PowerofKnowing

There was a time when having an online business presence was shocking and surprising but now it is very common. Almost every business has an online presence. This makes SEO more important than ever. People are interested in shopping online like never before.

Some people confuse search engine optimization with internet marketing. We would say that SEO is one of the tools in your internet marketing tool kit. SEO itself is not internet marketing but it can be a very important part of your over all internet marketing campaign.

What is SEO and Why It is Important:

SEO can be defined as “set of rules for optimizing a website or any online property for search engines in order to improve search ranking and online visibility”. It is a great tool to fine tune a website to make it more user-friendly and easier to navigate.

Millions of people search on internet and search engines serves them by providing answers to their search queries. This makes SEO marketing more important than ever. SEO can help a business grow and achieve business objectives.

Why SEO is Important:

• Whenever you search online, the search engine shows the most relevant results on the first page. You are most likely to stick with the first page only. As expert SEO will do everything to bring a website on search engine’s first page.
• Search Engine Optimization is not only limited to search engines. It also includes good practices to improve user experience and website usability.
• Users heavily rely on search engines. The more a website ranks higher, the more trust a website will gain.
• SEO can earn your business social promotion. People who visit a website will share information on social media regarding the experience they had while visiting your website.
• SEO can put your business ahead of the market competition.

Three Main SEO Stages

SEO is continuous process. It is not a onetime task. You need to be up to date with search engine policies and make changes to your website accordingly. SEO process can be break down into three stages.

Technical SEO:

Technical SEO deals with the settings you need to configure to make search engine’s job easier. Mostly it is one time job. Once you configure it correctly, you may leave it alone. Although, if search engines change their indexing or crawling policies, an SEO professional may have to make adjustments to his website accordingly.

If technical SEO is not up to the mark, a website will have problems with crawling and indexing. It will also have bad impact on a website ranking in search engine.

Onsite-SEO:

Once you are done with technical SEO, it is time to kick start onsite-SEO. It deals with website content and other elements. Search engines do not read a page like we humans do. They need different signals to understand the nature and context of content. So, here you need to have proper website structure, page titles, keywords, Meta description, optimized images, internal linking, heading structure, structured data markup etc. to send the right signals to search engines.

If you perform onsite correctly, the reward will be improved usability and credibility of your website.

Offsite-SEO:

Both technical and on-site SEO plays a key role in a website success. But how would the world know that you have created a marvel unless you make a noise and tell them. Therefore, you need off-site SEO techniques to promote your website. In off-site SEO we do it mainly by back linking.

“A back link is an incoming link to your website. Actually the link is placed on another website but point the user to your website when clicked.”

 Back link is high value ranking factor. It’s a signal of trust and depending from where it is coming, it can greatly influence the search engine ranking algorithm. If the link is coming from credible and trusted website, it will positively affect your website ranking. If the link is paid or result of an exchange, it can get you a penalty.

Let’s Sum It Up:

Search Engine Optimization or SEO is a way to make it easy for search engines to understand your website and give you high ranking. It has to be an integral part of your marketing campaign. A good SEO approach can earn more traffic for your website and customers for your business.

Source: RE2QA holds the ownership of this content and its being replicated here with their formal permission. You can read the original article on their official blog where it is published by the title "How Search Engine Optimization Is Important For Business."

My business must be everywhere. Everyone should know about my brand. Everyone must chant my brand name. These are your dreams if you are a business owner. The challenge for a business to be everywhere was remarkable especially when social media came into lime light. Overnight, businesses, organizations and companies created their social profiles and started to share content with people.

Same goes with mobile applications. Now every business wants to have a mobile application. Every business wants to utilize the potential in mobile user market. But before you invest in mobile development, it has the utmost importance to know whether you need it or not.

Keep in mind that adoption rate of mobile applications is eight time higher and faster than the adoption rate of web. If you are a small or medium size company, you may think that only large brands can have mobile apps but it is not true. Every passing day more and more SMEs are going for mobile application development. They are leveraging this platform to connect with their customers. It is very important to know that how to know if your business needs a mobile application. Here are some factors you must consider before investing into mobile application business.

Your Business Goals:

Are you planning to have a mobile app? Why? You need to determine what you want to achieve by building a mobile app. If you want to increase revenue, productivity, improving brand awareness or to engage or connect with your customers, mobile app can be the best bet.

You may have an already well established brand; mobile application can strengthen it further. This platform can connect your customers with your business which helps to generate leads and revenue for your business.

Competitor Analysis:

You have many competitors in the market unless you are building something very unique. You must do some search about your competitors? If they have an app, how much successful they are? If they don’t have a mobile application, they have left an empty space. Now consider your business goals and fill up this space and become the trend setter.

Customer Relationship:

You need to decide how you want to connect with your customers. Do you want to have short term or long lasting business relationships? Some businesses make a sale and there relation ends here unless customers visit them again. On the other hand some organizations build and nurture long lasting customer relation and they get customer loyalty in return.

Both can do business successfully but the one who build long-term relations has higher and better chances to sustain longer.

