Sales

 

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Step 1. Prepare the sales listing

The first step of the real estate selling process is to prepare a sales listing for the property you’re putting on the market. It involves three core parts:

• Interviewing the seller
• Preparing the property
• Promoting the property

Before you dive into the preparation process, make sure you have a constructive way to organize and stay on top of property and client information.

Now, let’s take a look at how to get listings out to the public.

Part 1: Interview the seller

As a realtor, we need to talk to your seller about the following information:

• The reason for selling
• How long they’ve owned the property
• The ideal sale price
• The preferred timeline for the sale
• The history of the property
• Any recent upgrades to the property
• Any features that make the property unique

This will help us create a listing that reflects what the seller wants as well as provide an accurate property valuation (more on this later). We will be able to outline key information for buyers to consider, such as recent renovations or why the homeowner is selling the property in the first place.

We will also need to discuss potential hurdles that might prevent the sale from going through.

For example, if the seller’s property has an ongoing claim for water damage, you can add this information to the listing or ask the seller to settle the claim before the listing goes live.

Understanding if the property has any unresolved issues will make it easier for us to be upfront with potential buyers. It helps them make an informed decision and reduces any issues for you in the future (such as the sale failing an inspection and falling through).

Part 2: Prepare the property

Once we have all the information for your listing, we will need to make the property look attractive to potential buyers. The best way to do this is to encourage owners to stage their property correctly.

Staging a home helps buyers visualize what it’s like to live there and can help sell the property faster.

Over 65% of realtors in this study from the Home Staging Institute believe that home staging helps sell a house for more money. The same report also found that almost 85% of realtors agree that a staged home sells faster than an unstaged home.

Here are some steps for preparing the property for photos, videos and in-person viewings:

• Redecorating. Update some of the decor to modernize it and make it feel newer.
• Rearranging furniture. Something as simple as moving existing furniture can make rooms feel bigger and more inviting.
• Cleaning. To give a good first impression, give the house a clean before any photos or viewings take place.

This research from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that staging the living room was the most important aspect for buyers (39%). So, if the seller doesn’t want to rearrange and deep-clean their entire home, they could just focus on the living space. Even a little effort goes a long way.

Part 3: Promote the property

Once the property is looking top-notch and the photographs are done, it’s time to release the listing to the public.

As a realtor, we will be promoting our seller’s property through online channels. Research from NAR found that 47% of buyers look online at homes for sale before doing anything else.

Here’s a basic checklist of promotional activities to consider:

• Use local Multiple Listing Services (MLS): To promote new listings as a real estate agent, our first stop is listing the property on the Multiple Listing Services (MLS). An MLS is an online platform for buying and selling properties. It provides buyers with detailed information on the properties, including the type of property, its location, its ideal use (for example, single-family home or for young professionals), the price, its size (including square footage) and other relevant details. Make sure you upload your listing to one (or more) of these sites to reach buyers in your local area.
• Add the listing to your realty website: Upload the listing to our website – complete with staging photos, our contact information and a call-to-action (i.e. book a viewing).
• Promote on social media sites: We Promote the listing by posting on our social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn accounts. We might also want to use paid promotion to reach more potential buyers.
• Upload a post on your blog: Write a blog with a rundown of the property’s top features and fittings, staging photos, your contact information and a call to action (i.e. get in touch for more information).