Want the competitive edge? Go viral.

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If you think you’re spending way too much money on search engine results, you can be certain you are. Spending a fraction of the cost, you can reach a much wider audience on a much more personal level. Being a pioneer doesn’t mean jumping in after your competition has. Now is the time.

YouTube becoming new advertising medium

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For more details on these services call 954.261.9799 or email tbblogger@gmail.com. Meebo, MSN, AIM, Yahoo, Gmail messengers: lightyearradio

reportonbusiness.com: Signs of life in U.S. housing market

If you blinked you may have missed it. But on a day that featured another batch of dreadful U.S. economic data, there was a tiny sliver of light: U.S. mortgage applications rose last week.

Actually, soared is more like it. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, its index of applications to refinance or take out new loans leaped 112 per cent from the previous week – the biggest increase on record – as borrowers rushed to lock in lower mortgage rates.

So does this mean the housing market is poised for recovery? Not likely. But it does show that the government’s efforts to stimulate consumer lending are having the desired effect. Besides, it’s about the only piece of positive news out there, so let’s dig a bit deeper and see what it means.

via reportonbusiness.com: Signs of life in U.S. housing market.

The Best Day of the Year to Buy Real Estate | About.com

I would say every day especially in this market, but I guess not. Spread the word!

When is the best time of the year to buy a home? There are at least two days of the year that give buyers the edge. Would you like to guess which two days are best for buying a home?

Every spring, as tulips struggle to poke through melting snow in the North and rosebuds cautiously open in Southern climes, sure as tootin’ real estate signs begin multiplying like bunnies across the country. Soon as the For Sale signs are mounted on the posts, swarms of activity buzz in the streets as sellers, buyers and real estate agents crawl out from wherever they hibernated for the winter to welcome the spring sales season.

There is nothing like a spring real estate market. Offers fly over FAX machines and cell phones ring constantly. Everybody wants a deal, and everybody wants to sell. Typically the marketplace is flooded with inventory. There is more on the market in the spring than any other time of the year.

Read the rest here: Best Time To Buy a Home – When is the Best Time to Buy a Home? – The Best Day of the Year to Buy Real Estate

Social Networking: How Housing Might be Missing the Boat | Big Builder Online

This is a great blog post from Big Builder magazine, but will the audience it’s intended for ever find it?

This group of professionals saw an opportunity to move the needle on SG&A by reducing marketing and advertising expenditures. However, participants agreed that any reduction had to be strategic; remaining dollars in the budget had to be thoughtfully deployed to return the greatest number of serious rather than just curious prospects.

The consensus was print advertising was dead–it was deemed expensive and ultimately lukewarm in its effectiveness–which left the Web as the go-to source for fresh blood. However, there was uncertainty around how best to use the Internet to connect with younger buyers. They were aware of the growing importance of blogs, social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and instant messaging technologies. However, not a soul in the room had any sure-fire ideas about how to use these interactive tools to drive builders’ businesses.

view the rest here: Big Builder Online: news and analysis exploring the management, finance, and operations of America’s big builders.

Now, if there was only someone that knew how to manage all this new “technology” stuff… hmmmm…

D.R. Horton’s Tampa Bay division goes viral! | NHD Buzz Press Releases

Tampa, FL – D.R. Horton diversifies its online strategies by joining social media networks and industry-related websites.

Jonathan Torres, marketing and advertising coordinator at D.R. Horton Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said “with reduced marketing budgets and the growth of new media, we have to find new and more cost-effective ways to reach potential buyers. That’s why we’ve made a conscious effort in joining networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and even starting our own local blog. We’re also targeting websites that put us in front of active buyers and their realtors looking for new homes such as Realtor.com, NewHomeGuide.com, NewHomeSource.com, and BuilderInventoryDeals.com.”

via D.R. Hortons Tampa Bay division goes viral! | NHD Buzz Press Releases

StreetInsider.com – More Insider Buying At Homebuilder Lennar (LEN)

October 31, 2008 1:46 PM EDT

Homebuilder Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN) sees more insider buying. Director Kirk Landon disclosed today he bought 20,000 Class B shares on 10/29 at $4.24.

A few days ago, two other Lennar executives, the CFO and another Director, disclosed purchases.

Lennar Class A shares are up 10% today to $7.73. The 52-week range is $5.52 to $22.73.

via StreetInsider.com – More Insider Buying At Homebuilder Lennar (LEN)

What does this mean for Lennar? Are they in trouble or are they taking advantage of the drop in its stock price seeing a potential “light at the end of the tunnel”?

Tripp is latest home builder claimed by slump – St. Petersburg Times

This was a great builder run by a great family. Unfortunately, when you play by the rules, the nice guys don’t always win. You never want to see anyone’s business in this position, but there are others out there that SHOULD be and would deserve being there.

After an 8-year run as one of the region’s best-regarded builders, Tripp Trademark Homes is calling it quits.

Company founder Doug Tripp, a former Pulte Homes president who branched out on his own in 2000, said he can no longer afford to sell houses at a loss.

via Tripp is latest home builder claimed by slump – St. Petersburg Times

Sales Of New Homes Rise 2.7%: TBO.com

Although this article doesn’t hold back on the negativity, it does make a great comparison the the existing home market which also saw an increase of just over 5% last month as well. The great news is the that the inventory that is moving is exactly what is “clogging” the market. Existing homes, foreclosures, short sales, etc., are moving making room for demand across the board. The new home builders will be the ones to drive back up the median home prices once the existing public inventory starts dwindling away which is exactly what we need to get homeowners back their equity.

WASHINGTON – Sales of new homes recorded an unexpected increase in September as median home prices dropped to the lowest level in four years, the Commerce Department reported Monday.

Sales of new single-family homes rose by 2.7 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 464,000 homes, Commerce said. Economists had expected sales would drop from the August level.

The median price of a new home sold in September declined by 9.1 percent from a year ago to $218,400, the lowest since September 2004, a period when home prices were rising rapidly as the country experienced a five-year housing boom.

The surprising increase in September sales still left them 33.1 percent below the level of a year ago as the country is battered by the worst slump in housing in decades.

The report on a rise in new home sales followed news last week that sales of existing homes rose in September by 5.5 percent, the largest monthly gain in more than five years.

via Sales Of New Homes Rise 2.7%