The Changing Face of Real Estate

Why has Robert James Realty made such an impact on the Noosa property market?

It’s no secret we have attracted some of Noosa’s highest profile agents, backed by a very experienced Marketing, Administration and Property Management team.

Why do you think agents choose Robert James Realty?

In an unrivalled working environment, our understanding and commitment to create a real team atmosphere.  Understanding that real estate is changing and wanting to be part of a company that is progressive in its vision and development.

How is the Real Estate industry changing?

I think everyone is aware of the huge impact of the internet, with some industry sources claiming up to 85% of all property transactions researched online.

Does this mean there is no need for print media?

In the future this will almost certainly be the case but right now it is still hugely relevant.  Of the 85% who research online people are still driven by the internet from what they see in print media.

Why Lifestyle Magazine?

We believe it’s a high quality magazine that has longevity giving our clients more value for money.  This magazine can be found in coffee shops, lawyers, doctors, dentists etc. Taken home by holiday makers and travellers from Noosa.  Lifestyle magazines weekly distribution of over 24 000 gives every property the best possible coverage.

Marketing Online – Just put it on the internet

If only it were that simple! Presentation is the key, professional photography, video, etc. Do what you can to make your property stand out. Secondly, get your property out to the widest possible audience. Many people, including some agents think it is all about realestate.com.au and domain.com.au. Whilst these are undoubtedly the market leaders there are many others, for instance homesales.com.au has 650,000 unique browsers, 51% of whom do not use either of the main two websites. They also invest heavily in

google marketing making sure they appear near the top of all property searches.

How have you taken online marketing further?

Obviously everyone uses the main web portals realestate.com and domain.  We have now included feature properties on homesales.com.au for all of our listings. Also all our listings for sales and rentals are sent to 19 overseas sites showcasing to over 44 million buyers around the globe. We further list on 7 other Australian websites including the REIQ website. By far the biggest development will be social media. We have employed our own specialists in this field. We now upload all our listings to facebook, twitter, pinterest and google where we are enjoying increasingly strong results.

The impact of social media marketing is huge and whether you use it or not it is here to stay in many formats.

How will social media impact on Noosa Property?

Being a transient area and obviously a fantastic holiday destination people are often staying in contact with family and friends. Through word of mouth an area can become very popular.  Our offices actually received a written offer via facebook last week which was negotiated to a successful sale.  With 1.1 billion facebook and twitter users, in fact in Noosa there are over 35000 facebook users – why miss out.

Finally – What tips would you give to someone selling today?

Present your property as best you can and get it out to the widest possible audience.  A poorly marketed property can cost you thousands on the eventual sale price. Compare the services being offered. Very often ‘free’ will end up costing you.