Marketing Strategies for Luxury Homes in The Woodlands TX
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Marketing Strategies for Luxury Homes in The Woodlands TX
- 1. Insert Your Name Here Realtor® | Marketing Consultant Date 1
- 2. A Word of Thanks to You! Thank-you for the opportunity to discuss marketing your property. Selling your home is an important decision for you. My goal is to sell your property for the highest attainable price, within the time frame that fits your plans, and to make the home selling process as stress-free, successful and efficient as possible. The purpose of my proposal is to help guide you through the merchandising and marketing process, to acquaint you with the current market activity and to explain how Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene and I can assist you in achieving the sale of your home. My hope is that you will be very happy with your home selling experience. Again, thank you for allowing me to assist you in the marketing of your property. Very truly yours, Ken Brand, Sales Manager 2 832-797-1779 | Ken@KenBrand.com
- 3. Our Guarantee Our commitment is to provide a results-oriented real estate experience that will achieve the highest price possible for your home with the least inconvenience to your family and in a time frame that meets your needs. As your marketing professional, I will: Communicate with you on an agreed upon interval and method: phone, email, text message Provide you with ideas and recommendations that will enhance the presentation of your home to the public and to the real estate community. Develop a list of features that will more likely attract showings to the right buyers. Schedule the dates you can expect completion of marketing activities including: Multi-photo marketing on all web sites, provided web site accepts multi-photos under normal conditions. Color flyers strategically distributed to generate activity Mobilize the entire local market sales force of Realtor® members of the Multiple Listing Service®. This will include e-mail or direct notification to those agents who have sold a home in your area in the last six months. Place your home on multiple internet sites – see our Internet Marketing Menu. Communicate daily or weekly updates about changes in your market. Periodically reevaluate the market, reviewing with you recent activity of sales and new listings. Provide you with available feedback after showings, when received and be candid about suggestions that are made to improve our position. I will look for every opportunity to obtain an offer to purchase your home. At your request, I will obtain information and a sample quote on insurance for your home in order to facilitate the sale. Obtain information from the buyer on their ability to qualify for a mortgage before you are asked to take your home off the market for a contract. My manager will be available to discuss any concerns with you. When an offer is received on your home, I will diligently work as your advocate to help you achieve the highest price and the best terms possible. I will also be your advocate in the negotiation of repairs. Coordinate all the closing procedures with the mortgage company, the title company, the appraiser, the inspectors, and the cooperating agent. Review your papers before closing, if available and attend the closing with you. Our Guarantee to You: Our Guarantee to You: If, during the listing period, you feel that I do not perform to this standard, you may talk with my manager and if your concerns can not be satisfied, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene will release you from the listing. 3______________________________________ ______________________________ Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene Seller _________________ ____________________________________________________ Date Seller
- 4. Understanding Your Expectations What are your expectations of your real estate agent? What concerns do you have about working with a real estate agent? How important is regular communication with your real estate professional? How often do you want to be contacted? 4
- 5. Promoting Your Property Please answer the following to help us target our marketing to the right buyers. 5
- 6. Strategies to Get Your Home Sold 6
- 7. #1 Merchandising 7
- 9. Elements of Merchandising Access What potential buyers Expect when requesting a showing. Steps you can take to enhance a sale: Written disclosure Home warranty Professional home 9 pre-inspection Staging
- 10. Elements of Merchandising Staging You’re invited to visit our “Stage to Sell” video section of bhgrealestate.com or Scan the code with your cell phone to watch “Staging to Sell” success story video, http://neom.us/431609696028 10
- 11. Elements of Merchandising Curb Appeal Make that first impression count! Interior Condition Learn how to leverage the “Power of Color” in the video section of bhgrealestate.com to prepare your house to sell. 11
- 14. Recommendations for Creating A Competitive Property The following enhancements will help establish a strong market position for your property. Property address: • Exterior • Kitchen • Bathrooms • Entry/Living/Dining/Family room • Bedrooms • Garage/Basement • Other Prepared for: (Seller’s Name) By: (Sales Professional’s name and company) 14 Date:
- 15. Merchandising Checklist before leaving home Exterior •Remove toys, newspapers, yard tools and other clutter. •Tidy up; pick up after pets. •Park vehicles in the garage or on the street; leave the driveway clear. •Add color with flowers and potted plants. Interior •Make beds; clean up dishes; empty wastebaskets. •Remove clutter throughout; organize closets and cupboards; put away toys. •Set out “show towels” in baths. •Freshen the air; potpourri or baked bread aroma; deodorize pet areas; set comfortable temperature. •Do quick vacuuming and dusting. •Arrange fresh flowers throughout. •Fire in fireplace (when appropriate). •Turn off television; play soft background music. 15 •Open drapes and shades; turn on lights.
