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Re/Max: Real estate expected to boom in 2018

Crystal Ball Real Estate Prediction

After a year of rising home prices, low inventory levels and ongoing homebuyer demand, these conditions will increase even more in 2018.

As the year begins, one expert breaks down some of the major trends to come in 2018, saying the year will bring an abundance of positive trends.

“Turn up the volume on new home building,” Re/Max Co-CEO Adam Contos said, citing housing starts that are down 2.9% year-over-year and well below the historic 50-year average. “We’d love nothing more than to see the next generation of homebuyers start building equity now.”

Contos gives these four predictions for 2018:

1. Inventory is key

Contos explained that the volume on new home building will increase, but until that happens, the market will struggle with low inventory and some markets will feature all-out bidding wars. In 2017, housing starts were down 2.9% year-over-year and well below the historic 50-year average. Even though there’s a shortage of l

abor and a spike in material costs, the primary reason for the low starts is that builders have focused on more profitable, higher priced homes and multi-family residential construction. But now, at the end of the year, single-family homebuilding and permits began to surge, he pointed out, saying he would like to see that trend continue.

2. Existing home sales on the rise

Fueled by renewed consumer confidence, wage growth and an improving economy, existing home sales could increase and may even surpass record levels set back in 2006. However, any negative impacts on the stock market, even tighter inventories, a repeat of 2017’s devastating hurricanes and fires or even the recently signed tax reform bill could slow down home sales.

3. Changing migration patterns

Home buyers discouraged by affordability and low inventory in certain cities, markets and states, will look to other, more attractive and more inviting neighborhoods. Contos said he expects to see more home sales in the suburbs, less-populated markets and even more affordable states. Cities that have the most effective transportation systems and those that promote high-amenity, “walkable,” contemporary neighborhoods will benefit the most.

4. Always the unexpected

Gadgets, apps, online tools, real estate agents and technology – anything that makes buying and selling a home more plausible and less stressful will continue to launch and evolve, especially in 2018. He predicted consumers may not use bitcoins to buy a home tomorrow, but that could be in the future.

“We’ll certainly see our share of challenges in 2018,” Contos said. “But with the challenges will come ecstatic home buyers and sellers, new and booming communities, one boasting the new Amazon headquarters, and fresh innovations in real estate that we never saw coming.”

To see more forecasts for 2018, click here.  Source: Housingwire

What’s More Valuable to a Realtor- Listing or Buyer?

Realtor- Listing or Buyer
A realtor needs to use their time as efficiently as possible. Like many professions that work on commission, time spent on tasks that don’t lead to income is a poor use of time. For realtors, this means their best use of time is very simple. Activity that leads to more buyers and sellers, and then working with those buyers and sellers they generate.
What, though, is more efficient, between a new buyer client and a new seller client?
To even the playing field a bit, let’s focus on deals that are otherwise equal. We are going to operate in a vacuum- it isn’t a buyer’s market, it isn’t a seller’s market, and the hypothetical buyer and listing are going to be the around the same dollar amount. So, is a $1 Million buyer or listing more valuable to a realtor?
First, let’s consider a million dollar buyer. This is probably not their first home purchase, and they probably have excellent credit. This puts them at the top of the list that most agents would want to work with. However, buyers are time consuming. Even with today’s technology, people like to walk through homes to get the best possible feel for them. It is very rare for someone to buy the home they plan to live in without personally visiting it first.
This process is not very efficient for an agent, as they will be driving around with the clients to a number of homes that will not be bought. What’s more, sellers in this price range are generally not distressed, so negotiating can be a painstaking process. You have to have a firm commitment and understanding of your client in order to be a successful buyer’s agent.
Not to mention, the buyer’s agent will also need to get their client through all of the hurdles necessary to purchase home, including:
• Mortgage pre-approval and underwriting
• Physical inspection of property (and possibly additional specialty inspections)
• Lender appraisal
• Negotiation with seller
Working for a seller, though, allows an agent to be more flexible. Once the listing agreement is signed, most tasks can be given to an agent’s assistant, and the agent doesn’t need to spend as much face time with the client. The expectations can be greater, and the stakes are certainly higher, but there is also much more to be gained. Listings help create and add to the agent’s brand in a way that buyers never will. With open houses and mailers that go out to the surrounding neighbors, a listing is far more likely to generate new business than a buyer is. Commission advance companies, like Express Cash Flow, will even advance portions of the agent’s commission on certain listings.
So, it is settled. It is far more efficient and profitable for an agent to be working with a listing than a buyer. Agents should devote their time and resources to securing as many listings as possible, and work with the buyers that come their way organically or by referral.

