The Four Most Overlooked Rules of Marketing.

For many home sellers, marketing a home ends with placing the "For Sale" sign in the yard and photos online. However, successful marketing of a home encompasses a much wider scope using psychology, creativity, and strategic thinking. The following are four areas of marketing expert REALTORS® focus on to ensure their homes sell fast and for top dollar.

RULE 1: Tell The Right Story

When writing a house description stating dimensions, age, and amenities isn't enough. Telling a story that evokes emotion and paints a pretty picture is crucial. In addition, the correct word choice can mean the difference between thousands of additional dollars "in your pocket" or "down the drain". Zillow Analysts researched the top words used in home descriptions, that sold above expected values and those that actually lowered the home value, examples include:

Words that sell for up to 8.1 % more money:upgraded, remodeled, spotless, custom, landscaped, stainless, captivating, granite, upgraded

Words that could lower the value up to 8.7 %:cosmetic, bargain, nice, fixer, opportunity, potential, unique, investment, TLC

RULE 2: Wide Open Spaces

Expert marketers understand when a prospective buyer walks into a home that is filled with clutter and disorganization, certain feelings and assumptions about the home result, including:

• Not enough storage space available
• The home hasn't been maintained
• Possible infestation, mold issues
• In need of renovation and remodeling
• A step down from current living situation
• Home not worth current list price (offer a lower price)

Not only do you lower your home's value with clutter and disorganization, you have made it unlikely a potential buyer can envision themselves in your home, which is imperative to the buying process. A study completed by the National Association of Professional Organizers, states homes that are de-cluttered and de-personalized pre-showing sell for more money! Remember de-cluttering prior to moving will not only create a higher home value, but save you money on moving costs, and potential storage costs as well. In addition to de-cluttering, de-personalizing also helps buyers envision themselves in your home. This includes removing refrigerator magnets and hangings, knick-knacks, personal photos, collectables, clearing off countertops and tables, removing pet items, children's toys, and making sure closets are organized.

RULE 3: Home Photos That Shine

With 92 percent of home buyers using the internet as part of their home search process, professional photography can not be underestimated. According to Redfin Research Center, 44% of home listings utilizing sharp, professional property photos sold at or above list price. Houses between $200,000 and $1 million with professional listing photos taken sold for $3,400 to $11,200 more (relative to their list price). When taking photos consider the following:

Angle – what angle should the room be shot from to show it at its best.
Composition – define the subject of the room, then position it in the photo frame to draw the eye, in a positive way.
Time of day & lighting – the more natural light the better. A morning to early afternoon sunny day, is better than cloudy skies or late day sun.
Staging – position furniture and decorative accents to enhance the photo's composition.
Photo Editing – use basic photo editing tools to brighten, lighten, increase color saturation, or contrast for photos in need of a boost.
Exterior Photo – choose the exterior house photo wisely, it is the primary photo prospective buyers look at when considering the home.

RULE 4: Sell a Dream

There have been many articles devoted to home staging in recent years and the reason for that is simple – it works. Again, we are back to that all important step – the buyer needs to able to envision themselves in the home. Remember you may be selling "a house", but buyers want to buy "a home". Selling a prospective buyer their "dream home" is possible, but every room should have a clear purpose and a positive impact. If you have a room in your house that you have left ambiguous, decide its purpose and make it clear to potential buyers. You may like the idea of having a pool table in your dining room instead of a dining room table, but potential buyers are looking for the dining room and count it missing if you do not have that space defined.

If you have mismatched furniture or too much furniture in a room, get rid of the pieces that don't fit or create overcrowding. The opposite is also true, an empty space is almost impossible to visualize properly, leaving the buyer to figure out what goes in that space or how much can fit there. Undefined space creates confusion and decreased interest for a buyer and also has them speculating why the house is empty in the first place.

Whether you stage your house through the help of an expert REALTOR® or by hiring a professional staging service, giving your house the competitive advantage of professional staging is a must in todays home sales climate. A study by HomeGain shows statistically, a seller who spends $500 on staging recovered over 343% of the cost when they sold their house.

>Harnessing the Rules

Although the above rules may be utilized by anyone selling a house, there is no better person to enact these strategies than an expert REALTOR®. They have years of experience navigating the field of real estate marketing with a keenly developed focus and strategic understanding of how to WIN BIG!

Source: cpoh.com