Marketing - this brings in the money

My plan for marketing your property



When you’re selling your house or condo, you want to sell it fast and make as much money as possible. A good marketing plan can help you do that. Here’s how I will work with you to market your property.

The technical stuff


1. Advise you on getting your home sale-ready. I will walk through your home with you and give you staging tips – everything from furniture placement to wall colour to clutter control – to help your place appeal to more potential buyers and maximize marketability. Remember, I have been doing this for 28 years.

2. Give you a sense of the market. To help you decide on a fair price that’s based on market value, I will provide you with information on how much other properties in your area have sold for and a strategy for attracting multiple offers.

3. Submit the listing to MLS®. I will include the best virtual tour in the business - and plenty of information to entice buyers.  

4. Promote your listing. I’ll get the word out in as many ways as I can. Your listing will be featured on my website, royallepage.ca, youtube, facebook, print ads, my newsletter, in feature sheets, “Open House flyers, targeted emails, and any other marketing vehicle that makes sense for your property – and your target market of potential buyers for your home.

5. Promote your property to other REALTORS® via phone calls, emails, personal meetings – whatever it takes to reach their potential buyers. This is important & few agents do this.

6. Follow up after every viewing. I will contact you on your schedule to update you on every showing to let you know the potential buyers’ level of interest, and tell you what types of comments they made about your property. Feedback is essential.

7. Keep in touch throughout the process. You’ll never have to guess where things stand with the sale of your property – I will contact you regularly with updates. And if you have any questions, I’m available to answer them – seven days a week. I welcome your calls or emails anytime.

8. Negotiate the best possible price and terms for you. After all, isn't that why you are hiring me? You can expect service and outstanding results!

Call me anytime. let's talk.

Susan



Here are some other things to consider:
 

Real estate and the price of apples

    
     Consider this scenario: You're at a supermarket and notice that McIntosh apples are on sale for $1.95 each. If you've ever purchased apples before, you know that's a pretty good price. However, you've heard about the "national apple market" in the news, so you're not surprised. After all, they've been saying that apple prices will be higher this year.
    
      Now, let's say you're driving home and decide to drop by a farmer's market. One of the stands, run by a local family farm is selling fresh McIntosh apples for  $2.95 each. Why is that?
    
     The reason is simple. The national apple market doesn't always reflect what is happening in your neighbourhood. In fact, the local market may be very different. It depends on what the buyers want.
    
     The same scenario can play out in real estate. You may hear news about the national market ... about prices up or down but that doesn't necessarily mean your local market - right here in your neighbourhood is the same. Your local market price may be higher than the national market.
    
     So before you decide to make a move find out the value of your home in your local market from an experienced realtor like myself. I am like the local farmer, only for real estate.

The Practically Perfect Open House


To open house or not to open house, that is the question.

     Not every home should have an open house, but I believe with proper preparation most should. Allow me to explain. Selling a home involves many irons in the fire:  MLS exposure, media ads, internet presence, managing the buyers and their agents and an open house. The best buyer for your home can come from any of these sources, you never know which. Why limit your options?
 
     You have seen other agents say open houses are "ineffective", "for nosy neighbours" and more. Maybe those agents like their weekends off at their cottage. The problem is real estate is a weekend business. That is when serious buyers have the time to shop for a home.

     After 26 years selling homes here is the truth: an open house could sell your home. Those nosy neighbours tell their friends and family about your home because they love the street as well. While those same neighbours are in your house other agents are showing buyers your home, real qualified buyers with cash to spend. When they see other people in your home they get a good feeling about the street and the neighbours. This gets them excited about your home. I have seen this happen many times.

     I welcome your neighbours into my open houses. I will use all their help to get you the top price for your home. I have great tips and tricks to prepare for your open house. Let's talk.

Walking is good for your home


     Walking is good for us. We all know that. But did you know that walking is good for the value of your home? There is recent research that suggests that there is a direct relationship between the value of a home and if the people who live in these homes are able to walk to where they want to go. What will science think of next.

     So if you live in a neighbourhood where your neighbours walk to the park, the schools, the coffee shops and nearby transit routes, then you are more likely to own a property  that will increase in value compared to other homes with lower walk scores. Go to www.walkscore.com to check the walkability and transit score for your home.

     I use walking and transit scores in my marketing plan for homes to entice buyers to consider home and neighbourhoods that present the opportunity for a healthier city lifestyle. This is just one more tool in the marketing toolbox.