Realtors find that the current market requires them to work harder to prevent deals from collapsing during initial negotiations or the escrow process.
These days, agent must often negotiate the terms of the purchase agreement twice – once when the buyer’s agent presents the offer to the seller’s agent, and again after the home inspection.
Negotiations are more tense and emotional these days, with buyers taking longer to make sure they’re getting a good deal, and sellers expressing frustration about low prices.
The National Association of Realtors reports that one out of six agents had signed contracts canceled in June, and cancellations rose 10 percent during the year-over-year period ended in August.
Experts say there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the lending process, especially with more sellers owing more than their home is worth and lenders requiring them to make up any difference at settlement. They also recommend that buyers work with mortgage brokers instead of lenders.
Realtors can move transactions forward by educating buyers and sellers about changing market conditions and understanding their clients’ needs, motivations, fears and aspirations. They must emphasize flexibility and creativity, laying out alternatives to help clients meet their goals; and they must remain sensitive to the fears of buyers and sellers.
Source: INFORMATION, INC.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Luxury Agents Try ‘Shock and Awe’ Marketing
Marketing multimillion-dollar mansions may require stepping outside-the-box and getting fancy in luring potential buyers, from hosting mini-circuses, raffling off Botox treatments, to having models lining the properties, and more.
"Price is key, but it's the presentation that will sell the property," Lisa Sorrentino, a real estate agent in Calabasas, Calif., told The Los Angeles Times. Sorrentino held a mini-circus in the back yard of her $8 million listing, complete with a juggler, contortionist who floated in the pool in a plastic bubble, and a stilt walker.
“Competition for qualified buyers is fierce, leading to a game of one-upmanship by agents looking for any edge,” a Los Angeles Times article notes. Real estate instructor Paul Habibi with the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management even refers to it as “shock and awe” marketing.
"Years ago you simply posted the listing on the Multiple Listing Service or hung a sign out, and pretty soon you'd have it sold," Habibi told The Los Angeles Times. "Now sellers are reverting to other tactics to tap into buyers and get them on the hook."
And open houses are getting fancy. For example, one agent offered horsebacking riding to show off a 6-acre estate of the home he was listing while a Malibu agent lured buyers to an open house by raffling off Botox treatments and Thai foot massages. In listing another luxury home, one agent had models line the front of a new condo project and serve free drinks with the theme “it’s always cocktail hour” at these condos.
Source: “Real Estate Agents to all out to Market Luxury Homes,” The Los Angeles Times (Oct. 27, 2011)
"Price is key, but it's the presentation that will sell the property," Lisa Sorrentino, a real estate agent in Calabasas, Calif., told The Los Angeles Times. Sorrentino held a mini-circus in the back yard of her $8 million listing, complete with a juggler, contortionist who floated in the pool in a plastic bubble, and a stilt walker.
“Competition for qualified buyers is fierce, leading to a game of one-upmanship by agents looking for any edge,” a Los Angeles Times article notes. Real estate instructor Paul Habibi with the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management even refers to it as “shock and awe” marketing.
"Years ago you simply posted the listing on the Multiple Listing Service or hung a sign out, and pretty soon you'd have it sold," Habibi told The Los Angeles Times. "Now sellers are reverting to other tactics to tap into buyers and get them on the hook."
And open houses are getting fancy. For example, one agent offered horsebacking riding to show off a 6-acre estate of the home he was listing while a Malibu agent lured buyers to an open house by raffling off Botox treatments and Thai foot massages. In listing another luxury home, one agent had models line the front of a new condo project and serve free drinks with the theme “it’s always cocktail hour” at these condos.
Source: “Real Estate Agents to all out to Market Luxury Homes,” The Los Angeles Times (Oct. 27, 2011)
Thursday, October 20, 2011
New agents: Make floor time work
Agents on floor duty when prospective buyers enter the office should make them feel welcome, offer refreshments and invite them to sit down for a casual conversation.
Ask house-hunters what type of property interests them and then listen, asking questions when necessary. Agents should build rapport and trust, rather than interrogate visitors.
