Active Rain, one big real estate blog in many very different markets.
From coast to coast and way beyond, the blog posters on Active Rain are a highly diverse bunch. 
Just getting started and licensed to fly, learning how.
Or seasoned with experience in all types of real estate markets from years of experience.
Maybe falling somewhere in the middle, ActiveRain bloggers are everything in-between all on a real estate journey.
Associated industry bloggers help stock the shelves too with the thousands of posts making it a one stop real estate library of information.
One of the biggest differences in the real estate blogging audience is the market size they serve. Like many industries, you have small medium and large market distinctions.
None is any better or worse concerning the caliber of their craft. Attitude is everything no matter what size real estate market you and I swim in.
All of us develop special skills unique to our personality, family upbringing, the amount of grit, creativity and competitive nature. we possess and apply right?
So this blog post is just about the real estate market size itself.
Drills down into the "How a small town low population rural market day to day differs from a larger urban city size real estate market".
Marketing and selling real estate in a small town or rural market versus a city or urban metropolitan market involves distinct strategies due to differences in property characteristics, buyer expectations, and market dynamics. Here's a comparison:
1. Buyer Priorities
Small Town/Rural Market
- Buyers are often looking for peace, space, and affordability.
- Prioritize showcasing natural beauty, such as open land, scenic views, or proximity to outdoor activities.
- Highlight the low crime rate and quiet lifestyle, as these are major draws for families, retirees, or remote workers.
City/Urban Market
- Buyers prioritize proximity to amenities, such as public transportation, work hubs, schools, and entertainment.
- Focus on the convenience of an urban lifestyle, even if that comes with higher prices and compromises like traffic or noise.
- Emphasize features like security systems and exclusive perks (e.g., rooftop access, gym facilities).
2. Marketing Strategies
Small Town/Rural Market
- Online Platforms: Utilize platforms like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Facebook Marketplace, YouTube video platforms to reach buyers who may not live locally. Plus robust local personal websites and community flavor blogs.
- Community Connections: Leverage local networks, bulletin boards, and town events to spread the word.
- Visual Content: Invest in drone photography to capture sprawling land and rural landscapes, which are key selling points.
- Lifestyle Appeal: Use storytelling to show how the property fits into a tranquil, family-friendly, or outdoor-oriented lifestyle. A little community flavor welcome wagon "what's it like" seasoning.
City/Urban Market
- Digital Advertising: Target buyers with geo-specific online ads, especially on high-traffic platforms like Instagram, Google, and LinkedIn.
- Professional Staging: Highlight functional and stylish interiors to maximize the appeal of smaller spaces.
- Virtual Tours: Offer 3D walkthroughs for buyers who may not be able to visit due to traffic, work schedules, or long distances.
- Exclusive Showings: Host high-end events like champagne open houses for luxury listings.
3. Pricing and Negotiations
Small Town/Rural Market
- Properties are typically lower priced, meaning the pool of buyers may include first-time homeowners or retirees.
- Pricing flexibility may be more common, with room for negotiations to meet the needs of budget-conscious buyers.
- Buyers may focus on the value of land or acreage, so emphasize the potential for farming, gardening, or outdoor living. Owner financing explained for a custom made more attractive installment arrangement.
City/Urban Market
- Properties are usually higher priced, often with tighter inventory and more competition among buyers.
- Multiple offers and bidding wars are common, requiring strategies to maximize price while appealing to buyers’ emotions.
- Highlight the cost per square foot, a metric urban buyers often scrutinize.
4. Selling Challenges
Small Town/Rural Market
- Limited Buyer Pool: Fewer buyers means properties may stay on the market longer. Video, blog posts, social media all help expand the audience size.
- Unique Features: Explaining the value of features like well water, septic systems, or dirt roads may require education. No HOA worries helps bring a smile.
- Location Barriers: Remote properties may deter buyers who are used to city convenience. Or attract someone that wants to avoid airplanes, EMS sirens, gangs and rush hour traffic. It's always a trade off in life right?
City/Urban Market
- High Competition: Sellers need to stand out in a saturated market with many similar listings.
- Crime/Traffic Perception: Address buyer concerns about safety or commute times through security features and strategic location details. Small town house owners don't triple lock doors. Have high security bread and butter knives wedged in the front door frame they lost the key to decades ago.
- Affordability: High prices may exclude many potential buyers, requiring targeted marketing to wealthier demographics. Small towns don't carry the 30 year mortgage ball and chain. You can live free and clear quick and easy.
5. Closing Process
Small Town/Rural Market
- Often involves more personal connections, as buyers and sellers may know each other or rely on local agents. Could be related. Local lawyers not title company from out of town. Relationships form in small towns.
- Inspections might focus on unique rural features like barns, septic systems, and wells. What's valued more is new roof, a furnace not quartz counters or a fountain in the garden. Your brother is a plumber, another an electrician, you are a carpenter. No building inspector needed. Just fresh coffee, bag of home made donuts and turn them loose for a couple hours for an inspection.
- Buyers often expect lower taxes and less fees. Simpler approach to living.
City/Urban Market
- Faster-paced real estate closings may be necessary due to the competitive environment.
- Urban transactions often require navigating more complex regulations, such as zoning, HOA restrictions, or historic preservation rules.
- Buyers are prepared for higher closing costs and fees.
6. Agent Approach
Small Town/Rural Market
- Agents must be community-oriented and skilled in selling the small-town lifestyle. Volunteering and rolling up their sleeves to pitch in.
- Often need to wear multiple hats (e.g., real estate agent, local guide, market educator). Put up your own signs, shoot your own property images, etc.
- Building trust is paramount, as word-of-mouth plays a significant role in referrals.
City/Urban Market
- Agents must be data-driven, providing detailed market analysis and neighborhood statistics. New listings evaporate quickly.
- Networking is critical for gaining access to off-market deals and tapping into high-end clientele.
- A polished, tech-savvy approach is expected to appeal to sophisticated urban buyers.
By understanding these differences, sellers and agents can tailor their real estate strategies to match the needs of their respective size markets.
It all ensures a smoother transaction process and better results. Generating happy five star reviews.
On a large real estate blog like Active Rain, it helps the members themselves understand why no two agents or brokers handle their real estate day to day carbon copy the same.
Market size affects how to do the real estate hokey pokey. Hey. It's more than "is it a buyers or sellers or neutral real estate market" to adapt, pivot and master the dance steps. Just in time before the change it all up for a brand new set of 5-6-7-8 economic conditions to adjust for and conquer.
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