E#245 - How To Sell A Home In 2023!

1. 1- Pre-qualify your home in the buyers' eyes

As a seller, you want to make sure that the buyer's first impression of your home is a good one. This means that you need to pre-qualify your home in the buyer's eyes so that the walk-through is the last step. This can be done by ensuring that the home is staged properly, that there are no outstanding repairs or issues, and that the home is priced appropriately.However, no matter how well you pre-qualify your home, there will always be some buyers who simply aren't interested. As one realtor puts it, "Every realtor has a story… client walks in then straight back out…" But don't let that discourage you. You can only do what you can do, but you must do everything that technology has to offer.

1. 2 -Use professional marketing

Realtor marketing is only as good as their database. To ensure that your home gets the exposure it deserves, you need to use professional marketing materials. This includes high-quality photos, video tours, floor plans, unique brochures, and social media promotions.

When it comes to photos, don't settle for cheap entry-level images. Hire a professional photographer who has a history in the market and knows how to capture the best shots of your home. They should also be able to shoot twilight and know their lighting to highlight the best features of your home. Make sure they take photos of both the inside and outside of your home, as well as any neighbourhood highlights.

Every realtor has heard "The Photos were much better than the home actually was". What I am hearing from this is that the photos got the buyer into the home in the first place! So, make sure that your photos are top-notch and will grab the attention of potential buyers.

When it comes to video tours, don't settle for static shots with music playing in the background. Instead, make sure that the video is oriented & narated and that the speaker talks about all aspects of the home, including its benefits and features. They should also highlight the neighbourhood benefits and amenities, both natural and man-made.

Floor plans are also an essential tool for pre-qualifying your home. Make sure that you have both 2D and 3D plans for clarity. 3D plans with measurements and furniture placement can help cement the memory of the layout in potential buyers' minds. Matterport is another tool that can be used to orient buyers through the home before that final in-person walk through.

Unique brochures are another important tool for making your home stand out. Multi-page booklets printed on 120lb card stock can leave a lasting impression on buyers. If they are on a busy Saturday tour, they will definitely remember your home due to the marketing piece they take away.

Finally, use social media and targeted web promotions to push your property details, images, videos, and floor plans as far into the web as possible. All social media platforms should have their own listing post highlighting all details, photos, video, and floor plan. You can also pay to promote via keywords through each platform, pushing the listing further into the digital world via geo-tagging and keyword targeting.

1. 3 - Stage your home

Staging is another important tool for selling your home. Virtual staging is a cost-effective way to make your home look its best without spending a lot of money on physical staging. However, physical staging can make a big difference when it comes to first impressions, so it is worth considering if your budget allows.

4 - The secret weaponNow we come to the secret weapon of selling your home: pricing. When it comes to pricing, it’s important to position your listing in reality. This means taking into account the comps (active, sold, terminated, and expired), as well as the market environment and market climate. You want to price your home to attract buyers, but be careful not to price it too high. Just because you set a sharp price doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily sell for less!

To discuss the specific strategy to sell your Vancouver home in the 2023 market environment contact me directly today to discuss further!