Tour any potential REALTOR’s listings on the web.   See how well their listings are presented using the following list of suggestions.

1. Photograph the Front

• Crop out sidewalks and streets.
• Remove vehicles from driveway / front of home.
• Shoot up-close & angled photos.
• Avoid shade on the house.
• Clear away vegetation blocking front door or path to door.
   

  2. Exterior Photographs

• Emphasize space and shoot long.
• Mow the lawn & trim bushes.
• Remove evidence of pets.
• Put away children’s toys.
• Avoid shooting into the sun.
   

  3. Interior Photographs

• Take photographs of every room. Open drapes & blinds
• Turn on lights.
• Focus on interesting details like the condition of a wood floor or a fireplace mantle.
• Remove trash cans & close toilet lids in bathrooms.
• Avoid shooting into mirrors because your image will reflect.
   

  4. Virtual Tours

• A good virtual tour will grab a buyer by the hand and lead her from room to room, showing a 360-degree view.
• A good virtual tour will be a “live” video tour not just the agent’s still photos put together to music.
• Virtual tours can also include individual photos available for download or to print.
   

  5. Signage.

• Try talking to a neighbor, whose home is located at the corner of a busy street, asking for permission to put a sign in that yard with an arrow pointing toward yours.
• Agent signs should include the phone number of the office and the agent’s mobile.  The idea being that a potential buyer can call immediately to talk to an agent about the property.
   

  6. Print Advertising

• Local newspapers. You can probably run a larger ad for less money that will more closely target those looking in your area.
• Real estate publications. Homes Guides are generally published quarterly or monthly.
• Every Web site you can find. Listings at Harp and Associates are syndicated so this step is complete as soon as you list.
   

  7.  Host Broker / Agent Tours

• Agents who linger in your home will better remember details to later describe to buyers.
• The best way to entice an agent to hang around is food. Doesn’t need to be expensive, sandwiches will suffice.  Most listing agents will schedule this type of tour and provide a host, either a financial institution or title company.
• As agents munch and network, the hope is they will admire your home and bring back a buyer.
• In the local Harrison, AR market, agents have found that this type of Open House is more beneficial than general public open house.

First-time home buyers are dear to my heart.  They may be the reason  I became a REALTOR.  I remember that first home that my husband and I purchased.  I remember the fear, the butterflies, and the excitement.  I remember the REALTOR.  He was an acquaintance that became a trusted friend throughout the process.  He helped negotiate the purchase price and find the best mortgage company with the best interest rate.  We had never been through this process and we needed a professional to guide us.

Melissa Collins

At Harp and Associates, we have trusted professionals that can walk with you through the home buying process.  There are many good reasons to purchase a home, even with the media driven perception that the real estate market is suffering.  Our inventory has many good properties that would make a warm and comforting home for your family.  There are emotional reasons and financial reasons to own a home.  I can guide you through that process so the fear and butterflies are taken over by excitement because you are assured of your decisions.