How to Tap into Home Remodeling Trends for Marketing Success

According to a recent survey, 57 percent of homeowners plan to undertake home remodeling or maintenance projects this year. Agents and brokers looking for potential listing leads can use this as an opportunity to connect.

How? Here are a few ideas that immediately come to mind:

• Create a board for outdoor renovation ideas on Pinterest
• Blog about renovation projects (again, you can mine Pinterest for ideas)
• Share info about home improvement fairs in your area
• Touch base with former clients and ask if they need contractor referrals

Summer is prime time for renovations and the warmer weather means many homeowners will focus on updating outdoor spaces like patios and decks. But how do you know what's "in" this season so that you can better engage consumers? A recent report from Zillow Digs, which factors what consumers are looking for with insight from home design experts, points to the following trends. You can use these ideas as a starting point when looking for content to share.

1. Lime Green Accent Colors - This fresh, citrusy color complements outdoor vegetation, but a little bit goes a long way. Zillow Digs suggests adding a pop of this color to your patio via accents like pillows, umbrellas, and vases. If Pinterest is part of your marketing plan, consider setting up a board for sample color palettes.

2. Vertical Gardens - Space at a premium? Vertical gardens are a great option for those who live in apartments or condos and have only a small outdoor area to work with. Zillow Digs recommends stocking vertical gardens with low maintenance plants like succulents and herbs for a stress-free summer.

3. Hurricane Candles - This elegant lighting solution is equally at home in both luxury and budget spaces. Group the candles together on tables or line the patio floor with them for a lovely ambiance.

The Zillow Digs Home Trend Forecast also shared fads that are on the way out. This season's trends are fresh and streamlined, so toss muddy, Tuscan colors and worn, "shabby chic" furniture. In addition, Zillow's home design experts recommend avoiding busy patterns and instead opting for the simplicity of solid colors and interesting textures.

An Opportunity to Connect

You can use the ideas above as a client nurturing opportunity. Call up a former client and ask how life at 123 Elm Street is going. See if they have any renovation plans, or chat about the home improvement trends we just mentioned.

To connect with a larger sphere of homeowners and home design enthusiasts, consider setting up a free profile on Zillow Digs. It's similar to Pinterest in that you can set up boards to share photos of listings and home renovation ideas. For an excellent example of Zillow Digs in action, check out the Corcoran Group's profile.