The first conversation is a chance for an agent to learn what kind of home is desired, any neighborhood preferences, the preferred price range and timeframe, and any must-haves.
Agents should avoid buyer questionnaires because they tend not to work – buyers generally don’t know yet what they want beyond a few must-haves. Questionnaires could also create unrealistic expectations or lead an agent to overlook a home that the buyer might have liked.
Source: INFORMATION, INC.
Ask house-hunters what type of property interests them and then listen, asking questions when necessary. Agents should build rapport and trust, rather than interrogate visitors.
The first conversation is a chance for an agent to learn what kind of home is desired, any neighborhood preferences, the preferred price range and timeframe, and any must-haves.
Agents should avoid buyer questionnaires because they tend not to work – buyers generally don’t know yet what they want beyond a few must-haves. Questionnaires could also create unrealistic expectations or lead an agent to overlook a home that the buyer might have liked.
Source: INFORMATION, INC.
Florida Realtors build business in Brazil
A delegation from Florida Realtors® will visit Brazil to discuss real estate investment opportunities for Brazilians living or vacationing in Florida, part of Gov. Rick Scott’s seven-day Team Florida Business Expo & Trade Mission.
“Brazilians love owning a home in Florida for a variety of reasons,” says Patricia Fitzgerald, president of Florida Realtors and a key member of the trade delegation. “Everything from home prices to shopping and even traveling to Florida is very affordable for Brazilians today. Brazilians see the entire state, from Key West to the Panhandle, as not just the place to be but the place to buy.”
Brazilians made up 8 percent of Florida foreign homebuyers in 2010-2011, a number that increased from 3 percent a few years ago. As Brazil continues to prosper and people look for places to invest, the percentage of Brazilians calling Florida their first or second home is expected to keep increasing, says John Sebree, Florida Realtors vice president of public policy.
“Many companies in Brazil cite the state’s favorable business climate, and its commitment to cut taxes and grow jobs as strong incentives,” says Sebree.
In announcing the trade mission, his third so far, Scott says Brazil was a logical choice. “Brazil is Florida’s number-one trading partner, with exports from Florida to Brazil surpassing $13.7 billion in 2010,” Scott says. “Furthermore, the Brazilian economy is expected to be one of the fastest growing in the world over the coming decade.”
Florida Realtors delegates will meet with Brazil’s leading real estate investment managers. In addition, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., is expected to be part of the mission and conference.
“Brazil is the world’s seventh-largest economy, and the most dynamic and prosperous economy in Latin America,” says Carlos Fuentes, chair of Florida Realtors global business committee. “Florida is well positioned to capitalize on Brazil’s market opportunities.”
While the trade mission emphasizes leisure travel to Florida, Scott says he hopes to attract companies willing to do business in the state. In Sao Paulo, the governor wants to play matchmaker, linking Brazil and Florida companies that can help each other grow.
Details on the Enterprise Florida trade mission can be found on the Enterprise Florida website.
Source: Florida Realtors®
“Brazilians love owning a home in Florida for a variety of reasons,” says Patricia Fitzgerald, president of Florida Realtors and a key member of the trade delegation. “Everything from home prices to shopping and even traveling to Florida is very affordable for Brazilians today. Brazilians see the entire state, from Key West to the Panhandle, as not just the place to be but the place to buy.”
Brazilians made up 8 percent of Florida foreign homebuyers in 2010-2011, a number that increased from 3 percent a few years ago. As Brazil continues to prosper and people look for places to invest, the percentage of Brazilians calling Florida their first or second home is expected to keep increasing, says John Sebree, Florida Realtors vice president of public policy.
“Many companies in Brazil cite the state’s favorable business climate, and its commitment to cut taxes and grow jobs as strong incentives,” says Sebree.
In announcing the trade mission, his third so far, Scott says Brazil was a logical choice. “Brazil is Florida’s number-one trading partner, with exports from Florida to Brazil surpassing $13.7 billion in 2010,” Scott says. “Furthermore, the Brazilian economy is expected to be one of the fastest growing in the world over the coming decade.”
