Kimberly Suzanne Clark

 

30 Day Marketing Plan

 

Place sign in yard 

There’s no denying the fact that the internet has changed the way consumers shop for everything. It’s an easier method for conducting research and getting a glimpse of what they’re looking to buy. However, when it comes to real estate, it’s not always what seals the deal. It’s very rare for home buyers to fall in love with pictures online and make an offer. Generally they use the online advertising as a starting point, then they drive around the area to look around and finally based on what they find, they make an inquiry to get a look inside.

 

According to the National Association of Realtors, 53% of all home buyers still reference yard sale signs as their method for finding a home to buy.  Another statistic reports that about 40% of millennial still prefer to see the product in person as opposed to shopping for it only. This in turn means that even though the new home buying market is changing, younger, tech-savvy individuals will still more than likely do a drive by before they inquire about a particular property.

 

When you consider the percentages listed above, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t still be implementing yard signs into your real estate marketing efforts. (Source: http://jeffzelaya.com/)

 

Process information to the Multiple Listing Service ( MLS )

REALTORS® have spent millions of dollars to develop Multiple Listing Services (MLS) and other real estate technologies that make the transaction more efficient. An MLS is a private offer of cooperation and compensation by listing brokers to other real estate brokers.

 

In the late 1800s, real estate brokers regularly gathered at the offices of their local associations to share information about properties they were trying to sell. They agreed to compensate other brokers who helped sell those properties, and the first MLS was born, based on a fundamental principal that's unique to organized real estate: Help me sell my inventory and I'll help you sell yours.

 

Today, through more than 800 MLSs, brokers share information on properties they have listed and invite other brokers to cooperate in their sale in exchange for compensation if they produce the buyer. Sellers benefit by increased exposure to their property. Buyers benefit because they can obtain information about all MLS-listed properties while working with only one broker.

 

The real estate market is competitive, and the business is unique in that competitors must also cooperate with each other to ensure a successful transaction. MLS systems facilitate that cooperation.  The MLS is a tool to help listing brokers find cooperative brokers working with buyers to help sell their clients' homes. Without the collaborative incentive of the existing MLS, brokers would create their own separate systems of cooperation, fragmenting rather than consolidating property information.

 

MLSs are a powerful force for competition. They level the playing field so that the smallest brokerage in town can compete with the biggest multi-state firm. Buyers and sellers can work with the professional of their choice, confident that they have access to the largest pool of properties for sale in the marketplace.

 

Real estate information on the Internet is readily available. Consumers can access and view all publicly available listing information on the Web site of their broker of choice.  MLSs are private databases that are created, maintained and paid for by real estate professionals to help their clients buy and sell property. In most cases, access to information from MLS listings is provided to the public free-of-charge by participating brokers. Data that is not publicly accessible includes information that would endanger sellers' privacy or safety, such as seller contact information and times the home is vacant for showings.

 

NAR encourages innovation and competition in real estate brokerage, including different business models. NAR members are affiliated with real estate brokerage firms that operate using various business models, including full service, limited service, fee-for-service, and discount (regardless of the level of service). Internet positioning in itself is not a business model - nearly 90 percent of REALTORS® report that their firm has a Web site for business use, according to the 2007 NAR Member Profile.

 

According to the 2007 REALTOR® Technology Survey, two-thirds of all REALTORS® have Web sites, and REALTORS® report that their listings are displayed on any number of Web sites, including REALTOR.com, the REALTOR®'s own site, the local REALTOR® association's Web site, the local newspaper site, Yahoo, Google, CraigsList, Zillow and Trulia.

 

More than half of recent buyers used MLS Web sites in their search, according to the 2007 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. - (Source: www.REALTOR.com)

 

ScheduleWednesday Caravan (Champaign - Urbana & Savoy homes only)

Properties on caravan are made available for showing via Supra iBox on Wednesdays between 9:00am and 11:00pm. A list of the homes scheduled for caravan on Wednesdays will be published to the RE/MAX Realty Associates REALTORS®.  Having instant Realtor showings provides benificial feedback, this feedback will cover the listing price, condition and any additional help or compliments for the home.

 

Input Web Advertisements on Realtor.com, REMAX.com & Real Estate Book

According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) 90% of home buyers searched online during their home buying process, so it is essential that we establish your home through avertiment on websites such as Realtor.com and REMAX.com. Up to 24 unique images will be displayed on each of these websites to hylight your home in the best light and market the property to the fullest potential.

