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Today, people are on their smart phones and tablets looking for their next home before they ever actually step foot in it. They visit sites like Trulia, Yelp, Facebook and other favorites every day. So you need to have some strategies to help get them off their phones and into your open house. You can have a huge Social Media following and list every home your selling online but if you’re not getting them into the actual house what good is it doing you? Here are a few ways to get them off their phones and into your homes!

1. Invite Away
You are going to want to invite your followers on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and so on. It is very easy to create an event on Facebook for any open house you are setting up. Head to Facebook.com/events and you’re ready to roll. Is just sending an invite really enough though? Take this idea farther, make it fun and help convert your Likers into visitors. Use your Social Media and post a coupon on your Facebook page instructing people to print it out, bring it with them and they will get a $10 Gift Card to Home Depot. Or tell them to share the post and they will be entered into a drawing that will take place at the open house and they must be present to win. You get the idea.

2. Check In
Sites where people can check in with their location like Yelp, Foursquare and Facebook can also help you get the word out. Not to mention these sites have mobile apps making it much easier to check in. Offer your attendees an incentive to check into your event, like a gift card for a free car wash or to the local coffee hang out. Make sure to advertise your check in incentive on any print collateral you may hand out and your other social media sites. QR codes can also be used with this promotion idea. Set up a QR Code that links to one of the Check in sites making it easier for people to get to on their mobile devices.

3. What, When & Where
With all the online avenues available to you these days to advertise your homes it can quickly get confusing what you’re saying where. Have an online marketing plan, know what you want to say, when you want to say it and where. All these sites can work together for you to get actual people through your doors more effectively when you have an organized plan.  If you get more serious with utilizing Social Media for your events setting up a calendar will help you keep track of what your posting when and on what media.

After such a great response from our recent blog, The Best Apps for Your Home, we thought a post highlighting Apps that no home buyer should meet their Realtor without would be helpful and interesting for you. So here are 4 great Apps to put on your smart phones and tablets that can help you organize your thoughts and search for a new home.

House Hunter ($3.99 for iPhone)
This useful App will help you get all your ducks in a row. Or homes, in this case. Organize your notes, photos and what’s important to you in each house that you look at during your purchasing process. You can easily see what features were in each home you looked at. Don’t forget after the 7th house you you walk into what the first one looked like. With features like a mortgage calculator, photo center and a great tool that lets you share notes with your Realtor, you won’t want to look for a home without this House Hunter.

Genius Scan (FREE for iPhone and $1.99 for Genius+ version)
You can’t resist this App that puts a little document scanner right in your pocket to bring around with you where ever your house hunting adventures may lead you. Snap a quick photo with your phone’s camera and then email it to anyone as a PDF of JPEG document. Faxing is so last year. This handy little hand held helper will save you time and possibly gas since you can email your contract documents to where ever they may need to go.

SpringPad (Free for iPhone)
An App for the need to get organized among us. It will help you keep track of everything you want to remember about anything to do with purchasing your new home. Save interior design ideas, scan a barcode for that grill you have to have on your new deck or save a to do list from your Realtor. Create categories for your important items and much more. You will have everything with you on your phone when it’s needed.

Dictionary of Real Estate Terms ($1.99 for iPhone)
Feel “in the know” with the real estate jargon of the world in the palm of your hand. Don’t be left out of the conversation as you walk through your possible new home and hear words like absorption rate and abstractor. Whip out this App and have over 3,100 terms to reference and charts to study. Be that savvy home buyer that knows what’s going on and what that foreign looking verbiage on your loan document means.

There is something new coming to the The Vineyards at Bennett’s Creek Square this spring. Along with the Club House & Pool that we broke ground on this week and will be open for Memorial Day weekend, we’re rolling out a (Nouveau) product line. These homes will be priced in the low $200′s and be geared for the first time home buyer. These Attached Quad Homes will feature 9 foot first floor ceilings, a private patio for each home, gas fireplace, 1 car garage and 4 different model types to choose from. The Atwood Model shown below with The Laurent Model next door, will be a 2 bedroom home and The Laurent, a 3 Bedroom. This series will bring a new dynamic to The Vineyards. Giving the buyer a choice between our current 1 level product,  The Signature Series and The Nouveau Series which will offer 2 floors. Construction has already begun on the new sales models and we expect to be up and running in June! So stay tuned and come visit these new additions.

