When you sign a listing agreement with an agent, you expect the traditional sign in your yard and for your property to be listed. But, where it’s listed can be the difference between a quick sell or a slow one. In our area, all listings that go through the realtor’s multiple listing service is automatically posted to www.realtor.com. Some agents view this as a one- stop listing; just upload and BOOM –it’s done and they can just sit back and wait for the calls.
However, in this day and age of all things hashtag, is that the only place they should leave your listing?
Most buyer’s agents, when shopping for their clients, peruse this website and MLS. But, most individuals – before contacting an agent and after – take to social media to do their shopping. Perhaps more importantly, are those who don’t search specifically for a home. This is an untapped audience. They drop little search crumbs along their path through the web by opening articles on how to rearrange a room to create more space, or shop online for items to spruce up an old home; all the while building up to the idea that they will soon to be on the hunt for a new home.
Hire an agent who will put your home in the feeds of those who are not just house hunting hard and heavy and with the assistance of a buyer's agent, but those who are house shopping as a pastime.
Take, for instance, those frustrated work-from-homers who need more space to accommodate their home office (those who when they bought their current home had no idea working from home would be an option, let alone preferred in our current Covid-19 era). Or, the growing family – two kids already and an unexpected one on the way. Or, recent empty-nesters considering downsizing. You know, people who are just toying with the idea of buying a new home, but not yet fully committed - UNTIL they see their dream home - and answer to their prayers - magically drop into their laps via Facebook – like it’s fate.
If you are still living under the conspiracy theory cloud that Big Brother is watching you and is invading your Facebook feed with what you could have sworn was just a fleeting thought in your head, think again. That, my friend, is your friendly social media marketer who is prodding you to buy those oh-so-cute heels from an online store after you opened an email from your favorite clothing and footwear boutique. Those online prescription sunglasses that popped up on Instagram that you now cannot live without? That's an ad that specifically targeted you because you Googled your optometrist's phone number. Think of how social media can work for you when selling your home!
In addition to a Realtor, you need a social media marketer – someone who not only will make it their mission to push your home out into the WWW DOT WORLD, but knows exactly how and when and who to put it in front of.
When interviewing your real estate agent prospect, ask them how they will advertise your property. Ensure they know how to market, especially in social media, or has a team who can do this for them. It can be vital to the sale of your property in a highly competitive market.
Christie is a REALTOR/Sales Agent, as well as social media marketer for Bufkin Properties, Inc. She derived marketing experience from her former role as social media marketer in the gaming industry and holds a Bachelor's in Journalism and Marketing.
Christie Bufkin Beck, REALTOR/Sales Agent
Bufkin Properties, Inc.
o. 601-941-6740
c. 601-919-5750
christiebufkinbeck@gmail.com