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Marketing a New Listing-It Doesn’t Happen Overnight

Listings Ready to Go in Under an Hour

How fast can you put a home on the market? Can you do it in an hour? Can you do it in a day? On a recent listing appointment a seller indicated that a previous agent suggested if they signed the listing agreement right then they could have the house on the market tomorrow. Gasp!

Sure I can run home and put the basic data in the MLS. I don't have to fill in all the data fields or at least not correctly and certainly I don't care if you clean your house or we take any photos to give buyers an idea of how great your home is. We can slap that puppy on the market and sit back and wait and wait and wait for a buyer to show up at the door.

Or perhaps we could do some prep work and make sure that your home is ready the moment the first buyer walks in the front door. In our current market in Northern Virginia the adage "you only get one chance to make a good first impression" is alive and well. Photos, color brochures, websites and complete MLS data are just a few of the up front activities that need to take place before your home hits the market.

Then there are the things you need to do. De-cluttering, cleaning and touch-ups don't happen over-night unless you happen to have a crew of worker bees on call. Northern Virginia buyers are picky and want your home to be close to perfect before they will put it on the short list.

If an agent suggests to you that if you sign the listing agreement right away they can put your home on the market overnight stop and think about it. Unless your home is already picture perfect then you might want to do a reality check. A well prepared home and listing are the best way to put the SOLD sign in your yard!

For more information on listing your home give me a call at 703-346-2213. I'd be glad to meet you to discuss the right way to get your home marketing and sold in 2009.

Posted by Cindy Jones-Northern Virginia Real Estate & Military Relocation Services on 12/28/2008 04:20 PM

Comments (67)

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Originally posted at: : Marketing a New Listing-It Doesn’t Happen Overnight

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67 Comments on Marketing a New Listing-It Doesn’t Happen Overnight

DEC

A smart seller should know that it's better to do things right than to rush something. Would they want to hire a Doctor who does the quickest surgery in town? Rush jobs can be done if really needed, but usually end up having mistakes--a disservice to the seller.

In this day and age it is very difficult to get all the marketing material and house preparation done in a few hours....You are absolutely right about it better be perfect in today's market.

Thanks for the great post. You can always spot the "hurry-uppers" Their MLS information is sketchy, and there are no pictures. Sadly, they don't seem to come back and add them later, either! That is such a great disservice to the seller!

It always amazes me when I see a new listing on the mls with no pictures. New listings get lots of attention, why waste the opportunity to make a wonderful impression? Great post!

In fact, seems to me that a seller should be wary of an agent who would "rush to get in the MLS". Unless that buyer has already done the preparation to prepare to list, that property listing is at a disadvantage until everything is right.

Cindy, we try to have it on our local MLS within 24 to 36 hours, but we are still setting the entire marketing picture for several days after that. We also update photos as the seller stages the home etc. We usually tell them that the flyers and other web sites will be in a few days, not tomorrow.

With a listing, you certainly want to take some time and get it right the first time. Check, recheck, and check again.

I can't agree with you more!! There is soooooo much prep work that needs to be done! It is an injustice to rush the process.

Good post

Cindy you are right on here. I usually want AT LEAST 4 or 5 days ; but a couple of weeks is better. Even if the house is in pristine condition; I want time for that those extra touches; time to get the photographer out; nice brochures printed and ready for that 1st Buyer.

Dan and Amy-. It is amazing how many sellers don't realize that getting it right takes time. When the market was hot and any listing would sell some agents developed some bad habits that don't work in a buyers market.

Dennis-I like to have a week to get photos, brochures and everything else done before I make a listing live in the MLS.

Mary-even our MLS has the option to use the previous front photo which would be better than the empty space we sometimes see.

Thomas-thanks for your comment. With digital cameras I just can't figure out why a listing shouldn't at least have one or two photos.

Lenn-there are plenty of sellers who still fall victim to the "highest price" or "fastest listing" agents without understanding the value of getting it ready for that first impression.

Tony-our listing agreements give us the option for a time it will be in the MLS. If that is blank then it is 24 hours but I always push it out a week. If we are ready before then great. Otherwise we are protected by the agreement.

