arenetwork's Blog: All Categories

Most well know cities around the world are recognized, in large part, by their distinctive landmarks. Landmarks like London’s Big Ben or the Eiffel Tower in Paris are some prominent examples.

 A city should be recognized by its unique landmarks and Austin, Texas is no exception to that rule.   Besides being heralded as one of the “coolest places” in the nation to live, our traditions of artistic excellence also show through in our architectural arenas.   In a recent walkabout (afternoon stroll if you’re not from Sydney) I took notice of some of Austin’s landmarks that parallel some of the more well known icons around the world. Now granted, my examples are not as well known as some of the comparisons, but nonetheless, they are recognizable to some… Read Full Post

Well its seems that a respected online community for women (WomenCo.com) has listed us #1 as the best place for getting the most "bang for your buck."

Now we don't take this lightly since WomenCo. sounds pretty dang official and after reading the list to see who Austin was compared to, we have to agree.

Their rankings were based on "cities' growth rates, average salaries and costs of living," and they even factored in average commute time, which, according to experts, has a colossal impact on your overall happiness. The survey also used unemployment figures, and the rate that unemployment has actually increased since February 2008."

Austin topped the list with projected job growth and had one of the lowest changes in unemployment rate since the onset of…

Read Full Post

Thinking green has become the new gold standard for green building in Austin, Texas. Located just three miles from downtown Austin and two miles from The University of Texas at Austin, an ambitious effort is underway to redevelop Robert Mueller Municipal Airport into a mixed-use urban village that will bring new hope to a neglected part of Austin.

The Mueller project is perfectly positioned to become an energetic new hub for central Austin. The transit-oriented design of this new community includes a broad range of homes plus places to shop, dine, jog, bike and play. When complete, Mueller will have more than 10,000 residents, 10,000 jobs and 140 acres of green space. It has been chosen as the site for the 2009 Austin Parade of Homes presented by the Home…

Read Full Post

"It's a great time to invest in Real Estate." 

How many ways can a creative spin be put on this old marketing standby?

Low interest rates and available inventory might be a hard sell in 2009 unless we shift the point of sale.  Here's a new approach, although tongue in cheek.

With an economic collapse looming on the horizon, more and more people will find it necessary to become self sufficient and resourceful when it comes to the protection of their assets. Day to day life trends will change and basic needs for survival will become paramount.  Food and shelter will become integrated into a self-sufficient philosophy.

If food becomes scarce in a chaotic society, the self sufficient will begin to grow their own food.  This will be necessary…

Read Full Post

How do you pay tribute to a city that is as outstanding as Austin, Texas?

Well for starters, you move there ... and you call the city your home.

That's the easy part !  Who wouldn't want to live in a city that boasts
300 days of yearly sunshine, sparkling lakes, "round the clock"  
entertainment and a unique way of life that is described as "Austin Style."

No, my tribute had to draw parallels to the city's uniqueness. It had to be on
a scale much like the Ancients of Rome had done when they chronicled
their greatness by erecting the Seven Wonders of the World.

So here is my tribute ......

A satirical city glimpse called the Seven Wonders of Austin.

Not just a attitude piece, but a city showcase of some of the things that
promote the feeling…

Read Full Post

I spoke with a colleague last week regarding targeted sales messages aimed at the luxury home buyer. Since he is a well known for his "Madison Avenue" advertising approach to selling real estate, I knew he would have a unique perspective on this subject and he would share it with me.  His name is Stan Barron.

He told me of a client who had contacted him with an all too familiar story.  A seller, after what seemed a long seven month listing period, was not satisfied with the level of marketing success afforded him by his previous listing agent - even though they were considered to be a top local marketer.

Long story short, Stan took over the listing - made two simple changes - and sold it in 50 days. What were these simple yet powerful changes he made…

Read Full Post

As stated in an earlier blog, 800 lb. Gorilla in the Room, a successful marketing campaign has an obligation to push certain buttons for its targeted audience. 

Buyers and Sellers of real estate have similar buttons (other than the price point) and they need pushing too. Realtors are attempting to push those buttons.

A home that sells for at least $750,000 is considered to be a luxury home. This pricing range has always been an active one here in Austin because of the abundance of successful and affluent people that live here.

Realtors, who want to attract this demographic, must rely heavily on the Internet because they know this is the most likely search source medium used by this up-scale client.  In fact, 80% of all real estate transactions begin…

Read Full Post

What do Phil Collins, Don Johnson, Tom Cruise and a 800 lb. Gorilla all have in Common?

Any successful marketing campaign has an obligation to push certain buttons. The audience has certain expectations, and to be successful, it must deliver on those expectations. But what about that 800 lb. Gorilla ? … more on that in a moment.

Let’s start a marketing campaign by creating a Blog. Let’s couple it with some creative search engine optimization techniques plus, initiate a pay per click program or wait - dare we resort to a viral marketing scheme.

While many may perceive these methods more as an art form rather than a science, the fact of the matter is, once you  master them they can be used over and over. They are only economically viable if and when they…

Read Full Post