Looking to write a great real estate guide book? To be a successful real estate agent, you must show potential customers that you’re a trustworthy source of information about the local area, including its economy, its schools, and its housing market. One way to do that is to write and print a real estate guide book.
- Why You Need a Real Estate Guide Book
- Who Lives There?
- Support Local Businesses in Your Real Estate Guide Book
- Know Your Audience
- Include Home Prices in Your Real Estate Guide Book
- Offer a Good Mix
- Use Vivid Descriptions
- How Long Should Your Real Estate Guide Book Be?
- Add Images to Your Real Estate Guide Book
- Print Your Real Estate Guide Book
- Count on Us
Why You Need a Real Estate Guide Book
Every city has a unique character, and in that city, each neighborhood has its own flavor. While people who know the city know what that’s like, how do you describe it to others? A neighborhood’s character is multifaceted. It comes from the people who live there, its history, what people enjoy doing there, the weather, and other factors. Its unique flavor comes from its closeness to a defining feature like a bustling city center, mountain views, or easy access to the beach.
Your real estate guide book should focus on the things that make your community stand out. It’s a true locals guide that goes beyond the typical “Top 10 Things to Do in X Location” to become an insider’s real estate guide book to the places and events that every visitor should check out.
Who Lives There?
Every neighborhood has a particular type of resident who’s happiest there. If it’s a neighborhood of commuters, emphasize the closeness to highways, public transportation hubs, and major city centers.
If it’s family-oriented, it probably has young children, slow or no through-traffic, and cul-de-sacs that slow down traffic and keep it safe for walking or bike riding. A neighborhood known for its nightlife appeals to people looking for a variety of dining and after-hours places. Some people want to be close to a golf club. Others want to live in an area where they can walk everywhere. Your real estate guide book should include a good mix of options.
Support Local Businesses in Your Real Estate Guide Book
As a realtor, you’re familiar with the small, local businesses that help your town thrive. Your book can help you support those businesses by directing your customers to them.
Be the expert on where they can find the best:
- Restaurants
- Bars or taverns
- Hardware stores
- Dry cleaners
- Groceries
- Home goods
- Second-hand stores
- Hair and nail salons
You could take this a step further by inviting these businesses to partner with you by offering discounts or exclusive offers to people that you refer to them. It helps you, your clients, and your local community.
Know Your Audience
A real estate guide book should be a practical guide to your area. It should be useful for people new to the area and those who live there but want to look at properties in new areas. A thorough guide would cover each city and its neighborhoods, describing how they differ, schools, local amenities, and housing prices.
People considering moving to a new neighborhood want to know many things.
- What it’s close to: Airports, major highways, shopping centers, outdoor amenities, and nearby cities
- Transportation: Is there public transportation nearby, and is it a walkable area?
- Healthcare: Describe the availability of healthcare facilities and hospitals.
- Schools: Are the local schools good?
- Neighborhood vibe: What is the overall feeling of the area? What type of people live there?
- Home sales: Is there a median home price for the area? What is the housing inventory like? Are homes selling quickly? Think about these questions while you plan the content for your book.
Include Home Prices in Your Real Estate Guide Book
When describing a neighborhood, always include the home prices prominently at the start of each section. Don’t let your clients waste their time dreaming about a neighborhood that’s out of their price range. That’s disappointing for them, and it’s a waste of time for you. Let them know which neighborhoods match their budget.
Offer a Good Mix
When offering suggestions, include a mix of price ranges, from budget-friendly to luxury. Provide helpful details. Tell your readers how to get to a particular spot, what the parking is like, and the best time to go. Personalize your recommendations by explaining what you personally enjoy about the places you’re writing about.
Use Vivid Descriptions
When you write your real estate guide book, focus on making a neighborhood come alive through descriptions that appeal to home buyers. Talk about the area’s features in ways that make it sound like a wonderful place to live.
Here are some examples.
- Peace and quiet: “Enjoy your quiet time in this neighborhood with low traffic and shady trees, which is perfect for bike riding or long walks.”
- City attractions: “Everything you need for vibrant city living is here, from busy streets to theaters, museums, and some of the best nightlife around.”
- Ease of transportation: “Washington, D.C. is only a 30-minute drive from this community just off Route 95,” or “There is a commuter rail station in easy walking distance.”
- Local hot spots: “Enjoy some of the best crabs in town at Jimmy’s Crab Shack, catch live music at Redfin Hall, or enjoy a day at Sandy Point Beach.”
- Extras: “Meet friends at the community center, or cool down at the neighborhood pool.”
- Natural areas: “Nature lovers will enjoy the community bike trails and a public park. Patuxent State Park is right down the road, and it’s where you’ll find hiking trails, nature walks, and group activities for all ages.”
- Convenience: “This neighborhood is walking distance to a shopping center, and there is a large shopping mall 10 minutes away.”
- Lots: “This is an older neighborhood with large lots and tall, leafy trees,” or, “Small front yards mean you won’t be spending your weekends on lawn work.”
How Long Should Your Real Estate Guide Book Be?
How much detail do you need? That largely depends on how many areas you want to cover and how big they are. You don’t want your book to be the size of an encyclopedia. Consider making it 16 to 32 pages, which is the typical length of a booklet.
Add Images to Your Real Estate Guide Book
Images make any printed product pop. In a real estate guide book, you need appealing photos of the houses, neighborhoods, amenities, and general area. Add graphics and stock art to elevate your booklet and give it a professional look. Don’t forget a photo of yourself and your contact information.
Print Your Real Estate Guide Book
A print copy of your book makes a more powerful impression than a digital one. If you want to make an impression, nothing beats a printed copy that you can hand your customers. They’ll enjoy a booklet they can carry around with them, consult as a local resource, and take notes in.
On the other hand, there is no denying that a digital copy is convenient. A digital booklet is easy to update. It’s also easy to offer it to customers you aren’t meeting in person. You can simply email them a PDF or invite them to read it on your website. This also helps you save on printing costs.
What’s the answer? The best solution is to do both. Print out some brochures or guides, but keep a digital copy that you can edit and update regularly.
Count on Us
As a real estate professional, you depend on printed marketing materials. At Dazzle Printing, we offer affordable rates, outstanding service, and fast turnaround to make your work easier. If you’re ready to print your real estate guide book, contact us today.
