Emeryville, CA – May 19, 2011 – Based on responses from over 700 real estate agents and brokers nationwide, referrals ranked the number one marketing preference among real estate professionals for acquiring new clients, with a cumulative overall score of 8.7 out of a possible 10 for effectiveness in the HomeGain Real Estate Professionals Marketing Practices and Preferences Surveys.
Leads from brokers and events (including open houses) ranked second and third, respectively, as most effective marketing strategies, replacing featured listings and email campaigns as indicated in the February 2010 HomeGain survey.
Postcards and mailers were bumped down from fourth in the February 2010 survey to sixth. Print ads fell from 10th in the February survey to 11th.
The most recent results show a substantial decline in agents' marketing preferences for blogging (moving from fifth to thirteenth since February 2010), as well as a slight decrease in preference for social media.
"It comes as no surprise that real estate professionals once again noted that referrals are the most effective and most preferred form of marketing" said Louis Cammarosano, General Manager of HomeGain. "It is surprising, however, that social media and blogging as marketing strategies lost some favor with real estate professionals over the past year."
HomeGain®, a leading website that connects real estate agents with home buyers and sellers,
