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The Real Estate Game Online

Posted on | August 25, 2008 |

Marketing Homes Online
Whether you are new at the real estate game, or a seasoned player, you have your set strategies from bringing interested buyers to you. As the times change, it is important to keep up with the market, and now, the market has moved online. With gas prices rising, prospective home owners won’t be driving around neighborhoods looking for their dream house. They’ll hop online to find the right house at the right price.
Saving time
This online real estate trend is especially popular right now. Current home owners are finding their real estate purchase from a year or more ago is beginning to be too expensive as jobs are lost and property taxes and interest rates go up: They will be looking to downsize. Prospective home owners are watching mortgage rates drop steadily, biding their time to buy; for them this market is a perfect chance to own a home. Both of these potential buyers will head to online real estate listing sites; they want to save time, and the internet is the best place for that.

What entices buyers to look online first?
Aside from the expense of a Sunday drive, they search for real estate online because they can see the price upfront, usually before they even see the pictures. This gives potential buyers the first information they need to make their decision: can they afford the home.
If they can afford a home, they continue. If they are like most people, the probably browse the million-dollar homes out of curiosity, but when it comes to serious buying, they’ll only make appointments to see the homes that are in their price range.
Upfront pricing will help them determine which homes they look at, but everyone has a different price range. The trick is to get them interested in your listing out of all those that are in the same price range.
Begin with a few marketing strategies to set your listings apart:
1. Take good pictures: Remember, your buyers are online, not driving past the house. The better the photographs, the better your chances. Take a picture (or more) of the front, avoiding shade on the house and the sidewalks and street. Prep the home before the pictures by parking the cars in the garage or in the street out of the picture. Have the owners tidy up the yard if possible, removing over-grown vegetation from walkways and doors. Get a close-up and an angled shot. If the proptery doesn’t have a yard, like a townhouse, take pictures of the spa, clubhouse, pool and other amenities.
2. Take pictures of every room: This ties in with the first point. Online buyers will be frustrate if they aren’t able to view the whole home. You don’t ned to photograph the closets unless they are a huge selling point, like walk-in closets or pantries. Focus on interesting details, like a fireplace, the bathrooms, the floors or countertops. Make sure you open drapes or blinds to let in plenty of light.
3. Virtual tours: These are very popular on real estate listing sites. Not everyone has the time to look at 12 different homes. Being able to have a virtual walk-through will save your potential buyer time.
4. Send interested parties e-flyers: Electronic flyers can include more pictures of the home, and are pretty inexpensive to make. Interested parties can include your potential buyer, but do not neglect your fellow agents. You can send e-flyers to other agents in your area, your coworkers and perhaps out-of-town agents who represent in your area.
You can find many good examples of enticing online real estate marketing. Buyers love going to real estate sites when they are easy and straightforward to use. They should include many search criteria that a buyer can choose from, as well as articles for buyers. Their biggest appeal to potential buyers should be that they include all properties for sale, including “For Sale by Owner.” Those you represent, and those you could represent later, will appreciate seeing all of their options.

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