If you are the one who wants to have loyal and returning customers, you need to have a mobile application as earliest as possible.

Source: This article was originally published by RE2QA at their official blog by the title Does Your Business Need A Mobile Application. It is being replicated here with their formal permission.

A new survey shows that homeownership among millennials between the ages of 28 and 31 jumped from 27 percent to 47 percent in just two years. Additionally, ownership among people aged 32 to 36 was up 11 percent. That home buying has surged among younger Americans is an encouraging sign for the housing market – especially since homeownership levels haven’t yet fully recovered from the housing crash. But, like anything, there’s another side to the story. That’s because, increasing demand from first-time home buyers could also put pressure on home prices if available inventory can’t keep up with the level of interest. According to one projection, millennials will purchase 10 million homes over the next decade. Whether new home construction and existing supply can meet the demand from those buyers will be a key driver of the real estate market in the years to come. If supply continues to lag behind, home prices will keep rising, which will build equity among current homeowners but cause affordability issues. On the other hand, if supply increases, prices should moderate and lead to booming home sales. Either way, first-time home buyers will have a significant effect on housing market conditions in the coming years.

Source: This content is taken from AppraisalNewsCast, which is a renown real estate news blog in USA.

On Sept. 4, HousingWire announced its annual Insiders lists, and CoesterVMS’ Chief Compliance Officer – Toni Bright – was chosen for the honor. This is the third year that HousingWire has formulated their Insider’s award, which recognizes the unsung heroes that propel their companies to success.

These winners are the “go-to” team members in their companies and represent a wide range of occupations within the housing industry, from lending and servicing to investments and real estate. The Insiders are professionals their companies turn to with their most important or challenging projects because their contributions and hard work lead to superior results.

“This year’s group of Insiders exemplify what it means to get the job done and done right.” Online Editor Caroline Basile said. “Each of the mortgage and housing professionals we honored made incredible contributions to their companies’ successes and we’re excited to recognize their achievements.”

HW’s 2018 Insiders were carefully selected by HousingWire’s editorial board based on their vital and dynamic contributions to their companies.

“With so much leadership change happening in our industry, it seems particularly fitting that we highlight the accomplishments of those who help execute the day-to-day operations at the mortgage finance industry’s most important firms. With that, we are honored to present the 2018 HousingWire Insiders,” said HousingWire Editor-in-Chief Jacob Gaffney.

Toni Bright has been with CoesterVMS since 2016 serving as their Chief Compliance Officer. Bright serves to ensure the company remains in compliance with federal, state, and territorial guidelines, and has been active in the industry since 2000. Toni brings a unique perspective to CoesterVMS as she holds a real estate broker’s license, and had worked in the regulatory compliance industry for 8 years prior to joining CoesterVMS.

About CoesterVMS

CoesterVMS is a nationwide appraisal management company that specializes in providing comprehensive management of appraisal operations for mortgage lenders. CoesterVMS’ in-house appraisal management solution combines the best service with the most advanced technology on the market. CoesterVMS guarantees all appraisal reports to fully comply with all regulations and guidelines. The company’s Cloud Control appraisal management technology is the only software of its kind to be built on the award-winning Salesforce.com platform, and its “Coester-Mer” service is earning the company a reputation for the best customer service in the industry. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, CoesterVMS was founded as a local appraisal company and has since grown to a formidable nationwide force in the appraisal management segment. 

Brian Coester is the Chief Executive Officer of CoesterVMS. He is an Entrepreneur and an expert in real estate appraisal industry. For more information please visit CoesterVMS online at www.CoesterVMS.com.

From 1 October, licensing requirements for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) are being extended, meaning tens of thousands more landlords now need to get a licence or face hefty fines.

Landlords have less than three weeks to make sure they’re compliant with the government’s latest rules surrounding HMOs, as changes to which HMOs fall under mandatory licensing requirements, as well as minimum room size requirements, are set to come into effect next month.

At present, mandatory licensing for HMOs only applies when a property has five or more people from at least two separate households living in it (where a ‘household’ is either a single person or members of one family), who all share facilities such as the toilet, bathroom or kitchen, and where the property is at least three storeys high.

The New Rules

From 1 October, the minimum storey requirement is being removed – meaning the number of landlords who will be legally obliged to hold an HMO licence is expected to rise from around 60,000 to approximately 177,000 landlords. New minimum bedroom sizes will also come into play in HMOs in a bid to prevent overcrowding, and landlords may be asked to provide accurate floor plans when they apply for a licence, while councils will be entitled to come and inspect homes. There will also be new council refuse schemes for HMOs, which landlords will need to be aware of and adhere to when the rules take effect.

Even those landlords who already come under selective or additional licensing requirements may need to apply for a new mandatory licence, as well as ensure they comply with all the new requirements being brought in.

While the new rules are aiming to tackle the country’s slum landlords, some are unhappy that it appears to be penalising good landlords, as they are having to pay a licence fee, too. The Residential Landlords Association (RLA), for example, believes many of the changes being brought in are “unnecessary”, and will also put a “huge strain” on local authorities.