Florida Realtors delegates will meet with Brazil’s leading real estate investment managers. In addition, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., is expected to be part of the mission and conference.
“Brazil is the world’s seventh-largest economy, and the most dynamic and prosperous economy in Latin America,” says Carlos Fuentes, chair of Florida Realtors global business committee. “Florida is well positioned to capitalize on Brazil’s market opportunities.”
While the trade mission emphasizes leisure travel to Florida, Scott says he hopes to attract companies willing to do business in the state. In Sao Paulo, the governor wants to play matchmaker, linking Brazil and Florida companies that can help each other grow.
Details on the Enterprise Florida trade mission can be found on the Enterprise Florida website.
Source: Florida Realtors®
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Without new iPhone, Apple iOS 5 more evolutionary than revolutionary
Apple’s latest update to its iOS software for iPhones, iPads and other handheld devices is more evolutionary than revolutionary, particularly if you’re not getting it on the new iPhone 4S, which was released Friday.
iOS 5, which Apple made available early this month, has a lot of neat new features. But the most exciting one – the Siri voice-command system – is available only on the new iPhone. Others, such as weather and stock widgets, aren’t available on the iPad.
Many of the other features, meanwhile, don’t break new ground; instead, they represent an effort by Apple to catch up with the competition.
Still, the additions in iOS 5 are welcome and the update is well worth the time needed – about 90 minutes in my case – to download and install it.
One of the big themes of iOS 5 is to cut the cord that has long connected Apple handheld devices to Apple’s iTunes software running on users’ personal computers. With the new software, users can pretty much get by without ever plugging their iPad or iPhone into their PCs.
After installing iOS 5, users no longer have to connect them to a computer to get new operating system updates. They can just download them directly to their device. And should they want to back up their device to their computer, they can configure the iOS device to do so wirelessly whenever it is plugged into an outlet to recharge.
As part of this effort, Apple has added a number of services that link iOS 5 devices to its data servers on the Internet. IPads and iPods can save their backups to Apple’s servers, rather than to a PC. Using a service called Photo Stream, Apple allows users to instantly and wirelessly transfer pictures they’ve taken on an iOS device to other such devices, their computers and to the Apple TV set-top box via its cloud service. Music that users purchase on an iOS device – or on their computer – is similarly synced automatically across devices through the conduit of Apple’s data servers.
This wireless integration works much like other services on other devices. Users of smartphones running Google’s Android software have long been able to download updates directly to their devices without having to plug them into a PC, for example.
But even if they aren’t original, these PC-free features of iOS 5 are very much appreciated. I had a lot of fun taking pictures of my daughter and my new cat and quickly being able to pull them up on my PC and on my TV via Apple TV without having to plug my iPad into my PC first.
One of the things I was most anticipating about iOS 5 was its revamped notification feature. Notifications, which alert you to such things as new text messages, requests to play multiplayer games and a low battery, have long been among the worst parts of the iOS software. In the past, users were alerted to new events with either a sound, a numerical badge attached to an application’s icon or a pop-up message. None of the notification options were great, but the pop-up message was the worst because it interrupted whatever application you were using and wouldn’t let you resume using it until you dismissed the message.
The new notification feature allows users to get alerts in a banner at the top of the screen. The banner quickly disappears without the user needing to dismiss it, so they can ignore it and go on playing their game or typing an email.
If users want to review recent alerts, they can swipe down from the top of the screen and a virtual window shade will come down that includes the latest notifications from a variety of applications. Users can jump straight to an email message, a calendar event or a particular game by simply tapping on the notification.
The system looks a lot like the notification system that’s been built into Google’s Android software for years now. It’s late in coming to iOS, but I’m glad it’s finally here.
One of the coolest new features of iOS 5 is AirPlay mirroring, which allows users to beam what’s on their iOS device screen to their TV using Apple TV. It can be great for sharing a presentation or a Web page or allowing a friend watch you play a game without having to literally look over your shoulder.
