It\u2019s time to take a closer look at your competition and how you\u2019re pitching your house to the public so that you can turn this situation around. Here are 7 tips for how to get more house showings, starting with how to present your home at its best.<\/p>\n Smartphone photos are fine for selfies and vacation shots, but they put your home at a disadvantage. According to the National Association of Realtors\u2019 2019 \u2018Real Estate in a Digital Age\u2019 report, homebuyers across all generations rank listing photos as the no. 1 most valuable aspect of real estate websites<\/a> in their search for a home online.<\/p>\n If you think about it, the last step most homebuyers take before requesting a showing is flipping through that photo carousel of your house on the internet \u2014 if you aren\u2019t getting showings, poor photos could be the culprit. \u201cThe first showing is online,\u201d Degnan confirms.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re not getting showings, people are looking at your house online and deciding they don\u2019t want to see it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n A professional photographer<\/a> will know how to light your home, show off the spaces<\/a> that buyers most want to see (living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, and bath), and advise you if any areas look too cluttered on camera. A real estate photo shoot can cost about $110 to $300<\/a>, but your agent will likely include photography as part of their service package \u2014 and it\u2019s money well spent. One study by the Chicago-based real estate photography company VHT Studios found that homes with professional photography in the listing sold 32% faster<\/a> than those without such photos.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s say your photos were taken by a professional photographer, but your house wasn\u2019t photo-ready. It might be worth talking to your agent about reconfiguring key rooms and taking fresh photos of any spaces that aren\u2019t doing the home justice.<\/p>\n Perhaps it\u2019s as simple as removing some furniture or hiding a few ugly items (file cabinets, unsightly cords, or knick-knacks on the counter) to help your house photograph better. Another option called soft staging<\/a> adds artwork and decorative accents to keep the eye moving and highlight a room\u2019s features.<\/p>\n You can also talk to your agent about using virtual staging apps and software<\/a>, where you doctor photos of each room digitally with computer-generated furnishings, wall colors, and more. If you go the virtual staging route, make sure to follow best practices like marking the MLS images as virtually staged <\/a>so buyers aren\u2019t surprised to see something different in person. (You want to stoke buyers\u2019 imaginations, not trick them.)<\/p>\n Improving your home exterior can boost showing activity in two ways: first, it can entice more potential buyers who might drive or walk by and see the for-sale sign in the yard. In addition, great curb appeal can drastically enhance your home\u2019s exterior listing shots which will be some of the first images buyers see before checking out the interior.<\/p>\n Degnan remembered one client whose giant tree in the front yard took up most of the listing photos. \u201cThere was no good angle to get a picture,\u201d he says. \u201cI told the seller, \u2018Let\u2019s cut the tree,\u2019 and it sold.\u201d<\/p>\n More than 94% of the agents surveyed in HomeLight\u2019s Q2 2019 Top Agent Insights report say curb appeal adds to your bottom line<\/a> \u2014 and entices buyers from the moment they see the house.<\/p>\n Landscaping doesn\u2019t have to cost a lot, either. Mowing a lawn weekly can cost about $25 to $85<\/a>, depending on acreage. Mulching runs about $200 to $500<\/a>, and trimming one tree costs about $250 to $500<\/a>, according to HomeGuide.com.<\/p>\n A maintained landscape subtly tells buyers that you\u2019ve taken good care of the inside of the house, too.<\/p>\n Although the MLS (or Multiple Listing Service<\/a>) might have a limited number of characters for your agent to describe your home\u2019s features, there\u2019s no need for it to be dry.<\/p>\n \u201cYour listing needs to be descriptive, warm, and inviting,\u201d Degnan says. \u201cGet people to picture themselves living there.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t jump into statistical data such as square footage or the number of bedrooms and baths; that\u2019s already in the listing\u2019s data fields.<\/p>\n Rather, focus on the upgrades \u2014 brand names matter more than a generic \u201cnew HVAC\u201d \u2014 and tell potential buyers a story<\/a>. Instead of \u201cback porch,\u201d for instance, describe how your large porch has room for lounge chairs or a bistro table for enjoying your morning coffee or relaxing on summer evenings.