About Us:
Express Cash Flow provides commission advances for real estate agents and brokers. Check us out at www.ExpressCashFlow.com or call us at 844-818-2274.

#1 Best Tool For Real Estate Agents

Best Effective tool for Real Estate Agent Lead Targeting

Benutech, a lead generation company based in Costa Mesa, CA has developed the #1 best tool for real estate agents to grow their business. Benutech hones in on life events that cause people to sell their homes like: Divorces, Notice of Defaults, Probates, Tax Defaults, FSBO’s, Estate Sales, Empty Nesters, Bankruptcy, Affidavit of Death etc.  With Benutech’s ReboMatic product, you are 5 times more likely at acquiring listings than with typical farming.  ReboMatic is the best tool for Real Estate Agents.

In order to succeed in today’s highly competitive real estate market, you need to stand out and you the best tools out there. You still need to be aggressive with marketing, but you need to be smart about how you are marketing as well. One way to make your marketing more efficient is to target only the homes that are most likely to sell and not waste time on the others. Sound too good to be true? It isn’t!

The automation of acquiring listings is a good enough reason to use their products on its own.  However, the price makes it a no-brainer.  Benutech has a variety of ReboMatic products that range from $600-1,000 per month. However, with ReboMatic, the agent will automate their marketing campaign, generating far more business.

Superior Product

While any title rep can pull a farm, there is something to be said for using the automation of the ReboMatic platform instead. While there are other data aggregators that attempt to predict sales, no other company has the combination of data, tools, and marketing efficiency than ReboMatic. What’s more, if you don’t want to come out of pocket to pay for their services, you are able to finance them through current and future transactions.

Flexible Financing- ReboExpress

Unlike other subscriptions that must be paid monthly or quarterly, ReboGateway understands the cyclical nature of the real estate business. You can finance ReboGateway through ReboExpress, a new financing option offered by Express Cash Flow. This allows you to manage your cash flow and budgeting much more effectively, and is one of the many benefits of ReboGateway.

Express Cash Flow, Commission Advances

Should Realtors Get a Commission Advance?

Express Cash Flow, Commission AdvancesThe Commission Advance Conundrum

Like many businesses, a typical real estate brokerage may have a line of credit available when a cash crunch occurs.  The brokerage can meet its recurring administrative payroll, pay office expense, and maintain regular budgets for recruiting and advertising.  When transactions are slow, similar to a commission advance, the line of credit kicks in to offset expenses.

This arrangement is necessary for the brokerage business and businesses of all kinds to be successful. It is not hard to understand why it is also necessary for realtors as well.   Realtors also have teams that require regular payment, regardless of the agent’s production. Most have listings that require advertisement and promotion.  Since most agents are running their own business, they are also responsible for all of their own expenses, and that can get expensive.

The problem is, realtors who sell 24 houses a year do not typically sell two houses each month. Rather, there is a spike in production in April-September, and a sprinkling of transactions in all other months. During the slow months, agents have little alternative but to ask for an advance. If they go to their broker for this, tension can mount.

A Solution!

Realtors stuck in this situation often don’t know what way to turn, but just like in any business, there is a solution.  A commission advance company like Express Cash Flow can provide an external solution to this problem.  When a realtor goes to a third party company for a commission advance, what can be an informal arrangement becomes formalized.  An amount is given as an advance, for a specific period of time, and there is a fee for doing so.

There is also a clearly laid out extension fee schedule, leaving no room for ambiguity.  The best reason for using a third party commission advance company is that it removes the tension between agent and broker if a deal falls apart.

Yes!  Get A Commission Advance!

More realtors than one would think utilize commission advance services.  Some of the top producers whom are very well known and have massive marketing budgets use commission advances.  If you have aspirations of success, a commission advance should not stop you.

Top Ten Realtor Facebook Tips

Top Ten Facebook Tips and TricksThe Best Facebook Tips for a Realtor to Connect:

