Shobert Vartan : For inspiration, look outside of real estate for examples of how other entrepreneurs are doing it. There is an extremely exciting news story emerging in 2010 about a new American car company that is re-thinking just about every rule in the automotive industry by identifying and masterfully serving underserved market niches.

We are delighted to be covering this story in the Language of Luxury blog as we believe that this ground-breaking story will yield tremendous insights for luxury real estate marketing professionals who have set their sights on market leadership. If you have any questions about the future of "Yankee Ingenuity", which is at the heart of the brand we know as American, you can rest assured that it is alive and well at Local Motors!

When Jay Rogers returned from active duty as a Marine in Iraq in 2004, he came home with the brilliant idea of bringing cars to market in a sustainable manner. That is, a way to produce and sell automobiles that is economically, environmentally and socially beneficial. In Jay's words:"the cars people want, where they want them, when they want them". This is what his new car company, Local Motors,accomplishes.

After receiving an MBA from Harvard Business School and raising $4 million in seed money Jay did something that had never been done before in the car industry. Rather than dictating the design of the vehicles, he reached out to the design community and offered a cash reward for the best design. Local Motor's first "crowd-sourced" vehicle was born: a rugged off-road vehicle that could also drive comfortably on the open road.

The Rally Fighter was created based on the needs of an underserved market niche: the need for a vehicle that can easily traverse desert terrain and also double as a family car that comfortably handles the open road. The winning design provides manually adjustable dual height suspension. It seats 4 adults or 2 adults and 3 children. The Rally Fighter goes into production this summer. The cost is $50,000.

But, the best part of the story is that Local Motors plans to produce their cars only on demand at local "micro-factories" (that also serve as showrooms and service departments) where you, the buyer can watch and even participate in making your own car. With "just in time" delivery of parts and components there is no wasted resources, no inventories languishing on car lots, and no unnecessary shipping.

And, there is much more to this exciting story that we will cover in subsequent posts. But, it all started by identifying an uncontested, underserved market niche. What aspect of your local luxury real estate marketplace is underserved? That is the first place to look for your new niche.

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Anyone that has spent any amount of time in the real estate industry knows who Mike Ferry is. For those of you who don't, Mike Ferry is one of the most successful sales coaches in the country, and he uses an assistant. Her name is Monica Reynolds, and she is now training real estate assistants. What does this have to do with you or your interest in Real Estate Virtual Assistants?

If Mike Ferry uses an assistant, and Mike is telling you that you need an assistant, then you need an assistant. What Mike may not understand is that you live on a limited budget and hiring and training an assistant just isn't something you are in a position to do at this time. This is where a real estate virtual assistant, or REVA, can really help your business to grow. Whether you close 10 deals or 100 deals a year, getting yourself the assistance you need is now within your reach.

REVAs are not employees, but rather self employed assistants that specialize in the real estate industry. An experienced REVA is familiar with all the administrative tasks that are part of your business, and she is available on a per project basis or on retainer. You only pay for the services you need; not an entire years salary. The list of services REVAs specialize in is quite extensive, but below is a shortlist of services you may be struggling with providing for your clients.

· Regular updates on their listings. Real estate virtual assistants can pull all the numbers from website hits to the number of showings, put them all in a list, and either call your sellers herself or email them to you so that you can make the calls.

· Listing coordination. REVAS are familiar with the tools of your trade. From creating an effective pre-listing package to putting new listings on your website, complete with a virtual tour, you can rest easy knowing that your clients will receive the best possible service available.

· Closing Coordination. You just got a contract on your listing and it is set to close in 30 days. It's nothing to worry about when you have a professional real estate VA handling the details. Not only will your REVA make sure that the seller is aware of the scheduled home inspection, but she will also coordinate everything with the title company to assure that it closes on time.

· Marketing materials just got easier when you hired that REVA. Now all you have to do is let her know what it is you would like prepared and it will be created and e-mailed to you for final approval before being sent to your local printer for pick up, or before printing and mailing your marketing materials out for you.

I'm sure you see the advantages available to you when you partner with an experienced REVA. You can now generate business instead of servicing your listings. You can now leave the office knowing that your business is in the hands of a professional. So what are you waiting for? Find yourself the perfect REVA and go prospect! That's what Mike would tell you to do.


Shobert Vartan Real Estate
There are a great many locations around London to be considered as places to live. But property in Essex has risen to prominence a great deal in recent years and there are a number of reasons why. In this article we'll look at the reasons for its popularity.

One of the main reasons people consider Essex is the fact that it is good if you want to have regular contact with the countryside. Living in London, while it does offer a good range of parks and parkland, can sometimes seem a little claustrophobic. Most property in Essex would allow the