 

Write Print advertising for the Real Estate Book

The Real Estate Book helps buyers find a place to call home. On RealEstateBook.com, you can search through over 1 million homes for sale or rent in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Comsumers view photos, videos, and maps; and refine their home search by pricing, location and features. Local magazines are published to 00000 points in Champaign-Urbana and surrounding towns. Buyers can download their mobile app from iTunes or the Android Marketplace. (Source: TREB.com)

 

Realtor.com

Is one of the most recognized names and valuable resource for both buyers and seller.  Realtor.com®, the official site of the National Association of REALTORS®, is the leading homes for sale Web site, offering more listings and essential real estate-related information, to almost 23 million consumers each month.  Approximately 80% of all listings found on realtor.com® are updated every 15 minutes and the remainder are updated every one to 24 hours. This provides consumers with the freshest listing information and content available online.  I personally budget my marketing dollars towards Realtor.com to ensure that my seller received the full benefits of Realtor.com.  By doing so, I am  me additional pictures and customized descriptions. - Realtor.com

 

Host an open house

While hosting an open house is important; its vital to understand that todays savvy buyer is not waiting for the off chance your home is going to be open on any given Sunday for a short 2 hour window time frame.  Buyers have a number of more proactive ways to see your home; with either the Realtor they are working with or by calling me, your listing agent to schedule a private showing. 

 

However, I do respect & practice this age old tradition and find that it’s a positive way to get in some foot traffic.  While a picture is worth a thousand words, nothing beats seeing a home in person.  Open houses give you the opportunity to show your home at its best.

 

Buyers are usually interested in learning about neighborhood amenities as much as the house itself and an open house gives me the opportunity to share a list of the “greatest neighborhood hits.” You can include your favorite restaurant menus, grocery stores, day care centers, and information on schools in the area. I will then create a printed takeaway for open house attendees that has all this information and adds that extra touch.

 

High Resolution Photography & Floorplans

Each of my properties are professionally caputured with high resolution photography.  While anyone can point & click, I want my properties to stand out among the hundreds and know that it all starts with what the buyer sees online gets them in the door!  I also make sure each of my homes are highlighted with interactive floorplans, professional measured with laser precision technology.  

 

Home Staging

No matter what is happening to the real estate market, when you want to sell  your home, there are two simple rules to follow to assure a quick sale: price  it well, and make it look amazing. Whatever the asking price, its appearance needs to be flawless.  

 

When needed, I will bring in my professional stager and take care of the first 2 hours.  Most of the time, this will be all that is needed.  She uses all of your furniture & docor but is able to make it stand out in the right ways!

One of the costliest mistakes made by home sellers, and even inexperienced real  estate agents, is to ignore the visual psychology involved in gaining a buyer’s immediate attention. Potential buyers become interested in a property when they walk in and feel, “I could live here.” They imagine it as their home.

 

 

Video Tours

Video allows another dimension in marketing your property.  Potential buyers can walk through a property online to get a feel of it without being there. Think of the out of town buyers that this will make a difference to.  Pictures lack the ability to “walk through” the property. They are great for showing off the main selling features of the home, but they cannot allow someone to visualize the space and overall flow.  

 

Real estate video tours also allow for further Search Engine Optimization of your property if you are advertising your house for sale on sites such as YouTube.   YouTube, which is owned by Google, is the world’s second largest search engine.  We also see a direct correlation in engagement in properties that have a professional video done vs. properties without any video.  Engagement is when people on online like or comment on your video.  The more engagement you receive, the more exposure you get.  People love property videos and it’s a great way to advertise your home for sale.  Think about the lasting impression that is made on a property with a video. Check out the example video below and tell me what you think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collect Average Budget Billing for Utilities

One of the most commonly asked questions by prospective buyers is “how much are the utilities?”  I like to provide this upfront by providing the Ameren monthly average budget billing of both the gas and electric.  It’s important to remember that everyone has different levels of comfort and that this is just an indicator - not guaranteed to be the same once the new owners take over the thermostat.

 

Follow up on all showings

The iBox is the original Supra infrared keybox. Infrared technology allows the DisplayKEY, ActiveKEY®, and smartphones* to access the listing keys stored in the iBox key container. Real estate agents can simply point and beam their electronic key or eKEY® enabled smartphone at the iBox to interact with it. Each time an iBox is opened, both the key and iBox record the date, time and the identify of the keyholder. The information is delivered to Supra’s secure database and can be obtained using SupraWEB. The security of using this system allows us to track all REALTORS® who enter your home. I will reach out to them for feedback and share any positive or negative feedback I recieve about the showing. (Source: www.Supra.com)  

 

Update you on sales in the area

Once your home is listed I will keep you informed of any new listings that come up for sale; especially those that are in direct competition to your home in price, size and overall condition.  I will also keep you informed on any homes that go pending prior to your home and give you updates on the true sales price once a home that was pending, closes.  This will help us know if your home has the right price or in need of an adjustment or update in the overall condition.  If your home is not getting buyers through or an offer and those around you are selling then we need to listen to what the market is saying.

 

Review at end of 30 days

If your home is in a spot where those around you are selling and you have yet to get an offer or you are seeing a number of showings but zero offers then it’s time to make an adjustment after 30 days if not sooner.  I realize many sellers do not want to hear the “let’s lower your price” talk from their Realtor but the reality is that there is little more you can do – unless we keep hearing the same feedback of updating something specific.

 

I respect that this is your money and do not take this conversation lightly, but every home will sell if the price is right.  Even if you have the best condition and location – if you are too high the right buyer will not walk through the door.  Every seller has a different level of motivation to sell – I am here to help you achieve that goal and be able to move forward as stress free as possible.