SA Hometraders May Newsletter

Dear Subscriber

Welcome to the SA Hometrader’s Newsletter for May. The Reserve Bank’s decision to hike interest rates yet again and the domino effect inevitably set in motion with the rise in fuel prices is bound to create even more negative sentiment, which we all know has a direct influence on the property market. There are experts who say this is merely a natural period of consolidation sped up by a world economy in crisis. Whatever the case, SA Hometraders understands now more than ever the need to remain at the forefront of innovative online property marketing, ensuring that your product has the best possible reach.

In this newsletter:

• Updates on current activity;
• Information on our cutting-edge new features;
• Advice on recent technical issues.

SA Hometraders is proud to provide top of the range creative marketing services. If you have not already taken advantage of what we have to offer, please click here for more information.

If you have any queries regarding our various products or services, please don’t hesitate to email us at sales@sahometraders.co.za.

Yours in online marketing

The SA Hometraders Team

Subscriber Update

• Your Own Website

With the property market ever tightening, it’s vital that you keep ahead of your competitors. When it comes to marketing property online, the ultimate advantage lies in having your own website, as this allows you to showcase your entire portfolio. Listing properties on multiple sites extends your reach, resulting in a much higher turnover rate. Have a look at some of the new sites we’ve designed recently.

Welcome aboard:

Cape Homes – www.capehomes.co.za

Realtors International – www.realtorsinternational.co.za

Out the Box Realty – www.outtheboxrealty.co.za

Bowring Estates – www.bowringestates.co.za

Gilbert Estates – www.gilbert-estates.co.za

My Own Property – www.myownproperty.co.za

Plovers Realty and Simply Letting are currently under development.

Click here to find out more about the SA Hometraders offering.

• Listings on Regional Sites

You will be interested to know that SA Hometraders is in the process of developing a number of regional sites. This means that your properties can now be listed dynamically on up to 11 different websites should you be active in specific areas, including your personal site, the SA Hometraders website, SA Rentals, SA Developments, SA Farmtraders, SA Commercial Property, Property Genie, iafrica and various others.

Examples of the regional sites are:

www.capetownpropertyforsale.co.za

www.overbergpropertyforsale.co.za

www.durbanpropertyforsale.co.za

www.johannesburgpropertyforsale.co.za

If you would like more information or have a regional site that you would like developed, please feel free to contact us.

• Purging Old Listings

Please be advised that we will soon be deleting sales and rentals listings over a year old. A further reminder will be sent out in due course to remind you to update any listings that are still current.

• Legal Update

C & A Friedlander Attorneys have provided us with an update on Wills and Estate Planning this month. “I am sure that you are familiar with the saying that nothing is certain in life, other than death and taxes. For this reason, if for no other, it is important to ensure that one’s Will is up to date…”

Click here to view the full article.

New Features

• Deeds Lookup

We felt it necessary to reiterate the fact that there is a deeds lookup access service option being developed in the back office. If you have any feedback or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

• Photo Guide

The success of marketing a property online is often determined by how well the gallery images have been taken. A guide on How to Take Decent Photos of Real Estate has been compiled and a link is available to subscribers in the back office.

The guide provides valuable tips on:

Operating Your Camera: exposure, lens and model

How to Take a Good Photo: staging, highlighting, composing and timing.

Marketing Services

A brainchild of the Millennium, SA Hometraders now has over 600 subscribers, marketing 23000 properties for sale, 4000 rentals and a selection of farms, businesses and commercial developments. At SA Hometraders, we realise that real estate agencies are increasingly choosing to invest in alternative forms of advertising. Our goal is to meet that demand with progressive online marketing ideas and state-of-the-art design features.

There is also a heightened awareness of the importance of having a database of contacts that is up-to-date. This database consists of past and potential clients with whom you wish to remain in regular contact. Ideally, the list should be expanded and updated on an ongoing basis.