- 16. #2 Competitive Market Positioning 16
- 17. #2 Competitive Market Positioning Market positioning can be the key to maximum market exposure and, ultimately, a satisfactory sale. The existing pool of prospective buyers determines a property’s value, based on: Location, design, amenities and condition. Availability of comparable (competing) properties. This includes not just your neighborhood but similar priced neighborhoods in the region. Economic conditions that affect real property transactions. Factors that have little or no influence on the market value of a house include: The price the seller originally paid for the property. The seller’s expected net proceeds. The amount spent on improvements. The impact of accurate positioning: Properties positioned within market range generate more showings and offers, and sell in a shorter period of time. 17 Properties positioned too high have a difficult time selling.
- 18. #2 Competitive Market Positioning A Competitive Market Analysis is an x-ray of the current market and considers similar properties that: Have sold in the recent past ∙ This shows us what buyers in this market have actually paid for properties competitive to yours. Are currently on the market ∙ These are unsold properties that will be competing with yours for the attention of available buyers. Failed to sell ∙ These homes were rejected by the market place. Understanding why these properties did not sell can help avoid disappointment in the marketing of your property. 18
- 19. #2 Competitive Market Positioning We are the only broker that takes the traditional market analysis 2 steps further. We’ll review these 2 extra steps together: 1. Trend of “time on the market to sell” by price range of your neighborhood and 2. Trends in Centralized Showing reports to find out what price ranges buyers are looking in your zip code. An analysis of the above trends lend more insight into the current market and helps you make a better decision on the initial market position.. 19
- 20. #2 Competitive Market Positioning What happens when you position your home beyond market range? •Fewer buyers are attracted, and fewer offers received. •Marketing time is prolonged, and initial marketing momentum is lost. •The property attracts “lookers” and helps competing houses look better by comparison. •If a property does sell above true market value, it may not appraise, and the buyers may not be able to secure a loan. •The property may eventually sell below market value. 20
- 21. #2 Competitive Market Positioning Market Position in Relationship to Fair Market Value MARKET POSITION IN % OF PROSPECTIVE RELATIONSHIP TO FAIR PURCHASERS WHO WILL MARKET VALUE LOOK AT PROPERTY 21
- 22. Online and Offline 22 Promotion
- 23. Promotion Online and Offline National Association of Realtors® Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers 2011 indicates that buyers use both online and offline resources when searching for a home. 23
- 24. Promotion – Online and Offline To successfully promote your property to the market, it is important to know what sources buyers used in 2011 in a home search. 24
- 25. #3 Online Promotion – It’s Important! - 9 out of 10 homebuyers used the Internet as a tool when searching for a home - 37% of buyers found their home online - 85% of buyers who used the internet in their home search, used an agent for their home purchase - 61% of buyers found virtual tours “very useful” - 36% of home buyers first learned about the home they purchased using the internet 25
- 26. 26
- 27. www.bhg.com 27
- 28. #3 Online Promotion Upgrade Your home will be showcased, branded and featured on Realtor.com ! • More exposure for your property • Up to 25 Jumbo Photos • Listing video tours • Promote open houses Your home will be featured as a premium listing on Trulia.com 28 No other local company offers premium placement on both of these major sites.
- 29. Digital Promotional Strategies • Web Commercials • Virtual Tours • Property Slide Shows • Houston Homes for Sale mobile app • eCards • eBrochures • eNewsletters • Craigslist Ads 29
- 30. # 4 Offline Promotion Because 87% of all buyers used a real estate agent as a source of information in 2011*,, we know the importance of having a good working relationship with all Houston Realtors®. We make a unilateral offer to pay any Realtor® who finds a 30 buyer for your home ½ of our commission and we are happy to do so. *Source: 2011 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers.
