Single Property Websites to Impress Sellers and Generate Leads
Is a single property website something you want to use? As the costs to have multiple websites have dropped over the years, it costs little more than hosting to have a website for each of your listings, but are they worth the effort? If done well and the right lead generation tools are used, these sites can both help you to get listings and to get leads for buyers. Here's how.

5 Ways Brokers Can Leverage Single Property Websites
There are many ways brokers can support their agents. Giving them tools that enhance their productivity is one way. Providing agents platforms to market their listings is another. This summer, Century 21 teamed up with Properties Online to automatically generate single property websites for every active listing. "We are passionate about providing every CENTURY 21 real estate professional with best-in-class tools to successfully grow their business," said Century 21 CMO, Bev Thorne, in a statement. Century 21 hosts these sites as subdomains of C21.com at no charge to their agents. Sites are automatically created when a property is input into the brand's backend system. So what can brokerages gain from specialized sites like these? Here's what Century 21 already knows: You'll capture buyers early. When a home buyer finds a property they like, what's the first thing they do? They Google it! A listing's address is the most commonly searched term. Because URLs are generated from a home's street address (e.g., 123MapleSt.c21.com), the sites have strong SEO and are easy to find online. You'll keep leads within your brokerage. Brokerage-wide single property websites means you can ensure that all links on all sites direct only to places controlled by your brokerage. For example, the search sidebar on C21's single property websites sends you to a results page on Century21.com. Likewise, the "My Profile" link leads visitors to the listing agent's profile on Century21.com.

Holiday Deal: Charitable Donations from Obeo
Nothing's more in line with the spirit of the holidays than giving back to those in need. That's why we're highlighting Obeo's "Season of Giving" as our latest Holiday Deal. For every virtual tour add-on purchased, Obeo will donate 20% of the purchase to the children's charity of the week. What's more, you will also receive a 10% price discount. The schedule below shows what charities will be receiving sales proceeds each week. Dec. 10-16: The National Down Syndrome Society Dec. 17-23: The March of Dimes Dec. 24-30: St. Jude's Children's Hospital Dec. 31-Jan. 6: The Children's Miracle Network Click through to the next page to learn more.

How To Have A Modern Open House
Maybe you've developed some killer open house strategies over the years that never fail. People visit, they tour the home, they have a great time... You could stick to your routine and do it the same way every time you hold an open house. But what would be the fun in that? Time to mix it up! Here are five ways you can throw a fabulous, well-attended and modern open house: 1. Order a custom open house sign You're working hard to grow your business. Open houses can help by giving you some great visibility in your community, and your open house signs play a large part in doing so. Don't run the risk of being overlooked with your generic open house signs. Create a customized sign that includes your photo, logo, and website address to make sure you're not only noticed, but remembered! 2. Invite the neighbors with door hangers Want to meet the neighbors and turn them into new clients? It's easy when you set aside time to meet with them exclusively. Order custom door hangers inviting neighbors to come 30 minutes early for hors d'oeuvres and a special "neighborhood only" showing.

Creativity Counts: 5 Tips For Customizing Your Property Site
Guest contributor Karli Larson of ePropertySites.com says: Each property is unique. No two listings are alike, so why create generic property sites? It's important to market with a focus on what makes each property special. Here are a few ways you can customize your single property sites to highlight each listing's remarkable qualities. 1. Enhance your property description Your MLS may have a character limit, but your property site does not. Dust off your Whitman hat and wax poetic about the listing's glorious details. A flippant "must see to appreciate!" will not suffice here. Rave about the countertops, go into raptures over the faucets. If you can't think of wonderful things to say about the property, why would a buyer care to see it? 2. Apply a custom domain name Imagine a property site with a domain as unique as the listing itself. For example, telling buyers to find the listing at prettiesthouseontheblock.com would certainly generate some positive interest! Focus on something wonderful about the home and incorporate that into a domain name. (Custom URLs can be purchased during property site checkout on ePropertySites.)