192 Point Marketing Plan
“Our Realtor took a few iPhone photos of our home, uploaded the listing to the MLS and then sat back on their hands, waiting for ‘the market’ to sell our house.”
Unfortunately, the story above is one that we hear all the time. That’s because most real estate agents aren’t trained marketers. They know how to show property, write purchase agreements, etc. . . . but when it comes to maximizing demand for a product, they don’t have a clue.
So instead they rely on ‘the market’, the MLS and other agents to sell their properties. It’s almost like their listings sell in spite of them, not because of them.
Question: How much more profitable could your home sale be to you if there were a professional marketing team focused on creating increased demand for your property before and after it’s listed on MLS?
The MLS is a tool. Just one of many.
Anyone trusted with maximizing your return on your most prized investment should be able to answer the question, “The MLS is a given. What else ya got?”
At TSG, we’re perpetually testing new and creative ways to get more eyeballs on our listings.
TSG are devoted, full time REALTORS – not part time real estate agents. The benefits include our expertise, and a wide range of market areas to promote the home.
Continue reading to see a complete list of our 192-Point Marketing Strategy Checklist. And when you’re ready, let’s talk @ 512.943.2572.
- Conduct thorough research on property tax records to ensure prospective buyers and their agents have access to comprehensive legal information on the MLS listing.
- Investigate the property’s ownership history and deed type.
- Examine public records to verify lot dimensions and size.
- Validate the legal description of the property.
- Explore land use coding and deed restrictions associated with the property.
- Ascertain the current zoning and utilization of the property.
- Confirm the legal names of the owner(s) in the county’s public property records.
- Analyze sales activity for the past 1-18 months from MLS and public records databases.
- Assess the “Average Days on Market” for comparable properties in terms of type, price range, and location.
- Scrutinize properties currently listed for sale that compete with your home.
- Investigate properties that were withdrawn from the market.
- Examine properties currently under contract that compete with your listing.
- Study expired listings (properties that failed to sell during their listing period).
- Evaluate properties similar to yours that have sold in the past six months.
- Contact agents, if necessary, to discuss activity on the comparable properties they have listed in the area.
- Research any previous sales activity (if applicable) on your home.
- Retrieve and review property tax roll information.
- Prepare a “Comparable Market Analysis” (CMA) to establish fair market value.
- Obtain accurate contact information for you.
- Gather information to assess your specific needs.
- Review current title information.
- Collect details on room descriptions and upgrades to your home.
- Confirm lot size using your certified survey copy, if available.
- Obtain floor and pool plans, if available.
- Review the current appraisal, if applicable.
- Identify the Homeowner Association manager, if relevant.
- Verify Homeowner Association fees, if applicable.
- Confirm the security system details, current service term, and ownership (owned or leased).
- Determine the need for lead-based paint disclosure.
- Verify if the property has rental units; if so, make copies of all leases, verify rent and deposits, inform tenants of the listing, and discuss showing arrangements.
- Compile a list of necessary repairs and maintenance items.
- Prepare showing instructions for buyers’ agents and agree on a showing time window with you.
- Assess your timing and motivation for selling.
- Identify your immediate concerns.
- Ask questions about the property and your situation to better serve and provide helpful information if needed.
- Discuss your future purchase plans and determine how our team can assist you (locally, new construction, investment, or relocation) or find a qualified agent in your new location if you are relocating.
- Determine how quickly you need to move.
- Obtain information to prepare the listing, advertising, and marketing materials. Questions will include: What improvements have you made in the past five years? What features make your home attractive to buyers? (cabinets, flooring, decks, pool, fireplaces, etc.) What do you think the home is worth? How much do you owe on the property?
- Prepare by asking you to gather home information: deed copy, current tax bill, survey copy, title policy copy (if purchased less than three years ago, this could save you money).
- Obtain a set of keys for the lockbox.
- Perform an Interior Décor Assessment.
- Review the Interior Décor Assessment results and suggest changes to shorten the time on the market.
- Conduct an exterior “Curb Appeal Assessment” of your property.
- Review the Curb Appeal Assessment results with you and provide suggestions to improve salability.
- Provide an overview of current market conditions and projections.
