As the real estate market cools down, fewer buyers are in the market for a new home. This means that today’s sellers are facing more competition from other listings. It also means that real estate agents are working harder to draw attention to their listings.
In this article, we’ll show you how successful agents are making their listings stand out in today’s shifting market conditions.
Offering Staging Help for Sellers
Around 90% of REALTORS believe that staging helps to sell a home faster and/or for more money. By providing staging help for your sellers, you can make the property more appealing to a wider range of prospective buyers.
“Staging help” could simply mean a custom report of recommended staging ideas for your sellers to implement. This report should include standard cleaning and decluttering tips. It should also include tips specifically for each unique listing. For example, you could suggest a more neutral color palette if your seller’s colors are too bold. Or you could recommend storing oversized furniture to make the rooms feel larger.
In a luxury market, “staging help” could mean you cover the upfront cost of a professional staging company, with the agreement that you'll be repaid from the proceeds of the sale. Just make sure to include a clause in your contract to cover your repayment if the house fails to sell.
Hiring a Professional for the Listing Photos
With 97% of buyers searching for homes online, professional listing photos are critical for making your listings stand out. Professional listing photos have been shown to attract more buyers, resulting in faster sales and higher sales prices.
If professional photos aren't standard practice in your market, simply using a professional will set your listings apart from the competition.
But if professional photos are already standard, you might need to get a bit more creative to make your photos stand out. Here are a few ideas to help you make the most of your listing photos:
Insist on professional editing to correct the color, contrast, etc.
Pay extra attention to the front exterior photo. This will likely be the thumbnail prospective buyers see when viewing listings online.
Capture “lifestyle” shots to show how areas of the home can be utilized (a closeup of a cozy chair with an open book by the fireplace, for example).
Consider aerial shots to show off the grounds of the property and the surrounding neighborhood.
Don’t let your photographer get too crazy with photoshopped skies or overly saturated colors. This can distract from the home itself.
Writing a Compelling Listing Description
Writing a compelling listing description is about telling the story of the lifestyle the property offers. Rather than listing rooms and features, explain how buyers can live their best life in this home. For example, “Start your day with a cold brew coffee on your sun-soaked terrace before enjoying a short commute to the business district or working from your designated home office with original french doors.”
You should also highlight details that aren’t immediately evident in the photos. Upgraded electrical, energy-efficient appliances or new roofing, for example, could attract more buyers. And details about the neighborhood and proximity to local amenities can add to your listing description narrative as well.
Taking Full Advantage of Video
Did you know that 73% of sellers report being more likely to hire a listing agent who uses video to market their listings?
Video can be used to make your listings stand out in several ways. For example, you could:
Shoot a formal video tour to publish on your listing, along with all your photos.
Post an informal video walk-through of your listing on your social media channels.
Upload a drone video of the immediate area to give buyers a better idea of the neighborhood vibe.
Offering Virtual Tours
A 2022 survey found that three out of five homebuyers would be willing to purchase a home based solely on a virtual tour. This provides an opportunity for agents to reach out-of-area buyers. And it makes your listings stand out in a crowded marketplace!
You could upload a virtual tour to your website or YouTube channel. This video would be easily accessible to potential buyers. You could also promote your willingness to conduct a private virtual tour. Private virtual tours are typically done via a video conferencing app (like Skype, Zoom, or Meta Messenger).
The important thing is to offer an option for buyers to tour the home without physically visiting the property.
Give Your Real Estate Career a Boost
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