JoAnna-I think a properly prepared listing is one that will sell.

James-sounds like you think the same way I do. I don't want to take to long but want it to be done right.

Tim and Pam-you are right. So many agents don't check what they enter and it certainly doesn't make a home stand out.

DEC

LOL!!! You are right on the money with this one. Usually the biggest time crunch is getting the home itself ready.... declutter etc...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

your friend in Charlottesville!

I've been lucky with the last three listings - the sellers had the house all cleaned up and repaired before they called me - I guess we can thank HGTV.

this really depends on the property in some cases it is easier to start marketing than others but nontheless there is planning involved that makes sure it is done right. This is not one size fits all marketing.

I soooo agree with you! Many times my sellers will take weeks to prepare..painting, new flooring, windows washed etc. I send in a stager and then schedule the photographer to come take pictures. Properties that are hasitly put on the market are the worse to show, sell for less and usually are still on the market long after others have sold.

Cindy, It depends on so many things, like you said is the home ready for photos? I tell the sellers to give me 48 hours to get all the syndicating and uploading to do for all the web-sites, blog posts etc.. That way we do it right and not just throw them up.

For instance I will not have staff upload to the MLS until all the photo's are ready to go on in as soon as the MLS number pops up. When new buyers get the flash hot sheet I want them to see photo's.

I also only list Monday-Thursday. Too many agents don't check the MLS hot sheets over the weekend. My little scientific study.

Charles-putting a listing in the MLS is child's play and can be done in an hour or less. But marketing a home and making sure it is truely ready to be on the market is what takes the time.

Colleen-I also have a listing going on the market that is HGTV ready. It still needed photos, brochures and all of the other marketing materials done before it was ready to go on the market.

Nanette-there is no doubt that some properties are ready to go but I do think that each home needs a personalized approach based on the owners needs.

Dorie-looks like you have the right idea. Get them ready before they go on the market and the chances are they will sell faster.

Missy-interesting that you find a Monday to Thursday listing strategy works best. I do like to have homes live before a weekend as that is when the most buyers are searching and ready to go. With so many buyers set up with automatic alerts it seems they catch the new listings faster than their agents.

Cindy: I Couldn't Agree With You More! I Encourage Owners To Get The House Staged, And Recommend A Stager Who Does All The De-Cluttering, Heavy Lifting, And Re-Decoration. One Client Spent $20,000 On A House To Be Listed At $769,000, And I Feel That I Can Categorically Say They Got A 50% Return On Their Investment. The Expense Included Re-Painting, Broadloom, Additional Furniture, Bed Linens, Window Coverings, Light Fixtures, Paintings And More. Another House We Did That I Could Not Quantify Like That, But I Know The House Sold Very, Very Well, And Would Not Have Done As Well Without The Staging. The Really Interesting Thing About It, Is, The Buyers Know That The Houses Are Staged, Yet They Still Feel Better About Them Than If They Were Not.

I Hire A Professional Photographer Sometimes If I Don't Think That I Can Do A Good Enough Job Myself, And A Floorplan Maker To Put A First Class Brochure Together. All This Can Take Over 2 Weeks. As One Of The Earlier Commenters Said: "You Never Get A 2nd Chance To Make A Good First Impression", And In This Market, The Properties Need All The Good Marketing Techniques We Can Give Them.

Excellent Post. Jeffrey Joseph, Broker, Harvey Kalles Real Ltd., Brokerage, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. www.jeffreyjoseph.com jeffreyjoseph@realtor.com

Cindy - you are spot on with regards to this...get it right the first time and your impression will be a great one for that buyer who walks through or finds you on the internet.

You are so right, Cindy! How about those agents that don't bother to have photos for their listings before they put them into the MLS? If you can't have pictures, you certainly haven't done your prep work!!!!!!!!!! Have you checked the caulk in the bathrooms or the paint on the front door? How about having the client clean out the hall closet? Has the landscaping been freshened up? Has the junk been removed from the garage? And the list goes on and on...

Let's hope that 2009 shakes out those agents who don't approach this as a service business.

Great post. Usually we meet the would be seller, and go over things that must be addressed before we list a home. When we do that the listing, the home is totally up in both MLS with photos and Virtual Tour the same day. Flyers are delivered within a few days. This also includes Postlets, and Craigslist.