Other app developers are starting to take this concept even farther. Instead of mirroring what’s on the iPad, they are essentially creating two separate video streams, one that’s on the iPad and one that’s beamed to the TV.
In Pangea software’s “Cro-Mag Rally,” users play a racing game on their computer from a viewing perspective that’s right behind the car their driving. On the TV screen, though, the game projects an image of the overall race, allowing viewers to see the race as if they were in the stands.
The developer’s “Nanosaur 2” game is even more innovative. When hooked up to the Apple TV, users can actually play the game on their TV, with the iPad used only as a game controller. When users tilt the iPad or press a virtual button on its screen, their flying dinosaur steers or fires blasts on their TV screen.
It’s not perfect; the video on my TV was a bit jittery and a little behind the actions I made on the iPad. The setup works much like Nintendo’s Wii U game console that’s expected out next year. I hope Apple and the developers work out the bugs by then.
Source: The San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, Calif. Troy Wolverton is a technology columnist for the San Jose Mercury News. Distributed by MCT Information Services.
iOS 5, which Apple made available early this month, has a lot of neat new features. But the most exciting one – the Siri voice-command system – is available only on the new iPhone. Others, such as weather and stock widgets, aren’t available on the iPad.
Many of the other features, meanwhile, don’t break new ground; instead, they represent an effort by Apple to catch up with the competition.
Still, the additions in iOS 5 are welcome and the update is well worth the time needed – about 90 minutes in my case – to download and install it.
One of the big themes of iOS 5 is to cut the cord that has long connected Apple handheld devices to Apple’s iTunes software running on users’ personal computers. With the new software, users can pretty much get by without ever plugging their iPad or iPhone into their PCs.
After installing iOS 5, users no longer have to connect them to a computer to get new operating system updates. They can just download them directly to their device. And should they want to back up their device to their computer, they can configure the iOS device to do so wirelessly whenever it is plugged into an outlet to recharge.
As part of this effort, Apple has added a number of services that link iOS 5 devices to its data servers on the Internet. IPads and iPods can save their backups to Apple’s servers, rather than to a PC. Using a service called Photo Stream, Apple allows users to instantly and wirelessly transfer pictures they’ve taken on an iOS device to other such devices, their computers and to the Apple TV set-top box via its cloud service. Music that users purchase on an iOS device – or on their computer – is similarly synced automatically across devices through the conduit of Apple’s data servers.
This wireless integration works much like other services on other devices. Users of smartphones running Google’s Android software have long been able to download updates directly to their devices without having to plug them into a PC, for example.
But even if they aren’t original, these PC-free features of iOS 5 are very much appreciated. I had a lot of fun taking pictures of my daughter and my new cat and quickly being able to pull them up on my PC and on my TV via Apple TV without having to plug my iPad into my PC first.
One of the things I was most anticipating about iOS 5 was its revamped notification feature. Notifications, which alert you to such things as new text messages, requests to play multiplayer games and a low battery, have long been among the worst parts of the iOS software. In the past, users were alerted to new events with either a sound, a numerical badge attached to an application’s icon or a pop-up message. None of the notification options were great, but the pop-up message was the worst because it interrupted whatever application you were using and wouldn’t let you resume using it until you dismissed the message.
The new notification feature allows users to get alerts in a banner at the top of the screen. The banner quickly disappears without the user needing to dismiss it, so they can ignore it and go on playing their game or typing an email.
If users want to review recent alerts, they can swipe down from the top of the screen and a virtual window shade will come down that includes the latest notifications from a variety of applications. Users can jump straight to an email message, a calendar event or a particular game by simply tapping on the notification.
The system looks a lot like the notification system that’s been built into Google’s Android software for years now. It’s late in coming to iOS, but I’m glad it’s finally here.
One of the coolest new features of iOS 5 is AirPlay mirroring, which allows users to beam what’s on their iOS device screen to their TV using Apple TV. It can be great for sharing a presentation or a Web page or allowing a friend watch you play a game without having to literally look over your shoulder.