- 32. # 4 Offline Promotion – National Print Advertising MARCH 2011 32
- 33. #4 Offline Promotion - PinPoint Finding out about you when you first bought your home enables me to target buyers in the same life stage as you were then. I use PinPoint. 33
- 34. # 4 Offline Promotion – Print Property Marketing 34
- 35. #4 Offline Promotion – Yard Signs 35
- 36. 36
- 37. #5 Networking And Target 37 Marketing
- 38. #5 Networking / Target Marketing Personal sphere of influence Professional agent network Target marketing to showing agents neighborhood agents your right buyer. 38
- 39. Strategies that Sell Your Home #6 The Power of 39 Branding
- 40. #6 The Power of Branding A recent NY Times survey indicated that 96% of respondents were likely or very likely to consider Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate when purchasing next home. • 23 Subscription Magazines • 12 TV Stations • 300+ Books in Print • Watch the “Power of the Brand” video 40 on BHGrealestate.com Reaching 1 in every 4 American homes.
- 41. Changing the Business of Real Estate Through Service, Innovation and Values The name “Better Homes and Gardens” is a household word nationally. The name “Gary Greene” has been known to Houston households since 1963. Two names you can trust. More than 850 agents 41 More than 19 offices Celebrating 50 years of success
- 42. Strategies that sell your home #7 Negotiation and Closing 42
- 43. #7 Negotiation and Closing Negotiate favorable terms and conditions Advice and counsel – especially inspection results, the survey, etc. We look out for you! Successful closing 43
- 44. Summary of 7 Strategies 44
- 45. Do you have any questions about how these strategies can get your home sold? 45
- 46. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene The company - Founded in 1963 in Houston by Gary Greene, the founder is still associated with the company. Gary Greene is the longest existing real estate firm in Houston. Locally owned and operated by partners, Mark Woodroof and Marilyn Eiland. Years of experience 50 Number of agents 850 Accomplishments In 2011, the firm was ranked Number 1 in Houston by the Houston Business Journal and the HAR-MLS Broker Ranking Report by dollar volume closed, number of listings sold and number of buyer transactions. It was ranked Number 44 nationally in 2011 by Real Trends in the Top 100 Brokers by closed transactions. 46
- 47. Thank-you! 47 Thank You
Notes de l'éditeur
- Selling a home represents one of the largest investments of a lifetime for the family and/or the individual owners. There is no question that such a large transaction should come with a guarantee from their listing agent. “If I don’t do what I say I will do, you can get with my manager and I. If we can’t work it out, we will release you from the listing agreement without obligation.” Mr. Seller, I wouldn’t list my home without a guarantee that clearly states that if the agent doesn’t perform – we can part company – no strings attached.
- Hiring a real estate agent to find a buyer for your home is serious business and I’m sure you’ve given it much thought and it’s very important that we are on the same page throughout the process. So, it would be very helpful to me, in moving forward, if you would share a few of your thoughts with me. For example - What do you want from your real estate agent, specifically, what are your expectations of me? [Listen, take notes, and validate the sellers’ comments.] Those are very reasonable expectations and I’ll demonstrate how I will meet and exceed your expectations. What concerns do you have about working with a real estate agent? [Listen, take notes, and validate the sellers’ comments.] I see. Those are very valid concerns. I’ll be sure to address them. And lastly. How important is regular communication with your real estate professional and how often do you want to be contacted? [Listen, take notes, and validate the sellers’ comments.] Thank you. Let’s set up a contact schedule that works for you. And thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. It is important for me to understand your concerns so that I am sure to cover them as we go along. Next, I’d like to ask questions specific to your property so we can develop a target market for it. May I do that?
- Promoting Your Property How to use this page This page shifts the focus of the discussion from seller expectations of the agent to the property, and especially how the sellers’ perceive it. Other good questions: Where did you move from? What will you miss the most about this house? What are the best features and highlights you like about the house. All of these questions and the ones found on the slide help you establish information in MLS in public and private remarks – so the sellers response can attract a buyer in the same life stage as the seller was when they bought the home. • If possible, this is a good item to send to the sellers in advance, to allow them to think through the questions prior to your meeting. • During the listing proposal, ask the questions in a comfortable, conversational style that encourages the sellers to share their candid views about the house. • The sellers’ insights into qualities of the home that have been important to them may indicate features that could be emphasized in all of your advertising and marketing. • If the sellers’ understanding of their property’s value is distorted by sentimental attachment or misinformation, this discussion will help bring their views to the surface. Next, I’d like to discuss with you seven lucky strategies that I use when marketing a home. May I do that?
