It’s more important than ever to be prepared as you embark on your journey into online marketing. You want to make sure you have a checklist that includes everything you will need to survive and stay comfortable, but you don’t want to overload yourself with unnecessary items that are just going to hold you back. So we’ve put together the ultimate online marketing survival checklist for builders. It’s got everything you need for a successful online marketing program. So let’s start packing… Click here for your Survival Checklist.

When builders list their new homes and communities on BDX, they showcase their homes on the two largest new home websites — www.NewHomeSource.com and Move New Homes. As vital as these two leading portals are to marketing success, builders who use The BDX Listing Bundle also have their new homes and communities distributed to hundreds of other leading websites.

Why do over 300 leading websites display BDX new home listings?

BDX provides the world’s largest, richest and most complete feed of new home information to websites that want to offer a comprehensive New Home Channel as part of the real estate section of their website. The unequalled breadth and depth of BDX new home listings make NewHomeSource and Move New Homes the ideal partner for real estate, newspaper and other websites that seek a complete, turn-key source for new home listings to share with their site visitors.

So what does this mean for you, the builder?

It means that when you list your homes with BDX, you’re reaching over 40 million unique users each month. Trulia, Yahoo! Real Estate, Zillow and 140+ major newspapers are just a few of the over 300 websites that display BDX listings.

BDX Partner Websites Fall into Three Categories – Exclusive, Preferred and SmartFeed.™ Here’s How These Categories Compare:

Exclusive: More than 30 BDX Partner Sites receive new home listings exclusively from BDX. (Agents who sell both resale and new homes can also send listings to some of these partner sites, but no other aggregator of new home listings can.) Builders who want to ensure that all of their new homes and communities are displayed on our Exclusive Partner sites–which include Yahoo! Real Estate, AOL Real Estate, MSN, Move.com, Movoto and many other sites–do so via the BDX Listing Bundle.

Preferred: BDX invests in Preferred Listings on 15 sites including Trulia, CNNMoney, Oodle, Facebook, USA TODAY and more. BDX Listings rise to the top of search results on these sites. For example, BDX invests in Featured Listings on Trulia (and 14 other sites) at no additional cost to builders.  Your listing will display toward the top of search results, just by listing with BDX.

SmartFeed™: Every day, BDX sends a highly customized feed to many of our largest partner sites. First, we deeply analyze that partner site’s UI and navigation, to best display new home content within the overall structure of that site. Second, we lobby each partner site for greater prominence for new home listings and new home navigation in that site’s real estate section. Third, we extensively customize our feed to provide optimal display for your new home listings on these sites, thus maximizing your ROI.  Consumers will know it is your home, in your community.

 

The BDX List Once, Be Everywhere™ Listing Bundle Also Reaches More Than 1.1 Million Top Real Estate Agents Nationally.

Since the vast majority of home sales are assisted by a real estate agent, it’s also vital to provide these agents with the key information and encouragement they need to best share and promote new homes and communities with the homebuyers they assist—many of whom might otherwise buy a resale home.

As an integral part of The BDX Bundle, builders communicate vital information to top real estate professionals that includes: Spec and Quick Move-In Homes; Special Promotions/Incentives for Agents and the Buyers They Assist; Plans, Upgrades and Options; Community Amenities; Special Agent-Only Events, and much more.

With BDX, You’ve Got The Internet Covered.

Simply put, no one takes more care than BDX in distributing your vital new home info to millions of consumers and real estate agents.

  • Start with the two largest new home portals in the world.
  • Add more than 300 Partner websites that deliver more than 40 million unique users each month.
  • Maximize builder results and ROI via highly customized SmartFeeds™.
  • Provide 1.1 million top real estate agents with the vital info they need to best sell new homes.

That’s what the BDX Listing Bundle means to builders.

Almost every day I receive a phone call from a potential home buyer looking for information on a new home they found while shopping on Realtor.com.