<\/p>\n Also, ask your agent to compare your home\u2019s description against those of comparable properties. What can you promote to make your home stand out<\/a>? If you have a large family room or master bedroom, highlight the spaciousness.<\/p>\n Are you the only one in the neighborhood with a patio? Mention it!<\/p>\n What about the possible negatives to address? If there\u2019s something you can\u2019t change, like being near a busy street<\/a>, what else can you emphasize, such as proximity to dining, entertainment, and transportation<\/a>?<\/p>\n With 72% of the public<\/a> using at least one social media site, you\u2019re wise to boost your marketing on social media, especially on interactive and visual sites such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Consider hosting a virtual open house<\/a> on Facebook Live, where you or your agent can interact with viewers and answer questions.<\/p>\n On Instagram, share your best listing photos and use relevant hashtags<\/a> so your home pops up when people search for homes for sale in a certain area, suggests the online advertising software platform WordStream. Instagram also has video ads<\/a> as well as a carousel format where viewers can flip through several pictures like browsing through a catalogue.<\/p>\n Whether you host a traditional open house or a broker\u2019s open house<\/a> \u2014 one solely for real estate agents to talk up your home to their clients \u2014 be sure to get feedback from attendees. Although 63% of agents don\u2019t always recommend open houses<\/a> as a way to sell your home, an open house is an opportunity to collect honest feedback<\/a> about your home\u2019s pluses and minuses. Then you\u2019ll know better what to highlight in your marketing and what to address.<\/p>\n Your agent can provide a digital or paper questionnaire that asks people about their first impressions, what they liked most about the property \u2014 and what they disliked. (Find a sample questionnaire here<\/a>.) If several people liked the open layout of the kitchen, that\u2019s a selling point. Likewise, if several said the rooms seemed small, can you repaint, declutter some more, and rearrange the furniture for better traffic flow and more of a spacious feeling?<\/p>\n We understand that this is one option you might not want to face. Homeowners want top dollar when selling their homes, and they tend to worry that buyers might think there\u2019s something wrong with the house if they lower the price.<\/p>\n \u201cThey say, \u2018Oh, people are going to think I’m desperate and I\u2019m going to give the house away.\u2019 But at the current price, they\u2019re saying, \u2018Thanks but no thanks,\u2019\u201d Degnan says.<\/p>\n Even though your agent will have researched other sales in your area, your current price might not be keeping pace with market conditions.<\/p>\n Reducing the price \u2014 say, from $250,000 to $225,000 \u2014 reaches a new level of buyers, Degnan says. It also adds to your marketing plan because buyers always stop to read the ads that say, \u201cPrice reduced,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Agents often say there\u2019s a buyer for every house. If your listing hasn\u2019t generated a lot of showings, you just haven\u2019t found the right buyer yet (or how to reach them). Talk with your agent about your next steps so that prospective buyers are soon beating a path to your door.<\/p>\n Header Image Source: (Andrea Piacquadio \/ Pexels)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Use these 7 pro tips for how to get more house showings when your listing isn\u2019t generating as much buyer traffic as you\u2019d hoped. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":17363,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[321,335],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attract-buyers","category-marketing-tips"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/how-to-get-more-house-showings-1-666x381.png\")
<\/a>1. Check your listing photos \u2014 do they look professional?<\/h2>\n
2. Declutter and stage any rooms that need it<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/how-to-get-more-house-showings-2-666x381.png\")
<\/a>3. Tidy the landscaping<\/h2>\n
4. Tell a story in your listing<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/how-to-get-more-house-showings-3-666x381.png\")
<\/a>5. Drum up interest on social media<\/h2>\n
6. Host an open house with feedback<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/how-to-get-more-house-showings-4-666x381.png\")
<\/a>7. Evaluate your price<\/h2>\n