Shattering Real Estate Marketing Nightmares

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by Alan Olson

In a hot market, many sellers may find they have no problems recruiting interest and potential offers. But, when things slow down, it's imperative to be sharp with your marketing skills, to get your property noticed and to entice as many possible buyers as possible. Make sure your agent is internet and marketing savvy and can do their very best to advertise your property and showcase it in its best light.

First off, peruse the photos your agent has uploaded onto the MLS and their own site. As images are the instantaneous equivalent to "a thousand words", you want to know that they are serving to paint a pretty picture.

The photo of the front of the house should be particularly clear and appealing. There should be enough photos of the interior, ideally you'll want to include a shot of at least one bedroom, the kitchen, bathroom and living room, or at at the very least, you'll want to focus on the most attractive rooms in your home. All the photos should be light and bright. You don't want any random shots of house clutter or strange angles that don't communicate anything positive or clear about the space you are selling. The photos should be well cropped and sized. It's a real turn-off to see bloated stretched out photos on a site- and viewers will tend to bounce off quite quickly if they can't get a clear idea of what the house is like, or if it looks unappealing.

Another aspect of marketing is the sort of information that will be accessible on the MLS and on your agent's website. You want to make sure you provide your agent with all the basics about the property including the number of rooms, finished and unfinished square footage, lot size, zoning type, type of heating and any extra heating features, extra structures on the lot such as a woodshed or studio, and the approximate measurements for each of the rooms. Once these basic are covered you and your agent will want to hone in on the tag line that'll illuminate the main selling features of your home and define what makes your home unique. Are there ocean views? Is it on a corner lot? Is there lanes access? Is the community or neighborhood and "up and coming" neighborhood? Is the homes of a particular style? Is there anything special about the landscaping? Hone in on whatever makes your home stand out, and find the right words to sell those features.

Don't underestimate the fact that as much as your marketing should attract buyers, it needs to first and foremost attract selling agents. Agents are more likely to sell a house they've already toured, so you must make sure you draw in agents to preview your home. Make it stand out, by demanding that your marketing is clear, bright, appealing and showcases the unique features of your home.

Another aspect to getting your house out there in the market, is it's availability to be shown. If an agent can't easily get in to show a property, bet your bottom dollar, he/she will quickly move on to the next available property. The game, is really along the lines of, "you snooze, you lose". So be prepared by avoiding the pitfalls that include, having restricted hours for showings, having no lock box on the property, having a 24 hour notice restriction or an appointment only stipulation.

Now make sure you're working to get your property advertised in as many places as possible. Go above and beyond by paying a bit extra for some print advertising in the daily newspapers, in regional real estate magazines, and in any other relevant print publications.

Another hint, is to say yes, to the virtual on-line tours. Some buyers, won't even consider a property unless they can view an on-line tour. The basic requirements for a successful on-line tour are, a minimum two spins and hopefully more if space lends it, and high resolution images that are down loadable, so buyers can print and e-mail them should they desire.

Preset all the visible information buyer's need in your marketing scheme and you won't have to worry about attracting a healthy pool of interest right to your door step.

Alan has over 30 years of experience in the real estate industry, and specializes in Fergus Falls real estate. If you're looking to buy or sell Evansville real estate, see Alan at Century21Vista.com.

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