  1. As a realtor, your Facebook profile picture should stand out!  One of our best realtor Facebook tips is to have a professional headshot. Include all contact info including your phone number and email address.
  2. Let the world know you are their “Go to Realtor” in your introduction section.
  3. Join local community groups to connect with your customers, partners and prospects.
  4. Make sure your friends and co-workers know to “Like” and “Share” your post to reach more prospects. (Text them to “Like” it)
  5. Publish articles to show your knowledge of the industry.
  6. Contribute and comment to blogs and posts that industry leaders make.
  7. People love pictures and video! Get as many pictures of your listings and closings as possible on Facebook.  Do a video of you at your listing.
  8. Ask a title rep for all the homeowners in your farm and ask them to connect to your Facebook business page. This will take time but well worth it.
  9. Search leaders in your community and connect with them to share locally relevant info.
  10. Don’t forget that Facebook should be used for a balance of business and personal posts… too many of either will turn off your followers. Also watch your frequency, maybe 1 posts a day.  The best time to post is mid-day to get the most “Likes”.
About Us:
AgentBranch.com is a real estate recruiting platform for real estate agents and brokers.
ExpressCashFlow.com provides commission advances for real estate agents and brokers.
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LinkedIn Profile Tips for Realtors

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Maximizing Your LinkedIn Profile

In today’s age of social media being the go to for verification of business acumen, it is crucial to have an optimized LinkedIn profile.  Here are some tips on how to do just that:

1. Have your best and clearest profile picture and complete your entire profile,
2. Address what you do in your Headline not just your title,
3. Join Groups to connect with your customers, partners and prospects,
4. Tell your friends, co-workers, etc to “Like” and “Share” your post,
5. Publish articles to show your knowledge of the industry,
6. Contribute and comment to blogs,
7. Automatically connect with your contacts: sync your email accounts with LinkedIn,
8. Ask a title rep for all the homeowners in your farm and connect with them on LinkedIn,
9. Search senior job titles in your city and connect by writing them a note,
10. Lastly, and to supercharge your connects…connect with people that have a high number of shared connections by searching your “2nd degree connections”. They will usually accept your invitation more easily than ones that you don’t have share connections with. This will exponentially grow your network!

About Us:
AgentBranch.com is a real estate recruiting platform for real estate agents and brokers.
ExpressCashFlow.com provides commission advances for real estate agents and brokers.

Commission Advance Cost?

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How much does a commission advance cost?

 

This is usually the first and most important question to real estate brokers and agents who inquire about commission advances. This is a very reasonable question, but not a simple one.

While other companies have flat fee or fixed pricing based on the amount requested for an advance, Express Cash Flow don’t operate that way. This is almost always to the benefit of the agent requesting the advance.  A one-size fits all approach doesn’t take into account the different variables of a real estate transaction.  It also doesn’t factor in experienced agents and inexperienced agents. If no two transactions and no two agents are exactly alike, then it makes sense that those transactions have different risks. If they have different risks, then it would only make sense that those different risks resulted in different pricing. So, what are the different risks, and how do they affect the commission advance cost?

Transaction Risk
No matter how solid a real estate deal seems, there is always the chance that it could fall apart. Sometimes a buyer is unable to qualify for financing, or has a cash emergency. While this is rare and unfortunate, it does happen. There are a number of hurdles to each transaction, and any of them can be its undoing. As such, an advance requested early in the lifespan of the transaction will always be more expensive.

Agent Risk
While there will always be risks associated with a transaction, we also measure your production history as a real estate agent or broker and the risk associated with a replacement transaction should your transaction fall apart. The more history of closed transactions you have, the lower our risk, and the lower your pricing will be.

Delay Risk
It is also entirely possible that there will be delays.  Because of this, we have to have protection from these delays since close of escrow date determines pricing. So, the only fees you will ever see besides our initial quoted fee is if your property does not close escrow on time. Note, however, that the close of escrow date we agree on does not have to be the same as the close of escrow date on the purchase agreement. In order to avoid these fees, you can project a close of escrow date after the scheduled close of escrow, which is a savvy, cost saving move.

Conclusion
There is only one right answer to our most frequent question “How much does a Commission Advance Cost?” That is, we don’t know yet, but would be happy to look at your scenario individually.  If you’re able to provide us all of the details, we should be able to give you a ballpark price.  The good news is, unlike some of our competitors, we give you the full amount you ask for and are paid back only at close of escrow, so our interests are aligned with yours throughout the transaction.

About Us:
Express Cash Flow provides commission advances for real estate agents and brokers. Check us out at www.ExpressCashFlow.com or call us at 844-818-2274.

Female Realtor Standing Outside Residential Property

Cash Before Close- Commission Advances

Female Realtor Standing Outside Residential Property

Cash Before Close

Phil Guertin launched a creative financial business with one element in mind: help real estate agents and brokers get commission advances within minutes to meet critical cash flow issues.

By Rick Weinberg, California Business Journal

If you’re a real estate agent or broker, cash flow is critical for such vital matters as meeting payroll, buying leads, or completing consistent marketing initiatives to keep up with the competition.

