Posts tagged real estate advertising

Why Buy Owner Works

May26
2009 1 Comment Written by Carrie

Using Buy Owner

(or, the change from newspaper advertising to Internet)

On average, how much time do you spend on the Internet each day? According to a poll on the New Business Blog, nearly 65% of Americans spend at least eight hours a day surfing the net. And Business Week claims that 22% of those people are just checking their mail for one to three hours. This means that over half of the people in the United States are online for one-third of any given day!

With that being said, using an online marketing service like Buy Owner to sell your home is more efficient than listing your home in your local newspaper. Here’s why:

• Web sites are easier to remember. If a prospective buyer is looking for a house, he/she is more likely to remember the name of a Web site than the phone number of an agent. By choosing one of Buy Owner’s online advertising packages, your property will get more recognition, as it is easily searchable on the Internet. Rather than taking the time to peruse through paper listings, a potential buyer can type in a few keywords and check a few boxes to see the types of the houses they want to purchase. And that house could be yours!

• Your listing is available 24/7! Your Buy Owner advertisement boasts professional photos of your property, in addition to a virtual tour. This way, possible buyers have 24-hour access to the ins and outs of your home. The only way someone could be able to see a house listed in the newspaper would be to call the listed number to schedule a showing within strict time constraints. With Buy Owner, buyers can see everything your home has to offer any time of day (or night) with the click of a mouse.

• Potential buyers get to interact with your property. The most unique feature of online marketing is that it is an interactive medium. As mentioned above, buyers can scroll through photos of your house and take a virtual tour of your home, in addition to reading the descriptive text about your property. With the ability of Buy Owner to provide buyers with more than just textual information, the buyers will feel more confident about purchasing your home than if they were merely looking at a print ad with one photo of the front of your house. Also, if buyers live out of state, they don’t even need to schedule a showing, because they can see everything they need to see right on the computer!

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , , , ,

The Value of Buy Owner Ad-Writing

Nov17
2008 1 Comment Written by Carrie

Time and time again, Buy Owner® real estate marketing has proven to be an effective tool to help homeowners sell their own properties, cutting out the middle men and helping you pocket the difference. Just take a look at these testimonials!

Q: But what, exactly, goes into creating a Buy Owner advertisement?

A: In many regional markets, Buy Owner’s in-house writing department crafts your copy. After carefully examining photographs taken by your sales rep, the writers create text about the exterior portion of your home and take potential buyers through each of the rooms as they are laid out inside the house. Each Buy Owner writer takes a lot into consideration when writing an advertisement for a residential real estate property.

Sentence variation

While Buy Owner writers do use simple sentences, they also utilize creative adjectives and verbiage to vary their sentences.

Here’s an example of simple sentences describing a home’s exterior:

 Colorful perennials, vibrant bushes and distinctive flower boxes add curb appeal. The front yard is gated. The sidewalk is made of custom curved brick. The covered front porch as been renovated.

Here’s an example of a Buy Owner writer’s description of a home’s exterior:

 Colorful perennials, vibrant bushes and distinctive flower boxes create charming curb appeal in the gated front yard. A custom curved brick sidewalk winds around to a renovated covered porch.

Adjective and verbiage variation

There are most likely a variety of features in your home that you would like to see highlighted in your Buy Owner ad, whether it’s upgraded carpeting, brand-new bathrooms, stainless steel appliances or something else. Rather than writing “The living room has this,” The family room has that” or “The kitchen has these,” Buy Owner writers choose from 100+ adjectives and verbs to keep potential buyers interested in reading more about your property.

Here’s an example of a simple description of a home’s living room:

 The living room is next to the foyer. It has plush carpeting and neutral-painted walls with crown molding. The casement windows have custom treatments. The living room also has French doors to the family room.

Here’s an example of a Buy Owner writer’s description of a home’s living room:

 Adjacent to the foyer, the living room welcomes you with new plush carpeting and neutral-painted walls, detailed with crisp crown molding. Custom treatments, including top-down/bottom-up blinds and draperies, garnish the casement windows for the perfect amount of natural light, while a set of French doors grants access to the family room.

