How Do You Get the Word Out About My Home to Out of State Buyers?
Not that Chris Ann needs any further introduction, but it is because of Chris Ann that I actually joined Active Rain as a rainmaker, and it is because of Chris Ann that I take care to do a good job - I'm guessing she's watching. You can see from her posts that she's very professional, always has some great ideas and insight - as illustrated by the post below. She's in an area of the country that has quite a few Realtors(R) but I have no doubt that because of her service, she's very successful.
I will admit, that I'm giving Chris Ann this introduction also as part of Lynn Anderson's January challenge - but I'm never shy about promoting Chris Ann during other times of the year.
As far as the point of the post, since 75% of my clients are indeed out-of-state even the sellers of the homes and villas, this question about promotion comes up quite a bit. The aspect of professional photography - and OPTIMIZED across all platforms by the way, is really important. Buyers make their first judgment about a property from those pictures. Also, as Chris Ann points out, every MLS usually syndicates the pictures across platforms - but those of us that blog about listings, or put them as featured on our websites, or PAY for other specific syndications present these properties to out-of-state buyers.
How Do You Get the Word Out About My Home to Out of State Buyers?
Over the weekend, I was asked by a new home seller, how I would get the home out to local home buyers versus out of state home buyers about her lovely home. It must sound like nothing to say, "By advertising your home online." That's a simple statement that a lot of Listing Agents make, but I assured her that my marketing went beyond just putting her listing in the MLS and letting that engine syndicate it to places like Zillow, Trulia and the others.
The most important aspect of advertising online is having good photographs. That's your first impression to buyers. Personally, I spend hours making sure I am putting the best photos forward of your home. When I take photos, I take many more than I intend to use. You just don't know which ones are going to evoke the best "feel" when you look at them on a computer screen.
Captions are something added to each and every photo as well. If I've only got the buyer's eye first, I need to get as much information out in my photos as possible. A kitchen photo may say "kitchen is open to family room and has granite counters and gas range."
In addition to making sure photos are tip top and captioned, I create an online brochure and personalized website for each property. My properties are also advertised on my blog, which has been an Internet presence since the fall of 2007. Finally, using online resources like Facebook and Twitter to get the word out. The property descriptions are specifically designed to tell buyers how they will live in the home. Evoking emotion and setting scenes with words is the second most important marketing aspect.
Buyers, no matter where they are moving from, all do the same thing. They look for houses online. Having the best online presence is definitely more than letting the MLS syndicate the listing. Gone are the days where an agent might have the jump on properties that buyers didn't have by window shopping online in the pajamas while watching late night TV. Knowing how to market to those buyers surfing the Internet is the most important aspect of marketing to a Listing Agent. It all about photos first, descriptions second. And coming from a marketing background, I know how to get buyers to pay attention to your listing online.
Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA
2014 Founders Club Member ($10 Million + in Production)
Top Producing Agent 2013 & 2011
Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas, VA
703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com
www.NVARealEstate.net, www.SpeakingOfHomes.net, www.SellingBraemar.com
The opinions expressed in this post are those of Chris Ann Cleland, not those of Long & Foster REALTORS®.
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