News, Photos & Up-Comming Events of the CENTURY 21 Adams & Barnes Sales & Marketing Team

Monday, January 24, 2011

The CENTURY 21 System Launches Innovative Tool

Have you recently listed your home for sale, or do you plan to do so soon? If so, then you probably understand the importance of marketing your property on the Internet. After all, a recent National Association of Realtors survey of home buyers and sellers found that about 90 percent of home buyers use the Internet to search for a
new home.

CENTURY 21 home listings typically appear on over 500 websites, which provide extensive exposure for our listings. With so many websites, however, it can be overwhelming to monitor the effectiveness of online marketing efforts. That’s why the CENTURY 21 System has introduced an exciting new tool that will make it easier for CENTURY 21 Agents to monitor the online activity of their listings—and to keep sellers up to date on who’s looking at their homes online as well as any leads resulting from those views.

Called “The Golden Ruler,” this reporting tool also helps Agents keep better track of online listings and their marketing efforts. That means that sellers will have more extensive information, in real time, as to how their online listing is performing.

The Golden Ruler is an innovative way that CENTURY 21 supports the online marketing efforts of our sellers and Agents.

The Golden Ruler will not only keep sellers up to date on which websites their homes are listed on, but it will also indicate the number of page views, visits and leads.It provides information about the geographic area that leads are coming from and how similar properties are performing within the CENTURY 21 network of websites as well.

Interested in learning more about The Golden Ruler and other tools we use to market our listings? Give our CENTURY 21 Adams & Barnes offices a call today at 626.358.1858 - Monrovia or 626.963.7621 - Glendora.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Do You Need A Home Warranty?

When Lisa Santucci moved from Kansas to Florida last December, she was happy to learn that her 16-year-old home carried a warranty. “We felt like it was an incentive for us to purchase,” she says. “We were new to the area, and we wanted to be sure that if something did go wrong, we had something to fall back on.”

Santucci hasn’t had to use her warranty yet. But she says she has peace of mind knowing it’s there.

A home warranty is a renewable service contract that covers the repair or replacement of many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of home system components and appliances, according to Heather Wilson, a spokeswoman for American Home Shield, one of the nation’s largest home warranty sellers. These breakdowns are usually not covered by homeowners insurance.

According to the Service Contract Industry Council, home warranty sales increased in 2009. Many sellers added home warranties to help distinguish their properties from others on the market, and many buyers insisted on a warranty before completing their purchase, the SCIC said.

Items covered by a typical home warranty include major systems such as the HVAC and plumbing, as well as appliances. Some warranties offer additional coverage for pools, spas, extra air conditioners, etc. The average cost of a home warranty is $300 to $500, Wilson said. It must be renewed annually.

Home warranties can provide both financial and emotional security for buyers of existing homes. But they may not be necessary for every purchase.
New homes, for example, carry a homeowners warranty directly from the builder. In addition, home warranties are limited in scope. Buyers need to
read their contract carefully to understand what the warranty covers and does not cover.

Want to learn more about home warranties? Give our CENTURY 21 Adams & Barnes offices a call today at 626.358.1858 - Monrovia or 626.963.7621 - Glendora.

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Monrovia, California, United States