- Mr. and Mrs. ____,in today's’ market, we need to strategically position properties in ways that set them apart from all other available homes on the market. I utilize a seven-point approach to positioning my listings. I have found these resources to be most effective in attracting buyers and other real estate agents. My findings concur with the survey results found in the National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers in 2011. Of the seven strategies in my marketing proposal, the two strategies where you have the most control are also the most important in getting a home sold. Merchandising and Competitive Market Positioning The other five strategies are the ones I control but certainly in conjunction with your input and feedback. Let’s take a look at them, one at a time, starting first with those strategies under your control, merchandising and competitive market positioning.
- A marketing plan and promotion strategy is critical to attracting buyers to a property and ultimately to getting the property SOLD! And that’s where merchandising strategies come in. Have you ever noticed displays in the retailers store windows of the products they sell? This is merchandising. Retailers spend a great deal of time making sure their products look appealing to consumers so they catch their attention and encourage them to have a look. These same principles apply to selling your home. We need to merchandise it to make it as appealing as possible to prospective buyers. Let’s look at the elements of merchandising.
- Access is a big part of merchandising. It is next to impossible to sell a home that people can’t see. We use a showing service known as Centralized Showing Service to schedule appointments directly with you It is important though that you allow showings as requested. That won’t be a problem will it? Also, buyers are often reluctant to ask questions and display their feelings if the sellers are home. So the best thing you can do is to not be present during showings and open houses. (And be sure to take Fido with you.) By attracting and providing peace of mind to prospective buyers, these steps can enhance the salability of your property: Written disclosure A written property disclosure statement will give buyers a clear understanding of this property and the surrounding neighborhood. Home warranty A home warranty can give prospective buyers peace of mind by providing repair-or-replace coverage of major home operating systems and appliances. We recommend American Home Shield or First American Home Warranty. They have a quality commitment to us to provide excellent service to our clients. Professional home inspections Professional inspections, such as structural, mechanical and termite will reveal the current condition of the property. We recommend a pre-inspection. This buys you great “peace of mind” because you can remediate any defects sited on an inspection report before the buyer’s inspector flags it. A pre-inspection saves you time and it can save you money. Buyers often use an inspection report to negotiate the price down. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Staging Homes - homes that are staged derive an average 6% higher sales price than non-staged homes and have proven to shorten market time. Staging enhances photographs used for marketing by enriching the look and feel of your home. Multi-photo marketing Rich professional photography also helps sell your home. We take extra care in presenting a great experience by showcasing your home with rich photography both online and offline. Mr. and Mrs. Seller, can you see how these elements will be important in reaching your sales goals? [check for acceptance, agree and continue]
- Let’s talk about staging. It’s important to your bottom line. Homes staged have shown on average to sell faster! I know that is of interest to you. An even better statistic - a staged home derives on average 6% more value in the sale than a comparable home in the area that isn’t staged. So, staging can add more money to your bottom line. Generally speaking, staging takes an owner-customized and personalized home and converts it into a product with broad universal appeal. We’re talking neutral colors in the background, colorful items only in accessories, de-personalization, clutter-less, clean, repaired, luscious landscape and and sparse furnishings – all with one thing in mind. Viewers can visualize themselves and their own possessions in the home. We have created short informational videos providing tips on how to stage and prepare each room of your house to sell. When you have time this week, please take a look at these. They can be found in the Videos section of bhgrealestate.com [check for acceptance, agree and give seller recommendations list]
- Let’s review curb appeal and interior condition- I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Well, in real estate, curb appeal is the first impression. I have worked with buyers who will immediately eliminate a property from consideration based on its drive-by appearance. Keep the lawn manicured, walkways cleared, the landscape trim and neat, leaves raked, …you get the picture, don’t you? The smallest things make a big difference. Using our “Exterior Checklist”, we can walk together outside and earmark those things that need attention. And also using our “Interior Checklist”, we can walk together through the home and earmark items that need attention. Shall we start? {With Exterior and Interior checklist on clip board, walk through the outside and inside of the home [checklist on the next two pages] and then write up recommendations for improvement – [see page after Interior and exterior checklist] Get an agreement of when these items can be completed – post date your listing agreement to a date when these are complete and a photography shoot can be scheduled. You want the home in tip top shape BEFORE you put it on the market – to generate the highest maximum dollar and so you show it to your office and everyone in its highest and best position.
- Use this checklist to walk through the exterior of the home with the sellers.
- Walk through the interior with the seller marking anything that needs attention.
