9 Creative Ways to Market a House for Sale (Get Innovative and Stand Out!)

Most sellers rely on the usual marketing tactics: basic listing descriptions, standard social media posts, and uninspired double-sided flyers. But you’re not like most sellers. You’ve got a flair for creativity, a taste for bold moves, and a desire to break away from the ordinary. Why not bring that unique energy to your home sale?

We’ve gathered 9 creative ways to market a house for sale that are sure to make your property stand out. With real-life examples of innovative marketing and fresh takes on classic strategies, these ideas will help your home get noticed — no matter the price point. Get creative and stand out!

For added expertise, we co-created this list with real estate marketing aficionados Valerie Garcia, business consultant and speaker, and Annette Wilcox, Realtor® and owner of Century 21 Wilcox & Associates in Norwalk, Ohio.

Without further ado, let’s get the creative juices flowing.

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1. Have you tried an inflatable dinosaur?

Nothing stands out more in a listing than a unicorn in the bathroom. That’s exactly how homeowner and real estate agent Lynn Keyland marketed her home in Lexington, Kentucky. Each photo included an inflatable unicorn and dinosaur in the scene, highlighting the home’s spacious rooms.

A gimmick is a trick or device intended to draw attention. They’re strangely attractive, highly memorable, and sometimes a little bit repulsive. Nonetheless, if you know your audience, a gimmick is a fun way to create buzz for your house for sale. In Lynn’s case, her inflatable friends drew the biggest open house she’d ever held. Her home sold for just $2,000 less than the asking price, thanks to creative marketing.

2. Market around unconventional holidays

Garcia recommends marketing your home around oddball holidays:

  • National Cheeseburger Day, September 18:
    “National Cheeseburger Day is a great one,” Garcia says. “So your house is three blocks from a place that makes amazing cheeseburgers — now you’ve got a holiday that you can tie into your marketing without it being super obvious.”
  • Earth Day, April 22:
    Highlight your home’s green features such as solar power, double paned windows, LED lighting, and low-water plants in an e-blast or ad in the local paper. In March 2024, a report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed that 57% of Realtors considered promoting energy efficiency in listings to be either very or somewhat valuable. And don’t forget to boast about the utilities savings that come with the territory.
  • National Donut Day, First Friday in June:
    Share the five best places to get donuts near your house on social media with #nationaldonutday.
  • National Origami Day, November 11:
    Pass out house flyers with instructions on the back on how to fold a paper square into a crane. Bonus points if your house flaunts Japanese architectural elements or landscaping.

3. Make a video that’s short and sweet

When you are seeking creative ways to market a house for sale, keep in mind that online home shoppers are very visual. Create a short video highlighting your property’s best features. Here are the best video lengths for each platform:

  • Instagram: 30 seconds
  • Twitter: 45 seconds
  • Facebook: 1 minute
  • YouTube: Under 3 minutes OR over 10 minutes
  • Pinterest: 3 minutes

Choose a theme for the video considering your overall marketing budget and audience:

  • Music video:
    A little lip syncing goes a long way on the Internet. More of a dancer? Show off your best moves like this San Diego real estate agent “flossing” to A-ha’s “Take On Me” throughout the whole house.
  • Aerial adventure: Take buyers on an aerial adventure: Showcase your home’s stunning location, beautiful back yard, or sprawling acreage with an unforgettable drone video.
  • Home tour:
    You don’t need a big budget to create a standout home tour video. Use a smartphone with built-in stabilization or a compact gimbal for smooth footage. Bring in a charismatic tour guide with a strong social media presence or an engaging on-camera personality — like this Canadian real estate agent who sells condos with his signature dry humor
  • Luxury lifestyle:
    If you’re selling a luxury home in a competitive market, consider hiring a video professional to showcase the property’s unique features.

4. Partner with local micro-influencers

Boost your listing’s visibility by teaming up with local micro-influencers — like your favorite dog groomer or coffee shop owner. Show some community love by cross-promoting with a well-known local figure who has between 1,000 and 100,000 followers.

Create a win-win arrangement: You post about their business to your audience, and in return, they spotlight your home on their social channels. It’s an authentic way to engage potential buyers while strengthening local connections!

Consider team-ups like these to expand your listing’s reach:

  • Your interior designer or architect:
    Showcase your home’s style and give credit where it’s due. Post a stunning photo of your sophisticated living room or beautifully designed back yard, tagging the designer or architect in the caption. It’s a win-win: you highlight their talent, and their followers get a glimpse of your property.
  • Neighborhood taqueria:
    Turn your open house into a fiesta! Partner with the best Mexican restaurant in town to set up a taco stand and create a buzz-worthy event. Ask buyers to RSVP or bring their agent — keeping the salsa for serious prospects only. Afterward, post photos of happy attendees to give those who missed out a serious case of FOMO.
  • Dog groomer:
    Let your furry friend steal the show! Share an adorable or funny photo of your pet at home with a catchy caption. Tag your groomer, a local shelter, or a pet influencer and ask for a repost. It’s a cute, authentic way to attract attention and boost visibility in your community.

