Real Estate News from SM SOLD
Read all about it! ... and stay close to the pulse of SM SOLD.
Enjoy the news on SM SOLD's crowning heights and the ones of our high profile clients.
Enjoy the news on SM SOLD's crowning heights and the ones of our high profile clients.
"I receive compliments daily on my website."
Amber Downey, Agent Surterre Properties
Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach, CA
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Despite continuing reports of sluggish home sales nationally, there is some good news for agents in the residential real estate sector, thanks to 90 Day Certain Sale - an innovative new real estate sales program and website. Brainchild of John McMonigle, founder and principal of the McMonigle Group, and designed and programmed by SM Sold and the new, international www.90DayCertainSale.com site was launched on June 26. The online site uses a compelling visual interface and a propriety leading-edge bidding model with pre-set weekly price reductions to drive traffic, interest and sales for premier, high-quality homes represented by real estate professionals across the nation and worldwide. 90 Day Certain Sale was regionally tested in March 2009 and initially focused on the hard-hit luxury home market in Southern California. Since its introduction, 90 Day Certain Sale has invigorated this market, driving impressive bidding activity and traffic, resulting in 13 homes sold or in escrow to date. "We've made the process of utilizing 90 Day Certain Sale simple and hassle-free for the licensees," says the SM Sold Managing Director, Steve Pollack. "Agents using the 90 Day Certain Sale program to market their listings simply contact us, email us images and information about their properties and, if the property meets the high-quality standards of our site, it is added to the program right away. " To find out more about this exciting new technology platform visit www.90DayCertainSale.com. |
June 29th, 2009
SM Sold Develops 90 Day Certain
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California real estate licensees must include their license numbers on all marketing materials starting July 1, 2009, under SB 1461 passed by the state legislature this year. According to proposed regulations published by the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) to implement the new law, the definition of "first point of contact" materials includes all solicitation materials intended to be the first point of contact with consumers which includes business cards, stationery, websites (owned, controlled, and/or maintained by the soliciting real estate licensee), promotional and advertising fliers, brochures, email and regular mail, leaflets, and any marketing or promotional materials that encourage the consumer to contact the licensee about services for which a license is required. For more information please contact SM SOLD to comply by July 1st, 2009. |
June 17th, 2009
DRE License Number Regulation
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Attracting 'rock star' to 'royalty', the entry grid of over 120 amazing cars and participants in this year's Gumball is nothing short of spectacular! Showcasing the most fantastic cars ever built, including vintage, customized and luxury Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, Aston Martins and Bugattis alongside America's finest muscle cars and today's 'greenest' hybrid and electric vehicles of the future, the Gumball 3000 is the must event for exotic auto lovers worldwide. Gumball 3000 has decided to go back to its roots in 2009, with a classic "coast to coast" road trip, from sea to shining sea; Los Angeles to Miami. SM Sold is proud to sponsor Car 99 a 2008 R3 Porsche driven by Steve Willing of Seismic Fixture. In addition, Gumball 3000 are officially working with the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization benefiting and raising awareness for the needs of severely injured United States Service men and women. www.gumball3000.com |
May 2nd, 2009
SM Sold Sponsors Gumball 3000 Coast to Coast Rally
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Represented by Austin super agent Eric Moreland, Moreland Properties and powered by SM Sold backend technology. The Austonian will showcase how a luxurious lifestyle can support the living of an environmentally-conscious and sustainable life in one of America's most popular cities. Located in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas at 2nd Street and Congress Avenue, along major mass transit lines, this luxury home address is within a five minute walk to places of employment, retail stores, restaurants and entertainment venues. The building site itself occupies only one-third of a city block and, at 56 stories, offers luxurious high density living only blocks from the Texas State Capitol. SM Sold is providing advance technology utilizing the Sold 3.0 to manage inventory, provide ongoing e-mail campaigns and drive sales center traffic. www.theaustonian.com |