- Use this as a summary of items that need attention and try to get an agreement of when they will be completed. The answer helps you determine when to date the listing agreement. The greatest amount of exposure on a listing occurs in the first month. Don’t use that first month of highest exposure getting the home market-ready. Hit the ground running on day one.
- How to use this page Every showing counts! Even if the sellers take care of all the home enhancement steps you recommend, a showing can be spoiled by dirty dishes or unmade beds. This is a checklist to remind the sellers of the fine tuning necessary for impressive previews and showings. Suggested presentation points • “ We’ll want your home to be just as beautiful as possible whenever it is seen, whether broker previews, buyer showings or open houses. First impressions really do matter, so your house will need to look its best on a moment’s notice.” • “ Experience has taught us that the simplest things can spoil a showing, and that can be very costly. Here are some basic items you’ll want to take care of when a showing is expected.” • “ Whenever you’re going to leave the house, it’s wise to assume that it might be shown while you’re gone, so it’s always a good idea to put the house in prime showcase condition before you leave.”
- There are two components to the successful sale of a house. One is an effective Marketing Plan. The other is a realistic Positioning Strategy. They are equally important.” • “ You’ve made it clear that you expect to get nothing less than top dollar for your property, and that’s exactly what I want to help you do. My goal is to help you sell your house for the highest possible price, so that you’ll receive the maximum net proceeds.” • “ The challenge is, how do we do this? The key is to determine a realistic positioning strategy - one that is high enough to bring you top dollar, but not so high that it discourages buyer interest.” • “ Strange as it may seem, sellers and the sales professional they hire have no control over property values and no power to dictate sales prices. Market value is determined by what informed buyers will pay for competing properties -houses with similar location, amenities and condition.”
- Now that I’ve seen your home and gotten an idea of how you feel about merchandising your house, let’s review how we can establish an initial market position. I say, “Initial Market Position” because – the market is always changing. It is never static – so neither should the list price of your home be static. Like all other brokers – I will create and share with you a competitive market analysis which consists of Homes sold in the recent past Homes currently on the market – that’s what you will be competing with and of course, we won’t know what others you’ll be competing with until they come on the market and we can compare market positions. And we also want to know Homes that failed to sell – these were rejected by the market and we want to understand why so we don’t become part of the same category. These 3 analyses of recent activity or lack thereof of homes in the market will be of great guidance to us in establishing a list price. However, a competitive market analysis is hypothetical. We’re looking at a perceived value of your home in comparison to others – but those other homes sold, were listed or were rejected during different market conditions than is current. We are the only broker that takes the CMA 2 steps further. We look at how the price established by a CMA now looks in your current market. The whole point is to give you more information so you make better decisions.
- The real estate market is always changing. More unsold properties enter the market, some go off the market, and some sell. We want to establish an initial market position for you now based on the CMA, the current rate of sales and current buyer demand. We’ll look at current buyer demand by price ranges in $5,000 increments. All of this to establish an initial market position. It may be necessary to position it up or down in the future. We’ll know if we have it priced correctly by the number of showings you are getting versus offers. If the market is not responding favorably to our initial market position – we’ll perform these 2 steps again to see what’s changed and how we need to respond. First – months of inventory in your list price for your neighborhood: Total # of closed sales in a 6 month period divided by 6 months = # of properties absorbed by the market on a monthly basis – the absorption rate. Total listing inventory ÷ the absorption rate = month supply of homes [MOI] months of inventory. As the listing agent, you will want to calculate absorption rate and MOI by price range, not the entire neighborhood where the home clearly won’t compete. Sample: You completed a detailed CMA on a sellers’ home and determined a position point of $339,000. The seller wants to list at $359,999. Determine the number of like-kind homes that have sold in the last 6 months at $359,999 [take a range $5,000 above and $5,000 below $359,999 – like $354,999-$364,999] 4 properties Divide 4 properties by 6 months to get the absorption rate: 4÷6=.67 Search the number of like-kind homes currently on the market [listed between $354,999and $364,999]and you find 17 properties. Divide 17 properties by monthly absorption rate [.67] = 25.37 months supply . Now do the same exercise at $339,000 # of like-kind properties that have sold in last 6 months = 13 ÷ 6 = 2.17 # of like-kind homes currently on the market for sale = 6 ÷ 2.17 = 2.77 months supply 5. To further your case, you can also take the CSS showing reports for both price ranges to see what type of buyer demand both of those price ranges are experiencing in the market. Script: Mr. Seller, you have mentioned that you would like to list your home at $359,999. In terms of time on the market – homes priced in that range take 25.37 months to sell. Unfortunately, it’s just the current trend. On the other hand, if you positioned your home initially at $339,000, the absorption rate equals a 2.77 month supply. 25 months takes up a lot of your time and life and money maintaining the home and may very well “eat up” the $20,000 gain you’d realize from the price you want. Would you rather target it closer to 2.77 months to get it sold quicker? It is also possible that by positioning it closer to the $339,000 price range – buyers would see more value in your home than the competition. This could lead to multiple offers and a rise in bids on the price. See also CSS on showings.com – select the tab, market statistics – and after selecting parameters [dates of showings, zip code and $5,000 increments] select Current Trend Showing Reports. This will give you an online report of showings in the most recent past that indicates where buyer demand is strongest.
