| The real estate market has slowed down in many | | | | uploaded. |
| areas that were booming over the last few years. | | | | Brochures are a good idea, too. Put a brochure box |
| Sellers in those areas got spoiled. It was only | | | | out at the front of your property, and keep some |
| necessary to put a sign out front, and buyers came. | | | | indoors for the folks who tour your home. You can |
| Homes sold in a matter of days. This is no longer | | | | probably print an adequate brochure from your Internet |
| happening. If you want to sell your home in a slow | | | | listing. If you're good at it, you can make up your own |
| area, what do you do? | | | | magazine spread style brochure. |
| Go Back to Marketing Basics | | | | Brochures are useful in several ways. They make it |
| Whether you are selling your home yourself or | | | | easy for the people who just notice the sign or come |
| working with a realtor, the answer is the same. Go | | | | in following the lead-in signs to learn more about your |
| back to marketing basics. We'll look at things you can | | | | property. If they like what they see, they are apt to |
| do for yourself if you're selling as a fsbo (for sale by | | | | make an appointment to see your home in person. Be |
| owner). If you're wording with a realtor, you need to | | | | sure your brochure contains contact information such |
| interview to find one who will do the sorts of things | | | | as your phone number and perhaps your email |
| we'll talk about here. | | | | address. |
| Start with getting your home in first class shape. Then | | | | Brochures for people who tour your property will help |
| price it realistically. | | | | them remember it. People shopping for a home usually |
| Begin your marketing by putting up a "for sale" sign. | | | | look at lots of properties. After a while they get |
| About 10 percent of sales come from this source in a | | | | confused about what they have seen. Your brochure |
| slow market. It's not like the days when one put up a | | | | with photos will help them remember your home. |
| sign and buyers came in droves, but it is still worth | | | | That's a good thing because people are unlikely to |
| doing. Lowes and Home Depot both sell inexpensive | | | | write a contract offer on a home they can't remember |
| signs. Get one and install it. | | | | well. |
| Upload your property to one or more Internet multiple | | | | Are there bulletin boards at work or your place of |
| listing sites for fsbo properties. Choose one that | | | | worship? Put up a one page flyer or copies of your |
| encourages adding photos to listings. The more photos | | | | brochure if you can get permission. After all, the |
| the better. Buyers love pictures. Make sure the site | | | | location of your home must be reasonably convenient |
| doesn't have a bunch of listings that have already | | | | to those places. What about bulletin boards in the |
| been sold. Buyers get put off by sites where every | | | | grocery store where you shop, at your dry cleaners, in |
| property they call about has already been sold. Find a | | | | the drug store you frequent? |
| site that gives your property its own web address. | | | | The point is don't do just one thing. Use your head. Put |
| Don't forget lead in signs. These are signs indicating | | | | out as many marketing ambassadors for your home |
| there is a house for sale with arrows on them. They | | | | as you can figure out how to. The truth is people don't |
| can be placed at intersections to point people from a | | | | really sell homes. What they do is bring them to the |
| busy street through the turns necessary to get to your | | | | attention of enough people who are shopping for a |
| home. Lowes and Home Depot have these too. | | | | home that a buyer inevitably emerges. Present your |
| Classified ads in your local newspaper are a good | | | | home to enough potential buyers, and it will sell even in |
| idea. You can include a reference to your online listing. | | | | a slow market. |
| That can give you more mileage from the pictures you | | | | |