YARD SIGNSAlone DO NOT SELL YOUR
HOME!
EXPIRED LISTINGS
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We priced our home perfectly and we sold in only a few weeks for above asking price! We were skeptical at first about making the small changes because we thought it was not a big deal. But it was! - Anonymous
REASONS YOUR HOME DID NOT SELL “IF YOUR HOME DOESN’T LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION, IT WILL BE FORGOTTEN!” You have decided to sell your home. You’re anxious to start the process, but you really want to make sure you have the right person working to sell your home for all it’s worth. You notice other homes, similar to yours have had a “FOR SALE SIGN” in their yards for many months. Which makes you wonder what’s taking so long. Then you start to wonder if it’s really a good time to sell your home. Is the market telling you something? Well, there’s good news! Now is a good time to sell your home and I can show you the reasons why your home didn’t sell and what we can do to sell your home for all it’s worth! THE REASONS 1
Your home may not be priced appropriately
2
There is a lack of proper exposure to the market you are in
Your home is not marketed properly to prospective buyers that match the criteria
3
Home is not staged well, or not even staged at all
4
There are no high-resolution professional photos taken of your home
5
There are no features or highlights talked about that make your home truly unique
6
There is no information about the community your home is in and the lifestyle prospective buyers could expect
7
There is a lack of feedback from showings to help improve the listing
8
There is a lack of data from online traffic showing whether or not your online exposure is acceptable
9
The occupants are not working with you and not being flexible with showings
10 Necessary repairs and/or improvements to help the home show better are not completed 11
The home is too personalized and does not accommodate the needs of all potential buyers
12 You simply hired the wrong agent
LET'S GO THROUGH THE REASONS
1
YOUR HOME IS NOT PRICED APPROPRIATELY Pricing your home correctly is so important. An overpriced home can be detrimental in the end, while an undervalued property certainly doesn’t always generate the buzz it needs. Pricing your home properly takes an experience team that understands the market and has a track record of success. The last thing you want is for your home to stay on the market longer than expected. At that time, interest starts to diminish and perception of the home could go from positive to negative. Below shows the best time to sell and your window of opportunity. By taking advantage of these models, you can price your home properly, create a buzz and gain traffic to your home. SALES INFO - LIST TO SALE PRICE: It’s one thing to close quickly, but most agents who have quick closings usually end up costing you more money and are typically below the market average. However, it takes a dedicated, well organized, well-informed team to close quickly for above average list to sale price. The difference can be thousands of dollars in your pocket. ATTRACT BUYERS IMMEDIATELY. Sellers and agents tend to experiment with price by starting high and dropping it over time. This rationale is not the best approach. A listing gets the most attention on its debut. As the Wall Street Journal reports, the week that a listing goes on the market, we estimate that it gets nearly four times more visits on real estate websites than it does a month later, which is when most sellers will initiate a price reduction. THE SOLUTION: I take all things into consideration when pricing a home to sell. Obviously we want to get as much as possible, but also it’s important to understand how I can attract more buyers by making small changes in and around the property that, in most cases, are both cost effective and easy to do. I also take a ‘hard look’ at the market stats and comparables to see what the market looks like current, what the trend is and what the market may look like weeks from now.
REASON
2
LACK OF EXPOSURE FOR YOUR MARKET One thing that is so important is to target the right crowd when listing your property. Most agents missed the boat with this which could lead to massive price reductions, unreasonable days on the market and in many cases, cause the listing to expire. The most productive marketing in today’s world is online marketing. It’s important to get this right, right from the start! WHAT MOST AGENTS DO: Most agents list your home, put it up on the MLS and hope that people find it. Some have open house showings while others promote it through their local brokerage and Facebook. Obviously these are things that are necessary but the exposure can’t stop there. THE SOLUTION: Target the market that matches your home’s character. How?: Get demographic information such as age, race, annual income, job security, etc. This can usually be accessed through your local city public database Explore the community and connect specific amenities to the demographic Create printed marketing pieces that connect the overall lifestyle and potential buyers Create beautiful property brochures that are leave a lasting impression Create marketing campaigns that determine the lifestyle of the property within the community Where are the local restaurants, coffee shops, gyms, rec centers, boutiques, malls, grocery stores, parks, playgrounds, golf courses, beaches, lakes, and more. Create an ‘Open House’ experience that won’t be forgotten Roll out the red carpet, hire a local chef or even have a local band play during a wine and cheese session. Whatever it is, we are full of great ideas! Bomb-Bomb Marketing on social media platforms Facebook video ads showing your new listing, Instagram ads, Brokerage promos and more. Online exposure through all necessary real estate related platforms Google, Zillow, Trulia, Craigslist, LetGo, Oodle, Hotpads, Cozy, Sell.com, Realtor.com, Broker site, Realtor site, Yahoo!, Bing, Facebook, Instagram, Homes.com and much more!