This morning it was a man looking for a home in Wesley Chapel, FL. Yesterday it was a woman interested in a home outside of Philadelphia. I find this surprising because the only way the consumer can find my phone number is by leaving the listing and selecting the Contact link for corporate information.  I know they’d prefer to call the broker but they can’t find the broker’s phone number, email address or website. These potential home buyers are forced to find another solution and I can hear the frustration in their voice when they finally end up talking to me.
Working in an industry that is always trying to maximize site conversion and improve lead performance, I find this surprising. How many customers do you know who will take the extra steps to find an office phone number?  Most will simply leave and move on to another home that’s more accessible.  Those who continue to search and ultimately call the wrong place are probably the very consumers that the builder/broker really wants to reach. Clearly, they’re motivated and looking for information.  It makes me think of all the homes that don’t get sold because we make it hard for the consumer to connect with us.

Realtor.com offers builders and brokers a product to remedy this. Their Company Showcase listing is the easiest way for a builder to enhance their listing and drive more meaningful activity to their onsite sales agents. It’s an essential and affordable solution for anyone listing a home on the MLS.

Listings that are “Showcased” have a number of benefits over standard listings. Most notable is Contact Information above the fold and prominently displayed. With a Showcase listed property, consumers can call, email, visit a builder’s website or complete the lead form.

Other features include the ability to display up to 25 photos per listing– 4X the number of photos displayed on a standard listing.  Showcase listings also allow builders to include links to their social media sites and include a Rider Sign on the Search Result Listing Pages.

The Rider Sign allows builders to brand their listings on Search Result pages by prominently featuring a logo and headline on each listing. Since Realtor.com is the largest real estate website in the world and endorsed by the National Association of Realtors this feature alone provides tremendous value. It means your listing and business will be seen by more home shoppers than anywhere else.

I know many builders are always launching new sales promotions and offering discounts to entice buyers.  Could the solution really be as simple as including your phone number and email and making it easy for the consumer to call you?  After all, they were already on the world’s largest real estate website shopping for homes in your market and price point.

If you have questions about marketing strategies or advertising with BDX contact Thane Tennison, Advertising Manager for the BDX Network.

Tracking Ad PerformanceHow do you measure the success of an advertising campaign in traditional, offline media? This is something advertisers and media companies have struggled with for years. The question: “What is the value of a billboard or a newspaper ad to this exact customer?“ can be very difficult to answer.

However, in the online space it’s never been easier to map and track the entire buying process. Marketers can see where their consumers are coming from and what actions they take.  You can identify trends common to site visitors that convert and optimize your site and marketing strategies accordingly to improve performance.

I find this process of analysis and optimization to be fascinating and insightful. However,, many of the advertisers I work with fail to measure the success of their banner campaigns. I’m often asked to just link to the homepage with no forethought on measuring performance after the click.  After all, some ads work better than others right?  As a publisher I’m constantly looking for ways to improve my site’s performance. Our entire team works hard to ensure the high quality of the traffic we receive.

MEASURING PERFORMANCE

Appending the click thru URL to your display campaign is an easy way to attribute action to the banner.  Google’s URL builder (Link) works with Google Analytics where you can set campaign goals and compare performance.

Why not just track “referring sites”? With online advertising you may not be able to track performance as a “referring site” because most ads are served through ad servers independent of the host website. Banners from NewHomeSource.com, for example, may appear as 247.OASRealMedia or Double Click. For banners on an ad network like our Vertical Ad Network (VAN) it can become even more complex as the ad passes through multiple ad servers. Using an appended URL is the best way to accurately measure performance.

It’s also important to define your campaign goals. This sounds very basic, I know, but if you’re looking for leads, does your ad take the user to a place where they can complete a lead form?  If the ad says “Find New Homes in Austin” does it link to the Austin market page?  Managing the consumer’s expectation of what they’ll receive when they click is very important to improving your performance on the front and back end.

Finally, recognize that not all consumer actions are equal.  You can get cheap, low quality traffic but it may not convert.  You’ll likely need to invest more dollars to persuade a consumer to complete a lead form as opposed to printing driving directions, especially if the lead form is lengthy or hard to find.

