Northern Utah Homes & Real Estate Blog

With the no rain in the 5-day forecast and temperatures reaching 70 degrees this weekend, you better believe the buyers will be house hunting!  After what’s felt like a winter that even Noah and his 4-legged friends would extend sympathy for, the sun is finally shinning upon us.

Seriously though, it never ceases to surprise me how much the weather has a play on peoples moods and emotions.  Certainly there are buyers in every season, but nothing compares to the home-shopping frenzy that spring and summer create.

So here are a few suggestions on steering the herd in your direction:

1. Get the word out!  First take advantage of all the “FREE” advertising possible.  KSL classifieds, Craigs List and Kijiji receive an insane amount of traffic, and the best part … it won’t cost you a dime.
2. Signage is definitely your biggest return on investment.  But be creative though, people are almost desensitized by the average “for sale” or directional signs.  Either get something that really captures people’s attention or better yet, add fresh balloons daily to your signage and capture people’s interest.
3. Place an ad in your local newspaper.  You don’t have to bounce the bank here, in fact a short, to the point liner ad will be sufficient.  Only give the basics such as address/price/beds/baths/sqft/and your phone #.  You just want to cover your bases here, if there’s a buyer looking for a home in your price range, they’ll know yours is available…and that’s our goal.
4. “Refresh” your marketing.  If your home has been listed with an agent for a while, invite them to freshen up the remarks, upload new photos, and send out an e-blast.  If your selling on your own let Realtors know you’re “friendly”, do this by adding a “Realtors Welcome” rider on your sign and include it on your flyers.  When they call to solicit your listing, let them know they can bring their buyers and they’ll be protected (meaning that if their buyer ends up buying, you’ll cover their 3% buyer-agents commission).
5. Most Important:  Cover the Basics!  You know…curb appeal, accessibility and most important…price.  If you’re not in line price-wise with the current market, the above tips will be a waste of time and effort.  Know what your competition is (sold, under contract, and actives) and adjust accordingly.  For more info on this topic see “re:  Why isn’t my home selling?”