Other app developers are starting to take this concept even farther. Instead of mirroring what’s on the iPad, they are essentially creating two separate video streams, one that’s on the iPad and one that’s beamed to the TV.
In Pangea software’s “Cro-Mag Rally,” users play a racing game on their computer from a viewing perspective that’s right behind the car their driving. On the TV screen, though, the game projects an image of the overall race, allowing viewers to see the race as if they were in the stands.
The developer’s “Nanosaur 2” game is even more innovative. When hooked up to the Apple TV, users can actually play the game on their TV, with the iPad used only as a game controller. When users tilt the iPad or press a virtual button on its screen, their flying dinosaur steers or fires blasts on their TV screen.
It’s not perfect; the video on my TV was a bit jittery and a little behind the actions I made on the iPad. The setup works much like Nintendo’s Wii U game console that’s expected out next year. I hope Apple and the developers work out the bugs by then.
Source: The San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, Calif. Troy Wolverton is a technology columnist for the San Jose Mercury News. Distributed by MCT Information Services.
Monday, October 17, 2011
What Your Clients Can Do If Rejected for a Loan
With the tightening of credit standards, more home buyers are finding themselves rejected when they go to apply for a loan. But after just one rejection, lending experts say buyers shouldn’t give up — they may still be able to qualify for a mortgage if they keep trying.
But buyers shouldn’t give it another try until they take a close evaluation of why the original mortgage application was turned down in the first place, and find ways to address those issues in their second or even third attempt, Marisol Torruella, a loan originator with the New York Municipal Credit Union, told The New York Times. Applicants can, by law, find out why they were rejected in a mortgage application. The Equal Credit Opportunities Act requires lenders within 30 days to give applicants, in writing, the specific reasons why they weren’t given a loan.
For some rejected borrowers, they may need to save up for a larger down payment or take steps to improve their credit score.
Some applicants may find shopping around for other lenders can help (particularly if the applicant has been a longtime member at a credit union) or discussing more alternatives with a lender. Applicants might find a better option is a loan from the Federal Housing Administration, which have less stringent requirements, but some surveys show that most borrowers aren’t aware of FHA loans.
Torruella says one of the main reasons home buyers get turned down for a loan is that they are trying to purchase more home than they can really afford, based on their income. So applicants may need to get more practical with their home purchase too.
Source: “Mortgages: After a Rejection,” The New York Times (Oct. 13, 2011)
But buyers shouldn’t give it another try until they take a close evaluation of why the original mortgage application was turned down in the first place, and find ways to address those issues in their second or even third attempt, Marisol Torruella, a loan originator with the New York Municipal Credit Union, told The New York Times. Applicants can, by law, find out why they were rejected in a mortgage application. The Equal Credit Opportunities Act requires lenders within 30 days to give applicants, in writing, the specific reasons why they weren’t given a loan.
For some rejected borrowers, they may need to save up for a larger down payment or take steps to improve their credit score.
Some applicants may find shopping around for other lenders can help (particularly if the applicant has been a longtime member at a credit union) or discussing more alternatives with a lender. Applicants might find a better option is a loan from the Federal Housing Administration, which have less stringent requirements, but some surveys show that most borrowers aren’t aware of FHA loans.
Torruella says one of the main reasons home buyers get turned down for a loan is that they are trying to purchase more home than they can really afford, based on their income. So applicants may need to get more practical with their home purchase too.
Source: “Mortgages: After a Rejection,” The New York Times (Oct. 13, 2011)
Friday, October 14, 2011
Women agents outnumber men in all 50 states
Online listing company Trulia used a gender analysis software tool to study the agents representing its listings. It then created a color-coded map of the U.S. If a state had a majority of women, it was pink; if men made up over 50 percent, it was blue.
When finished, however, the entire United States was pink.
Other findings from the Trulia study:
• Trulia determined that 60 percent of all U.S. real estate agents are female. The National Association of Realtors® latest member profile found that 56 percent of Realtors are female.