REASONS
3
&
4
YOUR HOME IS NOT STAGED & THERE ARE NO HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOS STAGING: Staging is an essential service we recommend to help sell your home for all it’s worth. Potential buyers typically cannot envision themselves in a home that is empty or vacant. Staging your home allows the buyer to visualize furniture placement, decor elements and gives them an objective perspective of your home. HIGH-RES PHOTOS: One thing we can’t stress more is how important it is to get high-resolution photos of your home with feature shots of its best and most interesting qualities. High-end appliances, property views, luxury qualities and lifestyle photography only elevate the property and help it reach its full selling potential. Most buyers search online first. The best way to get them asking more questions is to ‘show-off’ your home! WHAT MOST AGENTS DO: Most agents don’t want to pay the extra amount for better photos. Instead they believe most people won’t care and that the benefit does not justify the cost. In fact, professional photography is one of the most important aspects of selling your home. Spending a little more to get a much better response is always worth it. WHAT WE DO: Consult on Staging Staging can be a big expense. However it could have a huge reward. We evaluate each property’s potential and consult on whether staging will work for you. In most cases, it is a must, but sometimes it isn’t’ necessary. We work hand in hand with qualified staging personnel to ensure your home’s greatest qualities are on full display. Professional Photos This something we don’t compromise. It is an essential part of the process and necessary if you want to attract buyers on all platforms online.
REASONS
5
&
6
HOME FEATURES, HIGHLIGHTS & COMMUNITY INFO Selling the home is one thing. Selling the community is another. So why not do both? It is possible to combine community information, highlights and features with property info, highlights and features. So why aren’t more agents doing this? The last thing you want is someone having to do their own research on the community the home is located. It’s our job as your representatives to evaluate the neighborhood, identify its main features and focus on the lifestyle aspect of the property. COMMON QUESTIONS: Common questions potential buyers may ask about the home are usually answered once they see it. However, exploring a neighborhood is not something that can be done in a showing. Buyers may like to know what local restaurants are close by, where the schools are, how far are the rec centres, playgrounds and parks, how far they are from the closest major highway or how close are they to public transportation routes. We answer these common questions and even provide a graphic brochure that includes photos of the community, walkscore information, local restaurants, grocery stores, shopping centres, bike trails, business corridors, maps and so much more. We provide the buyer with everything they need to make an informed decision on your property while elevating it as a true contender. DON’T FORGET THE HOME FEATURES We take an in depth look into the home and evaluate its best features. We then create tour guides that help highlight these features throughout the tour of the property. Tour guides help silently sell your property visually, which keeps your home at the top of the buyer’s mind. They won’t forget their experience when viewing your home. That’s our goal! THE CONCLUSION: We don’t take shortcuts. We thoroughly evaluate the property. Create a marketing strategy using valuable property and community information, features and highlights and print out high quality brochures, tour guides and marketing pieces that enhance the overall quality and perception of your property.
