When the market was frenzied a couple of years ago, there were many Listing Agents that did just that, and buyers would flock to a listing, even stand in line to view a home!
The market has shifted and we are seeing increased days on market, which requires a bit more attention to every listing to ensure a Seller will see an offer! Our MLS does syndicate to over 100 different sites, but there are other sites I advertise that get eyes on your listing also.
First and foremost - a listing MUST have professional photography. The eye buys, and the photos must be clear and showcase the home! Not photos of the chandelier or the dining room table (that does not stay with the home). My photography company has a link where we can add the virtual tour to each listing also. Before the photos are taken, I make sure the staging will be good for the photos. This is where - less is better!
From these photos, I create a slideshow video and upload it to blogs, my neighborhood page where the home is located, and to all social media sites. YouTube is a Google product, so all my videos gain SEO for each listing. From these photos, I create a specialized brochure for the home. If we list in March, and in April your grass is starting to turn green, or the leaves are popping out on the trees, I will get new photos updated in the MLS.
This won't be the listing photo potential buyers will see in the dead of winter. It is a telltale sign the home has been on the market when the photo represents a different season.
When I list a home, it takes on average about five hours to have everything out for a listing. From there, I blog weekly about the neighborhood, what is located around the home that a resident would benefit by, as well as schools, what the HOA is doing, neighborhood garage sales, etc. There is always something you can come up with to blog about to link to my new listing!
Entering the information into MLS is key also. I know I have shown homes that had a pantry, a loft, and a 6-burner gas cooktop, and neither were mentioned in the MLS. (the cooktop was not even visible in the photo to see the 6 burners) I like to have every item that will benefit a buyer in MLS, so a potential buyer KNOWS what they will see when they get to your home. If you leave off important items, did you miss a potential buyer?
Communication is KEY! When you list a home, sellers want to know what is happening, and not a month from the day you list it! Every showing that is scheduled for my listings, the buyer's agent gets an email within minutes when the showing is complete and requests feedback. Some buyer agents don't answer, so I call, and if they still don't answer, well, guess they did not like the home enough to write on it. If all the feedback has the same comments, we need to talk! Can we fix it? The busy road behind the house, maybe not. If it needs paint, is dirty, overpriced, all those items can be addressed. The key is to work as a team to get a home SOLD!
If you have contemplated a move this year, give me a call - I would love to go over my listing presentation with you!
All Listing Agents ARE NOT created equal!
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