Take a look at some of the renderings and floorplans for these homes.

The Catalina and The Laurent are 3 bedroom models.

Want to know more about these new homes? Gives us a call: 757-435-6936 or send us an EMAIL. with your questions. We would love to hear from you. Really!

Standing out from the the crowd is something you hear a lot about these days with the housing market the way it is. Whether you’re a new home builder or Realtor, there’s certainly a lot of pressure to “Be Different.” But here’s the million dollar question. How? What can you do to stand out over everyone else selling homes in your area? Here are a few helpful tips and ideas that might help you get started on the road to differentiation and more homes sold!

1. Know where you are.
You need to take a step back and look at what the market is doing in your area. Don’t pay attention to what they’re saying on the national news. Narrow down the specific communities you’re selling in and the area you’re around the most. What do buyers and people in your market think is important when it comes to buying a home, or even real estate in general. But most importantly you want to find out what other Realtors are not doing and do it. Find a hole that no one else is filling and be that plug! There are so many Realtors that are online but you won’t remember half of them. Why? No one is going to remember something that looks like everything else.

2. Choose your brand and stay consistent.
Brand choice and consistency is very important if you want to rise above the sea of sameness. Your potential clients need to recognize it’s you when they see…well, you. Think about all the major companies out in the world today. Coke, Amazon, Google… I’m sure you can name a few more. Each one of these monsters has something unique they offer that helps them stand out from their competition and a brand that defines who they are as a company. After you have surveyed your market and defined what you offer as a Realtor that others don’t make sure everything you do reflects that. This will help you develop what you need to stand out from the crowd. Add it to all of your advertising, business cards and website. This unique offer, idea or “brand” will help buyers recognize your face as one that is better and more reliable then the next guy.

3. Get out there and get noticed!
Of course there are the obvious things you can do as a Realtor to stand out. What you need to start thinking about is using avenues that other Realtors are not. Social Media is one tool that can help you rise above your competitors. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube can get your listings and you where buyers are looking these days, online. If done correctly a well organized Social Media plan can help pump your business and only take 30 or so minutes out of your day. Learn more from our blog 3 Mistakes with Social Media & Real Estate. Another advertising tool that realtors tend to forget about is Public Relations. Get to know your local reporters from the newspaper and news stations. Let them know you’re an overflowing wealth of knowledge when it comes to real estate. When that reporter is looking for a local expert to comment on housing prices, new neighborhoods and so on, who will they turn to? Why you of course! Pushing your name front and center alone with your career.

4. Change with the times.
You really never will know it all. Even the best Realtors out there who are the top producers in their area will always have new things to learn. If you were to tell a Realtor 10 years ago where the market was going to be today and how technology has changed the way people buy homes it would blow their minds. (It blows ours daily).  The realtors that will be around next year and the one after that are going to be the ones who understand that their role is changing and they’re going to need to embrace the NEW. Develop a love of learning. If a new technology or idea comes out don’t think of it as a negative or just one more thing you need to learn. Instead, look at is as a new way to reach your clients! Embrace Social Media, smart phones, texting technologies and so on, because you know what? Your clients are.

We know, we know, it’s still a few months till spring and this post may be jumping the gun a bit or maybe we’re rushing the warmer weather. Either way, here are a few of our Home Care Tips to help get your home it tip top shape and ready for the spring. 

Don’t be Afraid to Get Dirty!