- Suggested presentation points • “ I know you want to get top dollar for your property. The way to do that is to position it right in the market, right from the start.” The graph shows that the most amount of activity on a listing occurs within the first 4 weeks. That is why it is imperative to get its condition and initial market position right from the start. • “ Setting too high a price will fail to get you what you want, and in fact it may cause you to end up with less. Overpricing inevitably leads to grief.” • “ When showing properties to their buyers, some sales professionals will seek out homes that are priced too high and use them as ‘bouncers.’ That means they’ll show them to their buyers to help sell another home that is more favorably priced. You don’t want your house used as a bouncer, do you?” • “ A high price is generally interpreted to mean the seller is not too motivated to sell, and that often attracts buyers who are not very motivated to buy. Tire-kickers, lookers and nosy neighbors won’t help you achieve your goals.”
- • “ There is a relationship between your initial market position and the time it takes a house to sell. Generally speaking, the higher the price, the longer the market time.” • [Refer to the “Buyer Pyramid” graph on this page.] “This graph illustrates what happens when a property is positioned too high. The pool of available buyers drops off quickly, and there are comparatively few buyers willing to pay higher prices. It takes more time to locate these buyers, so it takes longer for overpriced properties to sell -if they sell at all.”
- Mr. and Mrs. Seller, when it comes to buying a home, recent research conducted by the National Association of Realtors® indicates that buyers use a multitude of resources, both online and offline during the home buying process. Buyers surveyed in 2011 said their first step taken in the home buying process were all of the above. As you can see – most buyers looked online, contacted an agent, or drove by homes. To get a better indication – 2011 home buyers named all the resources they used to find the home they actually bought. Let’s take a look at that.
- Mr. Seller, “Our marketing strategies are designed to target the major buyer resources found in the consumer research chart above because they are the most likely to result in a buyer for your home.” If the sellers are thinking about selling “By Owner” and are not convinced they need the help of a sales professional, this page can help you demonstrate the importance of your role. Also, by comparing the relative effectiveness of various marketing activities, this page can help sellers realize that daily classified ads will not do much to help sell their house. Open houses are great – sellers just need to understand how this activity compares with others in terms of buyer attraction.
- NOTE TO SALES ASSOCIATE: Remember to include the sellers throughout. This keeps them engaged and creates opportunities for trial closes as well as helping to establish buy-in. Have you been searching online about real estate as you’ve been considering a move? [ discuss response. Ask questions such as: Which sites have you looked at? [listen] Why did you choose those sites?] It’s true, today’s buyers are online. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors 2011 Home Buying and Home Selling Survey, 9 out 10 of all home buyers used the internet when they were searching for a home. My personal experience has been that buyers from around the corner search for homes today as though they were searching around the world. The internet is a viable tool for exposure and as the marketing agent for your home, I’ll be sure to position it to that global buyer as well as local buyers via my online marketing strategy. Let me show you how.
- Online searchers tend to visit multiple websites so that’s why I’ll also ensure you property is displayed on many other highly visited home search sites. Google Real Estate, AOL Real Estate, Zillow, etc. These are all powerful sites to have in your corner. Mr. & Mrs. ____, are you beginning to see the value of the internet and the impact it has on buyers? We do too. And we do everything to leverage online promotion in our merchandising plan.
- Are you familiar with BHG magazine’s website, bhg.com? This is the site where more than 6 million unique visitors go each month to locate recipes, learn home decorating ideas and more. We again leverage our relationship with Better Homes and Gardens, for part of our national advertising campaign to build brand recognition. Another plus for you here is that the 6 million unique visitors each month have the ability to get to your listing in just two clicks when they visit this site. That’s a lot of opportunity, isn’t it.
