Every real estate agent has their own methods for hosting an open house. RE/MAX Metro asked realtor® Mashonda Smith to give us a look into the ways she creates a fun, successful event!

SCHEDULE AHEAD

Most of the time, leaving all the planning to the last minute results in a less than successful open house. Without the proper steps taken beforehand, possible buyers are less likely to see the listing or plan to come see it. Preparing ahead of time also allows for the listing to be distributed to websites in advance. Try to post your listing to the MLS three or more days before to improve your chances of open house success!

OPEN HOUSE SIGNS

A traditional (and very practical) way to reach the public is using good ol’ trusty open house signs. Place a rider on the signpost a few days before to advertise the date of the event. Then, place three or so open house signs in the yard of your home! If possible, ask neighbors to put additional signs in their own yards. Not only could this help spread the word, but that conversation may open the door for a possible transaction later down the road!

COMPS

Having comps on hand at your open house is a great way to give people further information about the neighborhood. Look for examples of active, pending, and sold comps to bring along with you. This way, you can be prepared to help your potential buyers find exactly what they’re looking for – even if it isn’t the home you’re showing!

When it comes down to it, the way you host an open house is completely up to you! Try different things and see what helps you find the most success… and have fun with it!

Video is quickly becoming one of the most favored forms of content on social media. Luckily, you don’t need an entire team of videographers to get some good content for your own pages! It’s now easier than ever to take a quick video with your phone and share it with your friends and family. Improving your engagements is where it starts to become a bit difficult. Our suggestion? Improve the quality of your video with a few simple tips and tricks!

VIDEO EQUIPMENT

Although cameras are a wonderful way to take high-quality videos, they are oftentimes expensive and difficult to use. By providing your phone with a few extra pieces of equipment, you can mimic the quality of a camera for a fraction of the price! People are much more likely to engage with videos that look and sound good. Mountable lenses, microphones, and detachable stands are great tools for upping the quality of your video.

STABILIZATION

Another way to achieve this is by stabilizing the shot. How many times have you seen a Facebook video that you wanted to watch, but couldn’t enjoy because of how shaky it was? This issue can be immediately resolved with a miniature tripod! Not only does it eliminate an unsettled shot, but it allows you to film solo – no assistance from a friend is required! Whether positioned on a nearby desk or held at arm’s length, a tripod for your phone is the perfect way to keep your video playing smooth.

BETTER AUDIO

Even though the majority of smartphones have microphones already built in, they tend to have a few areas that need improving. An external mic usually reduces the amount of wind picked up in the recording. Limiting background noise works wonders for audio! Plus, you can point external mics in the direction of your source. There are many different kinds of microphones out there for smartphones, so shop around for the one that works best for you!

Utilizing your phone for video is perfect for communicating a genuine message to your audience. Overly advanced production can sometimes come across as aggressive and unengaging – not to mention the budget it often requires! Mastering video with your phone takes less time, less money, and less effort. Try using some of these tips to improve your video experience with ease!

Listed below are some of our favorite add-ons for smartphones:

Mini Tripod
Phone Clamp
Microphone

Organic, healthy eating is taking the world by storm! Many restaurants have the self-proclaimed title “100% organic,” but are not actually certified. Clean Juice is the only USDA-certified organic juice bar in the country! Although named for their juice, Clean Juice also offers smoothies, acai bowls, wellness shots, and signature greenoa™ bowls. The juice bar embodies the mission statement, “Healthy in body, strong in spirit,” through its inviting atmosphere and nutritious food.  Owners Glenn and Kim Gordon were thrilled to bring this principle to St. Petersburg, Florida. 

“Healthy in body, strong in spirit.”

The Gordon family opened its first Clean Juice bar in 2017 in Sarasota, Florida. Dylan Hopp, a close family friend of the Gordons and fiance to Tatum Gordon, dreamed of opening another branch in his hometown of St. Petersburg. Sadly, Dylan suffered from an unexpected and fatal brain aneurysm in March of 2019. The Gordon family honored his memory by fulfilling his dream in full. Located near the downtown area on 4th Street, Clean Juice St. Petersburg had its grand opening on July 27th. That day, the team raised over $9,000 for the Bee Foundation, an organization centered around the research and awareness of brain aneurysms. The family continues to share Dylan’s strong spirit by sporting the phrase, “better together.” 

Tatum, marketing coordinator and overseer of the establishment, sat with us to talk a bit about Clean Juice. One of the biggest attractions to the juicery is their selection of juice cleanse packages. Tatum explained that a one day cleanse consists of 6 different kinds of juices. This provides for breakfast, a midmorning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner, and dessert. “You’re getting all of your meals in one day – you’re just drinking them instead of eating them,”  she said. The Green juice is Tatum’s personal favorite. It consists of spinach, celery, kale, cucumber, ginger, and lemon. For non-juice drinkers, she recommends Orange, which has pineapple, turmeric, carrot, and oranges. Like the other juices and foods in Clean Juice, both Green and Orange are completely organic. 

“USDA-Certified Organic.”

