Well it’s not long now till will start to rush round like headless chickens buying up presents to give to loved ones and work colleagues alike. So has it arrived to early.

Every year we complain that the season of good will is been thrown at us earlier and earlier or is it that we are getting old and time is moving quicker for us now.

To give you an example if you tell a 4 year old Christmas is 2 months away this seems like an eternity as they have only experienced life for a short time. Now if you tell someone in their 40s Christmas is 2 months away  this is comparatively a short time to what they have lived so far so it feels as if Christmas is arriving earlier.

This is the same in property investment if you look at the figures when you were 18 to wait 25 years for your investment to realise seems like a long time so what do we learn from this. Well we should take stock and look to our future arriving faster than we think.

Now is the time to invest in the property market with interest rates at an all-time low and prices are competitive to what they were. Belive me 10 -15 years investment will go by quickly and before you know it you will be retiring and enjoying the fruits of your labour.

Author: Chris Lunson

Since 2007 when the market changed considerably for everyone in the industry and owners alike, the shift from the big corner offices with high rents and bright lights is slowly changing. Like all business  when things get tight good leadership and change is the only option and way forward.

Since the introduction of the internet every business has adapted and changed to be more transparent and accessible.

This has also lead the way with property owners seeking to save on selling their house by selling privately and cutting out the middle man thus saving a couple of thousand pounds, whilst in theory this is a great idea there can be some pitfalls as the owner and buyer will have to mediate between themselves and when things go wrong eg survey, mortgage etc re negotiation can be fraught and sometimes will lead to the sale falling thru with the buyer and seller falling out with each other.

So there seemed to be a gap in the market which has been filled with cost effective online National Estate Agents like Get An Offer Estate Agents to name one, these agents have moved into the twenty first century with low cost selling fees pleasing the seller who wanted to save and also having the advantage of using the middle man to iron out any problems that might arise during the sale, with a high street attitude adopting the no sale no fee rule this is a great middle alternative to doing it yourself where a lot of do it yourself online agencies require upfront fees with no guarantee of a sale.

So with the market changing this has lead the way to a new breed of Estate Agents who have adapted to the new aspirations of a seller with a service which is little changed from the High Street Estate Agents.

Author: Chris Lunson

As we are all aware, one of the most successful and cost effective marketing tools for pretty much any business is Facebook.

Personally I have been an avid user for the last couple of years and have attracted a great deal of business from my regular posts and blogs on some of the more popular property related sites.

One site in particular which I frequent on a daily basis is the Below Market Value (BMV) Deals and Discussions page.

Unlike a lot of administered forums, you can pretty much post what you like about property investment, however you are held accountable for your posts and you must be able to back up your posts whenever asked. The great thing about this place is that out of the 300 or so members, a large majority post on a regular basis and the topics can range from What type of property should I buy? to How do I get rid of a pesky tenant?

Over the past couple of months I believe as a collective we have covered pretty much every aspect of the investment market and provided concise and educated responses which I believe have helped many people either make a little money or overcome an obstacle.

Now, do I believe that you can run  a successful business based solely on internet marketing? No, I don’t and I’ll be the first one jumping all over the posts of anyone who says otherwise. However, do I feel that internet marketing and Facebook in particular add value to a business and the success it achieves, yes, very much so.

To give you an example, from the site I mention above, I have now taken on three new clients and secured the sale of two property’s (the second being just minutes ago). Now, although this did not have a direct cost, the hours I have put in on the forum and the information I have provided over the past few months have put me in a position where people trust my knowledge and consequently they feel confident in the products that I offer.

Trying to explain to my loving wife the necessity for my daily visits to Facebook has often caused tension in my household, however it’s the fruit of one’s labour which goes to show whether the time I spend is worthwhile and as I mentioned earlier, its proving to be well worth my time and effort.

It’s not always easy though.

Facebook and other such sites give the user anonymity if they want it. We’ve all heard of the phrase ‘the keyboard warrior’ and in property investment there are a lot of people who feel comfortable expressing an opinion via a keyboard but would never do the same in real life. These ‘Warriors’ are often ousted by other members and on occasion it can all become quite personal so be prepared, you could be next in the firing line so it may be wise to take the high ground, turn the other cheek and so on.

However the advice I give is not always the advice that I put in to practice so when I suggest you turn the other cheek, don’t be surprised to see me involved in some pretty heated online debates!

15 years of servitude in the investment industry have given me a huge amount of knowledge and im particularly selective as to wear I lay my online hat. I have seen great forums ruined by individuals who had nothing to offer but were forceful in their postings and this scared a lot of good people off. Additionally, I have seen over zealous owners fill their forums with their own deals and their own opinions and if you dare express a view which does not suit their cause you’ll be banned at the drop of a hat.

Not on my watch!

The home of free speech may not always be a welcoming place at first but take a little time to earn the respect of your peers and you’ll find a place where you’ll not only be welcomed as a valued contributor but you’ll be able to earn a living too.

Don’t take these places for granted!

It takes time to establish an online community and your input could potentially help others to make the right choices when faced with tough decisions. Be a part of the community and help where you can. Post opinions and questions which challenge and engage and most importantly be open and honest, you could be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Author: Julian Sonnessa