• In Florida, men have slightly more total listings than women, in the range of 5 to 14 percent. Nationwide, the balance shifts. In Alabama, Nebraska and Wyoming, women dominate with at least 25 percent more listings than men. But in North and South Dakota, men rule with 129 percent and 87 percent more listings, respectively.
• In Florida, there’s almost no difference between men and women agents in their average listing prices, with men holding about a 2 percent advantage. (Trulia did not analyze selling prices.) However, women had average listing prices at least 25 percent higher than their male colleagues in 11 states. Men had listing prices at least 25 percent higher than women in only one state: Alaska. And men’s listing prices beat women’s in only three other states.
To view the maps and read more about the male-female agent comparison, visit Trulia’s blog.
Source: Florida Realtors®
When finished, however, the entire United States was pink.
Other findings from the Trulia study:
• Trulia determined that 60 percent of all U.S. real estate agents are female. The National Association of Realtors® latest member profile found that 56 percent of Realtors are female.
• In Florida, men have slightly more total listings than women, in the range of 5 to 14 percent. Nationwide, the balance shifts. In Alabama, Nebraska and Wyoming, women dominate with at least 25 percent more listings than men. But in North and South Dakota, men rule with 129 percent and 87 percent more listings, respectively.
• In Florida, there’s almost no difference between men and women agents in their average listing prices, with men holding about a 2 percent advantage. (Trulia did not analyze selling prices.) However, women had average listing prices at least 25 percent higher than their male colleagues in 11 states. Men had listing prices at least 25 percent higher than women in only one state: Alaska. And men’s listing prices beat women’s in only three other states.
To view the maps and read more about the male-female agent comparison, visit Trulia’s blog.
Source: Florida Realtors®
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Mobile safety apps for real estate
A spring 2011 survey from Moby discovered that the most common safety devices carried by poll participants while on the job were their phones.
Moby and other companies have rolled out mobile applications specifically designed with personal safety in mind, and former real estate agent Tracey Hawkins of Safety and Security Source has compiled a list of half a dozen apps that she recommends.
Available for free or at a reasonable cost, her preferred apps include Guardly, IcePics, Moby, RealAlert, SafeTrec and SmrtGuard. They allow users to protect themselves by using an iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry or Android device to send alerts to emergency contacts, activate a one-push panic button, store information on suspicious persons and more. Monthly fee users additionally have access to premium services such as live emergency monitoring, medical monitoring and advanced GPS features.
However, Hawkins stresses the importance of having a safety app ready in advance.
“It must be accessible,” she says. “The emergency button needs to be on the screen, ready to be pressed in an emergency situation. Agents will not have time to fumble with their phone, find the app, open it and press it an emergency situation. It needs to be ready to go.”
Source: INFORMATION, INC.
Moby and other companies have rolled out mobile applications specifically designed with personal safety in mind, and former real estate agent Tracey Hawkins of Safety and Security Source has compiled a list of half a dozen apps that she recommends.
Available for free or at a reasonable cost, her preferred apps include Guardly, IcePics, Moby, RealAlert, SafeTrec and SmrtGuard. They allow users to protect themselves by using an iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry or Android device to send alerts to emergency contacts, activate a one-push panic button, store information on suspicious persons and more. Monthly fee users additionally have access to premium services such as live emergency monitoring, medical monitoring and advanced GPS features.
However, Hawkins stresses the importance of having a safety app ready in advance.
“It must be accessible,” she says. “The emergency button needs to be on the screen, ready to be pressed in an emergency situation. Agents will not have time to fumble with their phone, find the app, open it and press it an emergency situation. It needs to be ready to go.”
Source: INFORMATION, INC.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Google, Microsoft battle for cloud-computing customers
The pitched battle between Google and Microsoft to sell software applications that run on the Internet “cloud” is escalating.
The tech giants have already engaged in a public war of words this year as they vied to sign up businesses, government agencies and universities for their competing versions of cloud-based productivity software.
