Marketing Assessment:
Housing Edge
Client: Jeromy Bonefield
Website:
https://thehousingedge.com/
Primary Location: DFW Metroplex
Overview:
Housing Edge’s Opportunity:
Provide early access to
affordable, off-market properties, before they hit Zillow or Redfin,
and build trust with real buyers, not tire-kickers.
The Problem
- The market has shifted from a competitive seller’s market to a cautious buyer’s market.
- High interest rates have slowed down investor activity.
- Buyers are looking for value and long-term homes, not quick flips.
Marketing Strategy
Goal: Build a funnel that drives and qualifies serious buyer leads.
a. Conversion-Focused Landing Page
Built to capture leads and build trust
The landing page guides visitors to sign up by using clear messaging, helpful advice, and social proof that reinforces credibility and builds confidence.
Highlights off-market deals, affordability, and local market insights
We emphasize real value by showcasing deals not listed on Zillow. Local data, simple language, and clear benefits help buyers feel informed and empowered to act.
SEO-optimized with localized keywords, citations, backlinks
By targeting long-tail, location-based keywords and securing relevant backlinks, we boost visibility for local buyers actively searching for affordable homes in their preferred area.
Target Audience
These buyers want homes they can live in, not flip, and are motivated by affordability and early access.
01
First-time homebuyers
Often priced out of traditional listings, they're looking for entry-level homes they can afford and grow into.
02
individuals downsizing
These buyers want to simplify, moving from larger, high-maintenance homes into something more manageable and cost-effective.
Motivated by value, they want access to deals before they’re widely available, especially ones that might need a little work but come with big potential.
Understanding Our Buyers
These personas highlight the key motivations and needs of our ideal buyers, helping us craft messaging that drives action.
Persona 1:
Emily
The First-Time Buyer
Age: 29
Occupation: Elementary school teacher
Household Income: $65K/year
Location: Rents a 1-bedroom apartment in a growing suburb
Goals: Wants to stop renting and build equity. Looking for a modest 2-bedroom home that feels like a smart investment.
Challenges: Limited savings for a down payment, overwhelmed by traditional listings and rising interest rates.
Motivators: Affordability, early access, and education, she needs guidance through the process and is drawn to off-market opportunities others haven’t seen yet.
Buying Behavior: Research-heavy. Will attend a webinar if she feels it’ll simplify her decision-making and connect her with trustworthy help.
Persona 2:
Carlos & Ana
The Downsizing Family
Age: 52 & 50
Occupation: Small business owners
Household Income: $150K/year
Location: Currently live in a large 4-bedroom home, but two of their kids are now in college
Goals: Sell their current home and buy something smaller with less upkeep, possibly a fixer-upper they can renovate gradually.
Challenges: Unsure how to find trustworthy off-market listings and skeptical about agents who push traditional listings.
Motivators: Want a deal on a well-located home and prefer to get in early before competition or price hikes. Interested in reinvesting leftover equity from their home sale.
Buying Behavior: Cautious but curious. Likely to sign up for the webinar if it promises access to something “hidden” or exclusive.
Persona 2:
Marcus
The Fixer-Upper Buyer
Age: 38
Occupation: Contractor
Household Income: $85K/year
Location: Owns a starter home, wants to upgrade
Goals: Looking for a property with good bones that he can improve himself. Wants a bigger space for his family but doesn’t want to pay top dollar.
Challenges: Tired of getting outbid on listed properties. Doesn’t want to deal with bidding wars or inflated prices on Zillow.
Motivators: Off-market means less competition. He's also motivated by the chance to win a renovation reward or design consultation for upgrades.
Buying Behavior: Decisive and hands-on. He’ll engage if he sees real value, especially if it helps stretch his renovation budget.
Google Ads Opportunities
Leverage existing contacts or build new funnels to send monthly emails featuring
Keyword Expansion
Expand Google Ads campaigns beyond “funeral homes Escondido” to include related service and location-based keywords.
Target Missed Opportunities
Target underperforming but high-value terms: cremation services, prepaid plans, funeral cost, etc.
Seasonal Incentives
Consider seasonal offers or price incentives (e.g., pre-need planning discounts) to increase CTR
Boost Quality Score
Improve Quality Score by optimizing ad relevance, landing page experience, and using strong ad extensions.
Google Business Profile (GBP)
Current Status: Needs content and optimization.
Recommendations:
- Add high-quality images (interior/exterior, staff, memorial settings)
- Increase reviews + reply to existing ones
- Use blog-style updates with localized, searchable questions (examples below)
- Enable and use AI-powered Event Calendar to promote special offers, service plans, or community events
Suggested Blog-Style Topics for GBP:
- What is the average cost of prepaid funerals?
- What are the disadvantages of prepaid funerals?
- What is the cheapest funeral available?
- What happens if no one can pay for a funeral?
- Are prepaid funerals transferable?
- Can you deduct prepaid funeral expenses on your taxes?
Social Media
01 Weekly Posts
Share weekly posts aligned with GBP content to boost SEO signals and brand authority
02 Content Pillars
Emphasize educational, seasonal, and community-focused messaging
03 Drive Interactions
Encourage engagement (comments, shares, likes) to support local relevance
Include CTAs that point back to blog posts or landing pages
LLM Optimization / AI Search Trends
Large Language Models (LLMs) like
ChatGPT, Perplexity,
and
Google Gemini are increasingly used to answer questions previously dominated by traditional search.
Competitors
(e.g.,
Dignity Memorial) are already optimizing content for visibility in these tools.
Growth Goals
Alhiser Comer is in the process of purchasing
Allen Brothers locations in
Vista and
San Marcos, CA.
This presents a major opportunity to expand digital visibility into neighboring cities and dominate local search in North San Diego County.
SEO Implications
Strategic SEO Actions for Geographic Expansion
01
Create city-specific landing pages for Escondido, Vista and San Marcos services to establish local relevance before the transition
03
Begin local citation building (directories, listings) for new locations ahead of the official launch
02
Optimize content and GBP listings to reflect new location info (once confirmed)
04
Use PPC to immediately build presence in those cities while SEO gains traction
519 E Interstate 30 #408
