By Elizabeth Waintraub
Introduction
If you are a real estate agent looking to improve your advertising copy or a homeowner trying to sell your home yourself, great ad copy can make a significant difference in the overall outcome of the sale. How you advertise your home for sale and where you place the ad can vary depending on where you live and the audience you are trying to attract. Regardless of how you sell your home, your goal is to sell the house in the shortest time possible for the highest price possible. To achieve this goal, home sellers need to advertise the house for sale to the largest targeted number of potential buyers.
Promotion and Copywriting
Promotion and copywriting is an art, but there are specific guidelines you can follow to ensure your real estate ad reaches your target audience and increases buyer traffic. There is a saying that to know where the ants are coming from, you must watch where the ants are going. Accordingly, answer these two questions:
1. Where are buyers looking for homes advertised for sale in your area?
2. Where can you find potential buyers who might buy your home?
Magazine Advertising
Unless you are trying to sell a home targeting a small audience and can wait several months for results, magazine ads are unlikely to produce an immediate buyer. The time required to advertise in a magazine is a significant drawback. The real estate ad you submit today may not reach the buyer’s doorstep for 30 to 60 days, and sometimes longer than that.
Magazine ad representatives may claim that your home ad will be in front of buyers for 30 days. In reality, the ad will be ignored and placed in the back while the recipient browses some articles before throwing the magazine in the recycling bin. Few people reread magazines.
Magazine ads usually work well for high-end luxury homes that may take a long time to sell.
Newspaper Advertising
The readership of daily and weekly local newspapers is declining, but in some markets, advertising in them is still a desirable place to advertise a home for sale. Even non-subscribers may buy a Sunday newspaper to check out hom e ads. Before placing an ad in the newspaper, get a copy of the newspaper. If you notice that no one else is advertising, do not waste money on an ad in the newspaper.
Advertising in a small local weekly newspaper may be a better place to advertise your home for sale. However, your ad copy must be bright and designed to grab attention. Don’t make the mistake of selling your home by shortening words or trying to cram everything into three lines to save money.
Direct Mail
You can purchase targeted direct mail lists by identifying the characteristics of potential buyers for your home and requesting lists that include those specific traits. Look for direct mail list brokers online. Printing companies that provide direct mail services are also good sources of this information.
For example, the buyer for your home might be someone with a certain income level, age group, or marital status. If you are selling a cottage in the woods, you may want to target nature lovers or hunters by purchasing a mailing list for those who buy hunting or hiking books or shop at outdoor camping stores.
Online Advertising
Nearly all home searches begin online. A popular site is Realtor.com, perhaps because it is the easiest site to remember, but Zillow and Trulia also carry listings, though not all of them. Many newspapers collaborate with local MLS feeds and carry the latest home listings online.
From
On popular websites like vFlyer and Point2, you can create online listings instantly and for free. These sites will also publish them for you on many other frequently visited sites.
Another common element is digital ads that track online home buying behaviors and then follow those opportunities from site to site. Have you noticed how you can click on a pair of shoes for sale at Nordstrom? Then at every site you visit, you see an ad for those shoes? The same principle applies.
Use Social Media
Post details about selling your home on every social media site you belong to. You can also pay for Facebook ads. Upload photos on Instagram. Send tweets about open houses. Ask your agent to write about your home on a blog.
Writing an Effective Home Listing
There is a difference between deceptive advertising and promotional text that highlights positive aspects. If you’re selling a home that needs repairs, don’t try to make it sound like it’s move-in ready. You can use terms to soften its poor condition but still convey the idea like:
– Needs some TLC and updating
– Bring your paintbrush and hammer
– A chance for a handy person
Measure Twice
Try to avoid specific facts that could come back to haunt you later. Unless you’ve measured the square footage, don’t mention numbers without providing a source like an appraiser or valuation expert. Use general terms that convey the same message like:
– Spacious
– Roomy
– Ample space
Use descriptive adjectives that evoke emotion and paint a picture. Help buyers imagine themselves living in your home. Describe standout features like:
– Your home’s architectural design
– Entertaining options
– Layout and flow
– Special amenities and upgrades
– Nearby shops, restaurants, and landmarks
The Devil is in the Details
Remember to include the sale price and your contact information. You’d be surprised how many people forget to include a phone number or disclose the home pricing.
Headlines Matter
Choose a headline that grabs attention. Don’t use “House for Sale,” as it doesn’t describe anything. Discover the most important and appealing aspects of your home and use those words. Here are some examples:
– Spanish Beauty
– Expansive Mediterranean
– Entertaining Delight
– Charming Cottage
– Sparkling Pool and Spa
– Large Garage and Workshop
– Secluded Hideaway
– Secret Gardens
– Your Dream Home
– Fabulous Property
– Stunning Arts and Crafts
– Amazing Lakefront Home
– Upscale Urban Condo
– Spectacular Executive Home
– Stunning Classic in (Neighborhood Name)
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Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/advertising-houses-for-sale-1799039
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