For advertisers on the BDX, we’ve consistently found that users who click on builder banners on from our site have a lower bounce rate, view more pages, and  are a better quality prospect overall for the builder. All of these are stats that can help a marketing manager document their campaign’s success.

If you have questions about marketing strategies or advertising with BDX contact Thane Tennison, Advertising Manager for the BDX Network.

 

By Jay McKenzie, VP/General Manager, BDX

To identify the latest trends in cutting-edge custom homes–and the wish-lists of custom home buyers—the editors of Custom Builder Magazine survey their builder readers annually.

Their latest survey offers a fascinating look at the features and amenities that custom home buyers are asking for today in their new homes.

The most commonly-sought features of custom homes include: his and hers home offices, outdoor kitchens, and stand-alone guest casitas. More rarified amenities include: personal art galleries, auto showrooms, trophy rooms — and, especially in Texas, that oh-so-necessary saddle room!

At the same time, custom builders report their clients want smaller, but still luxurious homes. Energy efficiency and green building are also very much on the minds of custom home buyers. The “Not So Big House” movement–sparked by a series of New York Times best-selling books from noted architect and author Sarah Susanka–has clearly taken root in the minds of custom home buyers and builders alike.

According to Custom Builder Magazine’s December 2010 Survey, here’s what’s on the mind of custom home buyers and builders:

CUSTOM HOMES ARE GETTING SMALLER

  • Custom builders report the typical home they’re building is 3,000 to 3,500 square feet.
  • If there was any doubt the era of McMansions (homes with exorbitant square footage and corresponding utility bills) is kaput, this study should confirm the trend is toward smaller, but still highly-amenitized homes
  • Nearly 35% of custom builders are building somewhat smaller homes (up to 9% smaller in square footage) compared to three years ago
  • Nearly 15% of builders are building significantly smaller homes (more than 10% smaller) than in the past

HOWEVER, CUSTOM HOMES REMAIN LUXURIOUS and HIGHLY-PERSONALIZED:

TOP 12 FEATURES & AMENITIES CUSTOM BUILDERS SAY HOME BUYERS ARE ASKING FOR:

  1. Master Suite Retreat                                    67.3%
  2. His/Hers Home Offices                             47.1%
  3. Home Theatre                                               38.3%
  4. Outdoor Kitchen                                          35.9%
  5. In-Law Suite                                                 26.6%
  6. Craft/Hobby Room                                     21.3%
  7. Bar/Pub Space                                              15.5%
  8. Guest Casita                                                  10.8%
  9. Art Gallery                                                      2.3%
  10. Automobile Showroom                               2.0%
  11. Trophy Room                                                 1.5%
  12. Saddle Room                                                  1.0%

THE CHANGING FACE OF THE CUSTOM HOME BUYER: MOVING UP AND DOWN

Many members of the huge “age wave” of Baby Boom homebuyers are in their peak earning years, driving the largest segment of custom home demand from move-up buyers seeking larger, more opulent homes.

At the same time, older Boomers are starting to arrive on the threshold of retirement. Many of them are opting for smaller, move-down custom homes.

Whether moving up or down in size, both the younger and older age segments within the vast, overall  Baby Boom generation are key drivers in the custom home market. Their needs and desires are reflected in the varied types of homes that custom home builders are creating:

  • 79.5% of buyers are building their dream move-up home
  • 31.3% want a retirement home
  • 25.7% desire a vacation or weekend retreat
  • 23.1% are move-down buyers, who seek a smaller, easier to care for home

“HAVING IT ALL” IN YOUR CUSTOM HOME INCREASINGLY MEANS PLANNING TO AGE IN PLACE AND ACCOMODATE ELDERLY RELATIVES AND “BOOMERANG” KIDS

  • Custom builders report that a large and growing segment of their clients are buyers seeking a new home where they can age in place…while also providing living space for elderly relatives and/or boomerang kids
  • The increasing preference for guest casitas and in-law suites reflects this growing trend toward multiple-generation households sharing a single home
  • Burnette Builders of Austin, Texas has built three homes in the last 18 months with elevators. As Grady Burnette told Custom Builder Magazine, “The clients don’t need the elevator now, but they see it as something they’re going to need later, for themselves or some member of their family.”

