How to Close the Deal on Stagnant Summer Listings

The days are long as they are hot; the calendar shows that it is officially summer. However, some of your listings have been getting little to no attention since the beginning of spring. As a seasoned agent, you know that this is a frustrating experience for your clients, as well as yourself. To make matters worse, you know the longer the listing sits on the market, the lower the interest will be.

This is the perfect time to focus your attention on listings that have been languishing in the sun with no one around to notice. Whether you think your client's pricing strategy is off, the house is in need of a makeover, or your marketing strategy needs to freshen up, grab a lemonade and use these four tips to help you get that listing off the market.

It's All About the Price

Even with a growing economy, home buyers simply won't spend more for a home than it's worth. Setting an accurate selling price is one of the most important factors for selling a home. When dealing with unrealistic sellers, educating your clients on market trends and what makes the home sell for a certain price will give you a better chance of the client changing the selling price.

If educating your clients doesn't work, take a page out of reality TV's strategy. Take your clients on a home tour of other homes valued at their desired selling price. Make an effort to emphasize the luxuries and amenities in these homes that add value and raise the asking price. Using this strategy, you can open your client's eyes to what their home is really worth, making them more open to changing their listing price.

Home Makeover

In addition to an inflated price tag, your client's home may be lacking essential home repairs or aesthetics, causing the listing to sit on the market longer than it should. If the property was on the market during seasonal changes, some repair issues may have surfaced that need attention. Ceilings, roofs, appliances, basements, and even landscapes could have been damaged and should be taken care of immediately. Remind your client, even though they are planning to sell their home, that they should not be reckless with the upkeep during the selling process. Again, this where a home tour can help your seller see the details that their home may lack.

Getting Visual with Photos

Many home sellers are reluctant to stage their home. Unfortunately, in the digital age we live in today, most home buyers search for homes online before ever visiting the home in person. Without an accurate description and professional looking photos, your listing isn't going to get notice by the thousands of online searchers.

Think of the home buying process like online dating. If listing photos make the property look outdated or cluttered, or if the photos are non-existent, home buyers will avoid the property altogether because it sends the signal that there is something wrong with the listing. Show clients before and after photos of properties that had staging done to reinforce the importance of home staging. Posting high-quality images of beautifully staged homes will make online searchers more inclined to click on your property.

Re-Strategize Your Strategy

If you believe the listing is properly priced, maintenance is up to date, and your listing photos look good, then you might want to consider changing your marketing strategy. Think about the different outlets you're using. If you haven't been using social media to advertise your listings, start. Post listing photos with a detailed, but short description of the property. However, avoid giving out specifics like location and price. Allow them to reach out to you for more information about the price and location.

While your stagnant listing finally starts circulating on the market, put your other listings in the eyes of homebuyers. Homes.com Featured Agent showcases your listing inventory at the top of Homes.com's search results, helping you gain maximum exposure in the cities of your choice and drive traffic to your website.

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.