Everyone loves to see all the new flowers that pop out in the spring, so make sure your yard is ready for them. Get that rake out and rid your beds of leaves and other leftover winter debris that could prevent those little flowers from making their grand entrance. Use a hoe to work up and loosen the soil, and mix in compost for nutrients. These steps will ensure healthy new beautiful flowers that would make any neighbor jealous! Take a look at some spring flower options for your garden HERE.

I have a Deck?

Yup, that awesome deck you have in your back yard that you haven’t been able to utilize all winter needs some love! Inspect the wood for stains, discolorations, or warping. If you find any you may want to consider resealing it. You can check to see if your old sealant application still works by pouring some water onto the dry deck and check to see that it beads up. Most deck-sealer manufacturers recommend resealing annually, but if there are no immediate problems, you can likely wait until the following spring to reseal. Check for any sharp edges, splintered or rotting wood that could cause problems, no one wants a splinter. Ouch! Also look for rusting nails or any that are coming out of the wood. Railings and stairs are another good think to take a peak at, don’t need anyone toppling off. Home Depot has everything you need for your deck this spring, check it out HERE.

Your Friendly Water Heater

Your water heater is always there for you when you need that hot water for your shower so take a minute and check it for leaks. The average lifespan of a water heater is 8-12 years. If your water heater is over 5 years old, it should be checked monthly for any leakage or rusting at the bottom. If rust or water leakage is found, don’t panic but the water heater should be replaced. Do you have harder water? If you do there may be a need to drain your water heater because of the sediment buildup in the tank that can happen.

It’s Still Hot in Here….

The last thing you want to have happen when you flip on your A/C for that first 80 degree day this season is…nothing. Make sure to have a qualified HVAC contractor come out to give your air-conditioning system a tune-up. Who doesn’t want to help lower their energy bills? Also make sure to inspect your system’s condensation drain hose as well. This hose could become clogged with all sorts of nasty things. You can clean this out yourself and save some money if you use a wet-vac to suction any blockage out from it.

For a look at some of Napolitano’s other Home Care Tips click HERE.

Meet the Coventry! This home is currently for sale in our Virginia Beach Community, Sajo Farm and also happens to be our Home of the Month for January. Which means there are extra incentives for our Home Buyers. We are offering $10,000 towards closing costs and more till the end of the month! Sajo Farm is an award winning Virginia Beach Community with unique craftsman style homes.

The community is located just off of Diamond Springs Rd., a great location if you are working at the Little Creek Amphibious Base or close to Town Center Virginia Beach. The Coventry is one of Napolitano’s Manor Home Models in Sajo Farm. These homes are known in Virginia Beach for their affordable pricing and open floor plans. This Coventry model offers 2 stories, a large gourmet kitchen with Island, a covered back porch and cathedral ceilings in the Master Suite. Not to mention all the amenities that Sajo Farm offers as a community!

1125 Front Street • Virginia Beach, VA 23455
4 Bedrooms • 2.5 Bathrooms • 2 car garage • 2,648 sq. ft.

Want to see The Coventry with your own eyes? Give us a call and schedule a personal tour of the home with one of our Sales Associates at Sajo Farm 757.435.6936 or send us an EMAIL with your questions.

Meet The Vineyards at Bennett’s Creek Square. 1 of 5 Napolitano Homes Communities located in Suffolk, Virginia. These homes are very conveniently positioned right off of Shoulders Hill Rd. and around the corner from Route 17. This community currently consists of attached single level homes starting in the mid $200′s. But Napolitano will be unveiling a new product line later this year. (We’ll save that for another blog). These homes boast open and spacious floorplans, with a private patio area and a 2 car garage for each unit.

Napolitano Homes has decided to move up the construction date for the clubhouse and community center at The Vineyards. Originally, construction was not scheduled to start until the community as a whole had reached 25% completion but plans to break ground in the next month are under way. So you can definitely expect to see some action out there as the new building starts to takes shape. To the left is a computer rendering for the exterior of the building and pool area located in the back, as well as an inside shot of the main common area. Where everyone can gather and enjoy the gas fireplace and kitchen area. Inside the clubhouse there will also be a small fitness center and lots of space to enjoy time with your neighbors and friends. It will be built in a central location towards the left side of the community. You can find out more about this community on our Vineyard’s Community Page.

