| Step 4 - Marketing And Showing
Your Ocala Florida Home Now that your Ocala Florida
home is ready, it’s time to find some interested buyers to show
it to. The effort required to attract potential purchasers depends on
the current market conditions in your area. If you are in the midst of a sellers market
where there is a shortage of homes for sale, simply throwing a FOR SALE
sign out in the yard can produce a frenzy of activity. Unfortunately, most markets are nowhere near
that good, so you better plan on putting in some long hours. You are
competing with all of the other homes for sale, and the competition is
often fierce. The first step in your marketing plan is to put
up a for sale sign in the front yard. Before you run down to the corner
drug store, keep in mind that a cheap, flimsy looking sign does not
convey the quality image that you want. Invest some money in a nice
looking, quality sign that will last longer than the first rain storm. It should be at least as nice as the ones that
the real estate agents use. Call some sign painters and get some bids. Next, put together a professional looking
brochure that communicates all of the features and benefits of your
home. Include a nice picture of your home and touch on such items as
proximity to schools, shopping, major transportation routes, major
employers, and recreation areas. Also cover neighborhood amenities, age,
appearance, condition, bedrooms, bathrooms, type and style, landscaping,
garage, kitchen, family room, laundry, pool/spa, basement, etc. Don’t forget financial information such as the
price, down payment, monthly payment, year round utility expenses,
property taxes, what items are included in the sale (such as appliances,
shelving, etc.), and of course, directions to the house along with your
name, address, and phone number. A representative from a local mortgage company
should be willing to provide you with all of the information you’ll
need regarding loan programs, down payments, interest rates, monthly
payments, etc. With personal computers, desktop publishing is
much easier than ever before. If you have access to a computer, you
should be able to put together a nice looking brochure if you take your
time and think it through. Please… no junky looking flyers! If you can’t do it yourself, sketch out a
rough draft by hand and take it along with a picture of your home to a
quick print shop. They should be able to fix you up fairly
inexpensively. Once you have your brochures, you need to have a
weatherproof information box to put them in next to (or attached to) the
yard sign. The box should read: FREE INFO - PLEASE TAKE ONE. Monitor the
box and keep it full. Also pass out the brochures to all of your
friends and neighbors, pass them out at area businesses, drop some off
at the relocation office of any large employers in the area, and put
them up on bulletin boards wherever possible. Now write a good, enthusiastic sounding ad to
run in the newspaper. Try to make your ad stand out from the others. It
is important to have an attention-getting HEADLINE such as: - “MOVING TO TEXAS” “OUR LOSS, YOUR GAIN”
- “DIVORCE FORCES SALE” “YOU WON’T
BELIEVE THIS”
- “MUST SELL QUICK” “SPACIOUS HOME NEEDS
LOVING FAMILY”
- “WALK TO SCHOOL” “ENJOY PRIVACY”
Test different ads and see what the responses
are. You can try running a different ad each week, or a different one in
separate publications. Focus on the benefits of your home. Don’t
write a boring ad that sounds like all the others and will get lost in
the crowd. Stress items such as views, quiet street, landscaping, master
bedroom, kitchen, and family room. The whole purpose of the ad is to get your phone
to ring. THIS MEANS THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO ANSWER IT!! The biggest complaint that buyers have with for
sale by owners is that no one answers the phone when they call… or
they get a child or babysitter that is not prepared to handle the call
properly. You are competing against professionals. You
need to be home, or utilize a cellular phone, call forwarding, or pager.
If a buyer can’t get through to you, they often just go on to the next
ad or call a real estate agent. Keep a copy of your brochure next to the phone,
it can help you stay organized and not miss any features when callers
inquire. If callers don’t want to set an appointment yet, offer to
mail them a brochure. Also keep a call log handy, so you will know how
many calls you are getting from which ads, and to keep track of names
and phone numbers. Look into all possible avenues to market your
home. Your area may have a FOR SALE BY OWNER magazine, or cable TV
program, etc. An Open House can help get your home exposed to
the market. Get some directional Open House signs and place them at
corners leading to your home from major streets, and one in front of
your house. Make sure to check local regulations before placing signs.
You also may want to run an advertisement in the newspaper, many have
separate Open House sections. I am now going to suggest an option that can add
a large amount of exposure to your home and still save you half of the
normal commission you would pay an agent. Before you have a heart attack, I am not talking
about listing it with an agent. You do not have to use this option, but
in most markets it makes a lot of sense. On your sign and in all of your ads, insert the
words “REALTORSs Welcome”. When agents call, tell them that you are NOT
listing with an agent, but that you will be happy to pay them a 3%
commission if they bring you a buyer that successfully buys your home. This commission is about the same as an agent
would make if they sold another agents listing, and a majority of homes
are sold by an agent other than the listing agent. This option can generate a lot of additional
interest in your home. If an agent does end up selling it, not only will
you still save a substantial amount compared to a full commission, but
you will have professional assistance along the way, as well. Once you have attracted interested buyers, it’s
time to show your home. This is where all your time and effort in
preparing your home will really pay off! Before you set an appointment, make sure that
the buyer is looking for what you have. If they need six bedrooms and
you only have three, they probably won’t be serious about your home. Also take a few minutes to politely “qualify”
the buyer by asking questions about how long they have been on the job,
do they own a home currently, have they been pre-approved for a loan by
a lender, etc. You don’t want to waste time showing your home
to prospects who can’t afford to buy it! Also, a few words of caution. People are not
always who they seem, and you can never be to careful. One look at the
newspaper or evening news is proof enough. It is recommended that you ask for
identification and the license number of their car prior to letting
strangers into your home. Serious buyers won’t mind, especially when
you cheerfully tell them that it is simply a security precaution that
was recommended to you. Stash all small valuables out of sight. Even
though you will try to stay with the buyers as they tour your home, you
never can watch them completely. It is probably a wise idea for women to avoid
showing the home without someone else present. This is not intended to
be sexist, just cautious. You decide for yourself. OK, it’s ShowTime! To get the most out of every showing, there are
certain procedures you should follow, both prior to the buyers arrival
and after they come in. Shortly before the appointment, open all of the
drapes and blinds and turn on all the lights, … even in the daytime.
Turn off the TV and put some soft music on low volume. Set the
thermostats so that it is not too hot or cold. If you have children,
send them to a friends, or put them on their best behavior. If you still have pets in the house, get them
out and freshen the air. Make sure all of the beds are made and do a
quick pick-up throughout. When the buyers arrive, your home should sell
itself. Be friendly and cheerful, and try to make them feel comfortable.
Hand them your brochure, and take them on a tour of the property. Show the most appealing parts of your home
first. Casually point out all of the features and benefits of your home,
but don’t oversell or say stupid things like “this is the kitchen”. If they are not interested, they will probably
politely thank you and head for the door. Don’t take it personally,
the layout or something else about the house probably just doesn’t fit
their personal needs. If the buyers are interested, you will know it.
They will stay longer, and ask lots of questions. If they show serious
interest, don’t be afraid to suggest that they buy it! It’s time to get a signed contract! |