Our MLS Rules require us to have a new listing input, completed and active within 72 hours of the listing agreement date. So, we try and have the MLS information input within 24 hours of the listing. What I try and do is bring my camera along to get a few snapshots to have on the MLS when I first put it on, then I go back and take more. But, on all of my listings I try to have on as much detail as possible so that other agents have as much information as they need before going to look at a property.

Yes, it annoys me when you see homes on MLS and there are zero photos (not even the front of the home)... with a million listings on there- why would you pay any attention to that one? I figure get everything ready & prepped before 'listing' it and do it right the first time and yes this includes taking the photos too!

Those photos are key to the sale! De-clutter is my motto. Excellent post!

When I first became an agent, nobody told me how important this is! Subsequently, I've learned the hard way and now want all of my listings to come onto the market as strong as possible so we don't lose the first impression. Not only is this good for my clients, but it's good for me. Nobody wants to carry a listing for a long time, and they will sell faster if they look better and are priced appropriately.

My goal this year is to work on educating my sellers and being pickier about what I list.

Hi Cindy, I really appreciated your post and I noticed it created conflicting feelings for me.

First, I'm a real estate agent coach and RE college professor, so that part of me cheered you on....and I'm also a Feng Shui consultant which absolutely tells me that de-cluttering is KEY,,,so that part cheered me on.

On the flip side, I keep my license active and like to sell several houses a year just to keep my pulse on the market and my fingers in the proverbial cookie jar...now THAT side struggled to agree. I guess my reasoning is that the market is so slow and with so much inventory that the sooner the better. However, in light of your reasoning, I do realize you're right and can only be glad I don't have any pushy sellers (right now!).

Thanks!
Tamara

I input listings the day I receive them. I go prepared that day with every tool I use to get the listing in MLS. I just recently listed a home last week and that same night it was in the MLS. Measurements were taken while I was there, some photos and marketing remarks. The listing is an investment property so it was clean and good to go. A couple of days later I got more pics.

Jeffrey-sounds as if you put a great deal of effort into your listings and I'm sure it shows!

Sonja-with so many houses on the market making sure we make ours stand out from the crowd is important.

Holly-a listing with no photos to me is the kiss of death. Most of the time my clients don't even want to see them. You have to wonder if the sellers understand, even if it is bank owned, the difference it can make in showings.

Jim-it can become the chicken or the egg syndrome. In most cases I get the listing agreement signed and then the work begins. I've been burned a few times with giving the prospective client the name of a handman etc, they get the work done and then I get the "oh by the way" phone call that they have listed it with another agent.

Carolyn-we have the ability to allow the clients to check either within 48 hours or a "on or before date." I certainly can do my own photos and color brochures in 48 hours but if the house needs some clean-up before it is ready to list I like to give the owners the time to do it without scrambling.

Cindy, great post. I try to have all our ducks in a row before going live with a listing. Lots of agents will posy their listings without pictures and/or comments just to get it on the MLS. Then, agents just browse by with no information, when it's updated the agemnts miss it since it had already been on the hotsheet. Sloppy work.

Kim-I've walked away from a couple of listings this year that I knew I wouldn't be able to sell. One of them has now been on the market 167 days with another agent. Meanwhile just around the corner I listed one that was pristine and sold it in less than 24 hours at 170K less than the other owner is asking for a home not even close in condition. Sometimes it is better to put our time and efforts with the realistic sellers!

Tamara-with your background you should be able to guide your sellers to make sure the home is in perfect condition before it goes on the market. You will be doing both yourself and them a big favor if it is.

Angelia-perhaps it is because I do a two step process that makes it different. I get my listing agreements signed up front and then we do all of the prep work. A few times I've had sellers take all of my advise and then list with another agent or go FSBO. I prefer to have the listing in hand before we go the next step in getting the house prepared. Just my way but it might not work for your market.

