Getting a home from “listed” to “sold” quickly is every seller’s goal. The secret lies in marketing – the better and higher quality it is, the more likely that buyers will take an interest and make an offer.
As with most things in real estate, the best strategies are implemented with the right expert on the job. With a qualified real estate agent on their side, a seller can make their home appeal to buyers with the marketing strategies below.
Take lots of photos
The first contact potential buyers will probably have with a home for sale is through an online listing. And when it comes to the Internet and real estate, images are king. To give a property the interest and clicks it needs from buyers, homeowners need to provide numerous photos of the property—inside and out.
Take photos of the home’s frontage—with a clear driveway and cropped-out sidewalks—to show curb appeal. Emphasize light and warmth in interior shots and don’t forget to take close-ups of interesting details, like statement lighting, stone countertops, and premium floor finishes.
Setting up virtual tours through services like Matterport has become increasingly popular, considering current conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. These offer buyers the convenience of browsing at home while closely approximating a physical home tour.
Aim for clean and clutter-free
Keeping things neat and tidy is a major selling point for a listed home. Clean and orderly spaces appeal to buyers because the focus will be on what the home has to offer, not the presence of someone else’s belongings and clutter. Also, a staged home is neutral yet inviting. It allows the buyer to see a home’s potential in their future.
Before listing a home, clean and declutter every space – even the least used, like the attic, storage rooms, and the basement. Keep clutter you need in storage; the ones you no longer need, donate or sell them. To make a home even more buyer-friendly, ask an agent for some staging tips or hire a professional.
List in the MLS
An entry in the Multiple Listing Service is crucial for marketing a home for sale. This database lets numerous buyers and buyer agents know that a home is for sale.
Get listed in the MLS with the help of an agent. Once the property is entered, you’ll have more eyes looking at your listing and a bigger pool of potential buyers.
Keep descriptions of the house honest
When putting a house up on the market, keep descriptions of the house as truthful and objective as possible. That way, sellers can whittle down the list of buyers to those who have a genuine interest in the property despite its flaws. Have an agent look over a draft of the listing description to ensure no overselling is happening that may lead to upset or disappointed buyers.
Price it right
Did a house down the block close in record time? Chances are that home wasn’t only staged right – it was also priced right.
In setting the price for a home, remember that pricing high is not always synonymous with pricing right. In fact, overpricing a home is a surefire way to encourage buyers to look at other offerings.
Pricing too low won’t do you well either. You may attract more buyers that way but you’ll end up losing more than what you paid for.
When setting the price for a home, always consider the local real estate market’s health and development. Get some valuable input from a listing agent. They have access to data about recently sold properties in the area, including the average price of homes in Mississippi. They can also offer their own observations on why those properties closed at those prices.
Use social media
Social media’s omnipresence makes it a perfect tool for sellers to leverage. Thanks to an image-friendly format, two platforms in particular—Facebook and Instagram—stand out as the ideal choices for announcing an active listing.
Facebook’s main advantage is reach. With almost 2.5 billion active users a month, according to Sprout Social, news of your home’s listing will reach far more friends and acquaintances on Facebook than it would via a print ad. Instagram, for its part, shines in showcasing images and filtering content through hashtags. So, if people are searching for a particular hashtag, it’s intentional and the seller already has a captive audience.
A word of caution, though: Sharing on social media can be a double-edged sword. Share the same post too often and it can be reported as spam. Find a balance and pull back periodically to avoid this misstep.
If you want the best way to sell your house fast in Gulfport, Mississippi, find a Realtor with the right experience and the local knowledge to help you out. This is what Owen & Co., LLC Real Estate can offer – and more. Call them now at (228) 822-9870 or send an email to info@OwenAndCo.com.