Now Microsoft has cut its prices to small and mid-sized businesses for its Office 365 software, and Google is putting out the word for the first time that the rate of small companies signing up for cloud-based services like Gmail and Documents has doubled in the past six months.
That suggests the competition to sell cloud-based apps to small and medium-sized (or “SMB”) businesses is only growing more intense, said Matt Cain, an analyst with Gartner.
Microsoft’s small-business offer “is a good deal, maybe even a great deal,” Cain said. “So Google now faces a very aggressive Microsoft in the race for SMB business, and the search giant is trying to get a leg up on Microsoft via a press campaign.”
For Google, its four-year old apps business is a chance to diversify from its heavy dependence on advertising for its revenue. For Microsoft, the competition is about retaining its lucrative core business of selling Office productivity software like Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said in a speech last month that there are now 40 million users of Google Apps, including 4 million businesses, up from 3 million less than a year ago.
Microsoft says that within two weeks of the launch of Office 365 in June, more than 50,000 businesses, schools and nonprofit organizations had signed up to try the cloud services, the most recent numbers that company has disclosed.
The intense competition between Google and Microsoft to sign up schools and nonprofit groups (Google recently bagged the University of Connecticut and Yale University; Microsoft got the American Red Cross), government agencies (Google got the cities of Los Angeles and Pittsburgh; Microsoft got New York City and San Francisco) and businesses (Google netted hotel giant InterContinental Hotels Group; Microsoft got McDonald’s and Starbucks) has even spilled into the courts.
Google says it is particularly strong in Silicon Valley. Amit Singh, Google vice president for enterprise, said in an interview this week that Google has completed a study of recently launched startups in Silicon Valley and the U.S., as listed by technology websites, and found that at least 80 percent, and in some cases up to 97 percent, of those startups were using Google Apps.
Among the recent converts – TripIt, a San Francisco startup that allows people to build and organize their travel itineraries online.
“It turns out that generally speaking, smaller companies – which are really the life blood of the business economy; they add the most employees – have found Google Apps,” Singh said. “If you look at how big cloud computing has gotten, we are one of the players in that.”
Google says about 5,000 businesses a day are joining, up from about 3,000 a day less than a year ago.
But Gartner’s Cain said Microsoft’s strategy to offer small businesses its cloud-based Office 365 software, which includes online versions of its popular Word, Excel and PowerPoint software, at just $6 a month per user puts pressure on Google to tell its story.
Source: the San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, Calif. Distributed by MCT Information Services
The tech giants have already engaged in a public war of words this year as they vied to sign up businesses, government agencies and universities for their competing versions of cloud-based productivity software.
Now Microsoft has cut its prices to small and mid-sized businesses for its Office 365 software, and Google is putting out the word for the first time that the rate of small companies signing up for cloud-based services like Gmail and Documents has doubled in the past six months.
That suggests the competition to sell cloud-based apps to small and medium-sized (or “SMB”) businesses is only growing more intense, said Matt Cain, an analyst with Gartner.
Microsoft’s small-business offer “is a good deal, maybe even a great deal,” Cain said. “So Google now faces a very aggressive Microsoft in the race for SMB business, and the search giant is trying to get a leg up on Microsoft via a press campaign.”
For Google, its four-year old apps business is a chance to diversify from its heavy dependence on advertising for its revenue. For Microsoft, the competition is about retaining its lucrative core business of selling Office productivity software like Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said in a speech last month that there are now 40 million users of Google Apps, including 4 million businesses, up from 3 million less than a year ago.
Microsoft says that within two weeks of the launch of Office 365 in June, more than 50,000 businesses, schools and nonprofit organizations had signed up to try the cloud services, the most recent numbers that company has disclosed.
The intense competition between Google and Microsoft to sign up schools and nonprofit groups (Google recently bagged the University of Connecticut and Yale University; Microsoft got the American Red Cross), government agencies (Google got the cities of Los Angeles and Pittsburgh; Microsoft got New York City and San Francisco) and businesses (Google netted hotel giant InterContinental Hotels Group; Microsoft got McDonald’s and Starbucks) has even spilled into the courts.
