Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Condominium Builders. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

• More condo communities are using destination or club-like environments to promote the most convenience for residents. Exercise facilities, resident-only lounges, outdoor lounging/pool areas, and concierge services are considered to be in-demand features of desired condo communities.
• Single female buyers were more likely to buy condos (63%) than single-family detached homes. Condos are also a popular purchase among consumers buying second homes (22%).
• Several hotels are adding a residential component to help underwrite costs. These are primarily luxury hotels, and the buyers are affluent and willing to pay the high price affixed to the condos, presenting a challenge to typical condo builders.

The Industry Marketing Insights report for Condominium Builders is available on Ad-ology.com (Research Store) for $195 USD with local market data for any U.S. market.

[Source: Ad-ology Research. July 22, 2010]

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Real Estate Agents/Agencies. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

• Baby Boomers are a key group. Approximately 26% of Baby Boomers plan to move to a new home this year.
• In 2009, as a result of Internet home search(es), 28% of buyers found the agent used to search for/buy their home. Buyers who used the Internet during their home search were more likely to contact a real estate agent than those who didn’t use the Internet.
• There was a 4% decrease in the number of home buyers who reported using a real estate agent in 2009 compared to 2008.

The Industry Marketing Insights report for Real Estate Agents/Agencies is available on Ad-ology.com (Research Store) for $195 USD with local market data for any U.S. market.

[Source: Ad-ology Research. June 29, 2010]

BELLINGHAM, Washington – Ad-ology Research announced today a new how-to website and series of video briefings, both designed to help local marketers understand and take advantage of market research. LocalMarketResearch.com and its companion video briefing Local Marketing Minute feature trends, forecasts and opportunities specific to local business.

The LocalMarketResearch.com website is updated twice daily with the latest insights, challenges and opportunities, and news for local small and medium-sized businesses. These include: Franchise owners, restaurants, independent retailers, and regional chains or companies that sell in a small number of markets.

“Not every brand is global or national, in fact, many businesses are truly local and get most of their sales from customers who are physically nearby,” said C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research. “These types of businesses often face unique marketing challenges and need specialized research to help them be successful,” Smith said.

The Local Marketing Minute video briefing focuses twice each month on one topic and how small businesses and small business marketers can use customer insights and marketing insights to grow business. They are also available for download through Apple iTunes.

Ad-ology Research announced this new resource during the 8^th annual International Economic Gardening Conference, sponsored by Ad-ology. Economic Gardening is a type of economic development that focuses government resources on the growth of local entrepreneurs and small businesses.
About Ad-ology Research

Ad-ology Research (www.ad-ology.com) analyzes key marketing and advertising trends in over 440 industries and what motivates end-customers. The company’s research is used by over 2,000 advertising agencies, media properties and product marketing departments across the United States. Ad-ology is also a research partner for the 2010 American Advertising Federation’s National Student Advertising Competition. Ad-ology Research is a division of Sales Development Services (SDS), Inc. – a Westerville, Ohio firm founded in 1989.

Editor’s Note: The Ad-ology trade name should be hyphenated in all printed references. All other trade names are property of their respective owners and do not constitute nor imply an endorsement.

PRESS CONTACT:
Michelle O’Brien
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pressrelations@ad-ology.com

Ask anyone in the real estate business and they’ll tell you the housing market has changed drastically in the past few years. Census Bureau data indicates that between 1945 and 2007, we were a nation of movers with up to 20% of us relocating annually. Often the moves meant consumers were selling one home and buying another. But in 2008, the mover rate dropped to 11.9%. Though that rate increased slightly to 12.5% in 2009, the top line numbers don’t show the whole story.

Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Conor Dougherty highlights salient data points from William Frey’s, Brookings, analysis of mover statistics. According to Frey, people are moving this year and they moved last year, but these moves are typically intra-county moves. About 8.4% of consumers moved within their county while only 1.6% moved to another state. This move pattern contrasts with 1991 activity when over 10% of consumer moved within their county and about 3% moved between states.

In 2008-2008, 13.9% of consumers who moved within the county for housing related reasons said they were seeking less expensive living arrangements. It’s reasonable to consider that a fair percentage of the movers were leaving foreclosed homes and moving to apartments. Frey sees cause for concern in these numbers. “Since labor migration is often seen as the grease that spurs the flow of goods, capital and job creation, these new numbers are not encouraging.”

Beyond the move statistics are the home ownership numbers which have dropped from 69.2% in 2004 to 67.6% to 2009. Financial analysts expect to see more growth in the rental market because of homeowners who are underwater when they compare the current market value of their homes to the outstanding balance on their mortgage. Some of these homeowners will go through foreclosure and enter the rental market. Others will select the “strategic default” route and walk away from their homes and into apartments. Either way, the slow real estate market points to continued difficulty for home sales. On the other hand, apartment building owners, which had been struggling in recent years, will be marketing the amenities of the rental lifestyle.

[Sources: Dougherty, Conor. “Migration Data Suggest Homeowners Becoming Renters.” Wall Street Journal. 11 May 2010. Web. 12 May 2010; Frey, William. The Great American Migration Slowdown. Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings. Brookings.edu. December 2009. Web. 11 May 2010; Whitehouse, Mark. American Dream 2: Default, Then Rent. Wall Street Journal. 16. Dec. 2009. Web. 11 May 2010]