- Offer a Home Audit to discuss constructive changes to make your home more appealing, show exceptionally well, and help it yield the highest possible price.
- Provide home showing guidelines to help prepare for appointments (lighting, blinds, pets, etc.).
- Review and explain all clauses in the Listing Agreement and addendums.
- Record your name, address, phone number, and email address to keep you informed of market changes, mortgage rate fluctuations, sales trends, or anything that may affect your property’s value and marketability.
- Compile and assemble a formal file on your property.
- Present the Comparable Market Analysis (CMA) Results, including comparable, sold, current listings, and expired listings.
- Offer a pricing strategy based on professional judgment and interpretation of current market conditions.
- Assist in strategically pricing your home to appear in more MLS searches.
- Discuss goals with you to market effectively.
- Present and discuss a strategic master marketing plan.
- Explore pricing your property slightly below comparable value to attract more buyers quickly and encourage multiple offers.
- Present and discuss our program to market your home most effectively and bring the most buyers in the shortest time.
- Explore the option of marketing your home with an incentive of buying down points on the buyers’ loan; potential results are a higher agreed-upon price (more proceeds for you) and monthly payment savings and a tax credit for the buyer.
- Prepare an equity analysis to show you expenses, closing costs, and net proceeds.
- Explain the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement you will complete and present to the buyer to avoid setbacks and preserve your legal rights.
- Take professional color photographs of the interior and exterior using high-end wide-angle architecture lens and camera for marketing materials and the internet.
- Set up a home warranty, if you choose, to protect your home during the listing period and for 12 months after the sale to reassure the buyer of your home’s quality.
- Install an MLS lockbox to allow buyers and their agents to view your home conveniently without compromising your family’s security.
- Write remarks within the MLS system specifying how you want the property shown.
- Prepare a detailed list of property amenities for the Marketing Booklet and assess market impact.
- Prepare the MLS property Profile Sheet.
- Proofread the MLS database listing for accuracy, including proper placement in the mapping function.
- Enter property data from the Profile Sheet into the MLS Listing Database.
- Electronically submit your home listing information to the Multiple Listing Service for exposure to all active real estate agents in the area.
- Immediately submit digital interior and exterior photos to the MLS when listing is input, allowing buyers and agents to view pictures when narrowing down homes to tour.
- Add your property to the Austin Board of Realtors Active Listings list; provide information in two office locations for Realtors® when potential buyers call for details.
- Provide you with signed copies of the Listing Agreement and MLS Profile Data Sheet.
- Explain the marketing benefits of the Home Owner Warranty with you.
- Assist you with completing the Home Owner Warranty application.
- Submit the Home Warranty application for conveyance at the time of sale.
- Provide you with a Personal Services sheet to explain specific marketing available for your property.
- Provide you with a personalized Advertising Questionnaire for your input on advertisement verbiage.
- Review the Guaranteed Sale Marketing System and its benefits, resulting in the rapid sale of your property.
- Create advertisements with your input, including information from the Personalized Advertising Questionnaire.
- Prepare mailing and contact lists.
- Create a Just Listed campaign to promote the value of your home over others.
- Create, print, assemble, and mail compelling flyers to hand-deliver and/or mail to target customers, stimulating calls on your home.
- Advise the Network Referral Program of the listing, create a press release to syndicate to 220,000 relocation realtors across the United States.
- Create a YouTube Video & Virtual Tour specific to your property, broadcast on all websites, social media, press releases, MLS, and blogging sites.
- Create a property brochure with features and lifestyle benefits of your home for buyer agents showing it, prominently displayed in your kitchen or dining room.
- Prepare copies of Seller’s Disclosures and applicable documents to be placed in your home and included in a contract for buyers.
- Respond within 15 minutes to immediate internet pages through our exclusive lead router program, a highly effective way to communicate with buyers interested in your property (over 94% of inquiries come from the Internet).
- Enroll your home in the Sellers Incentive Club & Notify the Realtor® Community of the $10,000 Mega Agent Bonus, if applicable.
- Capture feedback from Realtors® after all showings.
- Provide regular weekly update calls or emails to discuss all showings, marketing, and pricing.
