Last week, I shared
information about how Realtors help clients market their properties. This week,
I’ll share a few more nuggets of wisdom on that topic.
As a reminder, two things sell
real estate: price and exposure. Sellers set home prices and Realtors expose properties
to potential buyers. No matter how perfectly your house is priced, if no one
knows it’s available, it’ll never sell, and all the exposure in the world won’t
sell a house for twice its value.
Of course I’m biased, but
years of experience have shown me a good Realtor makes a home-buying or
home-selling experience smooth and profitable; whereas, going it alone can be
expensive and frustrating. Here’s why:
1. REALTORS KNOW HOW TO
MARKET TO VARYING GENERATIONS
Sales is a competitive,
ever-changing business. To stay relevant, and to assure they can continue to
put food on their tables, Realtors keep up with the latest marketing trends and
tailor their approach based on their clients’ preferences. They understand that
a 65-year-old client may want to receive information in hard copy, while a
45-year-old client prefers to receive an email attachment and a 25-year-old
client simply wants a text. They also understand that your property may appeal
to a certain audience—and they’ll make sure that audience can find it, whether
it means using social media, a postcard campaign, personal networking, or other
strategies.
2. REALTORS KNOW HOW TO
GRAB ATTENTION
When a Realtor assesses your
property, he or she will find the features that set it apart and make it memorable.
Then, they will create a speech to describe it in 30 seconds or less—an
elevator speech. The goal isn’t to share every detail, but to highlight the
benefits of your property that would make someone sit up and take notice.
3. REALTORS KNOW HOW TO
SELL THE AREA, NOT JUST THE PROPERTY
Location. Location.
Location. We’ve all heard it, and while people have more flexibility in where
they live because of technology these days, location is still a huge factor. A
Realtor can help prospective buyers see the benefits of your property in the
broader scope of day-to-day living. Is it close to work? Schools? Shopping?
Healthcare? Recreation? When a new buyer comes to town, a Realtor doesn’t just
drive them from property to property, he or she shows them Lake Mendocino,
local wineries, Mendocino College, School Street shops, the new hospital, the
Farmers’ Market, and other points of interest based on the buyers’ needs and
desires.
4. REALTORS KNOW CONSISTENCY
WORKS
Working with an experienced
Realtor means benefitting from their established relationships. Realtors who’ve
been in the business a while often swear by tried-and-true marketing
strategies, like sending regular postcards or e-mails to share useful
information to previous and prospective clients. This means, your Realtor has
access to a ready-made market that could be ripe for buying your property or
helping you find your dream home.
5. REALTORS KNOW OPEN
HOUSES INVITE INTEREST
Speaking of tried and true,
open houses continue to be an effective way to pique people’s interest. Who can
resist touring an open house? (Okay, I realize some of you would rather get a
root canal than walk around empty houses; but for many of us, viewing properties
is fun!)
If you are interested in
buying or selling a house, the most important thing is to find a Realtor you
like and trust, one with the knowledge and experience to provide you with the
service you expect and deserve. If you don’t have a relationship with a
Realtor, ask friends and neighbors who they recommend, and don’t be afraid to
ask a Realtor to provide you with references. Good ones will be happy to do so.
If you have questions about
real estate or property management, please contact me at [email protected]
or call (707) 462-4000. If you’d like to read previous articles, visit my blog
at www.richardselzer.com.
If you send me an idea I use in a column, I’ll send you a $5 gift card to
Schat’s Bakery. Dick Selzer is a real
estate broker who has been in the business for more than 40 years.
