need to stand out and show off your strengths. Clients base their decision on: experience and expertise, educated guidance and advice, local market knowledge, and help guiding them through the process. One other big reason is your ability to price a property. This skill sets you apart from the competition and can go a long way in helping you get a contract after a listing presentation. That's where knowing how to put together a solid CMA comes in… A CMA (comparative market analysis) is a process agents use to establish home values and set listing prices. You create CMAs by looking at comps (short for comparable properties). These comps are similar properties, mostly in the same neighborhood, and tend to have the same square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, features, upgrades, etc. You want to compare things that are equal, or at least as equal as possible, to help price your listing. Creating a spot-on CMA is crucial to your skills and success, and your ability to bring clients to the table. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to do it in RPR. The CMA 180°: helping buyers CMAs are an essential tool for working with sellers; that's pretty standard. But RPR's Training team has figured out a way to turn CMAs on their heads and use them to help buyers prepare an offer. RPR CMA tools can help educate your buyers about market conditions, show them how to use pricing strategies to help formulate competitive offers, help them consider other details that can affect an offer such as days on market, financing concerns, appraisals, inspections and deposits. For details and to see how to put a CMA into play for buyer clients, check out this video tutorial: How a CMA Can Guide Buyers in a Tight Market. Use these tools and tactics to find customers now… and in the future Although November and December are looked at as "down" months in relation to housing sales, the fact is hundreds of thousands of sales will still take place. Sure, the pace ticks down a bit in the fall and winter months, but there are still buyers and sellers out there who need your expert guidance. We hope you can use these ideas and RPR to your advantage to find clients now and/or to start planting seeds to kick start the New Year. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

One Agent's Simple, Effective Strategy for Finding Sellers
This message hit the RPR inbox a few weeks back, and it definitely got our attention. It's from REALTOR and RPR user Julie Toy and it explains how she's currently prospecting for clients: Hi RPR! A few weeks ago I began using the RPR Sellers Reports to send to past buyer clients and in most cases, to congratulate them on their awesome investment in real estate. Here is the basic gist of what I say in an email to them, and then I follow up with a phone call or text a few days later: Hi Mr. & Mrs. Homeowner! Attached is a property report for your home at 123 Main Street. What a difference a year makes! I don't know if anyone could have predicted the seismic shifts our real estate market has seen - even in the last 8 months - but I sure am happy for homeowners like you. You may not be thinking about selling, but if you were, now could well be one of the best times to pull it off. Here's a fun fact for you: homes listed up to $350,000 in your county are averaging $14,000 above list price. That's no small potatoes any way you slice it. Anyway, if you need anything or know anyone thinking of buying or selling, please let me know. This one thing has led to four listing appointments in the last two weeks that I would not have had otherwise. I'm definitely a fan of RPR and appreciate all that you do. This easy to implement way of using RPR Sellers Reports to prospect for leads and clients is really working wonders for Julie. We were so impressed, we decided to pick her brain and get some more details... Q. Hi Julie, how long have you been a REALTOR® and what type of agent are you? It will be five years this coming November. I work primarily in residential sales. I started out as a REALTOR® by working with buyers. The market was different then! Over the last two years, it's balanced out to buyers and sellers. Now I have more of a listing agent focus, which is a goal I set for myself. Q. We were really impressed and inspired by the note you sent us. Tell us more about how you use RPR Seller's Reports as follow up prospecting tools: So I have a database of my past buyer clients, and when a "house-aversary" comes up, I reach out to them with an RPR Sellers Report on their property. Then I follow up with a text to see if they received it. But sometimes they'll call me first and go, "Oh my gosh!" They're just blown away by the info and how much their home has appreciated. People certainly love getting those market activity details. Q. And this method is getting you in the door with potential sellers? Absolutely, even if they're just entertaining the idea of selling. It's a real conversation starter. I send it on an annual basis to anyone who's ever bought a home from me in the past, because the people who bought homes with me four years ago might be ripe for moving. Q. What sparked this method? I started using this Sellers Report technique right around the RPR "refresh" (Julie's talking about when RPR unveiled a new platform redesign in February of 2021). I looked at the new website, ran a Sellers Report and thought to myself, "OMG, I have to do this for everyone in my database. I need to reach out and share this with my past buyer clients and my sphere." I didn't know what to say before, but now I've got a real reason to share something with them. This "house-aversary" message gives me a reason to reach and stay top of mind with them. Q. How do you deliver