Finding the right home buyer as the real estate market slows can prove to be challenging for even the best real estate agent. The good news (and luckily, there is some) is that buyers who are looking right now are serious about making a purchase. In fact, for the next several months, amidst the high interest rates and the low inventory, there will be a disproportionately high number of motivated buyers. But listing agents still need to be able to reach the right buyers and capture their attention if they want to get their listing off the market.
Go where the buyers are
Relying exclusively on tactics like yard signs, one-pagers, and word of mouth just won’t cut it anymore. Few buyers find their new homes by walking around their community or talking to their neighbors. Agents need to meet buyers where they are. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 96% of buyers said they used online tools during their search process for a home. If agents want to reach more buyers (and the right ones), they need to up their online presence and digital marketing aptitude.
Every digital listing needs to be top-notch to stand out. Think: professional pictures of perfectly staged rooms and a great description that highlights all the home’s best features. Beyond just an enticing online listing, the home needs to be shared elsewhere as well. Social media posts and email campaigns are a great way to get a listing out there. If the listing has any unique or standout features, be sure to also highlight and share it online where its niche audience can be found such as in relevant Facebook groups or with a targeted email campaign.
Give buyers what they want
The best way to sell to buyers is to give them what they want. Unfortunately, a lot of homes are not what buyers want initially. Few, if any, listings can live up to buyers’ standards as they are. According to the 2022 Home Improvement Report, 77% of home buyers won’t even consider a home that isn’t move-in ready. Also, 67% of potential buyers said they only consider homes with updated features and layouts. If your listing doesn’t meet these requirements, it will sit on the market for weeks or months and certainly won’t sell for as much as it could.
The listing needs to have updated features and the styles need to be on trend. Consequently, pre-sale updates are now a requirement for almost every listing. But all updates are not created equal. The updates need to be aligned with what buyers are looking for such as neutral paint colors, open-concept layouts, and gorgeous living spaces.
But how do you know exactly what today’s buyers want in a home? Using data from previous projects and following national and local design trends, Curbio focuses on styles and features that homebuyers actually want. Not only are these updates desirable to draw more buyers in, but also, they have great returns for the seller.
Curbio is the REALTOR®’s choice of pre-listing general contractors. Not only can homeowners defer payment until closing, but every listing is assigned a dedicated project manager to coordinate and oversee the work, so you can spend more time doing the important things, like building your digital brand. Learn more.