However, obtaining the title ‘USDA-certified organic’ is no small feat. The certification process lasts six months and can be incredibly difficult to pass. Still, Clean Juice understood the importance of the title and followed every step in order to achieve it. Now, Clean Juice is the one and only USDA-certified juice bar in all of America. Tatum told us, “… anything in the store, when you walk in the door, you know it’s going to be organic – unless we weren’t able to source it.” If an organic ingredient is unavailable and a non-organic substitute must be made, Clean Juice vows to inform their customers. 

Ultimately, the goal is to promote health and cleanliness. This is why Clean Juice believes so strongly in the power of organic. Where organic ingredients enhance the success of a cleanse, non-organic ingredients interrupt a cleanse with harmful pesticides. When eating organic, you can 100% guarantee you’re not putting toxins in your body. “It makes the whole effort 100% more effective,” Ryan added. 

For a taste of something both delicious and nutritious, stop by Clean Juice on 4th Street today!

Photography often plays a crucial role in the real estate world. Often times, agents use their phones to take a picture of a house and upload it right then and there. However, it can be far more effective to take it a few steps further. Do you want your listings to catch the eye of a potential client? 

Reach out to the experts from RE/MAX Metro’s Media Team, Krayer Zimring and Ryan Harris! While Ryan works primarily on the social media side of things, Krayer specializes in listings. He does everything from photos and to Matterport scans. RE/MAX Metro offers these services in-house for all agents!

One of our most impressive features is our in-house Matterport technology. With nine different lenses and both optical and infrared cameras, Matterport is sure to accurately showcase any home! The device builds out a dollhouse structure to virtually “walk-through” the listing online. “You literally feel like you’re inside the house,” Krayer said.  The owner of RE/MAX Metro, Rick Brown, brought Matterport in to give agents something both affordable and professional. “[It’s] honestly the lowest price point I have ever heard of anyone getting a Matterport scan,” Ryan mentioned. 

“You literally feel like you’re inside the house.”

When taking listing photos, our media team strives to make the home look the very best. They illustrate these houses in a natural environment whenever possible by focusing primarily on natural light. The team also utilizes different camera lenses depending on the size of the room. With us, the photographer always does his best to capture the room as accurately as possible. “That’s our goal,” Krayer said.  “To make it look as good as it possibly can.” For this reason, Krayer and Ryan recommend taking the time and money to use their services for most listings. 

However, some homes could actually disadvantage from detailed, high-quality photos. If the listing is on the smaller side, the photos might make the home look deceiving in size. In the same way, unflattering details may appear in the images of a “rough” listing. “Not every listing is going to be appropriate for it,” Ryan commented. Still, there are times where these recommendations might not apply. For example, a listing that has been on the market for a while may be worth boosting with professional photos. 

If ever there’s uncertainty in selecting their services for a particular listing, consult Krayer and Ryan for honest, practical advise! Their primary goal is to help you sell. With different kinds of in-house packages, you’re sure to get what you pay for. Contact them today to have your questions answered and your needs met! 

When most St. Petersburg residents hear the words ‘green bench,’ they think of the city’s infamous brewery. However, this name was actually pulled from a marketing tool directed towards tourists in the 1900s. Back then, over 3,500 benches brimmed the sidewalks and stood before stores, all uniform in size and color. While St. Petersburg was commonly referred to as “The Sunshine City,” it also gained the title, “The City of Green Benches.” Although some saw the benches as a way to attract visitors, they remind others of segregation in the city.

Nathan Stonecipher, co-owner of Green Bench Brewing, explained the reason for the company’s name. “It was an unfortunate and ugly thing that we went through as a city here,” he said. “Our idea was to bring it back and take new ownership of the green benches and really show that there’s a place for all.” With this goal in mind, Nathan and his fellow owners settled on this piece of history for their brewery’s name. “We really wanted a name that would pay homage to our area, but would also challenge us too as we looked at our history,” he explained.

Green Bench Brewing began about seven years ago with co-owners Khris Johnson, Nathan Stonecipher and Steven Duffy. The three were raised in St. Petersburg and wanted to start a project that would add to their city. “For us, this was a labor of love for many years before we got to a point where we could open our doors,” Nathan told us. Over the years, each co-owner has inherited different tasks in order to make their company the best it can be. Khris, the “creative guru,” comes up with and tweaks the beer recipes. Nathan works primarily with management, accounting, and in his own words, “all the boring stuff.” Steven looks at the construction side of things, building and expanding as they see fit.

Recently, Green Bench Brewing opened an additional space called Webb’s City Cellar. The facility focuses on sour beers, saisons, Belgium and Northern French inspired beers, with production in mead and cider too. Unlike anything else in Florida, Webb’s City Cellar showcases their large scale aging process for beers and ciders. “We really wanted something that would give people in the state of Florida a different type of space to go see… and this is what we envisioned,” Nathan said.

“We’re never quite sure how these beers are going to end up, which is part of what makes it exciting for us.”

Along with the new space, Green Bench Brewing has begun to introduce new kinds of drinks and flavors. Among these is Alice, which is a new line of sours. With flavors like raspberry and peach, this take on golden sours is already becoming a huge hit. “We’re never quite sure how these beers are going to end up, which is part of what makes it exciting for us,” Nathan admitted. Green Bench Brewing is constantly tweaking recipes towards the taste of the changing market. “We’re always experimenting with something new around here, which is what makes it fun.” Stop by at Green Bench to see what’s brewing!