Guest Post: The Thompson Yochim Team
Advice FOR Real Estate Agents FROM Real Estate Agents
It’s easy for homebuyers to get overwhelmed by the sea of “3 bedrooms, two bathrooms, 2-car garage” listing descriptions. If a buyer only cared about those kinds of stats, they would offer on the first house that popped up in their home search. The truth is, buyers are looking for a lifestyle, not just a place. They want to picture themselves taking evening strolls around the reservoir that’s a few blocks away or sipping morning coffee in the warm sunshine provided by their east-facing back patio. As a listing agent, your goal should be to paint the picture of what it will be like for a buyer to live in the four walls you’re trying to sell.
Let’s talk about three different ways you can do that.
1. Create a “Top Ten” List
The purpose of a “Top 10” list is to showcase the ten best things about living in the home that a buyer wouldn’t otherwise know or think about unless it was pointed out to them. Ask the seller to jot down the ten best things about living in their home. Examples could include the best spot to enjoy an evening glass of wine, their favorite local coffee shop, scenic hiking trails within walking distance, the best local events, or anything else that paints the picture of what kind of lifestyle that home provides.
Once your seller provides the list, all you have to do is format it nicely (Canva is great for this!), print it out, and frame it. The best places to display the Top 10 list are on a table by the entryway or the kitchen counter. When potential buyers read through the list during a showing, they will make an emotional connection to the home, which will hopefully entice them to make an offer!
2. Showcase the Season
Another way to help buyers picture themselves living in a home is to showcase the current season. The most obvious way to do this is with home decor. For instance, cozy blankets and pillows for winter, pool floaties in the pool (if there is one, of course) for summer, pumpkins and mums on the porch for fall, freshly planted flowers for spring, and so on.
If you want to catch attention as people drive by the home or first approach it for a showing, consider using a seasonal sign rider on the for sale sign. For instance, one that says “New Year, New Home” for a listing in December. It’s the little things like this that will make a house stand out in a potential buyer’s mind.
To make showings an experience that appeals to all of the senses, you could ask the seller to diffuse essential oils or play some background music that evokes the feeling of the current season. The possibilities are endless; just make sure you don’t go too crazy! Understated is better than overwhelming.
3. Write an Appealing Listing Decision
Potential buyers are likely going to see a home online before they ever see it in person. Once they scroll through pictures, they’re going to want to know more about the house and what makes it unique. This is where you need to capture their attention with a listing description that details the lifestyle of the home, not just the number of bedrooms and bathrooms.
Like the Top 10 list discussed above, the listing description should highlight the best reasons somebody would buy the home. For instance, a newly-poured stamped concrete back patio, proximity to shopping and entertainment, etc. Once you have the best features listed, take it one step further and explain those features’ lifestyles for a potential buyer. Rather than simply stating there is a newly-poured stamped concrete back patio, say something like, “invite your friends over for a glass of wine on the newly-poured stamped concrete patio.” Instead of saying there is a shopping center nearby, say, “check off your holiday shopping list at the nearby shopping center.”
About the Authors
We’re Randi and Jenna, REALTORS® with Lumino Real Estate, serving Northern Colorado and the suburbs north of Denver. We use our twin superpowers to make the home buying and selling process fun and stress-free!
Sources:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/does-your-mls-listing-have-good-bones/id1474505122?i=1000475691311
https://modernagentsocialclub.com