April 21st, 2009
Austin Real Estate Project Redefines Luxury
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SM SOLD is proud to announce the launch of Sean Stanfield's website. The Wall Street Journal's "Top 200 Real Estate Agents and Teams" honored Sean Stanfield as #5 reaching $178,726,700 in sales volume in 2007. Sean focuses on a wide range of properties in Huntington Harbor and Orange County. SM SOLD catered to Sean's website by keying into Income Properties, Loss Mitigation and Bank Owned information. We are pleased to be a part of Sean Stanfield's great milestone. |
April 13th, 2009
SM SOLD creates a new website for Sean Stanfield
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Launched in late February, the 90-Day Certain Sale Program combines a strategic approach to pricing with innovative marketing and harnesses the power of technology to drive buyer interest and offers on homes in real-time. The 90-Day Certain Sale Program benefits home sellers wanting to speed up the sales process, optimize their equity and sell their home within 90 days. The Program benefits buyers by delivering quality properties at realistic values. SM Sold is excited to partner with the McMonigle Group to create the 90-Day Certain Sale Program - the new way for agents to sell real estate in a new market. With the power of real time online bidding the 90-Day Certain Sale Program creates the sense of urgency the real estate market is missing - and provides the deal-closing solution agents are looking for. Please watch the attached video link for more information or click on the website link below. www.90DayCertainSale.com |
March 31st, 2009
Agents Close deals with 90-Day Certain Sale
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Myra Nourmand is featured in the television series "Beautiful Homes and Great Estates", where she showcases a once of a kind property secluded in Hope Ranch. Terra Bella is a huge, nearly 14,000 square foot mansion with a stunning location and ocean views. The gated ten-bedroom estate aspires to a Tuscan vision of Italian architecture on a grand scale. Some of the details include Venetian plaster walls, fresco finishes, marble, stone, and mosaic tile floors. Terra Bella is located in Santa Barbara with the ranks of the highest listings in the region with a price of $39.5 million. |
March 27th, 2009
Myra Nourmand in Beautiful Homes and Great Estates
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Modern Home and Living Magazine Co-Founder and Creative Director, Stephen Chavez met with SM SOLD Founders Urs Britschgi and Steve Pollack about the unique marketing behind the Portabello Estate property in Corona del Mar. The SM SOLD marketing solution was custom tailored, including an interactive website, an estate video and promotional DVDs. Ranked as America's third most expensive property, priced at $75 million, this John McMonigle listing draws the attention of the media, buyers and agents. It's even captured the attention of generation Y at www.youtube.com. Stephen of MH+L continued to discuss the process of SM SOLD and how they support their top luxury agents. SM SOLD helps agents/brokers maximize the results of their marketing efforts and promotes the ability to rise above the crowd. They support their clients with unique concepts, stunning designs and the latest in web search technology. The interview ended on the question "What do buyers look for when considering luxury properties?" Buyers look for clear, modern marketing assets and great property photography. SM SOLD is proud to have worked on the marketing solution for Portabello Estate under client, John McMonigle. Many clients such as John McMonigle can speak of SM SOLD as a reputable and high end company. |
March 10th, 2009
Modern Home and Living Magazine Interviews SM Sold
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Rob Jenson, who has been a top producing real estate broker and SM SOLD client, has recently been featured on Good Morning America. In the news segment, he discusses the "9 Home Sale Mistakes to Avoid". The Jenson Group continues to be ranked in the top 1% of sales throughout the Las Vegas Valley. WATCH VIDEO www.thejensongroup.com |
January 28th, 2009
Rob Jenson Featured on Good Morning America
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Myra Nourmand, who has been a top producing real estate broker and for the past 20 years and SM SOLD client, has recently been featured on Fox Business Network. The news segment features recent real estate inventory with serious nationwide foreclosure, a main concern for the economy. Myra Normand remains to be optimistic for the market she represents on the Westside of Los Angeles - namely Beverly Hills, BelAir and Brentwood. WATCH VIDEO |