- Research weekly current laws, interest rates, and insurance conditions as they relate to the housing industry and how they impact the sale of your property, notifying you promptly of any conditions.
- Notify you immediately of any offers, potential offers, or needs.
- Discuss feedback from showing agents with you to determine if changes will accelerate the sale.
- Search the MLS System for Realtors most likely working with interested and capable buyers matching your home, then fax or email copies of your home listing information for them to review immediately.
- Maximize showing potential through professional signage.
- Install a Seely Properties For Sale sign in the front yard, when permitted by the Homeowners Association.
- Market your home on the following internet sites: Realtor.com, Zillow.com, Trulia.com, Google. com, homes.com and hundreds of other websites and social media platforms. Set-up spotlight and featured ads on Trulia, Zillow, and Realtor.com.
- Dallas and Amy Seely and the team at Seely Properties are the exclusive Realtor® for multiplecashofferstx.highestprice.com and numerous other websites. This generates additional potential buyers for you, including those exploring homes in the “Coming Soon Program”.
- Submit a polished, high-quality digital photo montage complete with personally written descriptions detailing the features of your home and upload it to all relevant websites.
- If an Open House is scheduled, notify the agent community and arrange an online campaign the week prior to maximize the number of visitors.
- Target specific market segments to determine the most likely buyer willing to pay the highest price.
- Discuss marketing strategies with a “Mastermind” group of top Realtors from across the country.
- Provide you with copies of advertisements and marketing materials for your home for review.
- Make an information box or tube available under the “For Sale” sign, providing feature sheets for those passing by. Utilize a recorded 1-800 number for call tracking and higher conversion rates specific to your property.
- Employ other marketing techniques, such as offering free reports, to increase the chances of buyers calling in, discussing, pre-qualifying, and touring your home.
- Assist you in preparing the Homeowner’s Information Sheet, which includes details on utilities and services the buyer will need to know when transferring ownership after closing.
- Prepare a financing sheet with several financing plans to educate buyers on methods to purchase your home.
- Advertise your home to VIP Buyers and all qualified buyers in the company database.
- Distribute flyers to all agents in the Austin Board of Realtors office.
- Promote your property through Social Media Avenues, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and multiple blogging platforms.
- Promote your home by distributing flyers to local lenders and potential buyers who are relocating to our area.
- Create specific online campaigns utilizing Pay Per Click Advertising to attract buyers to your property online.
- Log all home showings to keep a record of marketing activity and potential purchasers.
- Follow up with all agents who have shown your home via personal phone calls to answer any questions they may have.
- Send a personalized letter or postcard to residents in your immediate neighborhood, promoting the features and lifestyle benefits of your home. Often, neighbors know friends or family members considering a move into the neighborhood.
- Personally call your immediate neighborhood and surrounding areas to promote the benefits of your home.
- Prepare a weekly market analysis update of any activity in your neighborhood (e.g., new homes on the market, homes that have sold, etc.) to keep you informed about key market conditions in your area.
- Pre-qualify all buyers whom our agents will bring to your home before showings to avoid wasting your time with unqualified showings and buyers.
- Discuss the qualifications of prospective buyers to help determine their motivation, ability to purchase, and probability of closing on the sale.
- Provide Open Houses with a licensed Realtor® at your request.
- Handle paperwork if a price adjustment is needed.
- Take all calls to screen for qualified buyers and protect you from ‘looky-loos’.
- Receive and review all Offers to Purchase contracts submitted by buyers or buyers’ Agents to determine the best negotiation position.
- Contact buyer’s agents to review the buyer’s qualifications and discuss the offer.
- Evaluate offer(s) and prepare a “net sheet” for each offer for comparison purposes, if requested.
- Counsel you on offers, explaining the merits and weaknesses of each component.
- Fax or deliver the Seller’s Disclosure form to the buyer’s agent or buyer (upon request and prior to an offer being made, if possible).
- Confirm the buyer is pre-qualified by calling the Loan Officer.
- Obtain a pre-qualification letter on the buyer from the Loan Officer.
- Negotiate the highest price and best terms for you and your situation.
- Prepare and convey any counter offers, acceptance, or amendments to the buyer’s agent.
