Mobile Sites, Millennials, and Tech Hubs: Our Take on What’s Trending

As the nation’s most awarded real estate branding agency, it’s necessary for us to keep our eyes on the future, watching trends among not only the country’s top master planned communities but in art, design, and digital trends as well. Here are some of the latest trends we’ve seen in advertising real estate and beyond.

DIGITAL
The importance of mobile load times

Load time, especially on mobile, is more important than ever. More and more consumers expect the same load time on their smartphones as on their desktops—and they’ll drop off quickly if it doesn’t. According to Google, 53% of consumers will abandon a mobile site if it takes more than three seconds to load. And because a one-second delay can result in a 7% reduction in conversions, it’s safe to say that every second counts. Test your site now to see how it fares in mobile load time.

If you’re not happy with your site’s mobile load time, there are a number of things you can do to ensure your mobile site is loading as fast as possible. Cutting out unnecessary files, using an efficient caching plugin, stripping unnecessary metadata, and reducing your image sizes are all things you can do to keep your site’s speed up and your potential customers happy. Of course, partnering with a digital marketing and real estate branding company who understands these issues is key.

SALES
Millennials are making a move

It’s no surprise that the real estate market in the past few years has been a hot one. But who are these buyers? According to a study conducted by real estate site, Zillow, most of them are Millennials (individuals born between 1982 and 2004) who make up more than half of all home buyers today and 56% of first-time home buyers. And what are Millennials looking for in a new home? Open, multifunctional interiors are one design feature Millennials prefer since they like to socialize and live casually. This also means they often skip more formal features like crown molding and formal dining rooms. Another thing Millennials are looking for is low-maintenance living, indoors and out: think easily cleanable faux wood floors and small balconies or terraces. The top master planned communities and homebuilders are already taking these preferences into consideration, offering versatile homes in walkable, urban areas that suit this young, growing market. And as a top real estate branding agency, we’ve embraced the opportunities and challenges that come with marketing to this important and vibrant demographic.

THE NEXT HOT MARKETS
Tech hubs beyond Silicon Valley

While Silicon Valley is still the booming hub for technology it has been for the last few decades, the sky-high prices Silicon Valley homebuyers are encountering have contributed to the number of people moving to the region dropping by 27% from 2012 to 2015. Subsequently, tech professionals have cast their eye towards many other markets around the country that are just as tech-savvy but much more affordable. Here are the top five tech-friendly markets for master planned communities and homebuilders to keep their eye on based on factors like percentage of employment in the tech industry, percentage of technology/engineering jobs, operations of major tech companies, and number of startups per capita:

1. Austin, TX
2. Atlanta, GA
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Raleigh-Durham, NC
5. Pittsburgh, PA

We know real estate branding for top master planned communities and home builders is a multifaceted science. To stay on top of the trends or to discover more of what we can do for you, contact us today.