The Community Center will be up and running for the homeowners at The Vineyards for the summer of 2012.

Social Media is in and on everything these days. You can’t look at a print ad or visit a website without the Twitter bird flying out or seeing the familiar Facebook symbols. But it seems like the big question for people with business or in this case with real-estate to sell is: “How can all these sites help me sell my homes? First off, I think it’s important to say right off the bat, that just using Social Media will not sell your homes. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Flicker, Google+ and so on, are not the undiscovered Holy Grail for real-estate sales. What they can do, if used correctly, is two-fold. They will give a personal voice to you and your business and get what you’re selling where people are looking. Gone are the days where you can run a newspaper ad and be done.

Buyers are online everyday, everywhere, all the time. Using these Social Media sites with your other forms of marketing and creating a unified plan will help you sell. But what we wanted to talk to you about are some very common mistakes many real estate agents make when using Social Media.

There’s an app for that right? Seems like there’s an app for everything these days and your home is no exception. We have gone through some of the top Home Apps out there for your smart phones and tablets and put together some of our favorites. Everything from matching your wall paint with that red pillow on your couch to finally really finding out if that picture your husband hung is actually straight. Did you know there are Apps out there that can help you make sure you’re up to date with all the latest interior design trends and that can help you price out that power tool you’ve been eyeing?

iHandy Carpenter ($1.99 for iPhone)
This is the first no weight tool kit! It offers 5 tools in 1 App: Plumb Bob, Surface Level, Bubble Level Bar, Steel Protractor and Steel Ruler. This is great for picture hanging and those on the spot jobs where you just can’t be bother to run out to the garage and hunt down that huge level you have somewhere.

Sherwin Williams Color Snap (Free for iPhone)
This is our personal favorite! You can take any object in your life (well almost any object) and this App will match the color of that object for you with a paint color.  Get inspired and use this to help you plan out your next big design job. You can also use this App to research paint colors you already know you want and to help you put together color schemes.

Dream Home ($.99 for iPhone)
Ever wonder what that piece of furniture or latest design trend would look like in your living room? Dream Home will help you visualize all of that. It’s specially designed for you to help integrate the latest interior design trends into your life and home. Take photos, move furniture around and look at colors for the different rooms in your home.

The Home Depot (Free for iPhone)
The Home Depot just got smarter with this App. Research and purchase all your home tools and needs online. You can browse and shop for appliances, bath, building materials, decor, doors and windows, electrical and so on! Now when you’re in the store you can also scan items to obtain product information and inventory status as well.

You may have noticed a little extra holiday cheer on our website in the last few days. Well, it’s because Napolitano Homes is putting a little something more in your stocking when you purchase a new home this Holiday Season! We all could use a little extra pocket money for those gifts that need to be bought this year right? At our Suffolk Community: The Vineyards at Bennett’s Creek Square, we are giving you $10,000 towards your closing costs if you purchase one of our inventory homes. For some of our other inventory homes throughout Hampton Roads we are offering $5,000 towards your closing costs.* But you’ll need to take a look around our website to find these! Just keep any eye out for the little sprigs of holly and money signs. HINT check out our Move-In Ready homes. Napolitano Homes wants everyone to have a fantastic holiday season and helping you and your family get into a beautiful new home in time for 2012 would definitely bring us joy. Happy Holidays from our family to yours and very Happy New Year!


*$10,000 toward closings costs can only be applied to Napolitano Inventory at The Vineyards. All other inventory will receive $5,000 in closing cost assistance. To receive closing cost assistance on the purchase of a Napolitano Inventory Home buyer must use a Napolitano Homes Preferred Lender. Money assistance for buyer closing costs can only be applied towards builder approved closings costs. See a Napolitano Homes Sales Associate or send us an EMAIL to request a copy of our builder approved closing costs.