- While your home will be displayed on all the web sites mentioned – Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene took it a step further. We’ve upgraded the features and displays of our listings on both Realtor.com and Trulia.com. On Realtor.com – your home will rise to the top of any search in your neighborhood and price range – because I’ll add 25 pictures. In addition – your home will be featured periodically at the top of the page in a features slide show. All of these strategies increase eyeballs on your home and the opportunity for more inquiries and appointments for your property. On Trulia.com – your home will be featured and branded and rise to the top in a search in your neighborhood by price range – in short, it will stand out over other listings and generate more interest and inquiries.
- Add or delete any bullet you will not be using. [Most can be found deliverable from mybhggreenehouse.com] I utilize the latest in digital promotional strategies to reach my database of influencers and prospects and to promote your property . I’ll create promotional projects that highlight the attributes of your property and distribute them via the internet and various social media sites that have proven to generate buyer interest. Houston Homes for Sale app – [our local mobile marketing strategy] over 25,600 local searches ytd [June 6, 2012] See an example of a web commercial you can create and customize on mybhggreenhouse.com in the digital marketing center. You can send it to the seller beforehand. . Did you receive it? Impressive, isn’t it. And that’s just a flavoring of what I would do. Do you feel this would be an effective addition to the marketing of your property? (yes) I’m not surprised. It’s proven very effective in creating additional exposure for properties to produce a buyer.
- When you list your home with me – we mobilize the entire Houston MLS to go to work selling your home. We offer every Realtor one-half of our commission if they show and sell your home.
- NOTE TO SALES ASSOCIATE: Explain and address each of the points on the slide. Be sure to expand on them as they relate to your local market. Let’s address offline promotion now. I will employ a wide variety of offline promotion avenues to attract buyers and real estate professionals to your property. Other agents are working with buyers, and we want them to show their buyers your home. To be sure they know about it, I’ll put the information into the Multiple Listing Service just as soon as we complete the paperwork and I’ll be sure to host an agent open house where they’ll have an opportunity to preview your property for their buyer clients. How does that sound? [wait for approval or handle objection] Mr. & Mrs. ___, what are your feelings about a public open house? [wait for approval/handle objection if necessary] . An open house is great way to give your home some additional exposure to potential buyers. Would you feel comfortable if we included open houses in our marketing schedule? Great, we can discuss dates shortly. [wait for approval or answer questions] Right now, let’s look at some other offline promotion.
- BHG magazine reaches one in every 4 homes. This iconic brand has been a trusted name in home ownership and beautification since 1924 and we all know people want to do business with a name they know and trust. We leverage our relationship with Meredith and Better Homes and Gardens magazine in a variety of ways and our national advertising in BHG Magazine is a visibility plus for BHGRE properties.
- I’d like to introduce you to a BHGRE exclusive program. Most agents utilize direct mail to announce a new listing. They choose from a variety of options to decide who they will mail to… most often though, the mailings are sent to properties around the subject property and a few people in their sphere and prospects in the price range of the property. These are all great options and frankly, I’ll do that as well. In addition, though, we have an program exclusive to BHGRE agents. Through our relationship with Meredith publishing, the publisher of BHG magazine, we have access to their database of consumers by location, lifestyle (first time buyer, mature, second home, etc.) and even income. Using this tool, we can determine likely prospects for your property based on their match to our search. For example, I did some research today and as soon as we get your property on the market an additional _______ of people will receive information about your home and have the opportunity to see it. I’m sure you’ll agree, the more people who have access to the information on your home, the better the chance of finding a buyer. Target marketing such as this, puts the odds of finding a buyer faster more in your favor
- Although the internet is a key factor is the home buying process, *88% of buyers use a real estate agents in the home buying process. Printed property marketing materials are also a critical element to finding a buyer and keeping your property top of mind. Through Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, we can leverage the well know brand name along with clear concise descriptions and high quality photos of your house in various print marketing items such as just listed postcards, leave behind flyers and brochures. * Source: National Association of REALTORS 2011 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
- The 3 rd most commonly used information sources identified in the home buying process is…you guest it…the good old yard sign! *Over half of all buyers (56% to be exact) use yard signs in the home search, with repeat buyers and buyers between 45 and 64 being the most likely to find a home using a yard sign. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate yard signs stand our from the crowd of many other real estate signs while leveraging the iconic brand name that touches one out of every four households! With such a powerful brand name synonymous with a passion for the home along with our local real estate company name, known for being experts in helping sell homes in the local area. * Source: National Association of REALTORS 2010 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
- We are members of Cartus Relocation – the world’s largest corporate relocation company. Cartus Relocation refers incoming buyers to us and we in turn do our best to show our listings to them. It’s an extra added benefit for selecting me as your listing agent. More buyers means more exposure for your home.
