Even in competitive markets, as a home seller it can be a challenge to connect with the buyers you actually want to connect with, close at the right time, or feel satisfied getting the deal you envisioned. This is especially true if you have a unique property or unique selling features, or you just want to make sure your home ends up in good hands. Today’s shoppers have a lot of options, an excess of information, and are easily distracted making it difficult to engage, build connections, and ultimately make the right sale.
What can you do to make your home stand out? There are many interesting ideas that have been developed in order to turn heads and sell homes. Some of the more extreme examples include giving away free cars, boats, or vacations, offering to cover mortgage payments, or even an individual in the U.S. offering their hand in marriage if someone bought their house.
While those might not be practical in most cases, or for most budgets, here are some creative ideas that might add some energy to your selling process and help you make the deal you want.
1. Inclusions and incentives
While giving away a car might seem extreme, or unnecessary, there are other ways to incentivize a purchase and add value to a sale. Easy add-ons include furnishings or amenities in your home, like fitness equipment or a TV. Or perhaps there was a patio set or piece of furniture that was perfect in your space and caught a buyer's eye. A small inclusion can go a long way towards winning over a buyer's emotions.
2. Boost your marketing skills and tell a story
Being media savvy is a smart strategy to add some additional marketing appeal to your listing. Professional photos are essential, but virtual home tours and videos are amazingly engaging ways to showcase your home. Don’t forget aerial drone images to add a bird’s eye view of your property and the surrounding area.
Social media is today’s go-to tool for talking-up and promoting listings and should definitely be on your list. Other creative marketing content could include an eBook or dedicated website. Don’t be limited to the traditional approach, think about personalizing the content for buyers and working to tell the story about your love for your home and your neighbourhood.
3. Make it an open-house party
One interesting promotional idea is to host a next-level open house and turn it into a bit of party. This is a fun way to generate excitement, connect with buyers, and celebrate your property and how perfect it is for entertaining. Just like a real party, send out invitations, serve refreshments, and offer gift bags. You can even think about streaming the event live online. Also take some time to personalize and highlight all the exceptional features in your home, like posting signage next to unique features with personal stories.
4. Staging and eye-catching upgrades
If you’re wondering how to get creative about your curb appeal, a professional stager is the person to talk to. Staging is an excellent way to revamp and inject new inspiration into your space, capturing the imaginations of potential buyers. A team of stagers, designers, and furniture dealers can give your home a complete makeover and explore your space’s full potential. This is really beneficial if you aspire to connect with a certain type of buyer. Taking it to the next level, some stagers specialize in areas like feng shui and will work with you to reposition your home’s energy (or chi) and make shoppers feel much more welcome.
It's also a good idea to get creative about renovations or upgrades and look at interesting ways, no matter how simple, to spruce up and refresh your home. Many small elements are relatively inexpensive to install or upgrade, like smart appliances or even a hot tub, but really make a mark with shoppers who want something just a little different.
5. Rethink your selling strategy
Seemingly less creative, another way to get inventive about your home sale is by rethinking your selling strategy. There’s plenty of options in this direction, but it's a good idea to talk to a real estate agent first.
Re-strategizing can be beneficial if you have a unique or higher end home, or want to reach purchasers in different markets. One tactic suggested by experts is to have your home ready but delay listing it in order to create anticipation or word-of-mouth buzz. Different pricing strategies can also help, such as listing your property below value to engage a wider audience of buyers and inspire interest and activity that will translate into offers. Reverse offers are another outside-the-box idea, if you’ve got the right buyer interested and lined up but need something extra to make a deal happen.
If you have questions about the value of your home, or any aspect of real estate investing – talk to your mortgage broker. If you don’t have a mortgage broker, visit our find a mortgage broker tool.
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