Descriptive headers

Many Buy Owner advertisements are topped with descriptive headers that give you a general overview of the entire property.

Here are examples of generic headers:

 BRICK HOUSE
 WOOD FLOORS
 VIEW OF LAKE
 APPLIANCES
 NICE LOCATION

Here are examples of descriptive Buy Owner headers

 CHARMING BRICK BUNGALOW
 GLEAMING HARDWOOD FLOORS
 FANTASTIC WATERFRONT VIEW
 STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES
 15 MINUTES TO HWY/TRAIN

For more reasons why these Buy Owner descriptions matter, check out this post! And with Buy Owner, you as the customer always have complete authority over everything in your ad. If you want to tweak the description or hope to highlight something specific, Buy Owner is happy to help!

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , , ,

Have You Held an Open House Yet?

Mar24
2008 4 Comments Written by Shanna

Open House 2As spring approaches and you continue to improve your home’s potential to sell, consider scheduling an open house!

Inviting interested buyers into your home can be an effective method for bringing traffic into your property.

Getting buyers inside your residence may make all the difference between mildly interested and ready to buy.

How to Get the Word Out:
Buy Owner sellers enjoy the option of flagging their property in online listings, highlighting the time and date of the next showing to interested viewers. Easily manipulated in seller dashboards, this option allows sellers to promote their open houses to anyone who views the residence.

Things to Keep in Mind:
Preparing your home well can do wonders to sway the opinions of buyers. Don’t overlook the power of presentation!

See these Buy Owner Blog articles for more information:
1. “Eliminating Odors”
2. “Preparing for a Showing”
3. “Smile for the Camera: Staging Your Home”

Safety First!
One last thing: On the day of your open house, remember to be very alert to what’s going around you. For added safety, it’s a good idea to take some precautions:

1. If at all possible, arrange for someone else to be at the open house with you.
2. If you’re alone, tell a friend when your open house will be held, and arrange for regular phone calls to check in on you.
3. Plan to have a strategy in place if you don’t answer the phone or anything suspicious happens, whether that means your friend should come over or call a neighbor or the police.
4. Turn on all the lights and open the curtains for maximum visibility.
5. Ask neighbors to keep an eye out during the showing.
6. Require visitors to sign in when entering (bonus: this gives you a way to follow-up!).
7. Direct guests through your home rather than letting them wander on their own.
8. Check all the rooms throughout the home after the showing is over.

Combining all these strategies will give you the competitive edge in your showing. Be ready for your open house, and you might just welcome your future buyer inside!

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , ,

How to Be a Creative Seller

Mar20
2008 Leave a Comment Written by Shanna

SellingIn today’s buyers’ market, it’s not enough to list your home for sale. Putting a sign in the front yard is a start, but usually it will take more–much more–to find a buyer for a property.

You need to maximize your selling power, getting the word out to as many people as possible. Casting a wide net increases your chances of finding a buyer.

How can you do this?

Step One: Choose the best Buy Owner advertising package available.

Meeting with a Buy Owner marketing person will allow you to see the options available. With Buy Owner, you have all the power: select photos, virtual tours, length of description and advertising placement. Plus, enjoy editorial authority over everything the advertising staff creates!

Step Two: Let your Buy Owner advertising work for you.

Once you’ve selected your advertising package and customized it to your preferences, you’re already well on your way to a smart sale. Let your marketing materials work for you on the incredibly popular Buy Owner website (www.buyowner.com). Reaching a nationwide audience, this ad showcases your property’s strengths and features. You’ll also be able to log into your seller tools and create flyers, check stats and more. Use these features to their fullest, consulting the Buy Owner customer service department with any questions, 7 days a week.

Step Three: Combine the power of your Buy Owner advertising with a little creativity.

There are ways you can strengthen your ad’s effectiveness; all you need is a little creativity. The key principle to keep in mind is casting a wide net: remember, the more people who see your ad, the more likely you are to find a buyer!