Yet with a property sitting in escrow, many agents and brokers often find themselves a little short on funds at those crucial moments. With banks unable to provide loans quickly, agents and brokers can often find themselves in dire straits.

However, thanks to a creative business model designed by Phil Guertin of Newport Beach, Calif., agents and brokers can get advances of up to $100,000 through Express Cash Flow (“ECF”) in a day—not weeks or months like at a bank, without even a credit check.

Recently, a Southern California agent approached the company late on Friday—15 minutes before the wire deadline. Within 12 minutes, the $2,000 advance was complete. It was the second transaction in less than two weeks that the agent requested. The first was for $5,000.

“There were a lot of moving parts that had to come together between the agent calling and funding the advance so rapidly,” Guertin says. “That’s one of the many major advantages of working with us.”

The company is self-funded and has significant capital behind it to fund commission advances. The company also quickly underwrites each deal since no two transactions are the same.

“It’s a much more streamlined process than any bank can offer,” says Jake Kucheck, Director of ECF. “Banks normally take 30-45 day to review a file, let alone fund the transaction.”

Express Cash Flow has grown exponentially over a six-month period in 2015-2016, advancing to agents and brokers from some of the largest franchises in the U.S., including, Berkshire, Century 21, Coldwell Banker, First Team, John L. Scott, Keller Williams, and many others.

ECF has experienced a 40% growth rate month over month and expect that rate to continue through the end of 2016, Guertin says.  The company has proven marketing strategies that are scalable nationwide.  In just a brief period of time, it has emerged as the top-ranked business in its space in California.

“High repeat business with top franchises and top producers along with great customer service has fueled the growth,” Kucheck says.

Approximately 50% of the business is generated from top real estate grounds and the remaining from independent brokers and agents.

Express Cash Flow features two primary products:

  1. Listing advances of up to $3,000
  2. Commission advances of up to $100,000 (advancing up to 75% of the net commission due)

Both with without a credit check and eligible for same-day funding.

The range of properties Express Cash Flow handles runs the gamut from the low end on a $87,000 property in Texas to the high end on a $15.7 million estate in Laguna Beach.

How do competitors compare?

  1. Express Cash Flow is usually a third less than the largest competitor
  2. Advances up to $100,000 per transaction while most competitors max out at $15,000
  3. The company provides creative custom solutions

Guertin has been in finance and real estate for his entire professional career spanning 20 years.  Previous experience includes:

  • Chief Financial Officer of the Miller’s Outpost family
  • Restructuring of various portfolio companies for private equity firms
  • Whole loan trader at New Century Mortgage trading bulk pools of loans to regional banks and Wall Street firms
  • Other experience in factoring, business intelligence analytics, the family office space and capital markets helped

He researched various business models in real estate and finance and came up with Express Cash Flow, then he decided he wanted to go off on his own and start his own firm.

“I knew this would be a big business because you’re working with real estate and sales people—and real estate is huge in California and Orange County,” he says. “This model had every metric I was looking for in a business—it’s high yielding, it’s short term and scalable on a national level. Advancing $5,000 or more can be risky, but the possibility of a real estate deal closing is 90% depending on when you advance. I saw it as a huge possibility and a great opportunity.”

He built out a complex pricing model to take into account multiple data points for each transaction to price various risk factors.

There are similar business models to ECF, “but we’re more aggressive on our lending limits going up to $100,000 per transaction and we structure the advances in creative ways,” Guertin says. “We underwrite the transaction differently. We look at how active the agents are, how strong the transaction is, and how far out the close of escrow is, which determines the advance pricing. Typically, we save our clients 30 percent or more compared to other companies.”

Says Kucheck: “We saw an opportunity to improve on the existing model by adding a risk-based pricing component. The existing models were more of a ‘one size fits all’ approach. We wanted to give our clients more options.”

No two real estate transactions are alike. Because they’re different, ECF immediately sees what’s different about it and that will translate that into particular grades of risk to determine the cost for advancing funds.

“We review each deal and come up with a precise calculation of how likely it is to close, using our proprietary pricing matrix,” Guertin says. “What we want an agent or broker to do is take a portion of the commissions now and grow their business, buy leads and do their marketing so that it converts into two other leads or open escrows. Yes, you’re getting $5,000 from us, but we want you to get $25,000 or $50,000 from that reinvestment. If you look at that, the cost is very minimal.”

Without appropriate funds for marketing initiatives, for example, an agent cannot be as effective as their competition, which happens to be chasing down the same buyers and sellers.

“We don’t want agents to delay their growth and we want them to stay ‘top of mind,’” Guertin says. “Most agents are waiting for their commissions and then they’re reinvesting it. This way, they get to do it faster.”

