Today’s real estate buyers are savvier than ever. This is mainly because Millennials are now of home buying age and they are the most internet friendly generation that home buyers have ever encountered. Millennials have grown up with access to infinite information at their fingertips via the internet. They search and review everything online before taking the next steps in the purchasing decision process. They love videos, photographs, and social sharing. Zillow has stated that Millennials will overtake baby boomers as the generation purchasing the largest number of homes this year. This makes their preferences more important than ever.
How can you market your home to Generation Y? Below you will find 4 tips to assist you with selling your home to Millennials.
4 Tips to Sell Your Home in 2015 from our Real Estate Lawyer
1. Excellent Photographs are Crucial. Gone are the days of a drive-by being the first time a buyer sees your home. Today’s home buyers will see your home for the first time on the internet. If they don’t like what they see online, they will keep searching on the internet until they find a home photograph they do like. Most buyers look at photographs before even reading your home description. If you don’t have outstanding photographs, you are doing it wrong. Here’s what you don’t need: dark photos, no photos, only one photo of the front exterior of your house, photos of messes and clutter, photos with toilet seats up, photos with pets included, and the list goes on. Your real estate agent’s first priority when marketing your home should be excellent photographs that include the home’s exterior (front and back), interior (all rooms), good lighting, no clutter, day and evening photographs (if necessary), and any special features. Many times you will find real estate listings bragging about the great view from the home with not a single photograph of the “great view” mentioned. If you can’t impress buyers online, you’ll never get them in your front door.
2. Conduct Pre-Sale Inspections. Conducting pre-sale inspections will take care of a few issues. First, if you discover any issues with your home during any type of inspection, you can correct the problem or price the home accordingly. Second, you seem upfront and honest to buyers. You have nothing to hide. Third, you are saving buyers time and money on inspections. This speeds up an offer and closing time. Last, you will eliminate the back and forth hassle with buyers regarding price reductions or credits due to faulty equipment, systems, or structure.
3. Choose A Technologically Advanced Real Estate Agent. Millennials are using their smart phones to perform most of their home buying searches. Your real estate agent must have a mobile-friendly website where Millennials can view your home. Apps are their preferred method to check home listings. They also want their questions answered right now. They are the Google generation and are used to receiving information when the need it, immediately. If they stop on your listing and have a question, how quickly can your real estate agent respond? Does your real estate agent’s website have a chat feature? Are they active in social media? Do they have a mobile website? Does the real estate company have an app?
4. Give Buyers Something. Millennials are used to getting freebies. If they ask for an early closing date, let them have it. If they want a home warranty, and you can do it, give it to them. If they ask for credits, supply them. If they want the patio furniture, let them have it. Small gestures go a long way.
Above all, when it comes to selling your home to any generation, put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Ask yourself these questions: Are these the photographs I would want to see when viewing my home online? Do these photographs of my home make me want to schedule a showing? Do these photographs represent my home in a top-quality manner? As a buyer, what completed inspections would help convince me to purchase a home? When viewing my home for sale on a smart phone, is the listing description, photographs, and contact information legible? How easily is my listing accessed online? How many websites is my home listed on and which ones? How quickly is my real estate agent updating my listing? How quickly is my real estate agent answering questions from potential buyers? (Ask a question online and see how long the response time is.) Is there anything I can include with my home that will help entice an offer, such as included furniture, hot tub, boat, etc.?
Contact Our Real Estate Lawyer
Are you a seller who needs assistance with your real estate transaction? Contact our real estate lawyer. Wynn at Law can assist you with all your legal real estate needs. Schedule an appointment by contacting our real estate lawyer by phone at 262-725-0175 or by email via our website’s contact page. Wynn at Law has offices located in Lake Geneva, Salem, and Delavan, Wisconsin.
*The content and material on this web page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