- Over the years, I have built a large sphere that consists of past buyers and sellers, friends, professional acquaintances, etc. Each time I add a property to my personal inventory, my sphere of ____ people receive promotional information about the property – some by telephone, some by mail or email, and others personally. Target marketing to showing agents : Regarding the real estate community, I use the CSS showing reports to see what agents are showing in your homes’ price range and contact them to show your home. Target marketing to agents that have sold homes in your neighborhood : I have a group e-mail list of agents that have listed and sold in this neighborhood in the last year. I’ll personally send them a link to your listing in MLS regarding this property and see if they are currently working with buyers who may have an interest. Or – invite them on a personal tour of your home. These strategies represent the 20% that will result in 80% of results in getting your home sold. Mrs. & Mrs.____, is there anyone in particular, you would like for me to add to my list of contacts regarding your home? [Wait for their response.] All right, just be sure to give me their contact information before I leave and I’ll add them to the list. Target marketing based on sellers’ right buyer - The answers to all of our questions to the seller at the beginning of the proposal shed light on what to put in public, private remarks and in marketing materials regarding the property. What features did he like the most? What did he like most about the house? All of those answers should now be used to target the right buyer for the home now.
- Mr. & Mrs. ________, what do you think of when you hear or see the name Better Homes and Gardens? [Wait for their response] Yes, I hear that often. So many people are familiar with the Better Homes and Gardens brand name. The company branded itself nearly 85 years ago and has been a household name ever since. The magazine alone enjoys a circulation of 7.6 million with a readership of nearly 40 million people. And one thing that my experience has taught me is that people want to do business with a name they know and trust. Mr. & Mrs. ____, do you feel that the public image and experience with the name and the brand will help attract more buyers to your home? [Wait for their agreement.] Better Homes and Gardens is owned by Meredith, one of the largest publishing companies in the world. Besides the well know BHG magazine, they publish 22 additional well know magazines, own 12 TV stations and print over 300 books, many of which you will see at local home and garden stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot. Meredith, through all of the media outlets, reaches 1 in every 4 American households! Watch the Power of the Brand video on bhgrealestate.com http://www.bhgrealestate.com/Franchise/Video/PowerofthebrandBetterHomesandGardensRealEstate/31760138001/1548943482001
- All these tools and strategies we’ve been discussing are just the first part of a successful sale. They are how we find an interested buyer. Once we’ve found an interested buyer who makes an offer, that’s when my work really begins! One of the most important skills I can provide to you is the power of third party negotiation. There are dozens of terms and conditions relating to a successful sale and my job is to make sure that all of those meet your needs. And I might add – I will provide advice, counsel and look out for your best interests during this critical time of crafting a contract that meets your needs. Once we have a successful offer in place with all terms and conditions agreed upon, then I become responsible for making sure every detail in handled correctly and in the necessary time frame. I’ll interact with any other agents involved, attorneys, property inspectors, insurance agents, mortgage reps, etc to make sure every “i” is dotted and “t” crossed. A National Association of Realtors Profile of Real Estate Firms showed that an average of 12% of all residential transactions failed in one year. Some companies surveyed reported a failure rate of more than 30%. It is my job to minimize the risk of that happening to you and to get you to a smooth and successful closing.
- So, Mr. & Mrs. ____, can you see how utilizing these seven strategies can greatly impact the marketing time for your home? [Wait for response] Excellent. They have worked very well for my clients in the past. Are there any questions ? [wait for response – answer any questions ] [move to next slide]
- Let me ask you, Mr. & Mrs. ____, do you have any questions about how these strategies can get your home sold? [Handle all objections now before you move into the pricing discussion.] Perfect, then the only thing left for us to agree on is determining an initial market position.. Let’s take a look at the numbers.
- NOTE TO SALES ASSOCIATE Customize this page with personal information. Add or delete bullet points as needed. This is your opportunity to create personal value and convince the seller that you are the best person to market their property.