13
REASONS
7
&
8
LACK OF FEEDBACK FROM SHOWINGS & LACK OF DATA ONLINE We are humble enough to say this “we don’t know it all”, and in fact, we can use all the help we can get. That’s where buyer feedback, the Internet and online data come into play. This valuable information can help improve your listing over time so that it doesn’t stay listed over time. LACK OF FEEDBACK FROM SHOWINGS: When a potential buyer views your property, it is important to have useful tools to help improve the experience for the next buyer. Using online tools that ask the viewing party a few short questions with a ranking of 1 to 5 will help improve your showing for the next prospective buyer. Most of these online resources have a comment section as well that allows the viewing party to give their thoughts on your property. LACK OF ONLINE DATA: One of the major problems with many agents today is their lack or inability to read the online traffic data. This information is a clear indicator of your online presence. Are you getting people to view your listing online? If so, how long are they staying? Where are they coming from? How old are they? Have they been pre-qualified? This information helps you be more efficient, consistent and diligent when responding to the data correctly. For example, if the home is listed on all the top site, but still not getting enough exposure online, then there could be something wrong with the listing. Does the vital info match the criteria someone is searching for? If the home is getting exposure but not physical showings, it could be reasons 3 and 4 (staging and photography), or it is priced too high (beyond the comparables in the area). No matter what it may be, it is a good idea to identify the data, investigate it and create a strategy that can improve the overall experience of each showing. ESSENTIAL ADVICE: When showing a property, we make sure the overall experience is memorable. Windows are opened, fireplace is on, music is played in the background from a home pod, or integrated speakers, the home is filled with scented air fresheners, all the lights turned on, etc. The music matches the vibe of the home. Is it cool and hip, traditional or contemporary? We place tour guides around the home describing certain features like “oversized garage with room for your boat”. No matter what it may be, every home has unique qualities that are valuable to most buyers. These qualities can’t be missed!
HOME PREPARATION - EXTERIOR • House number should be easy to read • Lights on timers to ensure house is lit up after sunset • Eaves troughs, and down spouts in good repair • Garage/car port clean and tidy • Litter picked up • Cracked or broken window panes replaced • Doorbell and door hardware in good repair • Touch up trim paint on doors, window frames, fascia, etc. • Mow, edge and weed the lawn frequently until the home is sold • Overgrown shrubbery be cut back to show as much of the exterior as possible • A low-cost investment in seasonal flowers or ground cover will add a personal touch • Inspect the roof for necessary repairs and any visible broken shingles or tiles • Stucco water stains can be repaired using a mild bleaching agent • Fences should be mended and painted
HOME PREPARATION - INTERIOR • Lights should be on and drapes left open during daylight hours • Heat set at a comfortable temperature • Fresh flowers/plants in various rooms • Chipped plaster and paint touched up and repaired • Doors and cupboards properly closed • Leaky taps and toilets repaired • Burned out light bulbs replaced • Squeaky doors oiled • Mirrors, fixtures, and taps cleaned and polished • Seals around tubs and basins in good repair • Floors cleaned, garbage containers emptied • Inside of closets and cupboards neat and tidy • Valuable property, out of reach, out of sight, or locked away • Pets absent, where possible, or contained during showings • All torn screens should be repaired or replaced
REASONS
9 , 10
&
11
OCCUPANT COOPERATION, REPAIRS & PERSONALIZATION
If you are a landlord and looking to sell your home, there are some issues that may arise during the process. One of these potential issues is the lack of cooperation from the occupants of the property. Do you know anyone who enjoys moving? OCCUPANT COOPERATION: Occupants with families are generally more concerned with having to move from a property that is up for sale, especially if the family has been there for many years and/or the decision to sell was unexpected. It is your right as the owner to decide to list your property even though it is being rented/occupied. However, it is important to work with the occupants as best as possible. Establishing showing times that might work around the renter’s schedule as well as yours, giving incentive to have the home in showable fashion is another great way to ensure it is in top-notch form. One thing we do is come an hour early to each showing to ensure our standards are met and that the home is ready to show. NECESSARY REPAIRS: No potential buyer wants to see broken faucets, chipped up floors, damaged walls or broken windows. These things speak to the overall care and quality of you, as the owner. It is true that many of these issues can arise when renting the property, however, we work hand in hand to ensure that these common issues are repaired before listing and maintained for all showings. These small issues are necessary and though they seem insignificant, they are common reasons why many homes don’t sell for top dollar and in many cases, don’t sell at all. PERSONALIZATION: Remember when your daughter wanted that bright pink wall in her bedroom? You tried to convince her otherwise, but she was stuck on pink. So you gave in and voila! A bright pink wall for your daughter, that made you cringe, but made her happy and joyful. Years later, she’s all grown up, off to college and your still looking at that bright pink wall she never decided to change. Painting it would be a bit of a cost, not one you a willing to take on at the moment so you decide to keep it and hope others love it the way your daughter did so many years ago. This would be a mistake! Most people don’t want to see your personal touches in your home. They want to envision themselves in the space rather than stare at the many family photos and unique paint choices. Neutral colors, tones and decor will help buyers imagine how there personal items will work in the space. It’s hard to determine how that monochrome picture frame will look on that teal wall. Don’t personalize the space because you think it looks good, de-personalize the space so that everyone believes it looks good!
