How can you make your real estate listing stand out among all the others, especially in an area like Fresno that just has so many listings for buyers to view? Let’s take a look at four simple but important things real estate agents can do with their listings in order to get the best possible result for their homeowners:
1. Great Presentation:
Undoubtedly you are already aware of the importance of presenting a home really well. This is definitely a vital step in making sure your listings stand out in a sea of others.
Recently, a real estate agency in Australia surveyed their 50 top-performing agents on the importance of home presentation and whether they believed that "styling" a property would achieve a higher sales price. According to the survey results, 98% of the agents felt that styling a home the correct way can absolutely achieve a higher sale price. In addition to this, 92% of the agents surveyed said that styling a home could also achieve a faster sale.
So what are some styling tips that agents recommend?
The most popular tip by far is this: declutter. Hide or remove items in a room so that there is simply less stuff occupying the visible space in the room. Too much clutter makes a room feel noticeably smaller and that’s the exact opposite of what new home buyers want.
At times, though, more significant steps can be needed--especially when an agent or seller are hoping to get the top price for a property. The New York Times recounts a story of one homeowner who put their home on the market after taking steps to declutter; however, the homeowner in question maintained their own personal (and rather eclectic) style of furniture when showing the home. It failed to sell, even after the price was slashed from $1.85 million down to $1.65 million. In the end the selling agent convinced the owners to bring in a professional home stager, who immediately removed the owner’s furniture and added new contemporary pieces.
The result? The place was “mobbed” at the first open house, and with a crowd of buyers the owners were able to achieve a successful sale for $1.8 million--almost their original asking price!
To this point, Jane Saidenberg, the Design Director of Studio D noted:
“It’s not just about solving a problem now, but much more about presenting a lifestyle to prospective buyers.”
The question is, why do buyers demand such high standards, especially in the larger cities (and the greater Fresno area certainly qualifies in this respect)? One answer may have to do with the abundance of television real estate shows where viewers are exposed to high-quality listings that are immaculately presented. When these reality-TV viewers arrive at a real home they can't help but have an expectation of experiencing that same high-quality, film-ready standard in person. If the property is presented in a dated or amateurish fashion these buyers will either walk out or expect to pay a lower price than they would for a listing that is presented as a ‘trophy home’.
2. Be Present For The Photo Shoot:
Some real estate agents never show up for a photo shoot or if they are there they push the photographer to complete the shoot as quickly as possible so the agent can move on to 'more important things.' Agents that treat their listings in this way are simply missing the point.
A well-orchestrated photo shoot--one in which agent and photographer work together as a team to create compelling images which present the home in the best possible way--will always achieve the best possible result.
Homeowners love to see agents take a hands-on approach to photo shoot as well and
with the agent present to run the necessary interference the photographer is better able to focus on creating great images rather than being distracted by the owners, their pets or other matters that could make their time more difficult than it needs to be.
3. Use Drone Shots. But ONLY When It’s Appropriate To Do So:
We’ve spoken previously about the importance of using drone shots, and there's no question they certainly can get the attention of buyers (again, this is especially important in a market like the Fresno area where listings can be incredibly diverse in character).
Have a listing with a great location? Use a drone to show how close it is to a local landmark or the city.
Have a large property with lots of space? Use a drone to show off its size and scope.
Have a listing with a lot of trees around it? Use a drone to give your potential buyer an unobscured view of the home.
Have a small property that’s very close to neighbors? Don’t use a drone.
Have a property with a bad roof? Don’t use a drone.
Also remember that not all drone pilots are created equal. Some drone pilots crash things. This will not make life better for you or your homeowners.
As one writer noted in this article at Inman – Drones in real estate: 3 things to consider before hiring a pilot:
“Make sure you ask for a testimonial, see previous examples of their work, and ask if they carry general liability insurance. The risk is too high to hire a pilot without these qualifications.”
4. Share The Listing On Social Media:
The vast majority of buyers in the Fresno are most likely using some form of social media on a daily basis, so you need to make sure that they can find you and your listings there, wherever there is (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram are just the beginning).
That being said, a lot of agents only post photos or links to their latest listings, and that’s a mistake.
As this comment from AgentImage notes:
“You have to mix it up and share more content on Facebook that peaks the interest of your followers, not just pitching your latest listing. While posting high quality photos of your properties can help you to get more shares and likes, you should also create content that is interesting to your demographic that will create a buzz, generate awareness about the community and real estate market, and solicit feedback and interaction.”
In this video Jason Wardrop gives three important Facebook marketing tips for real estate agents:
In short, Jason's tips for Facebook marketing for real estate agents are as follows:
#1. Create Friends lists in your personal profile so that when you share content you can choose to only show it specifically to your buyer and seller connections on Facebook.
#2. Mix business connections with personal connections when you're posting content, whether it’s on your personal profile or your business page.
#3. Commit to your Facebook marketing plan, and make sure you stick to it long-term.
Conclusion: You Can Make Certain That Your Listing Stands Out, Even In A Busy Market Like Fresno!
Just start by keeping these simple steps in mind:
1. Present the Property in a Professional and Visually Appealing Way
2. Don't Take the Day Of the Photo Shoot Off
3. Know the Do's and Dont's of Drone Photography
4. Become a Social Media Mastermind and Keep That Audience Engaged!