the reports? I usually send my report by email and then follow up with a text the next day. I also have had some success by dropping them off on the front porch for a face-to-face. Human touch is powerful, especially right now… but of course, at a distance and whatever they are comfortable with. A chat on the front porch is perfect. Q. What's your overall takeaway and experience using RPR? Well, I am always just surprised at how much accurate info is available at my fingertips as part of my NAR membership. I can't believe I don't have to pay for this! It's fantastic. And it's user friendly. I'm not the youngest agent, and I'm not super techy, you know? But I find it so easy to use. One time I did get a little stuck, so I called the RPR Help Desk, and I tell you what, they helped me tremendously! I hung up the phone and went "Wow!" I can't believe how helpful that was. You don't see customer service like that. I truly appreciate it. Q. That's great to hear! Our Customer Support staff is available 24/7 and they go above and beyond to help REALTORS® solve their problems or assist in any way. What other reports are your go tos? For listing appointments, I often bring RPR reports as a leave behind. It helps me present myself as a market expert. I also like to use the Market Activity Reports to offer my clients a 10,000 foot view of their market. Q. Can you recall an instance or a story where you really "wowed" one of your clients? My wow moments have come in the form of running a Sellers Report for someone. I accompany it with a note that says, "Hey, do you know your home is worth this much money?" Using this approach the last couple of months with RPR lets me show them a real number so they have a real understanding of what that means. It's an "ah-ha" moment for them. They say, "Oh my gosh, since I bought my home, its value has gone up 150K." And that's a wow moment for them! With RPR, I have the data and reports to back it up; it's not just some number I came up with off the top of my head. Sometimes people think the number is inflated. But I say, "Here you go, here's this report from RPR," and with the data and stats, I can demonstrate how real it is. I love that and I know people appreciate it. Well put Julie, and thanks for sharing your story with us. What a great, simple strategy for positioning yourself as a market expert and maybe even for nudging a few fence-sitting sellers into action. Here's how you can get started creating RPR Seller Reports for your clients and hopeful prospects. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

3 Tips to Find Listings in the Current Market
Well, that was quite a summer real estate market! Huge year-over-year valuation gains, bidding wars and lower than low levels of inventory. At one point, there were even more NAR members than listings! However, things do appear to be cooling off a bit and leveling out in many areas. But that doesn't mean that the inventory shortage (and increased competition) is going to just disappear. It will mostly likely be more of a slow fade. Then again, maybe not. Predicting and timing markets is a tricky business, and hardly an exact science. The point is, finding listings and sellers isn't going to get easier overnight. You need motivation, a plan, data, and market insight. You need to get in front of would-be sellers to earn their trust and pique their interest. Here are three ways to do it with help from RPR. 1. Put RPR data to work for you One of the most important things you can do with potential clients and prospects is build trust and confidence. If someone is apprehensive about selling, the housing market or even the economy as a whole, they need reassurance that they're making the right moves. They want to hear more than opinions; they want charts, graphs, stats and info from expert sources. You can deliver that and much more! With RPR, every REALTOR® is a click or fingertip away from accurate, up-to-date property and market data. The trick is figuring out how to convey this hard data to customers in an easy to digest manner. Here's a couple of examples of how to put RPR data to work for you: Run an RPR Market Activity Report and use those facts and figures to create a social media post (or flyer) to give an update on the area. It could be one street, one neighborhood or one ZIP code. You can even draw the area by hand on a map! Include active, pending and sold information for the last 3-6 months. Or include how much home values have increased in the last calendar year. While many homeowners are aware that their homes have risen in value, not all of them know the exact figure. Providing this type of information can really open their eyes, get them thinking, and position you as the go-to source for local market knowledge. Create an RPR Neighborhood Report and use that data to make a quick video that will create buzz about a particular neighborhood. Just record footage of the neighborhood and use a quick video editor app such as Ripl, then record your voiceover. In 30-60 seconds, you can give important stats on the area's home values and sales activity, the demographics of the population, economical statistics, and quality of life tidbits including parks, commute times and public transportation. And of course, amenities such as restaurants, retail shops, walkability scores and more. Post the video to Instagram or Facebook and alert your sphere that this neighborhood is perfect for their lifestyle. This is a great "soft sell" approach, where you're giving a neighborhood update that isn't 100% about home prices, and can go a long way in connecting you to a community and its residents. Be sure to include a call-to-action line at the end, such as, "I've done a ton more research on (NEIGHBORHOOD