Real Estate Professional Network

NOW is a GREAT time to SELL a HOUSE!  Let's do some CREATIVE marketing!  by Laurel Grandle, REALTOR

Tips for making your listing glow!

First, make sure your information is correct in the MLS.  Emphasize the best qualities of the home. 

In our area, a level lot is at a premium:  our land really rolls!  Make sure you write about the qualities buyers are looking for.  DON'T use deceptive shots...use accurate photography but emphasize the best qualities of a property.

Photograph the home well.  If YOU don't take good photos, hire a photographer. 

This is an angeled photo that shows the double sink...but look in the mirror...you can also see the whirlpool tub and separate shower...this is an example of using one photo to show many features.  Be careful to keep your own reflection out of the photo!


Mis-Measurement of a home causes more lawsuits in this industry than any other item.  Make sure you get a professional:  An appraiser, a home inspector, an engineer to measure the home for you.  Don't make a mistake that can cost you thousands!  A difficult home can be measured for about $100, a simple one for about $40.  If the seller refuses to pay...YOU pay...cover yourself.  If the home is so simple you feel ridiculous asking a professional to measure it for you, let the sellers measure it...quote the sellers as the source of your measurements...remove yourself from harms way as much as possible.

Our MLS allows up to 40 photos per listing.  Some houses DON'T need 40 pictures.  Be practicle and NOT redundant.  And remember, house plans in this area are different than they are in other areas of the country.  Have a professional draw the floorplan for you...these are very helpful to relocating buyers.  Do this for every floor:



Reducing  the size of this floor plan lost some of the quality, but you can see how this would make it easier for the buyer to imagine the home.  There are systems that will allow you to put a dot on the rooms so that a buyer can run a mouse over the dot and the photograph of the room will pop onto the screen.  Use the technology.  It will help you sell houses.

If the home is in a great neigborhood, take a photo of the neighborhood.  Don't forget to take pictures of parks and lakes nearby.  If the neighborhood has its own tennis courts or pool, take photos and but them on line...make sure to keep faces OUT of the pictures, especially children's faces...they are going on the internet for everyone to see.

Blog your listings on many sites...always pointing back to you and your web site.  Put your home on many sites...make sure people can find it and that it has its own web site.  Make sure to give the seller the address of the web site (it should be their address.info or something similar); they will be SO PROUD and will recommend  you to others, too.

We are a "value added" provider, NOT a discount service. ADD VALUE everywhere you can.  The sellers will love you for it.  Use pictures of the house in all 4 seasons...show how beautiful it is in fall, with snow, etc.  Let the sellers help you with this.  Encourage all your buyers to take photos of their houses in all seasons and save these for you...they may one day want to sell and you'll have the photos you need.

Help your sellers with decorating and staging ideas.  If this is NOT an area of strength for you, hire one...ADD VALUE every time you can.




Encourage your sellers to keep the home clean...a clean home sells faster and for more money than a dirty one.  Use the Home Warranties...these also add value and help a home sell faster.  Put one on every home you list...you don't pay for it until it sells and a Warrantied Home is good for you, too....you don't get a lot of calls about items that break
after the closing and both parties want the other one to pay for it...the home warranty company will step in and repair many of these items for the price of the deductable, making everyone happy.

Make sure to use REALTOR.com to the fullest:  Put up to 25 photos on the site, use headlines, rolling text and edit the wording so that the home really stands out.  Many REALTORS do NOT edit their REALTOR.com listings, so this is an opportunity to make your listings very special and eye-catching to buyers. 

Also put your open houses on REALTOR.com and the MLS and VIEW HOMES.  Ask the newspapers if they are running any specials:  You may get a substantial savings on print media!

I'm sure you can think of tips that help promote and sell homes. 
Please, add to this blog!  Interest rates are really low...I just closed one at 3.25%!  Let's work together and sell a lot of real estate!

 

Laurel Grandle sells homes throughout the East TN Area, including Knoxville, Karns, Farragut, Halls, Powell, Loudon County, Knox County.  She specializes in Lake homes, Luxury homes, Historic homes and is an expert at matching buyers with the right house, regardless of the area or price range, she has over 25 years of experience and has helped thousands of clients with their real estate needs.

Here is what some of her clients have said about her recently,

“Laurel has an unlimited amount of patience.  My family has very specific needs and she understood them and worked with us until we found the perfect home at the right price.  I don’t think anyone else would have done that for us and we’ll always be thankful we found her and worked with her.  She’s wonderful!”  Margo

“Laurel has accommodated us on many occasions very quickly, as our schedules change all the time.  She was always understanding of the time and date changes and she helped us find a great house.”  Williams

“Laurel really knows the area and the market.  She didn’t waste any time…she showed us what we ask for in the location we wanted and made the whole move a very good experience for our family”.  Robert

“Before we wrote an offer, Laurel did a detailed market analysis for us and discussed it with us so we understood what a fair price would be.  She went over the entire contract in detail and clarified everything for us.  We purchased with confidence and we’d never use anyone else IF we ever decide to sell!”  Anne

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