Copyright © 2016 California Business Journal. All Rights Reserved

 

Contact:

Express Cash Flow

Phil Guertin, Managing Partner

19800 MacArthur Blvd Suite 650

Newport Beach, CA 92612

Phone: 844-818-2274

Business Plan for Real Estsate

The best real estate professionals understand what it takes to grow their business and stay one step ahead of their competition. 3 out of 5 top real estate agents utilize commission advances to support the growth of their business, as they realize the need for capital is real and it is an important component of a successful business. In addition, here are 5 other useful tips to help grow a successful business.

Develop a Business Plan for Real Estate

When starting any new business, it’s important to create a business plan. Your business plan should include information about your business structure, budget, and other things. Having it approved by a business attorney can also be helpful to ensure that you don’t forget anything and you are in compliance with all regulations.

Use Technology

Clients are using technology to find the businesses that they want to hire, so you need to use technology to find your clients. There are mobile applications, CRM systems for emailing, cloud storage, and many other technologies that you can use to boost your business.

Focus on Marketing

Marketing is important to gain more clients. You need to figure out the best method to reach your target market and make sure you allocate a sufficient budget to marketing each month.

Thank Your Clients

If you help your clients seal the deal on buying or selling their property or your clients refer someone to you, take the time to thank them. Write a handwritten thank-you note or drop off a meaningful gift to let them know that you appreciate their business.

Continue to Learn and focus on your Business Plan for Real Estate

After starting your business plan for real estate, don’t stop learning. You need to stay ahead of your competition by learning everything that you can about your field. Complete certifications, attend conferences, seek a mentor in your field, and find other educational opportunities.

When you’re just starting out, you can use these tips to help grow your business. And when you need realtor commission to help grow your business, stay one step ahead of the competition and use the advances to support the growth of your business.

Top Expenses of Real Estate Agents

Owning your own business comes with a roller coaster of highs and lows, both emotionally and financially. Real estate brokers and agents are not immune to these, and the costs of running a real estate business can add up quickly, especially considering how long transactions take (and they are only taking longer).

Here is a partial list of the cash it takes to be a real estate agent:

Before you stick that first “For Sale” sign in a yard, or show that first home to a potential buyer, you’ll need to spend between $1,500 and $2,000. You’ll need to enroll in a real estate class, typically from a state accredited provider. The costs will vary. In California, for example, courses range from $200 to $700. Once you’ve finished the course, you’ll need to take the licensing exam. In California, the licensing exam fee is $60 see the updated California Real Estate Licensing Fees. Many states also require fingerprinting and background checks, which range in cost.

Realtor Association Fees

You don’t have to join the local association of Realtors in your area, however, membership has its benefits. Members of the association sign a code of conduct, and typically, its board has a regulatory authority over its members. Your fees may include membership in a local organization as well as a state organization. If you live in a metropolitan area that bisects more than one state, you may have to pay membership fees to more than one state or locality. Your local Realtor association also hosts a multiple listing service, or MLS, allowing other agents to peruse the listings of their peers.  There is an annual membership fee to join the association. In most places, the fee costs between $200 and $500 per year. Real estate agents pay this fee once each year.

Multiple Listing Service Dues

You’ll have to be a member of the local association to use your area’s multiple listing service. In addition to the association membership fee, you’ll also need to pay an annual fee to subscribe to the MLS, As the listing service is linked to a geographic area, these fees vary by location.

Agency Fees

Real estate agents who are just starting out must either obtain a broker’s license themselves, or work underneath the supervision of an established brokerage. Many brokers will require that real estate agents contribute to office and franchising costs, and they do this in a variety of ways. The most common ways are to charge a monthly “desk” fee regardless of the agents production, or instead they’ll charge a % of each transaction the real estate agent closes.

Equipment Costs

You’ll have some access to office equipment, but you’ll also need a top of the line mobile device and associated data plan. What’s more, you’ll also need a durable and efficient laptop, as well as a high end camera (nope, that one on your phone isn’t going to cut it) to take listing photos.   Yard signs, open house signs, lockboxes and lockbox keys also come with the territory.

Error and Omissions Insurance

This insurance protects you if a real estate contract or issue winds up in court. Costs vary per area and per brokerage.

Real estate agents typically spend $3,000+ to become licensed and start their business. Agents will spend far more each year on marketing and general expenses to keep it going. Though costs vary from agent to agent and state to state, a commission advance service is one way to help fight the challenge of consistent expenses and, at least in the beginning, income that takes a while to become consistent.

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