Find places online where you can post free links to your online ad: think about Craigslist or Google. E-mail your online address book with links to your ad, asking friends to pass it along to anyone who may be interested. Blog about your home sale. Talk to friends and neighbors. Hold open houses, and use your seller tools to mark the dates online.

Do everything you can to generate interest.

The Result:

Taking these steps will put you in the driver’s seat of your home sale, increasing the views on your advertisement and drawing potential buyers. Keep the creative juices flowing, and see what additional ideas you can come up with to get the word out about your home!

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , ,

25 Extra Tricks for Drawing Buyers

Nov09
2007 6 Comments Written by Shanna

Idea Bulb When you’re selling your home with Buy Owner, your property receives a  premium marketing plan, which could include up to all of the following options (not all options available with all plans):

  • National advertising on the Buy Owner website
  • Appearance in Buy Owner Magazine
  • Talking yard sign
  • Participation in the computer matchmaking system
  • Toll-free number
  • Stunning photographs of the exterior, interior, and community
  • Descriptive text that highlights your home’s features
  • Professional, 360-degree virtual tours

Maximize the impact of your Buy Owner advertising by putting a little legwork into your sale to get the word out! Remember, goal #1 in selling your home: get your phone to ring!

DISTRIBUTE FLYERS: Print out flyers using your Buy Owner seller tools*, and distribute them everywhere you can**:

  1. Area supermarkets and stores.
  2. Cafes.
  3. Local schools.
  4. Non-profit organizations.
  5. Libraries.
  6. Laundromats.
  7. Independent booksellers.
  8. Any additional place where you can obtain permission to post!
  9. Keep flyers with you at all times, ready to hand out.

    10. USE YOUR CONNECTIONS

  10. Post on the bulletin board at work, if possible.
  11. If your subdivision/neighborhood offers a bulletin board or some kind of announcement section, post your flyer there! By posting in the neighborhood, you’re targeting people who are already attracted to your location.
  12. Your town/city may have a similar bulletin board option at the town center.
  13. Fax your flyer to the human resources departments of area businesses for relocation purposes.

    14. TELL YOUR FRIENDS

  14. Talk about your home sale with your friends and family.
  15. Mention it at work, at stores, with new acquaintances.
  16. Bring it up at book club, community events, parties, showers, holiday gatherings.
  17. Be on the lookout for people who are house-hunting. You never know who will lead to your buyer!

    18. LINK TO YOUR BUY OWNER AD

  18. Create free online ads at places like Craigslist and Google that link to your Buy Owner page. You’ll be drawing even more people to look at your home’s photos, tours and text!
  19. E-mail everyone in your e-mail address book a link to your online ad and ask them to pass it on to anyone who’s in the market.
  20. Blog about your home sale. If you, or someone you know, blogs regularly, that can be a great way to spread the word about your property. Try to get a post written that links to your advertisement and mentions some of your home’s key features.

    21. HOLD AN OPEN HOUSE

  21. Schedule an open house on a weekend afternoon when not a lot of community events are happening. Hint: don’t plan the open house on the day of a big football game or the weekend of a holiday.
  22. Promote your open house everywhere (see above for suggestions about flyers).
  23. On the day of the open house, have a niece or nephew run a lemonade stand out front. This will help draw in other passers-by, inviting them inside.
  24. Mark your open house online, through your Buy Owner seller tools*.
  25. Make the most of other open houses in the area. Check local ads, and when an open house is scheduled in nearby, put out a sign and draw those visitors to your home.

    26. *Call Buy Owner’s customer service department if you need help navigating through your seller tools.

    **Be careful to abide by all local ordinances regarding private property and only post the flyer after obtaining permission.

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , , , , , ,

About the BuyOwner.com Blog

Welcome to the BuyOwner.com Blog, your source for regularly updated market information!

Founded in 1984, BuyOwner.com® is the leading provider of real estate marketing services. We pioneered the "For Sale by Owner" (FSBO) market, which today represents over 20 percent of all residential real estate transactions.

You can read more about BuyOwner.com here.

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