According to Karen Rivedal, “when it comes to selling a house, a good old yard sign is still one of your best bets, local agents tell Property Trax.”
“But” Rivedal goes on, ”the sign needs to have some new-fangled technology associated with it, they said.”
“‘You need a rider on there with some number the potential buyer can call or text immediately for more information or to schedule a showing,” said Jo Ferraro, a leading agent with Century 21 who markets properties around Dane County.”
Bill Kessler, president of Century 21 Affiliated, also listed a yard sign among his top selling tools, along with “stand-out Internet marketing like Realtor.com enhanced listings.”
A little computer research turned up quite a persistent and lively debate among agents about those enhanced listings, though. Sponsored by the National Association of Realtors, the listings were judged too expensive by many agents, though some swore by their value.
Noting “everybody goes online” to search for houses, Ferraro also advocated using Internet tools that set the home apart and — most importantly — that make the process of exploring listings quick and easy for the potential buyer.
Another important thing to keep in mind is the quality of the home photos that a seller posts with an online ad.
They have to be good, no exceptions, Ferraro said.
“If you don’t have quality photos, if your house doesn’t show well online, you won’t get buyers to even look at it,” she said.”
Geoffrey Gyrisco’s take on all this? I may get a chance this fall to demonstrate that a yard sign matters little in this day and age, with a potential listing in University Heights where the owner does not feel that the neighbors would look kindly on a large yard sign.
I agree with Jo Ferraro that a sign rider is useful for those wanting to pull up a full description and interior photos on their smart phone while standing in front of the house, while the agent has a chance for an immediate follow-up call to see if they would like to see the property. This is the era of instant information. Nevertheless, a yard sign is very much secondary to how the home appears on the internet.
As for Realtor.com “enhanced listings,” Keller Williams Listing Service provides more information to prospective buyers using the internet than Realtor.com and at less cost. Check out www.GeoffreyHomes.com, which pulls information from the Keller Williams Listing Service and the Multiple Listing Service.
I agree with Ferraro that top quality photos are critical. About 90% of buyers search for their homes on the internet, whether in Madison or rural villages, and unless the photos are compelling they will click on to the next property. And they have a lot of properties to choose from. To get on the list of “must see” properties the photos have to be excellent. Personally, I am skeptical of value of the fancy virtual tours with their languid panoramic views and accompanying music. How many buyers looking through a large batch of listings will spend the time? The fancy tour may do more to seal the value of the agent’s marketing in the eyes of the seller, than to catch the eyes of the buyer.
In the current market it is 80% price, price, price; 15% condition and presentation; and 5% marketing. Agents will stress how their marketing is superior to their competitor’s. Good marketing is essential and poor marketing can sabotage a property selling. It will not sell an over-priced property. More on that in another column.