Google says it is particularly strong in Silicon Valley. Amit Singh, Google vice president for enterprise, said in an interview this week that Google has completed a study of recently launched startups in Silicon Valley and the U.S., as listed by technology websites, and found that at least 80 percent, and in some cases up to 97 percent, of those startups were using Google Apps.
Among the recent converts – TripIt, a San Francisco startup that allows people to build and organize their travel itineraries online.
“It turns out that generally speaking, smaller companies – which are really the life blood of the business economy; they add the most employees – have found Google Apps,” Singh said. “If you look at how big cloud computing has gotten, we are one of the players in that.”
Google says about 5,000 businesses a day are joining, up from about 3,000 a day less than a year ago.
But Gartner’s Cain said Microsoft’s strategy to offer small businesses its cloud-based Office 365 software, which includes online versions of its popular Word, Excel and PowerPoint software, at just $6 a month per user puts pressure on Google to tell its story.
Source: the San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, Calif. Distributed by MCT Information Services
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
What Facebook Users Want From Businesses
Facebook users want entertainment or coupons from businesses or brands they friend on Facebook, according to a poll from Stern + Associates. On the other hand, only 19 percent of those polled said they wanted customer service from brands, compared to 43 percent who said entertainment and 38 percent who said coupons will help you better your relationship with clients. (Need a coupon idea for real estate? See The Groupon for Housing)
“Simply asking for customers to ‘like’ your page is not a terrible idea, but the user is expecting a bit more in return after they commit,” an article at Forbes.com notes. “Facebook users are on the platform to connect with friends and family and often complain, very loudly, that they don’t like to be interrupted by marketing messages.”
The article notes Skittles Facebook presence shows off entertainment and coupons in reaching out to customers.
Source: “Survey: Facebook Users Want Entertainment, Coupons From Brands,” Forbes.com (Oct. 3, 2011)
“Simply asking for customers to ‘like’ your page is not a terrible idea, but the user is expecting a bit more in return after they commit,” an article at Forbes.com notes. “Facebook users are on the platform to connect with friends and family and often complain, very loudly, that they don’t like to be interrupted by marketing messages.”
The article notes Skittles Facebook presence shows off entertainment and coupons in reaching out to customers.
Source: “Survey: Facebook Users Want Entertainment, Coupons From Brands,” Forbes.com (Oct. 3, 2011)
Open Houses vs. Virtual Tours
While open houses benefit real estate agents in terms of advertising, training new agents, and finding buyers for other properties, sellers reap fewer benefits. They have to tidy the house and leave it for the afternoon, and the likelihood of the home actually selling as a result of the open house is small.
Experts say agents should consider the security risks posed by an open house. Thieves could tag team and steal valuables if only one agent is on duty, and children could break or take things. Moreover, someone could slip or fall if snow or ice is present; and agents must acknowledge the risks open houses pose to their personal safety.
Some experts believe virtual tours offer a safer and more efficient alternative, especially since the National Association of REALTORS® says 74 percent of buyers look for homes via the Internet. Virtual tours stay open 24/7 and give buyers a good view of the interior, exterior, and the surrounding neighborhood. They also minimize the risk of theft or injury, and they can be shared with others via e-mail.
Source: "Open Houses: Weighing Risks Versus Rewards," NorthJersey.com (10/02/11)
Experts say agents should consider the security risks posed by an open house. Thieves could tag team and steal valuables if only one agent is on duty, and children could break or take things. Moreover, someone could slip or fall if snow or ice is present; and agents must acknowledge the risks open houses pose to their personal safety.
Some experts believe virtual tours offer a safer and more efficient alternative, especially since the National Association of REALTORS® says 74 percent of buyers look for homes via the Internet. Virtual tours stay open 24/7 and give buyers a good view of the interior, exterior, and the surrounding neighborhood. They also minimize the risk of theft or injury, and they can be shared with others via e-mail.
Source: "Open Houses: Weighing Risks Versus Rewards," NorthJersey.com (10/02/11)
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