November 20th, 2008
Myra Nourmand Featured on Fox Business TV
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With these recent press releases, SM SOLD is pleased to announce their relocation to a new corporate office in Irvine. With over 9,000 square feet of office space, the firm continues to grow and expand with new employees and services. SM SOLD takes luxury real estate marketing to the next level by integrating technological advances with current luxury design concepts. The new space features improved presentation facilities and an expanded brainstorming area better suited to nurture creativity. SM SOLD RELOCATES |
November 14th, 2008
SM SOLD Relocates
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SM SOLD recently produced a video for one of the most sought after properties on the Luxury Real Estate market today, 'La Villa Serena' in Beverly Hills. This estate is featured in the October/November 2008 issue of Haute Living, a magazine geared toward high net worth individual's intent on purchasing the finest offerings in real estate, jets, jewelry, and travel. This perfect estate in Beverly Hills, La Villa Serena, stands as one of Los Angeles' finest homes created by talented architects and engineers, has magnificent jetliner views from downtown to the Pacific and 15,000 square feet of brand new Mediterranean grandeur. WATCH VIDEO |
November 12th, 2008
Majestic La Villa Serena
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Another SM SOLD client, Raju Chhabria, specializing in luxury properties in the Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, and South Bay communities, has been ranked as one of Haute Living's Power Players of Los Angeles. The continued growth of his web presence has assisted in the impressive records of earning over $2 billion in lifetime sales and more than $100 million in yearly sales since 1997. Raju himself was ranked No. 26 nationally for 2007 by the Wall Street Journal. www.rajusells.com |
October 28th, 2008
Raju Chhabria Featured in Haute Living
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SM SOLD is proud of its national and international web presence for one of Haute Living's 2008 Power Players of Los Angeles, John McMonigle and his talented team at the McMonigle Group in Newport Beach. This issue of Haute Living focused on the success of sales professionals and their status in this tribute to POWER PLAYERS OF LOS ANGELES 2008. John is dubbed the foremost expert in residential real estate as well as real estate developments. www.hauteliving.com |
October 23rd, 2008
Power players of Los Angeles
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As a celebrity realtor, Myra Nourmand has successfully sold and listed numerous properties ranging from $1 million to $30 million. SM SOLD continues to work closely with this premier real estate professional, providing a website that has built Myra's business. Myra has been featured in the April/May issue of Haute Living Magazine. The article is a yearly tribute to the Power Players of Los Angeles. www.myranourmand.com |
October 23rd, 2008
Myra Nourmand - Top LA Power Player
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Haute Living, is a magazine geared toward high net worth individuals and the intent on purchasing the finest offerings in real estate. Haute Living has featured one of SM SOLD's premiere clients, John McMonigle and his company, The McMonigle Group. SM SOLD has designed and maintained one of the most cutting edge websites that continues to support McMonigle's national and global affiliations. In an absolutely tough market, the real estate tycoon is reporting record sales, prompting him to believe this year's sales will total much higher than last year's astounding $500 million mark. www.hauteliving.com |
October 1st, 2008
The Real Estate Monarch
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The Luxury Marketing Council Southern California (LuxeSC) is an organization of Southern California luxury purveyors, comprised of CEOs, directors of marketing, general managers and other top executives. LuxeSC serves as a catalyst in bringing together the smartest most imaginative marketers of luxury products and services to explore the best practices, share intelligence on customers and stay on the leading edge of market trends. LuxeSC hosts a multitude of member-only events throughout the year including moderated panel discussions featuring experts in the luxury arena, Think Tanks, Executive Roundtables, Common Practice Surveys, CEO Breakfasts, and other events. Steven Pollack of SM SOLD spoke at the July 22, 2008 event held at the Tides, a Standard Pacific Homes Property about luxury marketing, the fluctuations in the economy and those buyers who can afford to spend upwards of $10,000,000 or more for a primary or secondary residence. www.luxurycouncil.com |
