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5 Real Estate Marketing Trends in 2017

What was the biggest change you made to your marketing strategy in 2016? What are your plans for 2017? Every year, technology marches on and so does the market. Things are, in fact, moving so quickly that the cutting edge of real estate marketing a few years ago can feel like pretty old hat now. New marketing trends are starting to appear, and being aware of those trends and taking advantage of them will guarantee that you won’t fade into irrelevancy in 2017. Some of these real estate marketing trends are just on the cusp of breaking through, while others have been growing more and more popular for years. Here are a few things to think about when you’re developing your marketing strategy for 2017:

The Expansion of Boomer and Millennial Buyers

The perception that young people, and more specifically the recent generation of Millennials, are poor, lazy, and uninterested in traditional home ownership is a fallacy. The reality is that wages are rising for this generation, with more and more young people getting well-paying jobs. Their desire to own property is driving them into the real estate market in a way we haven’t seen from younger generations in the last 10 years. For this generation, home ownership isn’t necessarily tied to marriage and children. Many Millennials are seeking home ownership as an investment in their futures--and wisely so. Another group of people that will be looking to sell their homes, and possibly buy again, are the Baby Boomers. As their children move out and they start to reach retirement, many Boomers will be looking to sell. As this generation tends to have more available wealth, they’re a reliable segment of the population to target when looking for new clients.

The Usefulness of Live Video

This is a trend that’s already in full swing. Live video allows you to connect with clients, both in your neighborhood and across the country in a way that static video tours never could. You can give remote buyers an entire showing, simply by using your cell phone. Taking buyers on a truly virtual tour with live video can give them a feeling for the entire house in a way that photos simply This technology also allows you to have face to face conversations with clients rather than just phone calls. This can create a stronger connection and allows you to communicate with remote clients more effectively.

The Advent of Virtual Reality

If you think that live video has changed the way buyers look at potential homes, just wait until virtual reality takes hold. The bulky, buggy, and frankly silly days of 1990s VR are long over and sophisticated home virtual reality setups are starting to appear everywhere. Although these are primarily used for video games at the moment, it doesn’t take a huge leap to see how this technology could revolutionize open houses and showings. Imagine your clients just popping on a headset in their own home, and then finding themselves in a new virtual house that they can tour with the potential of buying. This technology is only just becoming mainstream, but you can expect to see a lot more of it in 2017 and beyond.

The Popularity of Smart Homes

We recently wrote a blog post about the importance of smart homes in today’s market. The ability to control everything in your home, from lights, to heating, to security, is now becoming as simple as turning on your smart phone. As the “internet of things” becomes more and more mainstream, your buyers are going to start to want to see the potential use of smart technology in their new homes. Being up-to-date on the latest smart home technology and trends can give you an edge when speaking with tech-savvy clients. By learning about smart homes and keeping up-to-date on the latest developments, you’ll be able to view new homes on the market with a slightly different eye. Pointing out potential upgrades to your buyers during open houses might help them see even more of the potential of their new home.

The Growth of Online Advertising

Online advertising will continue to grow in importance and become even more targeted throughout 2017. Facebook ads, already popular, are continuing to grow in importance. Facebook also owns Instagram, and you can market ads via the Facebook Ads Manager to Instagram at the same time. Google AdWords may also be very useful to your online marketing campaign, helping to ensure that anyone searching for real estate information in your area finds you first. Having a well-designed, attractive, and functional website is critical, and will grow in importance as well. As you probably know, Google now penalizes websites that aren’t mobile friendly, so a fully responsive, mobile-friendly website is imperative. Your website is your digital storefront, and having a website with thorough local SEO, a user-friendly design, and original content is essential to any effective digital marketing strategy. This is one area of advertising where you can’t afford to skimp on the cost!

Some Things Will Never Change

Even with a growing emphasis on technology, one thing will never change in real estate: the importance of quality print materials. In order to successfully market your personal brand as a real estate agent, you need the best quality business cards, door hangers, and other promotional materials at the best possible price. No matter what real estate company you represent, SureFactor has your business card and stationery templates ready and waiting for you. Just plug in your credentials and your order will be printed and shipped to you. We can help you whenever you need to update your marketing materials. Click here to get started. Wherever you invest time and energy in your marketing in 2017, we wish you all the best to a successful year in the real estate market.