There are two parts to getting your home sold: getting the word out and getting the buyers in. Of course, no buyers will consider you home unless they encounter it in an advertisement, sign, or listing. Once buyers know about your home, nothing can rival a personal visit when it comes to persuasive power - descriptions and pictures can't compare with a walk-through where potential buyers imagine themselves making the house their own. Real estate agents are essentially expert home marketers, and they are crucial to publicizing and exhibiting your home.
Getting the Word Out (Publicizing)
A good agent will begin by getting to know you and your home in an initial meeting. The agent will take exterior and interior photos, measure each room, and assess your home's key features. Then they will develop a marketing plan based on what they've learned from that visit, delineating how they will attract local buyers. A plan usually includes such features as:
A schedule of marketing activities
A list of advertising vehicles, including websites, that will carry the ad for your home
Promotional materials with photos of your home and its special features to be handed out or mailed
A plan for holding Open Houses and how they will maximize your home's visibility to buyers
Showing Your Home (Exhibiting)
Three out of four home buyers will visit an Open House! Agents are instrumental in showing your home through open houses and personal showings. They provide a professional edge and are skilled at:
Picking the best the fortes of your home
Conducting tours and open houses that emphasize fortes,
Describing financing options with potential buyers that make the home seem more affordable
The skill with which Erin Mendenhall implements these customized marketing plans is how she gets homes sold quickly and consistently. Erin takes the time to develop a relationship with her sellers and understand their home inside and out, its strengths and weaknesses. That way, when she begins her proven Open House Program, she shows the home not as a third party, but as someone familiar with the home and personally invested in the sale. To see Erin's work in action, check out some sample listings.