July 22nd, 2008
LuxSC Hosts Members Only Event
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The "Real Estate Top 200" honors America's elite real estate agents and their companies. SM SOLD proudly announces John McMonigle and Raju Chhabria named in the Wall Street Journal's "Top 200 Real Estate Agents". John McMonigle is ranked #1 in the top 50 Teams by Volume with an annual $431,925,598 for the year of 2007. Raju Chhabria ranks in the Top 50 Teams by Volume amounting to $159,859,900. Both agents continue to perform exceptionally due to their aggressive marketing efforts. |
November 15th, 2007
WSJ Top 200
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This breakthrough allows content creators at every level of sophistication to share their videos in native 720p (1280 x 720) resolution, which is 12 times better than the standard 320 x 240 resolution of other video sites. SM SOLD has created their own channel that features their luxury marketing videos in HD. Come check it out at: WATCH VIDEO |
November 6th, 2007
HD In Demand
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Lore Magazine recently featured McMonigle & his team of agents as part of the Top 200 List of Real Estate Professionals. For more information visit: Top 200 Real Estate Professionals 2007. www.loremagazine.com |
November 6th, 2007
McMonigle Group in the Top 200
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SM SOLD's commitment to top notch technology helps homes sell for higher prices at faster rates. Just take 5558 Naples Canal in Long Beach for example. The home sold for a record setting $8.1 million dollars - no doubt with some help from the video SM SOLD created for the property. To quote a reporter: "What's more impressive is the planting of the video tour on every conceivable video sharing site: YouTube, Vox, DailyMotion, GoogleVideo, YahooVideo and Vimeo, to name just a few." WATCH VIDEO |
November 5th, 2007
SM SOLD Technology Help Break Records!
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SM SOLD's clients continue to make headlines with their sophisticated websites. The Pasala Group was recently featured in Realtor Magazine as an innovative, technologically savvy website: At The Pasala Group's Web site, sales associate Jim Pasala steps onto the lower right of the home page, appearing nearly 3-D, as he directs you to what his business has to offer. The walk-on video conveys the professionalism Pasala hopes to project as a specialist in luxury homes with Coldwell Banker Previews International in Newport Beach, Calif. I want people to see me as being on the cutting edge of technology, says Pasala. I use video because it gives people a much better idea of the appeal of homes. Like Pasala, real estate practitioners are tapping Web tools and templates to shape perceptions and deliver content to make their Web sites attractive destinations for those shopping or selling property. Online components include everything from routine features like property searches and seller-targeted e-mail marketing alerts to providing technology information and showcasing exceptional properties with walk-through virtual tours. These thoughts have been the core of SM SOLD's values since our company launched in 2001. It is important to understand and have a strong grasp on how your website can be used to your advantage. |
October 1st, 2007
The Pasala Group in Realtor Magazine
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SM SOLD was chosen to film the brand new Trump National Golf Club in the lush area of Palos Verdes, California. The video features Donald Trump's extraordinary vision and the most desirable location in all of California. A limited number of custom estates have been made available on one of Southern California's premium properties. The Estates will overlook Trump National Golf Course, California's number one rated championship golf course; spanning three hundred acres, and 2 ½ miles of gorgeous oceanfront views. SM SOLD is honored to be picked to represent one of the most exclusive resorts in California. WATCH VIDEO |
August 31st, 2007
SM SOLD Films New Trump National Estates
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Urs Britschgi was honored with an invitation to speak at a conference in Destin, Florida. He was asked to discuss the latest technologies in the real estate industry - a subject he is well acquainted with. SM SOLD has a solid understanding of the power of the internet to conduct business online. People are recognizing SM SOLD's ability to successfully market their clients' websites. Businesses are taking notice and turning to SM SOLD for their expertise in this specific area. Living in the information age, it seems that knowledge is endless. The problem is that people often do not know where to start or what key things to look for. Urs Britschgi spoke precisely on these issues. He gave insight on everything from search engine optimization to using one's website as an effective business tool. SM SOLD is excited to continue their pursuit of the latest and greatest web innovations. |
