Alex Capozzolo

By: Alex Capazzolo

In a competitive real estate market, it’s important to do all you can to sell a home. Around the country, the market is shifting from seller-focused to buyer-focused.

California, for example, has seen dramatic drops in price as buyer falls. This time last year, houses sold almost as soon as they hit the market, even in more expensive markets like Los Angeles and San Diego. Now, selling a home in those same places will require more than throwing a listing into the MLS. Real estate agents across competitive markets like San Diego must pull their most creative marketing strategies out of their toolboxes to ensure houses keep moving.

Edit Listing Photos

Although iPhone cameras and other smartphones are very impressive at this point, it’s worth investing in professional photos for your listings. Skipping professional listing photos might be a bit short-sighted in the changing market, and agents might find that they’ve stalled any traction on the listing before it starts. Homebuyers shop online now more than ever, which means a listing needs to shine online just as much as it does in person.

In addition to having professional photos of the house you’re trying to sell, editing the photos is another crucial step. This is especially important for high-end and luxury real estate listings. Ensure that the photos of the home you are selling showcase the property’s highlights. The more pristine and impressive the pictures are, the more your listing will stand out. For real estate agents who aren’t comfortable editing photos themselves, professional photographers often include editing services in their fee structure.

Go to Local Real Estate Meetups

Only a small percentage of homebuyers in your market have notifications set up so that they know when a new listing hits the MLS. What about the other hungry buyers out there? Many of them are investors that don’t shop on the MLS or Zillow. Some of these buyers also have trusted agents they work with, but when selling in a competitive market it helps to get to know this group.

To find investors, consider visiting your local real estate meetups. These meetups are great for networking, getting to know the investors in your community, and learning or potentially finding a mentor. If you’re lucky enough, might also find the right buyer for your property there. Each investor has different buying criteria. Network with as many real estate professionals as you can at meetups to determine who could be a good fit based on their preferences. It’s important not to look at attending meetups as a quick fix, either. We’re in a relationship-based business, so plan to attend regularly and get to know the people around you.

Place the Listing Information in Your Email Signature

What’s the best way to remind people you know about something? A powerful tip that salespeople across different industries leverage is the email signature. You likely send out lots of emails, and this is a great way to keep your listing top of mind to the people you’re communicating with daily. You can add the listing information underneath your photo in a non-spammy way that still grabs their attention.

This is a quick edit that takes five minutes or less to complete. As people open and read your emails, the listing in your signature reaches a wider audience. This is where psychology comes into play. You’ve likely had a time where, maybe during a conversation with a friend or colleague, you were reminded of a headline or an informative Instagram post. The same might start happening as you regularly include listings in your signature. As more of your network – like other real estate professionals – sees your email footer, their mental Rolodex holds onto your listing, and when they’re thinking about their clients’ needs, your listing might come up as a good fit. Ultimately, this can help you sell a house quickly in a shifting real estate market. Making sure that your listing stands out from the crowd is a crucial step in successfully selling a home.

Alex Capazollo is the co-founder of Brotherly Love Real Estate. He has been investing in real estate for +7 years and owns a small portfolio of 14 units. Alex works full-time as a real estate agent in Southern California and enjoys writing on home improvement, marketing strategies, and other real estate topics.