Attention Sellers

Over the years, I have worked equally well with Buyers and Sellers. So why did I choose to speak to Sellers?

There is a massive divide between the buying and the selling processes. Selling is far more complicated and challenging.

Think about it. There is a lot of information targeting the first-time Buyer. Internet sites, TV shows, books all tell them about the process. Everybody is focussed on educating the Buyer. 

What about the first-time Seller or even an experienced one? Who is teaching the Seller? There are a multitude of TV shows and internet sites out there dealing with staging a house, what colour of paint to use, and how to declutter. And although staging, also known as fluffing, is important to an extent, it is by far not the most important element of marketing and selling a home.

We are in a Sellers’ market. But it’s a fallacy to think that every house is selling quickly, for full or over asking price and more importantly, for its full and true value.

The Buyers have changed the game and Sellers are lagging behind.

The internet and technology have changed, not only the way we live our lives, but also the way we search for homes. (Do you know that, today, more than 90% of all home buyers begin their search online?). Buyers are harnessing technology to their advantage. Technology has allowed them to change the game.

Not so long ago, Buyers were dependent on real estate agents who were the gatekeepers of all the information Buyers seeked. Agents had the listings, the prices, the pictures. But thanks to technology, today’s buyers are a very different crowd. They scour the listings on their own. All the info they need, they can access online. They have access to all MLS listings. They have the photos. They have all the features of every house out there… They research; they compare; they do their homework. They are highly educated and sophisticated. They develop high demands and expectations. They are equipped and they are ready.

The Buyers are initiating and driving the change; they are harnessing the power of technology to their advantage. The question is: are Sellers doing the same? Unfortunately not.

My goal is to place Sellers on an equal footing with the Buyer.

Using technology to benefit the Seller.

Why have sellers' agents been slow to respond? Because of the complexity of the change driven by technology. It is an established fact that real estate marketing has officially changed.  The last few years have been a whirlwind of crash courses in social media, blogging, virtual Tours, videos and other creative online tools.  Many agents remained on the fence as to whether or not to jump on board this seemingly passing phase, failing to come up with processes for the most effective way to market their listings using these media. But online marketing is not a passing phase!

Marketing homes has evolved into a highly specialized field. Too many have failed to embrace the magnitude of the change and how profoundly it has impacted the marketing of homes. It’s no longer enough to put an ad in the paper and call oneself a marketing expert. At the same time, it’s not enough to merely embrace technology and to understand how to use it. An agent must thoroughly understand the mindset and shopping habits of the buyer using it.  They must speak directly to potential buyers, use their language, capture their attention and lead them to your door.

Today, more than ever before, Sellers need a Seller's specialist. One who understands the full range of marketing options and who can utilize technology in their favour. (If 90% of all searches originate online today, doesn’t it only make sense that 90% of all marketing should be done online?)

What’s the bottom line?

Due diligence. Today, the agent remains the prime, if not the only source of information for the Seller. Become aware of the massive change technology has brought to the field of home marketing, carefully search for and hire an agent who specializes in that field rather than a jack-of-all-trades.  After all, the cost is the same, but the results won’t be!

Remember: You have to be seen to be sold.

• See my latest article with tips for Sellers
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