5. Get more shares by adding familiar faces

“People tend to interact more if there’s somebody in the picture they know,” Wilcox says. “So if you have a well-known agent in the picture, it tends to get more traction on social media than just copying and pasting a URL from the MLS.”

More interactions and shares mean your post travels further on social media, reaching friends of friends who might be potential buyers.

Wilcox attributes eight of her home sales last year to buyers finding the listings through social media.

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6. Sell the lifestyle, not the fantasy

Your home isn’t just a building — it’s a lifestyle. Instead of focusing on distant attractions like a six-hour drive to the nearest ski resort, highlight what makes everyday life special. Think cozy nights by the wood-burning fireplace, perfect for board games, or the spacious kitchen where flour flies every time you bake one of Grandma’s recipes.

“Really tie in those stories of what it’s like to actually live there,” Garcia says. “I’m all for staging and making the house look beautiful, but sometimes those little imperfections can be some of the most charming.”

Make buyers feel warm and fuzzy inside with creative details like these in your listing and social media posts:

  • Read a book (or fall asleep trying) rocking in the hammock on the side of the house.
  • Wine snobs and budget sippers alike will love the closet-turned-wine room under the stairs.
  • When Sir Barksalot tires of chasing squirrels in this fenced back yard, take him to the top-rated dog park just a five-minute walk down the road.

Keep it universal

Remember, the goal is to appeal to as many buyers as possible. Marketing a lifestyle that’s too niche or, let’s say, specific can backfire. Take the case of a five-bedroom home in Pennsylvania that went viral for its basement sex dungeon. While the listing got national attention from outlets like BuzzFeed and VICE, the fallout was less than ideal. The MLS pulled the photos, neighbors were outraged, Realtors criticized the agent, and after four months with no serious offers, the owner delisted it. Sometimes, keeping it PG is the best way to sell.

7. Create shareable GIFs and memes free

“Make a quick GIF with a bunch of kids jumping in the pool. It doesn’t have to be this long video,” Garcia says. Attention spans are short, so keep it quick and fun! Use GIPHY or Instagram’s Boomerang feature. These bite-sized clips are perfect for sharing and grab attention faster than long, staged videos.

If you’ve got a knack for internet humor, make a meme that ties in your listing. Free tools like Imgflip make it easy, and memes are pure gold for social media. Need help? Ask your agent — real estate agents love a good meme more than anyone!

8. Bring your listing to life with local history

Create a double-sided flyer: one side showcasing your home, the other sharing a fascinating piece of local history. Dive into your area’s past by visiting local libraries, museums, or historical societies. Old photos can be found on sites like The Library of Congress or Historic Images. Your home doesn’t have to be a century old to benefit from this approach — every era has a story to tell!

Here are some creative angles to get you started:

  • Then vs. now: Compare historical and current photos of your home or nearby landmarks.
  • Blueprint backstory: Find the home’s original blueprints at a local historical society.
  • Natural narratives: Highlight efforts to preserve a nearby nature reserve.
  • Town tales: Summarize how your town was founded and what makes it unique today.
  • Hometown heroes: Celebrate local athletes or notable figures, especially if your listing aligns with a big event.
  • Time capsule: Make a fun list of world events that happened the year your house was built.

This approach adds depth to your listing and creates a memorable connection with potential buyers!

9. Send postcards with something of value

When it comes to postcards, put yourself in a stranger’s shoes and ask, “Would I keep this or throw it out with the rest of the junk mail?”

Split your postcard space between your listing details and a valuable extra:

  • Local events happening in the next three months
  • Cookie recipe with a photo of the beautiful kitchen
  • Custom crossword puzzle or sudoku
  • NFL or MBA schedule featuring a logo of your local team at the top
  • List of the best movies on Netflix right now next to a pic of the living room or home theater

If your postcard makes it through the mail sorting process, it has the potential to spread far and wide, landing in the hands of potential buyers.

“I do a postcard mailing for every listing,” Wilcox says. “If you get a postcard at your house and you love your neighborhood and you know a neighbor’s house is up for sale, how easy is it to take that postcard to work, share it with your friends, or have it on your refrigerator.”

Get creative, and get sold!

Today, your house has the potential to reach more buyers than ever. According to DataReportal, 70.1% of Americans are on social media, with the vast majority visiting these sites at least once a day. So go ahead, add some spice with one of these creative ways to market your house. Make your listing materials irresistibly shareable. A creative way to market a house for sale could be just what it takes to bring in the right buyer. Your buyer might just be a few likes and a repost away.

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