There’s always money to be made in real estate. Yes, we’ve seen some troubling times (housing market crash, anyone?) but at the end of the day… people need a place to call home. Finite space makes the market so alluring; more than 1.16 million housing projects were completed in Jan 2018 alone.
Those in the real estate niche have opportunities from for sale by owners to rentals and more. The baby boomer and Hispanic market are two of the leading market segments looking to buy homes. First-time buyers and new condominiums are equally driving the demand.
Paired with great real estate affiliate programs, a blog can earn serious cash promoting listings, vacations, foreclosure services, realty software, referrals, and a whole lot more. A site hosting local guides, a strong affinity to the real estate industry, and passionate voice is set to grow alongside the market demand.
The Real Estate Niche: What You Need to Know
The real estate niche is divided into several segments:
- Listings
- Home buying guides
- Renovation
- Loans
- Referral funnels
- General advice
Blogs like Redfin, Housing Wire, Real Estate Tomato are leading examples of this niche opportunity. Big names like Zillow and Realtor combine real estate listings with content. Zillow is ranked #181 worldwide for websites and #1 for real estate according to SimilarWeb.com. They’re getting a whopping 178.2 million unique visitors each month!
The niche is further divided into two categories (normally):
- For consumers
- For professionals
The consumer side of real estate blogging tends to focus on the local authority. Bloggers focus on a real estate market and deliver content like things to do or local buyer’s guides. These blogs take full advantage of long-tail keywords – they’re also in an industry that’s somewhat dated… you don’t see many realtors starting a blog.
The professional side of the market aims at realtors and realty investment groups. Their use of real estate affiliate programs tends to lean toward software and services. A way to help these professionals get more leads and close more sales. With more than 1.3 million registered realtors in the United States… this is some serious action if positioned right.
The Real Estate Industry: By the Numbers
As noted, people need a place to stay so the product sells itself. The hard part is convincing home buyers and renters you’ve found the best deals. Buyers and renters will shop around – around 2+ months before deciding – but that gives you plenty of time to get them educated!
What’s the realty market look like?
- 25 million homes were sold in the U.S. during 2015
- More than 571k U.S. homes are in a stage of foreclosure
- 80% of residential growth will happen in the suburbs
- We saw a 2.3% increase in renters (U.S.) in 2016
Millennials/Gen Y are quickly becoming first time home buyers (making up 34% of the market). These tech-savvy individuals flock to online listings for research. A well-positioned blog with the right realty programs can expect quite a bit of play because of this.
Why Promote Real Estate Affiliate Programs
Here’s a quick stat: 92% of home buyers will use the Internet for research.
This means people are flocking to real estate blogs to learn what to look for in the buying process. They’re also checking local listings if they’re provided through the site. Content around the home organization, flipping, and renovations keep them coming back for more.
Income properties and realty investment groups are a segment worth considering, too.
Let’s also think about the
competition.
There are over 1 million realtors registered in the United States. Yet, only a couple dozen real estate blogs make up the market. And even then, many are dedicated to their specific area – this creates a huge opportunity if competition is vacant in your area.
Look at what people search for to get an idea:
- Real estate agent
- Real estate news
- Real estate training
It’s a divide, as we saw, between consumer and professional. Both happen to benefit from the same type of content. Buyers want to know the inside scoop, so they can land the best deals. Professionals want to know the tricks and tactics to get more leads and sales. In all, the realty affiliate programs and their promotions are sold to both parties!
A Look at Making Money with Real Estate Affiliate Programs
Who’s benefiting from these real estate offers? How are they convincing people to search through their affiliate programs instead of using a real estate agent?
The secret lies on the tech advancements to the industry – we already know nearly everyone does their research online, so it makes sense the tech has changed to accommodate the market.
Suppose you have (or want to create) a real estate blog.
You could promote real estate affiliate programs offering services for finding foreclosed properties aimed at those looking for income properties or flipping. Or, could include properties in the local content which pays handsomely for each referral or sale. There’s also the opportunity to promote real estate classes and training programs.
… and how can we forget programs like HomeAway or Airbnb?
These two are industry disrupting platforms for rentals and vacations. These platforms pair well with the travel industry. In theory (and positioning), you could create a local site so valuable that it becomes the #1 source for those thinking of living in or vacationing in your area.
When you’re talking 25-75% commissions on big ticket sales… that’s a whole lot of money!
How to Promote the Highest Paying Real Estate Offers and Promotions
You’ve got small and big-ticket items when promoting real estate offers and promotions.
Small:
- Training programs
- Realty software
- Lead services
Big:
- Properties
- Vacation booking
- Flipping/Foreclosure
There are also horizontal and vertical markets you could explore. These include home goods, appliances, furniture, décor, and more. People
need to fill the place once they buy… this lets you double dip whenever you’re promoting the high paying real estate offers.
With that in mind…
- Local Optimization – Create local hubs by listing real estate, things to do, local guides, and tours to give visitors the “complete package” with moving into or vacationing in the area.
- Social – Tweet and share whenever new properties go up for sale, share content about home buying, make lists for tips and tricks, and get owners/renters sharing their experiences.
- Footage – The big trend is drone footage of the property; this gives buyers an eagle-eye view of the property and its surroundings. Video helps sell the property more than written descriptions.
We recommend creating a blog/site that becomes the go-to source for all things your area. Make this site the authority for your town or city. A good mix of SEO and social, with stellar content, will have it rising in search ranks and getting those shares.
Then, it’s a matter of deep linking and integrating real estate offers. This way they don’t need to hop to listing sites or bother dealing with agents or agencies.
How to Promote the Popular Real Estate Leaders
We highly recommend looking at the following blogs found within the:
- Zillow program
- Trulia program
- com program
These industry blogs are intended to help you understand the home buying or rental process. The brands behind these blogs have a wealth of real estate experience. They offer services allowing them to share valuable stats, too (stats you can use on your blog).
We’re not saying to copy what they’re doing… but learn from them and make it better.
Like we said:
This industry is a bit dated in a lot of ways.
Few realtors are also taking the time to create personal blogs. If they did, they’d see how well they could improve lead generation and sales. Where they lack, you can thrive.
Try content like:
- Video tours of the property
- Live streaming home buying/rental Q&A
- Personalized tutoring and mentorship
- Investment opportunities
Want to really blow them away? Get into flipping or home renovations. Look at what the starts on HGTV are doing and make an online show equivalent to these. Or, get the locals involved by sharing their stories, recommendations, and guides – add a layer of user-generated content!
The Time is Now: Get into the Realty Market
We’re still recovering from the housing collapse. Things are looking up and up. Those getting into the real estate market now can expect some serious returns once we’re back to normal. It’s a bit like buying into the real estate “dip”. You’ll position yourself the expert before buying goes into a frenzy.
There are lots of different ways to make money with real estate affiliate programs.
The best part is how it’ll get you up and out of the house or apartment. You’ll use this opportunity to explore more things to do in your area. You’ll get to really know the locals. You are getting paid to explore your home turf if you add real estate offers and promotions to the site!
The site can be big or small. It can cater to home buyers and renters or professionals and agencies. If realty topics are on your blog then do yourself a solid… start promoting real estate affiliate programs today.