Seven easy steps to build your Twitter-sphere

Use these tips to help you gain genuine Twitter followers, increase your popularity and in return, your business.


1. Tweet often and interesting content. If it looks like you’re never on, or all your tweets seem to be mini sales pitches, you will not gain Twitter followers.
2. Follow more people. There are a lot of tools to help you find people who have common interests such as Twitter Search and Find People.
3. Make your Tweets interesting. Tweet neat facts or link to interesting blogs, articles and Websites you come across.
4. Let more people know that you are on Twitter. Add a link to your feed on your email signature or link to your Website and blog.
5. Upload a profile photo or logo. There are many people who will not follow or allow followers who do not have a photo. Having a picture or logo makes you look more legitimate.
6. Contribute to your feed as a personality, not just as a business.
7. Engage in conversations on Twitter. Direct Message (D) people, @ reply people, re-tweet (RT) interesting tweets, and participate in hashtag (#) topics.

Follow Keller Williams Realty on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kwri.

Keeping the transaction in tact...

New research pinpoints appraisal problems
Recent upheavals in the appraisals arena and the new Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) are contributing to too many sales falling through the cracks.

According to National Association of REALTOR's® (NAR) Appraisal Survey in June 2009, 37 percent of home buyers and sellers have experienced at least one lost sale as a result of the new HVCC. The report also pointed to:

• Higher Fees
• Lower Quality
• Longer Wait

Click here for the full report from NAR.

If you encounter these problems and find your contract’s viability hinging on a low appraisal, don’t hesitate to bring additional comps to the appraiser. Also, read Tactic 12: Bulletproof the Transaction in SHIFT: How Top Real Estate Agent Tackle Tough Times for more solid strategies on protecting your transactions.

For more on the HVCC, visit www.realtor.org/hvcc.

New numbers on the real estate front...

Although experts predict it will take time for the economy to fully recover, there has been a lot of encouraging news recently.

Here are a few points to share with your clients:

• 
  The percentage of first-time buyers dipped to 29 percent as a result of more repeat buyers entering the market, suggesting signs of a return to a more balanced market.
• Americans have shifted into savings and are now putting away a larger portion of their income – so much that the U.S. savings rate has now surpassed that of Canada!
• Home prices edged up almost 4 percent between May and June of 2009, due to repeat buyers purchasing at higher price points, and distressed properties accounting for a smaller percentage of sales (33 percent of sales, compared to 45 percent the month before).
  

Get all this information and more in the free This Month in Real Estate PowerPoint Reports. You can make the report more relevant to your clients by customizing it with your market’s information.

The editable version is available for download on KW Connect (KW login required). The non-editable version is available for download on KW.com (Does not require KW login)