January 11, 2010

What Do Buyers Look For In A Home Search?

The real estate industry has seen a significant change over the past 10 years as to how it markets homes. The most common methods in the 1990s were yard signs, newspaper ads and open houses. These marketing tools are not that helpful anymore.

According to the National Association of Realtors in a Jan 5, 2010 press release, 90 percent of buyers search online. As an example, Realtor.com attracts nearly 12 million visits monthly. Buyers want pictures and descriptions and mapping capabilities to assist them with their home search. Well constructed websites do just that.

I asked a couple of my clients what they look for in a Internet search, here are their comments:

1. Above all videos or photos are a must have and don't just show pictures of the outside of the home. Consumers are savy and know that the house must be a tear down if you don't want to show any photos of it. Listings should be factual and explain it's a "fixer upper" if it's not in great condition.

2. Write a great description that accurately explains the benefits and amenities of the home. Typos and misspellings are a turnoff. Proofread your work!

3. Realtors are now able to incorporate the mutiple listing service into their websites, yet many do not. My clients won't even stop on a website that doesn't offer this type of search.

4. Gimmicks don't sell homes; good Realtors do. Consumers are smart and want staightforward advice. I saw an ad last year where the Realtor was pictured without a shirt in front of his Hummer. He wasn't a bad-looking gentleman, but how does having great pecs help someone sell a home? Interestingly I don't see that ad running anymore