Going into the real estate business can be highly rewarding since properties tend to appreciate as time passes. You might buy a $400K property now and sell it off after a couple of years at $1M.
If you have determined that the demand for properties is high and you want to sell your property, then it's time to begin the process of marketing.
First, it's essential to strip down to the basics. To achieve a level of success, one must have quality customers. How do you to attract this type of client?
We begin with the foundation of cultivating interest. That is, we create an effective property listing to capture high-quality clients. It might sound like a simple strategy, but focusing on your property listing is a way to best reach your target market.
Here are tried-and-tested tips to craft the best property listing you can post:
1. Be transparent about costs
The price of the property you're posting is highly important to a buyer. They might believe that it fits within their budget. However, you should be transparent about showing the total cost of purchasing the unit and living in it. The buyer needs to know if there are associated extra fees aside from the value price of the property.
Some of these fees may involve the cost of parking. They might also refer to charges of using property amenities in the neighborhood's recreation center. The listing should clearly outline these fees so the interested party knows the realistic financial estimate involved.
This is also a good way to establish trust and give the potential client a chance to get his budget in order, rather than taking him by surprise with the extra fees.
Transparency shows that you respect the time of others and also prevents you from wasting time as well. If you meet with an interested party and they already know the additional costs, then you can move faster to the negotiation and signing of the property sales agreement.
2. Highlight the best feature
Some of the property buyers are not immediately looking to purchase in a rush. Some may just be scouting for houses that they may buy in the future. When seeing thousands of property listings, they'll only recall a few.
Take the time to study your property in detail and decide what to highlight. This'll create an easy recall for people who are scouting for available properties.
If your property descriptions are too bland or vague, you'll fail to evoke a spark of interest. It's crucial to focus on the best feature and build attention around that.
What makes your property differ from other similarly structured ones? Do you have a wide backyard area where one can grow a garden? Do you have a patio that would be perfect for meals outside when the weather is nice and sunny? Do you have a pool where residents can splash around on hot summer seasons?
Analyze the needs of your target market so you know which features will be significant for them. In these days of distraction, people often forget easily, but a standout feature will bring your property listing to the forefront of their minds.
Just keep in mind that your focus should be on what your property offers that other properties don't have.
3. Avoid making a property listing that's full of exaggerations
Sometimes in a bid to arouse interest, marketers are prone to exaggerating property descriptions. It's best to avoid this scenario as to not create misunderstandings and undue expectations. Aim to be honest, specific and detailed. Use realistic, simple words and avoid clichés.
What type of upgrades has been performed on your property? Talk about the brand of the furnishing and appliances. What type of flooring do you have? What amenities surround your property?
Pull back on using overly flowery terms since this can sound pretentious. If you use an over-the-top tone, you're bound to cause a loss of interest, as people are sensitive to exaggerated marketing. Aggressive marketing can actually turn potential customers off!
4. Pack details into your property listing
For a more vivid picture of your property, details are required. Make sure you include the following in your property listing:
- Amenities available in your property
- Amenities available around your neighborhood such as local shops, parks, recreation hubs, library
- Location of the property
- Features of the house such as backyard, balcony, garden area
- Room sizes
- Distance to the nearest transportation hub
Place yourself in your target market's shoes. What kind of details would you want to learn? What are the priority features for you? Although you want to be more specific, avoid being too technical and dry. Make your descriptions inviting and attractive to read for your target demographics.
5. Post your property listing online
More visibility of your property listing can be gained online. Not only is digital more common now, but it's also convenient and less costly. There aremultiple property listing sites you can use as marketing channels. Among them are Craigslist, Letgo, Zillow, FindMyRoof, WebClassifieds, BuyandSell and plenty more.
The best thing about marketing your rentals online is that you can monitor inquiries quickly and provide feedback. On top of this, you can also maximize online attention by creating different social media accounts. The potential market base is huge as online sitesare accessible 24 hours, 7 days a week.
You can also include more ads and videos to accompany your marketing strategy. Common social media accounts that have greater reach are Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
If you've always done things the traditional way, there's no harm in trying other marketing vehicles that are just as effective, if not more.
Bottom line
A property listing might look basic, but it's one of the first ways to reach potential customers. It's best to practice transparency when crafting the listing. Remember to incorporate your best property feature, avoid exaggeration, insert a lot of property details and post online to maximize the views.
