Jul
27
With over 86% of buyers starting their search for a new home online, it would be natural to assume that signage is a little old hat when it comes to marketing a property for sale. It may well be an old-fashioned tactic, but it’s one that still has legs, apparently. The US Small Business Administration (SBA) reports that 40% of all new visits to businesses can be tracked to signage. And that, even with Yelp, Craig’s List, Realtor.com, etc.!
The SBA and the US Dept of Commerce both acknowledge signage as vital and effective forms of advertising. For those us marketing property, those signs can be at the property; directional signage leading to the property, outdoor signage using billboards, signage at local sports teams, signage at nearby schools, and signage using other venues around the neighborhoods surrounding your property. The more prominent, clearer, and simpler the signs are for your property the better.
Did you know that very often your local Department of Transportation will have traffic information for bigger roads, such that you can assess which corner is the better one for a sign. Similarly, the folks selling billboard advertising will have traffic counts for wherever their billboards are located.
Another point about signage is that while the coloring may speak to your company’s logo, the size of the sign and the material it’s printed on can illustrate a level of luxury or economy such that many inquiring phone calls can be avoided. Equally, a well-designed sign can set the tone for a building or neighborhood, adding one more arrow in your marketing quiver.
Jul
21
We know that most buyers want to “move in on Friday, unpack on Saturday, and go to work on Monday”. This is why new construction always trumps “pre-owned”.
I wrote an article a year ago about competing against new construction. You’re welcome to read the whole thing However, I believe the key points were -
- Mint Condition
- Updated Lighting (Recessed lighting, and halogen make such a difference to the feeling of a home)
- Warranty (so, try Certified Pre-owned, works for the car people)
- Layout designed for the Modern Lifestyle (Family Rooms off the kitchen, smaller Living rooms, bigger Master Bedrooms since the 2 people who are paying for the home have to share a room.)
- The Smell of New Construction (not bottled yet, but so tempting – cedar, oil, paint as opposed to dust,mold, perspiration, rotting food, odd recipes that were likely ill-advised at best! etc.)
- Special Spaces (an office, a den, a wrapping room – often new homes have quirky areas that are ideal for our more regimented, overly scheduled lives today.)
- The Green Card (energy saving appliances, windows, etc.)
Of all of these, lighting and smell rank the highest for me in terms of what can be done inexpensively for H-U-G-E impact! Smell or scent is so important in the selling of a property – home buying may look like it’s about numbers but when it comes right down to it, it’s the emotional pull that causes a particular property to be the one that’s chosen. When thinking about emotions – the 5 senses come into play. Smell being one of the more obvious ones at play.
There are lots of options to change the various aromas of your house: from cleaning the carpets, the curtains and upholstery to relocating the pets and plugging in an anti-allergen odor diffuser. I love the essential oils that are used in aromatherapy, and they do create a luxurious feel but one needs to be careful that it’s a universally appealing aroma as opposed to something pungent and distinctive. (My husband hates cinnamon for example, whereas my girlfriend, Karen, links orange with strong cleaning products and won’t tolerate it. So be careful!)
As to lighting ~ a brightly lit home feels so much more cheerful and alive than one with no overhead fixtures and a few hardworking dreary 60 watt bulbs on standard lamps on the corners. Gloomy = depressing. I can’t emphasize how important this is.
And do we have to go over the Mint Condition thing again? Want people to back bid during Inspections? Fix stuff so you can go to market with confidence and walk tall!
Technorati Tags: compete against new construction, home staging, home staging nj, lighting, mint condition, property marketing, Selling a Property
Jul
20
In the last few months, I have relocated my family from NJ to Myrtle Beach, SC. This Herculean undertaking has prevented me from blogging in either or timely or useful manner. So, today, i thought I would share a resource of mine that might inspire anyone trying to market a property -
http://juliet.phanfare.com
Technorati Tags: Juliet Johnson, property marketing, staging before and after photos
Jul
12
In this episode, we’ll explore some unique ways that you can make the most out of showing property. You’ll learn some tips to prepare properly and make sure your clients remember their dream home properly.
Duration : 0:5:14
Read the rest of this entry »
Technorati Tags: Brothers, Communications, Estate, Marketing, Property, Real, Showing, Technology, Wright
Jul
07
“I am planning to market my condo for rent myself. I would like to know how do agents find their contacts and get potential tenants?”
Here’s a good beginning answer from “Newlywed“: The primary way agents locate potential properties is through the MLS. Unfortunately, because you’re not an agent, you don’t have that ability. You can try Craigslist, local newspapers (local ones are generally more effective than big regional ones), fliers, posters, postcards, and notices. Word of mouth is also effective.
To which we would add, in many markets you can list your property on the local MLS for a fee. In our market, that fee is $450. Each MLS runs independently and vary quite considerably.
And then the following social media sites:-
- Facebook
- Squidoo
- Twitter
- Trulia
- Zillow
in that order… and then you might use Slideshare to make a moving slide show of your home and post that to various video sides like YouTube and Vimeo.
Lots of options to get the word out, when marketing your property yourself. And then you might offer a commission of some sort to the buyer’s agent… because they will be doing a ton of work for you in terms of getting paperwork processed in a timely manner so that their buyer actually gets the home!
Technorati Tags: marketing your property yourself, rent yourself
Great book for all agents!"