Real Estate Marketing 101

There are a number of questions and fears that can be associated with selling your home. How much should I sell it for? Does my house look right? Is my home in good condition? Have I staged it properly? Am I in a tougher housing market? Is the neighborhood an issue? Location, location, location? Is the timing right? Will I be able to find a good realtor to market my home and do what’s right to get it sold? WILL MY HOME SELL?

Go from FOR SALE to SOLD, lightning fast.

Then, you make the decision to sell your home… on your own. Multiply those questions and concerns by 100 and you begin to feel wary and may decide to go a different route.

We are the experts on selling your home on your own. Through this next series of blog posts, we are going to go through some basic information that may address your concerns and help to ease your worries and fears when it comes to taking that big step and choosing to sell your home on your own.

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MARKETING 101. Did you ever take a marketing class in high school or college? If so, you know that the first rule of marketing is TAKE CHARGE of your marketing. Meaning, more specifically, have a plan. No one cares more about your marketing than you do. So, devise a plan and execute the plan. Now, here’s some great and helpful information to help you in your planning process:

1. The MLS (Multiple Listing Service), a proprietary service that allows members to list properties. We have thrown this term around a lot on this blog, but I can’t stress enough how important and KEY it is in selling your home. Over 90%, yes 90%, of homes sold in America have been sold using the MLS. To be a member of the MLS, you have to be a realtor. How are you going to list your home on the MLS if you, yourself, are not a realtor? That’s where WE come in. (BTW: the going rate to hire a realtor to list your home and/or sell your home is at least 3-6% commission on the selling price of your home). At Justlistem, we serve as a limited agent/realtor, where you simply pay a flat fee and we list your home for you. No middle man, no stuffy realtors, no expensive commission prices, just a helpful service. By listing your home on the MLS, you are giving your home a GREAT amount of exposure to all who are members of your local, regional, or national MLS. By making this first step, your property has been efficiently marketed, but you retain the right to sell it to ANY individual not buying through a Realtor as well. This gives you the best of both worlds.
2. INTERNET MARKETING. Yes, we are in a digital age, and the internet is one of the most highly sought after markets for, well, marketing. Craigslist, Real Estate Forums, Facebook, and Twitter are just some of the ways many homeowners (and realtor’s alike!) are using the internet to market their homes. Futhermore, if you decide to use Justlistem, your home will also be posted on Cheaprichmondhomes.com which is a very prominent real estate website in the state of Virginia.
3. Kick it old school, style. Nothing can beat old school marketing techniques. They worked for years, why wouldn’t they work now? Create a flyer for your home (which can be provided by Justlistem), post it in the yard, place a lock box onto house for easy showings (you can get one right at Home Depot or Lowe’s), and of course, placing a FOR SALE sign in the yard (which is also provided by Justlistem).
4. Staging. Don’t forget to stage your home. You’re going to need to make sure your home is ready to sell. Check out this GREAT blog post on staging your home on the inside AND the outside.

At the end of the day, it’s about making a decision that is right for YOU. You’re the owner of your home and only you know what’s best. But, it is my hope that these basic marketing techniques will at least jump start you in the right direction and help you sell your home LIGHTNING fast and save you lots of money.