" I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM DOING!
REASONS
12
YOU CHOSE THE WRONG AGENT If your expired listing didn’t include all the necessary things you see in this book, you probably hired the wrong agent. More-so, if you are interviewing new agents, make sure that these essential marketing measures are taken. If you are thinking about selling, I hope this encourages you to list your property again. Your home is awesome and we can prove to everyone this is true!
Our essential marketing strategies include, but are not limited to the following: PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY & DRONE: Professional photography is the #1 way to bring attention to your house. We use the very best of professional photographers, and include drone photos and video as well. When home buyers see the photos that Jonathan and The Turtlestone Group advertise with, they connect with your house and want to see more. This helps them understand that you’re working with a trusted agent and that you’re marketing for maximum exposure. PROPERTY BROCHURES: We are committed to marketing your home with high quality materials that represents the time and effort you have taken in obtaining and maintaining your home. 3D TOURS & INTERNET MARKETING: With over 92% of people using the Internet in their home search, we’ve developed a way to cater to home buyers searching for their home online. With the introduction of 3D tours and Internet marketing, we can successfully find and track buyers that are interested in your home. BROKER TOURS & OPEN HOUSES: The broker tour opens up your home to agents from other various firms. It is a great way to expose the great qualities of your home that may be otherwise missed. It is also a great way for other agents to bring their buyers in to see your property. We believe it is critical to use the tools and resources necessary to give your home the exposure it deserves to ultimately help you sell and move on to your next goal.
WHERE BUYERS COME BUYERS DON’T COME FROM OUTER SPACE It’s important to understand where potential buyers are in the market, how they are able to find your home for sale and how we can utilize our online resources as well as other marketing tools to get them to see your home virtually and physically. Understanding things such as demographics, income, lifestyle features, etc. will help narrow down the target market. However, understanding the most effective ways to market helps us thoroughly and effectively target potential buyers looking for a home like yours. Below shows where potential buyers discovered homes that fit their criteria.
51% INTERNET
34% REAL ESTATE AGENT 4% YARD SIGN | 4% FRIEND | 4% OPEN HOUSE 2% NEW BUILDER | 1% NEWSPAPER | 1% SELLER
aerial photos
& VIDEOS
S P E C I A LT Y M A R K E T I N G DOES YOUR HOME NEED IT? Specialty marketing such as drone shots, high-resolution video walk-throughs, and aerial photos are some of the specialty marketing features we offer to our clients. Most properties do not require drones, aerial shots or even videos, however, if your home has unique features that provide insight to the overall appeal of the property, it may be important to market these features. Some of these features include exterior elements such as pools, large patios/decks/pergolas, tennis/basketball courts, featured landscaping, tall trees, brick work, etc. Together, we determine whether or not your property will benefit from our specialty marketing services, the overall cost, value added, how it compares to other properties for sale and if can potentially lower your days on the market. OTHER SPECIALTY MARKETING SERVICES: - Community lifestyle brochures - brochure that features local attractions and amenities - Model photography feature shots - property photos that include models positioned throughout - Community lifestyle video - video of community features, attractions and local hot spots - Neighborhood amenity maps - printed and/or interactive map featuring close-by amenities - Seller family lifestyle video - video interview with seller speaking about “why they love the home�
SELLERS GUIDE EXPIRED LISTINGS