Hi Cindy, I agree with all you say. And I don't like to put anything in the MLS until I can put all the info and some nice photos in. I know that I tend to look for the newest listings first, and I'm disappointed if there are no photos or just one of the front of the house. As for convincing sellers to wait until their house looks perfect, unfortunately, it is difficult for most sellers to see their homes objectively and it already looks perfect to them, because that is the way they like it. You need to define what "perfect" means to the average buyer. And odds are it won't be the same as theirs.

Sometimes, it doesn't matter how much time you give a seller, they still can't get the house together to show well. Everyone has a different idea of what's acceptable and no matter how well you try to explain it or how much info you give them, they just don't get it. I can get my listings in good shape pretty quickly if I follow my checklist, which I highly recommend everyone have.

Cindy - I have rushed a listing onto the market but only when I feel the sellers have done all the prep properly before the listing appointment and I can photograph the property well at the time they list. It really depends on the sellers and the circumstances. Some sellers are very anxious to move forward. Sometimes we'll get it to MLS but ask for 48 hrs notice for the first couple of days to ease the sellers into it if there is still a to-do list.

DEC

Susan-I was out yesterday putting brochures in my new listing. Just up the street another property came on the market with NO photos. Hopefully that sends more buyers to my listing!

Kelsey-occassionally there is an owner who doesn't understand how much better a clean and neat home will show. Sometimes their circumstances just don't allow it and we have to make accomodations for those listings and help the owners understand it may cost them in $$$$.

Carol-my last two listings have been in show room ready condition and so it was easy to get them ready to market. Sometimes though it is a struggle to find the balance between what we might want to see as an agent and the sellers circumstances.

You are so right about the photos. I love having the virtual tours attached and actually had a couple tell me that they spent an hour looking at a listing I posted last year, then called their agent. That couple eventually bought the home they commented on. I started adding a web site for my listings over $150,000 through ListingDomains.com. The sellers love it and I do too. Easy to work with, make changes, etc. and stays active for a year for about $60. The buyers can point to the web site after the sale so that their friends and family can see their new home. Best wishes for success in 2009.

Christine-I often buy a URL for my listings for just $6 at Go Daddy and then point them to the listing directly on my website. A cheap and easy way to have a "custom" website for a small fee.

JAN

Cindy - Entering a listing is a creative exercise for me - I enter the data and dimensions in minutes, that's so easy a caveman could do it.

Capturing the home in writing and photos - I consider it art - work like that can't be rushed!

Wishing you a fine 09,

Kent Davis

JAN

Kent-you are correct the data is easy it is all of the other "stuff" that takes time and thought.

I am always amazed when I see listings put into MLS with no pictures. Exposure in the first days a home is on the market are the most attention it gets.

Scott-it is such a simple thing to do and you would think a front photo was a given but even those are missing a lot of the time.

JAN

In our market, or should I say MLS we get fines if we delay in entering new listings, complete with photos, 4 of the 11 have to be outside and the rest inside. They are very specific. Your MLS is different than ours. Making flyers and getting them out there is a different thing. Yes, that takes longer, uploading them is an immediate thing, although not within the hour. I usually wait until I get home rather than pulling off on the side of the road. That would be crazy!

Evelyn-we do have some flexibility on the entry into the MLS in our listing agreement. I wish we had a requirement about photos. We can upload 30 but it seems more and more that we don't even see one photo of the exterior of the house.

JAN

Cindy,

You gotta have as many pictures as possible---our mls only has room for 12. Sometimes agents still only put one picture--I can't believe it. Pictures really help sell a house.

Linda-we can put in 30 photos which is great if you can get that many good ones of the home and the neighborhood. You are right pictures can make the difference.

JAN

Great thoughts, First impressions are so important and I agree the phtos are crucial. I wonder how many folks put listing on the MLS without pictures and then are passed by?

Thanks,

Cindy

Great thoughts, First impressions are so important and I agree the phtos are crucial. I wonder how many folks put listing on the MLS without pictures and then are passed by?

Thanks,

Cindy

I just added two new construction properties this afternoon that I have to go back to now and add some photos to. It is the first time in awhile that I haven't had photos all ready to go. It was rainy and cloudy so it made it hard to get good light.

JAN

Good points -- great idea to have a list of items that are the consumer's responsibility as well as the agents prior to welcoming buyers to look at the property for sale

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