HOW BIG IS THE IMPACT OF THE AGING BOOMER GENERATION ON THE CUSTOM HOME (AND OVERALL HOME) MARKET?

As the Stanford Center on Longevity notes, the number of Americans 65 years or older will double in the next 30 years. However, the youngest members of this age group will take with them their fierce individuality (this is the generation that invented rock and roll) and an inherently much “younger” attitude toward life, themselves, and their housing needs than any prior 65+ age group.

This trend will affect every aspect of American life and housing. The chart below from the Stanford Center captures what this age wave will look like: 

AMENITIES AND FEATURES VARY WIDELY DEPENDING UPON AGE, INCOME, LIFESTYLE AND NEEDS

Despite the pronounced age wave above, it’s important to note that the single largest group of custom home buyers is still comprised of consumers in their peak income-earning years, age 45-55.

These younger affluent buyers drive the move-up home market. Many are seeking the latest amenities, state of the art home theatres, elaborate outdoor kitchens, highly personalized spaces and more.

Conversely, buyers age 55-65 make up nearly a quarter of the custom home market. Many of these buyers prefer smaller, but still highly personalized and upscale homes.

Powering the wish lists of custom home buyers are demographics that include enviable household incomes and an eagerness to invest in quality homes, crafted for their needs. Builders surveyed by Custom Builder Magazine reported that:

  • 37% of their custom home buyers have a household income of $250,000 or more
  • Nearly 31% plan to spend $250,000 to $500,000 for their home
  • Nearly 25% are budgeting $500,000 to $750,000 for their new home
  • More than 19% plan to spend $1 million or more on their custom home.

ENERGY EFFICIENT AND GREEN FEATURES ARE IMPORTANT TO NEARLY 80% OF BUYERS—AND THE TYPES & MOTIVATIONS OF GREEN HOME BUYERS ARE SURPRISINGLY VARIED AND DIVERSE

Across all of these custom home price points, both move-up and move-down buyers share a common trait: a deep and growing interest in energy-efficiency and green building.

In presentations to leading Home Building Associations (HBA’s) across the country, our CEO Tim Costello describes the many faces of green building. There are many types of green buyers with surprisingly diverse motivations for “going green” in new homes.

Green buyer types include Concerned Mothers, Patriots, Conservationists, Penny Pinchers, Self Global Citizens and more. Motivations of green buyers include saving money on energy bills, building a healthier home for themselves and their family, and reducing their impact on the environment.

Regardless of the buyer type and motivation, green building and energy efficiency are clearly climbing the list of “must-have” features that more custom home buyers are incorporating into their new homes.

Not surprisingly, green and energy-efficiency are also top of mind with the best custom home builders. These building professionals are fanning the flames of buyer interest to lead the market towards better and more sustainable housing, via new homes that provide superior indoor air quality, energy and cost savings, and designs that reflect the way we live today.

Custom Builder Magazine’s Survey documents this trend: Nearly 80% of custom builders surveyed stated that energy efficient and green features are important to their clients.

CUSTOM HOME BUYERS: A SURPRISINGLY DIVERSE GROUP

  • Move-up buyers seeking the homes of their dreams
  • Move-down buyers seeking quality and stylish homes
  • Vacation and weekend homes
  • Retirement homes
  • Personalized spaces for individual lifestyles
  • Multiple generations under a single roof
  • Home theatres, outdoor kitchens, his and hers home offices
  • The many types of green buyers

Based on the trends and survey results above, one thing is clear: Today’s custom homes are limited only by the imagination and desires of homebuyers and the talents and vision of custom home builders.

To search the finest custom homes and builders in the nation, please visit www.CustomNewHomes.com.

To learn more about Builders Digital Experience (BDX) and our family of websites for consumers to select a new home, please visit www.TheBDX.com.