Anyone looking for a home to buy knows what to do when their smartphone vibrates signaling a new listing.
What most home sellers can’t grasp is the immediate impact a new listing has on home buyers.
Tech savvy home buyers quickly open up the alert and flip through the photos, see the basic stats like which school it attends or if there is a screened-in porch. These photos tell a make-or-break story that will result in a miracle weekend.
These home buyers are making the decision right now if they want to rush over and make an offer this weekend (or sooner).
Preparation for the big leagues (and Miracle Weekend)
Achieving Miracle Weekend bragging rights realistically won’t happen without considerable effort leading up to hitting the market. Yes, there are some niche markets where even the dumpiest of homes will sell immediately, but as prices continue to rise like we see in the Vienna real estate market even those tear downs may need a little prep-work to get a miracle offer.
Always start by referring to my list of tips for preparing your house for sale, because getting an offer quickly typically yields the highest net.
Why is new so important?
Last weekend I held an open-house at new listing on Sunday afternoon.
Typically a colleague will want to do it, but I was in town and decided to schedule the open house in our MLS database.
When that scheduling is done, home buyers get an extra “ping” that a new listing is holding an open.
Case in point…
At this open, one of the first people in the door was a couple who had seen “seen over 100 homes” over the past few months.
These folks really knew the market and there was a real sense of urgency to get inside. Their internal checklist of must-haves and must have-nots helped them place it somewhere on their list, but their feedback was extremely helpful for the future of the listing.
What I saw were home buyers who were too overwhelmed to make a choice or make an offer. Some people get caught up in the “grass is greener” conflict when they feel a better-looking place must be around the next corner.
- The Ping of a new listing is totally intoxicating.
- The Ping of a new listing can be suffocating too.
Days on the Market and Price Adjustments
There isn’t a buyer out there who isn’t looking at each home’s DOM number. Anything over 30 days likely isn’t going to get anyone’s heart pumping.
“Must be something wrong, let’s see that new one” a buyer will say.
So, how can a home seller jump start the excitement? Resuscitate their homes appeal to the buyers almost like it was a new listing?
Real estate agents may have many tips and I feel that 98% of them need to get done.
The list may include painting, removing wallpaper, cleaning, eliminating clutter, cutting back overgrowth, changing door handles, removing personal items, replacing carpets, sprucing up a bathroom, and adjusting the price.
Doing a laundry list of items (that should have been done before going live) and adjusting the asking price will introduce a new buyer pool who may have dismissed your house. They will get the “Ping” on their smartphones that will generate another important miracle event!
I’m always interested in the apps my clients use to search for homes. Let me know which one you use and why?
And, if you have already bought a house and still get alerts everyday… it’s time to stop and get on with your life. Maybe start painting!
