Any agent can put your house on the MLS and pop a sign in the yard. But if you want to get the most out of your property you need a marketing plan, and you need to understand that not all real estate agents market properties the same.
When looking for an agent, ask them what they’re going to do to market your home. The difference between an agent like me who understands marketing and your third cousin Earl (who just got his real estate license last week) could mean tens of thousands of dollars in the long run.
Professional Pictures And Video
To market your home you need amazing pictures. We use professional photographers to properly capture your home in it’s best light. Since your home’s first showing takes place online, it needs to look its best. If it doesn’t look amazing, it could cost you a showing and a sale.
Your pictures should show off the main selling features of the home. They should highlight any special features like the updated kitchen or the spacious backyard. If you have a huge garage—show that to potential buyers, you never know what a buyer is looking for.
It always amazes me how many agents take their own photos using their cell phones, posting pictures of dark hallways, dirty bathrooms, blurry kitchens and more. It’s embarrassing for both the agent and the homeowner. The statistics on professional photography speak for themselves: properties with HD enhanced images sell 45% faster and for 75% closer to the listing price.
Video tours are also beneficial because they can explain the layout of your home. It can show off to interested parties how the master bedroom is on the other side of the house to the other rooms or how the kitchen spills into the living room for parties. Great videos can get you offers on your home even before people tour!
Listing Your Home Online
Once we have excellent pictures and video, your home will be posted online to all the largest home search sites. The top four real estate websites—Zillow, Realtor.com and Homes.com—have close to 100 million visits per month.
The MLS will also make your property available to all real estate agents searching within your area. The vast majority of home buyers are represented by an agent, so you definitely want to advertise your property to that community.
The next step in the process is marketing your property on social media to create some buzz. Posting your property on sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram is key to generating initial interest. Using social media to advertise your property for sale also gives us a way to reach thousands of eyeballs through social media advertising.
Once your home is listed, it is important to be the most aggressive in the first two weeks that we’re on the market. This is your best chance to sell your home for top dollar. Hosting open houses, increasing signage, and social media ads will create the interest needed to get you top dollar.
Owner Advocate Agents
New Owner Advocate certified agents are making waves in real estate. Newly certified agents on this platform offer homeowners multiple ways to sell their home giving them the best of both worlds—the ability to entertain cash offers from investors quickly. If the homeowner is feeling like the cash offer is a good offer, they can accept and sell their home in a matter of days. If the homeowner feels like they want to list on the MLS, they can do that too. Owner Advocates agents advise homeowners on the options to best maximize their time and home value potential, depending on their needs.
I hope this helped show you the importance of properly marketing your home to sell. It plays a key role in getting the best price in the shortest amount of time. Of course, there are many details we weren’t able to cover, and if you have any questions, I would love the opportunity to answer them for you. Just contact me and I will be happy to chat.