The real estate market, on average nationwide, still favors sellers. But, although inventory is still below demand and home prices are still rising slightly, marketing remains a key component of selling your home quickly and at a good price. As a seller, you are entering a competitive market, and you have to beat out your competitors, all the other home sellers. Marketing may not be rocket science, but it’s easy to make one or more of the many mistakes that can sabotage your sale. So be sure to avoid these 6 major marketing mistakes home sellers make in Martinsburg and Hagerstown.
1. Using Poor Quality Listing Photos
Of the mistakes home sellers make in Martinsburg and Hagerstown, this may be the most common. Numerous studies have shown that listings with more photos and with better quality photos perform better than those without. The listing photos are usually the first thing potential buyers see, so they are your only chance to make that critical first impression. Here are some of the common listing-photo mistakes:
- Dark rooms
- Cluttered rooms
- Busy photos with unnecessary, distracting elements
- Too few photos
- High-resolution photos that haven’t been compressed for online viewing
2. Neglecting Social Media Marketing
The vast majority of home shoppers now begin their search online, and a large share of those concentrate on social media. And this means that neglecting social media marketing is often one of the worst marketing mistakes home sellers make in Martinsburg and Hagerstown. Social media marketing works so well because it is a species of effective word-of-mouth marketing. So don’t neglect Facebook, Instagram, and all the other social media channels that can bolster your marketing efforts.
3. Not Carefully Crafting Descriptions
Another of the common (and deadly) mistakes home sellers make in Martinsburg and Hagerstown is failing to carefully craft listing descriptions. After the listing photos, your description is the most important element of the listing. You have to do much more than just provide the address, the square footage, and the number of beds and baths. Your job is to make the description so enticing buyers are compelled to visit your home. But this is a highly specialized form of copywriting, so be sure to consult your agent. (To find out more, call 3017071678.)
4. Failing to Hit the Target Audience
Failing to determine and then target the right audience in marketing efforts is yet another of the mistakes home sellers make in Martinsburg and Hagerstown. And if you don’t hit your target buying audience, much of your marketing will be futile. You simply must know the demographics of your potential buyers and then target those within that group with your listings and your social media marketing. Again, your local agent can be an invaluable asset in this area.
5. Not Showcasing The Home
Many sellers also fail to showcase their home properly. While this may not be strictly a marketing mistake, it will affect all of your marketing efforts. Your property absolutely must appear well maintained with its best features emphasized. If you don’t clean and spruce up and make needed repairs and upgrades, you’ll lose many potential buyers. Any neglect will be a red flag for buyers because they usually overestimate the cost of repairs.
6. Using the Wrong Agent
Of all the marketing mistakes home sellers make in Martinsburg and Hagerstown, using the wrong agent may have a profoundly negative impact. The first and most important step in effective marketing is pricing to sell, and an inexperienced or non-local agent is likely to get it wrong, thus undermining all your other marketing. A qualified local real estate agent, especially one who is savvy about online marketing, is your best and most effective marketing tool. Our agents have the knowledge and experience and are ready to help you market effectively. To discover more, contact us today at 3017071678.