The Ross Report – Market Update – October 2016

Eric & Debra Ross ROSS REALTY GROUP Keller Williams Eric – 805.300.1626 Debra – 805.797.4502 BRE# 01956945 | 01938660

4 Tips for Making the Most of Your Local Farmers Market

In many areas, farmers markets are teeming with fresh, locally sourced foods during the autumn months. From the countryside to large cities, farmers markets have surged in popularity in recent years, as they offer a fun and engaging atmosphere in which to shop for healthy foods at reasonable prices. However, many shoppers enjoy the market-going experience, but leave nearly empty-handed—or find themselves allowing the products they purchase to wither away once at home.

If you are planning to visit your local farmer’s market this season, here are a few tips for making the most of the experience:

1. Seek out the produce that is in season in your area. Fresh food is one of the main reasons to visit farmer’s markets, so focusing on seasonal items will likely yield the greatest enjoyment.
2. Meal plan before your trip to the market. Once you know which products you are likely to encounter, you can research recipes and plan meals incorporating those ingredients. In addition to helping the week’s meal times run more efficiently, meal planning will reduce the likelihood of wasting the products you buy at the market. Remember that because they are fresh and unprocessed, many products that you find at the farmers market are tastier than their grocery store counterparts. Therefore, simple recipes that showcase the product’s natural flavor will help you reap maximum enjoyment from your farmers market bounty.
3. Talk to the vendors. Unlike the standard grocery shopping experience, part of the thrill of going to farmer’s markets is interacting with the vendors manning the stands. Often, these individuals are the farmers themselves, and they will be eager to share information on which products are freshest, tips on how to prepare or store them, and even recipes. However, do not feel pressured to buy something that you know you won’t like; vendors are accustomed to people browsing without buying anything, so they should not be offended if you choose not to make a purchase.
4. Remember to bring sturdy bags or a cart to ensure that your purchases survive the trip home.

Real Estate in the Digital Age: How Technology Can Help Sell Your Home

From dating to banking to entertainment, technology shapes every aspect of modern life. Therefore, it is unsurprising that technology has revolutionized the real estate industry—and in the race to attract buyers, sellers and agents who do not leverage the latest tech trends risk falling behind the competition.

According to the National Association of Realtors, 89 percent of today’s buyers use online tools as they search for a home. Given this statistic, it is crucial that listings include high-resolution, professionally shot photos in order to pique buyers’ interest as they scroll through multiple online listings. Beyond appealing pictures, here are some ways to secure a quick and profitable home sale through the use of technology:

• Allow buyers to virtually explore your home through 3D tours and videos. Videos—complete with music and narration—offer an engaging way to showcase a home, while 3D tours enable buyers to “walk” through the home room to room. By essentially allowing prospective buyers to enter the home from afar, these immersive features provide a more realistic experience than photos alone.

• Include interactive maps on the listing. A property’s location is one of the key considerations for buyers. Some buyers desire homes in close proximity to shopping, dining, and entertainment, while others prefer quiet neighborhoods with ample space between properties. By ensuring that listings have interactive maps that highlight the features surrounding a home, buyers are able to focus on their preferred types of communities without having to arrange in-person property tours.

• Help buyers envision themselves living in your home through virtual staging. In order to consider making an offer on a property, most buyers must be able to picture themselves actually occupying the home and tailoring it to fit their unique styles and needs. Home staging is a popular way to facilitate this effect. In the digital age, virtual staging has emerged as an easier and far less expensive alternative to traditional staging, which requires the rental and strategic display of furniture and other decor. By contrast, professional virtual stagers skillfully alter photos of a home by superimposing more attractive furnishings, paint colors, lighting, and more, allowing buyers to see the property at its best without generating excessive costs for sellers or agents.

• Give buyers a birds’-eye view of your property with drone photography. While 3D tours and videos invite buyers to digitally enter your home, drone photography offers an aerial perspective. While it is a particularly useful tool for showcasing homes that are set on large lots or boast impressive views, drone photography imbues any property with an air of grandeur. If you choose this medium, be sure to tidy your property before the photo shoot, removing debris in the yard or objects on the driveway that could detract from the quality of the images.

• Ask your realtor about his or her social media strategy. Most realtors maintain Facebook pages, where they share photos and information on their active listings. However, social media is constantly evolving as a marketing tool, and other platforms—including Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter—can be used to exponentially increase your home’s exposure to potential buyers. Sites like YouTube are also powerful platforms for posting videos of your home.

Got questions? We have answers. Contact The Ross Realty Group at Keller Williams. Get the facts without the pressure. Connect with us at www.aGreatListingAgent.com and call or text 805-300-1626.

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