Photo by Douglas Sheppard via Unsplash
In this article:
After thinking about a For Sale By Owner (FSBO), you’ve probably wondered, how hard can it really be to sell my home? The truth is that some parts of a FSBO are straightforward. Other parts, well, they’re going to take some time for planning and execution.
Many homeowners start the process by believing that listing a home for sale or rent online is easy—maybe a little too easy. It’s so simple that you probably won’t give it too much thought, since sometimes all you need is an address and a description.
But will this hands-off approach attract the best buyers and renters? Probably not. While a bare-bones advertisement passes as a home listing, it doesn’t stand up to a professional real estate agent’s advertising for competing properties.
If you hastily throw up a quick listing for your for sale by owner or rental property, know that your competitors (likely paired with a real estate agent) are investing time into crafting whiz-bang listings that will outshine yours. They’ll use professional photographers, videographers, and writers, all focused on helping their clients get the most money from the property quickly.
Think of it like this: if you want to showcase your home like an agent, you need to think of your home advertisement like a “profile” as you would on your social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Work hard to make a strong first impression that draws people in and motivates them to learn more.
If you’re a for sale by owner seller or landlord, realize that you are competing with experienced real estate professionals for the best-positioned homebuyer or tenant. If you don’t bring your A-Game early, you may cost yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars in sunk mortgage interest, taxes, and insurance costs because your home has sat on the market too long.
The good news? You can compete with professionals. You can avoid frustration and the urge to Google, “real estate agent near me” if you just think like one. Let’s go through how to advertise your home online and how to do it well. Soon, you’ll showcase your home like a successful real estate agent.
Listing Your Home Online
Generating a home listing is as simple as creating a social media profile. A good first place to start is with MilitaryByOwner, where you can list your home for sale or rent near U.S. military bases. You’ll produce a username and log-in information, add some photos, and select your featured photo, which should be the best exterior shot of your property. Then, add colorful language to describe your home, answer all questions, and click submit. Et voila! It’s done, right?
Not quite.
There’s a difference between done and polished when it comes to your home’s profile, which is similar to the difference between Facebook and LinkedIn profiles. Facebook focuses on connecting personally, while LinkedIn presents your professional side, aiming to connect with colleagues and attract potential employers. You want a professional headshot, keywords in your bio, positive language, and someone to review it.
Keep the LinkedIn standard in mind when crafting a listing for your home.
Staging and Great Photos Are Key
Think about your own home buying journey. What listings grabbed your attention? The ones with high-quality photos, of course! Home shoppers scroll past advertisements featuring dark, unfocused, and grainy images.
Pictures are so important. They’re arguably the most significant part of your home listing. Even if your description is engaging, no one will read it if the photos don’t capture their attention.
Don’t worry if you’re not a professional photographer. We have the tips and tricks needed for amazing photos.
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM via Unsplash
DIY Photography
Just think about how essential photos are to every aspect of our lives these days. Our phones are capable of incredible photo feats. So, how do you capture near-professional-quality photos of your home?
Start by capturing the “headshot” of your home's exterior. This photo welcomes people to the door and draws them inside. It should include well-maintained landscaping, a squeaky clean front porch, and bright sunlight. Your featured photo must make the online homebuyer or renter stop and click to see the inside.
And hopefully, inside, they’ll find a staged home. What exactly does home staging entail?
Home Staging
Home staging showcases the property in the best (sellable) condition, allowing buyers to envision themselves living there. It involves:
- Cleaning
- Decluttering
- Depersonalizing
- Updating
- Neutralizing
- Styling
- Precise and strategic furniture placement
The effort required to stage your home depends entirely on your space and how much stuff you have, but it’s the hidden key to capturing dazzling photos.
However, there’s more to consider. Home staging has a second marketing layer: virtual staging. This is essential if your home is vacant. Here’s how it works.
“The designers take existing photos of the house and collect the measurements of the space. After that, the specialists will upload the details onto the software and create a similar virtual space. Then, they will virtually place the furniture and create a staged house. Virtual staging companies also scan high-resolution photographs of the property and upload them on the software. This helps in making the process faster.” -Virtual Staging Your Home: What You Need to Know
Virtual Tours
Before we move from the topic of photos, let’s not forget MilitaryByOwner’s virtual tour option. Today, people are less willing to hop open houses all weekend and are more selective when viewing a home in person. Your job is to give them the tools to learn as much as possible remotely, especially if your target market is military members who may buy a home sight unseen. Simply select the Home Tour Plus package when advertising your home to add the virtual tour.
Use Keywords in Your Home Listing
What good is a home advertisement if no one reads it? While the photos entice the home buyer or renter to learn more, the home’s description lets shoppers view your listing. Consider what you would type into Google when searching for your next home and use those clues and hints to write your listing. For example, a “home for sale near Fort Belvoir” or “condo for rent in Alexandria, VA.”
Craft your listing to include keywords that someone searching for a home like yours would find desirable. Insert phrases like chef-grade, gourmet, double vanity, and remodeled. Front load your advertisement with active verbs and keywords that make your house stand out. If the key points that will sell your home are a fenced yard, a specific school district, or proximity to a trendy shopping area, then highlight those words for your reader!
If you’re struggling with where to start, remember:
“People often underestimate the power of word selection when describing a home for sale. Write about what you can only get by living in that home, instead of just listing features of a house. Start by asking: what do you love most about your home? Why did you buy it? It's likely that your buyer will appreciate the same things.” -Karen Hall, Principal Broker, Foxtrot Company
Photo by Christin Hume via Unsplash
Infuse Positivity Into Your Listing
Reread your text and remove negative words such as no, don’t, will not, or any similarly limiting word.
- Rephrase text such as "Absolutely no showings after 5 p.m." to a more welcoming, "We look forward to showing you our home between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m."
- Instead of "Home will not be available until June 1st," rephrase to "Home is available for move-in on June 1st."
It may seem silly, but home shopping is emotional. While it’s fundamentally a transaction, our feelings are very much in the middle. Have you ever bought a home without picturing the memories you and your family will make in the space? Or the future you envision?
Negative language has no place in a home description, only positive wording that invites a hopeful future. Positive phrasing is the key to creating a more approachable, feel-good advertisement that will help you yield a greater response rate.
Review Your Home and Listing
If you worked with a real estate agent, they would first review your home with a critical eye, focused on what items may detract from or pique a buyer’s interest. They would instruct you to de-emphasize or highlight accordingly with carefully placed furniture and lighting.
For instance, if your bulky bookcase blocks lighting, they might advise you to relocate or move it out of the property entirely. In doing so, you increase your property’s marketability.
Since you’re selling or renting your home, ask your trusted friends or family members for their input. Better yet, ask your neighbors or others who are less familiar with your home and can offer an unbiased review.
Have them read your listing, walk through your house, and ask the questions:
- Is the property an accurate representation of the listing?
- Is the home welcoming?
- Is it clean and decluttered?
- Is there plenty of natural light?
- Is there any damage that needs repairing?
Showcasing your home like an agent is not as simple as submitting your information online, but with these steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating a fantastic listing.
Need more help for selling your home? See our free resource below: A Guide to Selling Your Home.
.png)
back to top