- Email or hand-deliver copies of the contract and all addendums to the closing Title Company.
- When an Offer to Purchase Contract is accepted and signed by you, deliver the signed offer to the buyer’s agent.
- Confirm the title company has received the buyer’s earnest money.
- Deliver copies of the fully signed Offer to Purchase contract to you.
- Email/deliver copies of the Offer to Purchase contract to the Selling Agent.
- Email copies of the executed Offer to Purchase contract to the lender.
- Provide copies of the signed Offer to Purchase contract for the office file.
- Provide copies of the signed Executed Offer to Purchase contract to the Title Agency.
- Advise you in handling any additional offers to purchase that may be submitted between contract and closing, and the probability of closing on the sale.
- Change the status in the MLS to “Sale Pending”.
- Follow up with the buyer’s lender to confirm financing is in order.
- Assist the buyer with obtaining financing, if applicable, and follow up as necessary.
- Coordinate with the lender on Discount Points, Appraisal, and any underwriting requirements.
- Deliver any pertinent property information to the lender.
- Order a septic system inspection, if applicable.
- Receive and review the septic system report and assess the possible impact on the sale.
- Deliver a copy of the septic system inspection report to the lender & buyer.
- Coordinate the ordered termite inspection.
- Coordinate a mold inspection if required.
- Coordinate the ordered home inspection and handle any contingencies.
- Confirm Verifications of Deposit with the Lender and Title company.
- Follow Loan Processing Through to The Underwriter.
- Contact the lender weekly to ensure processing is on track.
- Relay the final approval of the buyer’s loan application to you.
- Coordinate the buyer’s professional home inspection with you.
- Review any requested repairs and inspection notes.
- Assist the seller in identifying and negotiating with trustworthy contractors to perform any required repairs.
- Coordinate to schedule the Appraisal.
- Provide comparable sales used in market pricing to the Appraiser.
- Follow up on the Appraisal.
- Assist the seller in questioning the appraisal report if it seems too low.
- Coordinate the closing process with the buyer’s agent and lender.
- Update closing forms & files.
- Ensure all parties have all forms and information needed to close the sale.
- Confirm the closing date and time and notify all parties.
- Assist in solving any title problems (boundary disputes, easements, etc.).
- Work with the buyer’s agent in scheduling and conducting the buyer’s Final Walk-Through prior to closing.
- Research all tax, HOA, utility, and other applicable pro-rations.
- Request final closing figures from the closing agent.
- Receive & carefully review the closing figures on the closing statement to ensure accuracy of preparation.
- Review the final figures on the closing statement with you before closing.
- Forward verified closing figures to the buyer’s agent.
- Request a copy of the closing documents from the closing agent.
- Confirm the buyer and buyer’s agent have received the title insurance commitment.
- Provide the “Home Owners Warranty” for availability at closing.
- Review all closing documents carefully for errors.
- Forward closing documents to an absentee seller as requested.
- Review documents with the closing agent.
- Coordinate any funds for a lease back, if required.
- Coordinate financing, final inspections, closing, and possession activities on your behalf to help ensure a smooth closing.
- Assist in scheduling the closing date for you and all parties.
- Set up the final walk-through of your home for the buyers and their agent.
- Coordinate the closing with your next purchase and resolve any timing problems.
- Arrange possession and transfer of the home (keys, warranties, garage door openers, community pool keys, mailbox keys, educate new owners on garbage days/recycling, mail procedures, etc.).
- Have a “no surprises” closing and present the seller with a net proceeds check at closing.
- Change the MLS listing status to Sold. Enter the sale date and price, selling broker and agent’s ID numbers, etc.
- Answer questions about filing claims with the Home Owner Warranty Company if requested.
- Attempt to clarify and resolve any conflicts about repairs if the buyer is not satisfied.
- Respond to any follow-up calls and provide any additional information required from office files.
- Help you relocate locally or out of the area with highly experienced agents across the globe – you are sure to have the highest quality agent to help you on both sides of your move to make it worry and stress-free.
- Dallas and Amy Seely are devoted, full-time REALTOR® – not a part-time real estate agent. Your benefits include my expertise and a wide range of market areas to promote your home.