SA Hometraders has created a range of innovative products to ensure maximum reach:

• List Management
• Monthly/Quarterly Newsletter
• Electronic Signatures
• Newsflashes
• Various SMS Options

We would be happy to design an appropriate package to suit your particular needs. Please feel free to call us on 086 110 2379 or email sales@sahometraders should you require our services or any other information.

Should you be in the process of setting up a similar arrangement elsewhere, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a competitive option.

Agency Website Design and Hosting

In addition to the national site, SA Hometraders has designed over 180 agency sites. These sites are template based, but are personalized in terms of look, feel, branding and any additional information that may be required.

SA Hometraders designs agency sites at a once-off all-inclusive cost of R3876. Thereafter, there is a monthly stipend of R171 for website hosting, plus the applicable monthly subscription payments. Agencies have two options when it comes to monthly subscription: either R228 p/m for up to 10 listings, or R399 p/m for unlimited listings. All costs include VAT.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this option, take a look at some of the sites that we have designed:

www.roseeedes.co.za

www.falsebayproperties.co.za

www.tasselberry.co.za

www.citihomes.co.za

www.lammeestates.co.za

www.airsandgraces.co.za

We look forward to hearing from you and are more than happy to discuss further detail telephonically, or where practical, it can be arranged for us to call on you. You can email us at sales@sahometraders.co.za.

If you would like to buy or sell property in South Africa, please visit www.sahometraders.co.za.

SA Hometraders March Newsletter

Dear Valued Subscriber

Welcome to the SA Hometraders’ Newsletter for March. With the current property market experiencing such tight conditions, SA Hometraders understands the need to develop innovative marketing tools that stretch above and beyond the norm.

Our newsletter provides:

* valuable information on current activity;
* updates on our exciting new features;
* advice on various technical issues that you might experience.

We offer cutting edge online marketing services, so click here if you’re interested in finding out more.

If you have any queries or would simply like information, please feel free to email us at sales@sahometraders.co.za. We wish you all a productive month ahead.

Yours in Online Marketing
SAhometraders Team

Contents
1. Subscriber Updates
2. New Website Features
3. Technical Issues

Subscriber Update

Fresh blood

SA Hometraders is pleased to welcome two new members to the team: Jason Smit will contribute his exceptional graphic design and marketing expertise and Alana McVey will be responsible for invigorating the content on the site. Having been thrown in the deep end, it’s safe to say that both members are now out of armbands and learning to paddle..


Legal Update

C & A Friedlander has kindly offered to provide interesting and informative legal updates for our newsletter. This month, the update is centred on Important Information for Buyers and Sellers.

“For transfers make provision for extras such as post and petties, Rates Clearance Certificate or a Levy Clearance Certificate (R1000). For bonds make provision for extras such as post and petties, Deeds Office fees and Bank

Initiation fees (R2000 – R5700)...” If you would like to access the full article, please click here.


Holiday rentals

There is now an option to extend the description fields for those properties listed as holiday rentals. It would be worthwhile for prospective clients to know more about the accommodation available. If you are interested in making use of this option, please click here to see an example.


How to drive traffic to your website

In order to take full advantage of your website, you constantly need to drive traffic towards it. There are a number of simple ways to do this, such as advertising your web address, including it on your stationary, highlighting it on your show boards and promoting it on your motor vehicles. Another effective marketing tool is to include your web address in your emails and send frequent updates and news articles to your database of past and potential clients. We also suggest updating your website as often as possible. Of course, if all else fails, you could always employ a recent university graduate and put them to work with a sandwich board.


New Website Features

SMS notifications

There is a new feature on the site that allows potential buyers to send an SMS request to an agent when viewing a listed property that they are interested in. SMSes are charged at 50c each and can be bought in bundles of 300. This is an innovative and convenient marketing tool and we strongly suggest that you make use of the option.


Start your own listing network

There is an excellent opportunity for agencies to create listing networks amongst themselves. Essentially, this would involve sharing listings and drawing reports on property for sale or property that has already been sold. Every time that a property is added, updated or sold, each member of the network is sent a notification This helps reduce the general administration of multi-listings and allows agencies to share information and stay informed on an ongoing basis. The service is offered at absolutely no cost, so if you’re interested, please don’t hesitate to contact us.