August 15th, 2007
SM SOLD Travels to Florida
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With the launch of Worldwide Realty's new website, SM SOLD has proven that there is nothing that is out of their league. Merv Griffin's real estate company, headed by President Steve Lewis, came to SM Sold several months back asking for a site unlike any other. SM SOLD welcomed the challenge. Given its team of talented designers and programmers, Urs Britschgi was convinced that there was nothing SM SOLD could not tackle. Clients often come to us wanting a site that looks similar to other websites done in the past so we rarely get the chance to move beyond what is already out there. This project was exciting because it gave SM SOLD the opportunity to really show the public its ability to undertake any request. The website reflects the contemporary, modern look that defines luxury. The team at Worldwide Realty is beyond impressed at the end result and expects positive public feedback from this launch. |
August 3rd, 2007
Innovative Worldwide Realty Website Launched
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Urs Britschgi recently came back from the annual search engine marketing and optimization conference in San Jose. Keeping updated on the latest strategies allows SM SOLD to maintain its place as a key leader in the field of web development. This conference provided insight on how to get better rankings. Websites are so prominent these days; the field has become extremely competitive as everyone seeks to get ranked in the top five in search engines. It takes a lot of time and energy to make sure a site gets top ranking, and that is one area that SM SOLD is completely committed to. Nowadays, it takes more than a flashy website to draw people in. There needs to be a combination of clean design and smart marketing for ones website to get public attention. This is a trait SM SOLD excels at but one that most companies fail to achieve. Search engine optimization is an essential component to marketing strategy. A great website is a definite asset, but what is the point if nobody ever finds it online? The combination of smart SEO integration and sleek website design is something SM Sold strives to achieve for our clients in order to provide them with the best tools out there for success. |
August 3rd, 2007
San Jose SEO Conference
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After months of preparation, SM SOLD was considered a huge hit at the 2007 Annual EPEC Convention in London, England. SM SOLD has already proven to be a compelling web presence in the United States, exceeding its competitors with its customized designs and unique SOLD software. However, SM SOLD reached new heights when Urs Britschgi and Steve Pollack took their ideas abroad into the UK. Audiences were stunned at the possibilities that existed for the real estate market. Steve and Urs were asked to speak on Powering Up the Internet to Find and Sell Properties, a topic that falls well within their area of expertise. They captured the largest audience of any speaking engagement by sharing their knowledge of their field of expertise. There are obvious benefits to having an online presence, and SM SOLD's personal success is an obvious indicator of the power of the web. Urs Britschgi and Steve Pollack look forward to more opportunities abroad as they continue to expand their company. |
May 21st, 2007
UK Convention a Success
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Nourmand & Associates were awarded first place in the 2007 annual real estate marketing conference in Palm Desert. Unlike other real estate websites out there, Nourmand & Associates came up on top with a customized website integrating the best of today's technology. SM SOLD's use of flash technology combined with its clean, flawless design allows the end user to navigate through the site with ease. Proven statistics reveal that more than 80% of today's eyeballs are on the web. More and more homeowners are looking to the web before they choose an agent. A stellar website is likely to give real estate brokers and agents the leverage they need to stand apart from the crowd. Gone are the days of print advertisements and postcards, the clients of today are looking for information with the click of a mouse. SM SOLD has always believed in the use of websites as a primary marketing tool, especially in the field of Real Estate, where competition is fierce. Since SM SOLD's inception in 2001, there has been tremendous demand for its services. That demand continues to increase despite the current slowdown of the real estate market. |
March 13th, 2007
Nourmand Website Awarded 1st Place