The COVID-19 pandemic might have thrown a bit of a dark cloud over the United States housing market, but that is not stopping home sellers from listing their properties. At a time when different states are in various levels of lockdown, it’s proved to be an excellent time to go house-hunting for some buyers. Fewer people are out and therefore buyers can really browse through homes at a leisurely pace. Despite being a bit of a catch-22 situation people are still buying homes. If you’re a seller looking to score a favorable deal despite today’s market here are five tools that can help you.
1.Make full use of online real estate platforms
The search for a new home starts online for 93% of people. The best real estate agent websites according to the volume of traffic and popularity are Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, Trulia, MLS, CENTURY 21 Real Estate, RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker Realtors, HomeFinder, Homes.com, PropertyRecord.com, Movato, and Open Listing. Many of these sites allow for guided virtual tours to be enacted which is a plus for home sellers during this pandemic.
2.List your home in real estate agents portfolios
87% of people turn to real estate agents when they are now serious about viewing and buying homes. While home sellers would do well to list on the property sites mentioned in point #1, it is also a good idea to let as many realtors know that you’re selling. According to the Commerce Department in February 741,000 new home units were sold across the country since the start of 2020 with March seeing 627,000 unit purchases. Realtors can help you sell your home faster.
3.Use Facebook to market your house
We can hear a lot of home sellers asking, “Facebook?” Yes, Facebook can be an excellent marketing tool if you know what you are doing. In fact, 73% of realtors claim to use Facebook as one of their most influential marketing resources. With over 2.4 billion worldwide users Facebook allows you to reach more people than other social media platforms. While marketing by yourself could help you snag a buyer, it’s good to remember that only 7% of buyers will buy directly from you the seller. Don’t underestimate the importance of an experienced property manager.
4.Invest in professional photos of your property
The biggest tool at your disposal is probably good quality photographs of the property you’re trying to sell. Before you even think of listing online, you need to have a photographer come through and help you stage your house and take flattering photos that will wow online viewers. If you’re pretty good with the camera you can save yourself a few dollars and do the job yourself. Remember, you only have one chance to make a good first impression – and you want it to be memorable.
5.Use technology to offer virtual home tours
Virtual home tours have evolved over the years. Gone are the days of boring lifeless virtual tours of empty houses. Today, home sellers can offer staged tours that feature music in the background, narration, and people in the house. This serves to create an emotional connection between the buyer and the property. Video can really be a game-changer if used correctly. And in today’s market, there has never been a bigger need for the use of virtual house tours.
Discuss selling your property with a property expert
Do you need more advice on selling your property in today’s market? Our property managers are on hand to discuss issues you may have as the home seller or buyer. Talk to one of our PMI Colorado Front Range advisors for more information on how we can facilitate the home selling process and make it easier.