Reports on people who enquire about your properties

The details of the person making the enquiry on any of your listings are automatically added to the agency’s contacts database. This means that you simultaneously gain potential new business and build up your future client database.



Technical Issues

New Age Communication

Skype contact details can now be added to your agent or office profile. This is an excellent tool in terms of communicating effectively with clients at a fraction of the cost. You can add your skype address to your agent’s profile using the back-office, but if you would like to the update the office details then you need to contact us and we will be happy to do it for you.

Tip: If you aren’t sure how to go about downloading Skype, all you need to do is visit http://www.skype.com/and follow the simple download prompts. You will need to invest in a pair of headphones with a microphone if you are interested in using the voice over option.


Rentals Summary Listings


Agents who have a website hosted by SA Hometraders are now able to add their contact details to rentals summary listings. Thanks go to Citihomes for bringing this to our attention.


Rental Property

The “Let By Us” Sticker on rental property now reads: “Sorry Rented Out”. Thanks to Rose Eedes and Joan Homes for that.


Marketing Services Now Available

Formed 7 years ago, SA Hometraders now has over 600 subscribers, 23000 properties for sale, 4000 rentals and a diverse selection of farms and commercial developments. At SA Hometraders, we realise that real estate agencies are increasingly choosing to invest in alternative forms of advertising. Our goal is to meet that demand with progressive online marketing ideas and state-of-the-art design features.

There is also a heightened awareness of the importance of having a database of contacts that is up-to-date. This database should consist of a list of contacts, including past and potential buyers with whom you wish to remain in regular contact. Ideally, this list would be developed and expanded on an ongoing basis.


SA Hometraders has created a range of innovative products to ensure maximum reach:

1. List Management
2. Monthly/Quarterly Newsletter
3. Electronic Signatures
4. Newsflashes
5. Various SMS Options

We would be happy to design an appropriate package to suit your particular needs. Please feel free to call us on 086 110 2379 or email sales@sahometraders should you require our services or any other information.

Should you be in the process of setting up a similar arrangement elsewhere, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a competitive option.

Agency Website Design and Hosting


In addition to the national site, SA Hometraders has designed over 180 agency sites. These sites are template based, but are personalized in terms of look, feel, branding and any additional information that may be required.

A major benefit of investing in this option is that properties listed on the agency website will automatically be listed on http://www.sahometraders.co.za/. This gives you the unique prospect of having numerous sites working for you simultaneously. Your properties are listed on the SA Hometraders website, as well as http://www.sarental.co.za/, http://www.sadevelopments.co.za/ and http://www.safarmtraders.co.za/, should you be active in these areas. There is then the added benefit of a regional listing on http://www.capetownpropertyforsale.co.za/, which attracts a good deal of its own traffic. This is extremely beneficial in terms of obtaining maximum reach and exposure of your product without the burden of having to list each property more than once.


SA Hometraders designs agency sites at a once-off cost of R3300 and a charge of R114 is levied for domain registration. Thereafter, there is a monthly stipend of R171 for website hosting, plus the applicable monthly subscription payments. Agencies have two options when it comes to monthly subscription: either R228 p/m for up to 10 listings, or R399 p/m for unlimited listings.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this option, have a look at some of the sites that we have designed:

* http://www.joanhomes.co.za/
* http://www.citihomes.co.za/
* http://www.roseeedes.co.za/
* http://www.upton.co.za/
* http://www.coastalrealestate.co.za/
* http://www.durrestates.co.za/


We look forward to hearing from you and are more than happy to discuss further detail telephonically, or where practical, it can be arranged for us to call on you. You can email us at sales@sahometraders.co.za


Contact Us

* Tel: +27 (0)86 110 2379
* Fax: +27(0)86 604 7829
* Email: sales@sahometraders.co.za
* Web: http://www.sahometraders.co.za/