Information is power, especially when it comes to real estate investing on foreign soil. You have to know the area, the schools around, transport, new developments planned and real estate laws that apply. Staying ahead therefore means you have to do considerable research. However you look at it, you’ll find that having a local realtor is still the best way to get important information you need. Here are five things a local real estate agent will help you with if you wish to buy a home abroad.

1.     Local pricing.

The important thing with buying or selling real estate is price. How do you assess the ‘fair’ value of a property in another location? You have to rely on data from comparable properties. The price of a similar property in the next town may be lower than the price in your current city, for example. Real estate agents have access to such data, given their access to the MLS and can help you determine if what you’re paying for a property is ‘fair’.

2.     Get pre-approved for mortgage.

Sellers give more preference to pre-approved buyers and you might be able to lock in a favorable rate with your bank. You need an agent’s help when getting pre-approved for mortgage. They have gone through the process many times before and can be of invaluable help.

3.     Help find catalysts.

One sign that an area is coming up and that will be desirable in the future is the development of new infrastructures. When you see new roads and built schools, it is a sign that the community is ready for growth. Investing in a growing community can be very profitable.(check how to spot a developing market). In addition, certain types of development, such as new shopping malls, can be extremely attractive to home buyers, and can also help keep the tax base low. Real estate agents have a general idea of ??what new projects are about to take off.

4.     Explore low-tax alternatives

If there are two cities side by side - one with high property taxes (or the progressive increase in property taxes) and the other with low property taxes - the one with the lowest taxes will usually be more in demand.

Real estate agents can help you determine which areas have the best and worst tax structures. Also look to see if a revaluation is set to take place in the near future as it may mean that property taxes are about to rise.

5.     Check school rankings.

Almost all states rank their schools for how well students in each district benefit from math and English tests. Sharp investors should look for schools that are moving up or are at the top of the list. These areas are often desirable for parents. Access to quality education is a great selling point for new home buyers. Agents have access to this information.

The bottom line: Doing your homework, getting free information and putting in the leg work alone might not do the job. A local real estate agent is an invaluable resource when looking to buy property abroad. 

A memorable real estate slogan can keep you top on the minds of prospects. Your slogan defines your business, forms an element of all your marketing materials and can be what people associate with you. For Scott Geller, a RE/MAX realtor in Jamison, Pa, with the slogan "Scott Geller, the home seller",  some people probably think his slogan is his real full name. The name and occupation awareness brought him so much business that after a while, he didn't need to advertise to the general public, he had enough repeat customers and referrals.

A clever, memorable slogan forms part of your identity. While a good slogan can transform your business; a bad one can harm your business and reputation. Hence you should put more effort into developing the right slogan for your real estate business. Here are a few things good real estate slogans can do for your business.

1. Help you appeal to customer emotions

2. Highlights your customer service or care.

3. Reflects your business's personality and character.

4. It is memorable; stays long in the mind of prospects.

Let's look at twenty great real estate slogans and some reasons why they are effective.

20 EFFECTIVE REAL ESTATE SLOGANS

One important thing slogans and taglines do is helping to distinguish you from the competition. According to Dictionary.com, a slogan is a distinctive cry that separates you from everything else. So, the most important thing you want to maintain is the individuality of your slogan. Here are 20 real estate slogans that work. You can put your creative gear in motion and use these examples to craft something effective for your real estate business.

1. Sell for More. Buy for less.

2. A Track record that speaks for itself.

3. The Realtor for You.

4. Turning Dreams into Reality

5. Doing Everything but the packing

6. Your Dream Home awaits.

7. Helping San Diego find where to live.

8. Experts in the local market.

9. Your concern is my priority

10. The agent that works harder after the closing papers are signed.

11. A tradition of (excellence, trust, service).

12. A cut above the rest.

13. Helping New Yorkers move since 1983.

14. I'm never too busy for your referrals.

15. Going above and beyond

16. Beautiful L.A homes

17. Helping clients get more home for less money

18. Beautiful places to live.

19. Helping you close for less.

20. Turning transactions into relationships.

What these slogans have in common are that:

1. They focus on the client. Your prospects do not care about you or your business. They want to know how you can help them. Having a real estate slogan that clearly states how you can help them gets you points. Keep your slogans around your clients and you'll keep them around longer.

2. Non-generic. Although you should look around and examine trends in your market and incorporate these in your real estate marketing, don't forget to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Is your slogan helping you stand out?

3. Memorable. Effective slogans have a musical memorability around them. Quality slogans are short phrases that are easily remembered.

Having a high quality real estate slogan will keep you in the minds of clients for a long time.

The most important aspect of agent-client relationship is communication. A house seller or buyer can find it stressful dealing with an agent or buyer who is not a good communicator. An agent that stays in constant contact with clients and answers their questions proves his or her proactivity.

Yes you need to let buyers and sellers know where they stand quickly so they can move on to another property or potential buyer. Real estate is time sensitive. Buyers and sellers need the right information and need it fast. Hence, one of the qualities of a good agent is the ability to give the right information to the right kind of buyer at the right time. What an experienced agent might deem insignificant information might be important information to clients who are new to the real estate game. Putting the right information in front of clients communicate that you're an agent who puts clients first.

It's the responsibility of a good agent to sort out what clients need to know and provide this information. Hence it's important that an agent has a well updated website complete with valuable information. You don't really need to pressure your clients with too much information. Just the right information will do. Here are five content types that real estate buyers and sellers find valuable.

REAL ESTATE CONTENT TYPES THAT WORK

When correctly done, real estate content marketing can be a game changer for your real estate business. You have the chance to attract thousands of new leads through well-researched, helpful content. This is why effective real estate bloggers put a lot of plan and effort into creating the right content for their real estate website. Here are some of the real estate content types you should be posting for your real estate business.

1. Market Reports. Writing a recap of real estate activity in your community for the month shows you as a knowledgeable real estate agent in the community. Buyers and sellers want to be informed about the real estate market in their area of residence. Even if they aren't going to take action immediately, when you post fact-based market reports, they know whom to approach for questions. Also, Google ranks market reports high. Since few realtors are posting them, your posts have less competition.

2. Local Community Information. A local community guide includes details about a neighborhood such as detailed information about the local real estate market, local economy, housing and population, local school information, parks and restaurants and attractions. This type of content is important because it increases your real estate website's SEO value and helps the area residents see that you have strong knowledge of the community.

3. Home buyer and seller tips. Both buyers and sellers have a lot of questions on their minds about real estate. Providing helpful information on your site can be timely and help you gain more leads. However, when covering the questions, your visitors would find it much more helpful if you cover the topic in 'extreme' detail and they'll love you for it.

Cold calling for sale by owners or door knocking is old school. A much better way of gaining trust and new leads is through helpful content.  When you consistently post content that real estate buyers and sellers love, you'll start reaping the benefits of real estate content marketing.