NAME) and if you're interested, I can create a report and share it directly with you." Hint: the reports you follow up with can easily be made in RPR! 2. Fine-tune your prospecting Prospecting is the ultimate proactive approach to new business. While some top producers acquire listings strictly through referrals and repeats, most agents need to put in some hustle to find new prospects and leads. And RPR is built to help you succeed at it! Tapping into RPR as a resource in these efforts is a smart approach, as there are many ways to apply its data, reports and maps to a prospecting plan. You can go in-depth with geographical prospecting to find every homeowner in a specific area who's owned their home more than 15 years, then make a mailing labels list (up to 2,000, for free, every month), and send each one a report on their home. Or you can keep it as simple as creating a one-page flyer about their home and drop them off in person or send out a handful of mailers. With RPR as a prospecting tool, you have options. For an in-depth look at everything RPR offers, we encourage you to download our exclusive eBook on prospecting for new clients and leads. Get How to Farm and Prospect for new Clients: an Exclusive RPR eBook and you'll have one of the industry's go-to sources for prospecting. It's filled with tips, step-by-step how-to's, quick video lessons, success stories and more. Keep it on your desktop and add it to your digital library to learn: Prospecting/Farming basics: the who, what and why's of geographic farming Formulas for Turnover and Absorption rates A step-by-step guide on how to set up geo farming areas in RPR How to generate a mailing labels list/CSV file Which RPR reports are best suited for prospecting Agent success stories that you can emulate This guide is the north star when it comes to real estate prospecting. It's a map to success and all you need to do is read it, follow it and put it into action to gain warm leads and new clients. Click the link and download your exclusive copy today. 3. Make a lasting impression with your listing presentation Congrats! If you've made it to the presentation phase, you're now just minutes away from nailing down a new listing and hitting paydirt. This is your time to shine, put your best foot forward, knock their socks off and every other cliche in the book. Your listing presentation is a resume, a capabilities brochure and a first impression all rolled into one. Using the tools and reports within RPR to create your listing presentation is a smart and savvy way to impress your clients and give you a sharp, competitive edge. The first thing you'll want to do is have a pre-discussion with your potential client. During this first step, make sure you do plenty of listening. Ask leading questions that get them talking about why they are selling. Find out all you can about their priorities and goals. Doing this type of homework will help you tailor the presentation around their needs. For sellers, the most important part of working with a REALTOR® is the agent's ability and experience in pricing the home. This is where you and RPR come together to form an unstoppable team. Here are some boiled-down highlights you'll want to consider using: RPR's Realtor Valuation Model® (RVM®): This pricing tool sets the standard for automated real estate valuation models. It goes beyond the traditional AVM by incorporating listing and sales data from the MLS into the equation. The RVM® is also accompanied by a Confidence Score—a value between zero and five stars that indicates the level to which each of the multiple models agrees with other estimated values for a given property. High confidence scores indicate that other models yield similar estimates for the property. Watch this short video for details. RPR's CMA is used to determine a price or price range for a property that is both quantitative—based on comps and market information, as well as qualitative—reflecting your knowledge of the property, neighborhood and market. RPR's wizard walks you through five simple steps to generate a comparative analysis. You'll confirm the home's facts, search for and adjust comps, and land on your own list price by reviewing the analysis. RPR's Refine Value tool: If your seller has home upgrades, consider RPR's Refine Value tool to determine the value of a home based on property characteristics, improvements made and market conditions. Use the simple sliding scales to refine the home's value based on your assessment of local market conditions, the interior and exterior of the home's condition, lot size, view and privacy. Seller's Report: Now bring it all together with the RPR Seller's Report. This custom report can be created quickly, and includes a photo of the property, plus your photo and contact information. Plus, you can add customized pages. Inside, you'll find details on the subject property, local market conditions, side-by-side property comparisons, mortgage and distressed information, tax assessment history, and more. Here's a guide to learning all the details about a RPR Seller's Report. To create a truly compelling listing presentation, you must stand out from all the other agents, provide relevant data and prove your value. You must convince the owners that you're the best REALTOR® to help them realize their home selling goals. Check out this article, "21 Steps to a Stellar Listing Presentation," for a step-by-step plan to winning that listing. Find sellers with RPR As you can see, if you have the will, RPR has the tools to help you gain listings. Use these assets and resources to identify, market yourself and pitch your services. Sellers are out there, and RPR can help you find them! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.