Special offer

Attracting Buyers!

By
Real Estate Agent with Prudential Orchid Isle Properties


There’s no denying that the housing market is still hugely competitive.  When there are more homes than buyers in a neighborhood, it is referred to as a “buyer’s market”.  This swings the bargaining pendulum squarely on the side of the buyer.  The challenge for sellers is to balance the pendulum.  


Pricing is critical.  Overpricing may cause the buyer to eliminate a home before they even see it.  An overpriced home may be automatically excluded from the buyer’s candidate list.  Curb appeal is another important issue.  The buyer should like what they see.  Current statistics indicate that a home is 2000 times as likely to be seen on-line as in a print ad.  Let’s contemplate that number.  My first car cost $2000.  It took me 3 years to pay for it.  This is the year 2012.  The year 2000 seems a very, very long time ago.  If you run 2000 steps with a 3 foot stride, you’ve covered more than a mile!  Two thousand is a big number whether it’s time, space or money. It’s huge when it applies to increasing the likelihood of capturing a buyer’s attention on-line.  I call it on-line “curb appeal”.  It’s important for sellers to stop thinking of their home as “their home”.  There’s a product to sell.  Packaging is critical.  

Stop by Big Island Candies and you’ll immediately understand the concept.  Not unlike a pair of NikesCadillacor a pair of designer jeans; today’s sellers must sell a lifestyle.  The buyer must want the lifestyle.  It’s important for the home to be attractive, inviting, comfortable and perhaps even exciting.  Agent incentives such as a bonus are marginally effective.  Buyer incentives such as paying closing costs can help increase showings.  The more showings, the better the chance a sale will result.  While there are many little things that help, next to pricing, agent choice is key.  Agents who focus on listings as their main source of income have a huge advantage.  Cross-showings, that is, suggesting showings of similar properties can really increase showing activity.  The on-line presence of the agent is another part of the success equation.  To insure the property achieves the “2000 club”, the agent must have a personal website (few agents in our market do) that ranks high on the search engines.  Search engine placement is as much a function of time on the web as content.  Most agents depend on their office website or worse, our MLS.  

Your property should have broad and prominent exposure on the net.  As wonderful as our Multiple Listing Service is, it does not historically present itself in Google or Yahoo! searches.  Remember, we can’t sell it if it’s a secret.  Make sure your listing has curb appeal and shouts out to all buyers no matter where they are and when they are searching!

Team Nakanishi
Hilo, HI Real Estate

Hilo, HI Community Information
www.HawaiianRealty.com
Team Nakanishi, Proudly providing superior real estate services to Hilo, Hi.

Comments (2)

Beth and Richard Witt
New York, NY
The best Retired Brokers !!!!

Very informative post... hope some of the sellers get to read it... thanks for your time..

Apr 27, 2012 04:33 AM
Richard Burge Realty/ Burge Homes
Richard Burge Realty/Burge Homes - Conway, SC
Broker in Charge/Owner

 

Location is number one:    If the location is bad, priced right it was still sell.

Price is number two:         If it is priced to high it will not sell.

Condition is number three:  If it has deferred maintenance in this market it needs to be addressed and price will help sell it even in a bad condtitions.

 

Price is the key..YOU said it....

 

Great post...

Apr 27, 2012 04:49 AM