No Grace Period

Non-compliance can lead to penalties of up £30,000, so landlords need to be careful that they are clued up on all the amendments now, as the government has confirmed that there will be no “grace period”. The local council will be able to issue guidance as well as a licence, and an application fee of around £500 may apply – which will cover the property for five years.

Source: This article is based upon the facts published at AppraisalNewsCast which is a real estate appraisal blog.

The CEO of CoesterVMS talks about what to look out for when buying a home.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Local home experts are talking to first-time homebuyers about why it might be a good time to buy a home here in our area.

Appraisal management service, CoesterVMS, talks about the market in Montgomery County.

The CEO of the company, Brian Coester, says after studying the local market for 10 years, data shows the average time for a house on the market is now 20 days, in comparison to previous years, when houses were listed for an average of two months.

As the median price in the county is going up, Coester talks about what new buyers should look for. Coester stated, “A very affordable price. Should move relatively quickly. Should be pre-approved, and it’s kind of their time to buy, if interested.”

Data shows the median price for homes in Montgomery County is a little over 400 thousand dollars.

Pride of ownership is the number one reason why people yearn to own their home. Owning a home means putting down roots and having a space that is truly yours.

However, buying a home is not simply going to a store and picking one off of the shelves. It’s a process that can be easy if you understand the specific steps you need to take. This guide will help you get started:

Find a Realtor. Like finding the right house, selecting a realtor you can trust and comfortably work with is paramount. Buying real estate is a complex matter. It is in your best interest to work with a local realtor who knows and services your area. Your realtor can guide you through the maze of paperwork required as well as assist you with negotiating the transaction, procuring financing, inspections and eventually closing the deal.

Get Pre-Approved. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search. Getting a pre-approval letter gives you a chance to see how large of a loan you’ll be approved for, helping to narrow down your home search to the right price range.

Start Your Home Search. Determine your property needs and wants. It’s time to start evaluating what you really want and what you actually need. Hit up some open houses and create a realistic “shopping list” to narrow your search.

Write an Offer. You’ve found the perfect home. But to get it, you’ll have to write an offer and the seller will have to accept it. Your real estate agent can provide you with a Residential Purchase Agreement that complies with applicable state and local laws. You will require certain disclosures as part of your offer. This would include any problems with the house, whether the property is in a flood zone, a noise zone, or any other kind of hazardous area.

Schedule a Home Inspection. The inspection takes place shortly after the seller accepts your offer. It happens before the appraisal. You want to schedule the home inspection as soon as you can, so you can have time to make repair requests. If the inspector uncovers something serious enough to be a deal-breaker, you’ll want to know sooner rather than later. As the buyer, it is your responsibility to schedule the inspection.

Finalize Loan Documents. As soon as you receive firm approval from the lender who is making your mortgage loan, you should confirm the actual date of loan closing. A closing date will be specified in the sale contract to be set by you, the seller of the property and your lender. If repairs or maintenance on the property are a part of the lender’s commitment, there must be time to complete them. The real estate agents involved in the sale transaction and the lender are often the best people to coordinate the closing arrangements.

Complete Final Walk-Through. This is the last chance before closing to make sure everything is in working condition. A final walk through can not only help you feel more confident about your purchase and avoid buyer’s remorse, it can also pinpoint any last-minute problems that should be taken care of before settlement. During this assessment, you should check for new issues that may have come up since the last time you viewed the home.

Move in. Take a deep breath, relax and smile: You are now a proud owner of a new home!

Source:  Appraisal News Blog

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is initiating a further crackdown to protect leaseholders as well as tenants from unfair fees and service charges from managing and letting agents.

A new code of practice is set to be introduced in the rental and leasehold market in order to make the sector more professionalised, which will mean that letting and managing agents must gain a nationally recognised qualification in order to practice. Leaseholders will be able to challenge unfair service charges under the code, and will be given extra support if they choose to switch managing agents.

There will also be a new independent regulator who will be able to enforce powers against agents who break the rules, which could mean preventing them from trading or even criminal sanctions for the worst offenders. The aim is that tenants as well as leaseholders will be less likely to fall victim to unexpected costs, deliberately vague fees or sub-standard repairs carried out by agents.

Giving Consumers More Choice

House Minister Heather Wheeler said: “Most property agents take a thorough and professional approach when carrying out their business, but sadly some do not. By introducing new standards for the sector, we will clamp down on the small minority of agents who abuse the system so we can better protect tenants and leaseholders who find themselves at the end of a raw deal.”

A group of representatives for lettings, managing and estate agents, tenants and regulation experts will develop the code of practice, with final proposals expected by early 2019.

According to Gerry Fitzjohn, chairman of the Property Ombudsman, tenants normally choose a property first, and then work with whichever agent is managing the property afterwards, with little choice over which agent they deal with.

He added: “These reforms will create a level playing field for consumers who will finally be able to expect a consistent level of service and knowledge, regardless of which agent they choose. This will also help consumers feel more empowered to raise concerns if necessary.”

Source: This article is taken from AppraisalNewsCast, which is a famous blog for appraisal news updates.