That sounds like the kind of problem that would cause alarm for any buyer looking at the home. But not to worry; the problem was already solved and explained in Sedillo\u2019s listing information package.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause of that pooling, the home builder put in a filter to help with removing the water, and, so far, heavy rain has never been a problem. The water is always gone within a day or two.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sedillo\u2019s sellers didn\u2019t want the future buyers to be alarmed if they noticed water collecting in the yard, so she encouraged her clients to write a letter explaining that a solution was already in place. She included this letter in her listing information package to ensure that buyers were fully informed and wouldn\u2019t run into any post-purchase rainy day surprises.<\/p>\n
In this article, we\u2019re going to outline what a listing information package is and why you should have one, then we\u2019ll cover what goes into a stand-out package and how you can present your information to buyers. With tips from Sedillo and an introduction to Disclosures.io<\/a>, one of our favorite resources for real estate agents, you\u2019ll learn everything you need to know about enhancing your sales by answering buyer questions before they even have to ask.<\/p>\n A good listing information packet serves as a form of proactive marketing<\/a>. When a buyer takes interest in a house \u2014 whether they\u2019ve found it themselves or through their agent \u2014 they\u2019re going to have questions.<\/p>\n Buyers will, of course, be curious about the home itself in regard to:<\/p>\n But there\u2019s always more to any listing story. When a home appears to be a viable candidate for a buyer, they\u2019ll also want to know more about:<\/p>\n While it\u2019s logical to assume that this research can be guided by the buyer\u2019s agent, imagine the time saved if you\u2019ve already compiled these pertinent details into an easily accessible, user-friendly packet of information.<\/p>\n Sedillo puts together what she calls a \u201chome book\u201d for each of her listings, and she does so largely in part to avoid those potential agent-adjacent delays.<\/p>\n \u201cIn my market, we have a military installation and a border patrol; people are constantly referring in and out and they may not have the facts of the city. They might ask their agent a few questions and I always assume that the buyer has an inexperienced buyer\u2019s agent.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sedillo\u2019s approach isn\u2019t meant to offend. During whirlwind days where buyers may be viewing several homes and defining characteristics begin to blur, her aim is simply to protect her seller from missing out on offers due to unanswered questions.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want that buyer to walk away with multiple questions and for the buyer\u2019s agent to say, \u2018Well, let\u2019s go take a look at this other house and I can reach out to the listing agent later to get that question answered,\u2019 because they usually never do,\u201d Sedillo says.<\/p>\n In short: a listing information package is a win-win for everyone involved.<\/p>\n Your seller will be impressed with your proactive approach, the buyer\u2019s agent will appreciate the saved effort on their end, and buyers themselves won\u2019t have to worry about overlooking details that may later derail a transaction.<\/p>\n When it\u2019s time to assemble your listing information packet, start with the basics:<\/p>\n Next, consider your package\u2019s potential for above-and-beyond items. Put yourself in the shoes of the buyer \u2014 what more would you like to know if you were considering this home?<\/p>\n To ensure compliance with the Fair Housing Act<\/a>, agents may feel more comfortable with simply sharing resources where buyers can go to find more information, such as NeighborhoodScout.com<\/a> and GreatSchools.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sedillo\u2019s listing packets dig deep, providing information on everything from contact details of the builder if the home is a custom-build, to a list of recommended cafes and restaurants in the area. She also includes information on any service providers that have been in regular use by the seller.<\/p>\n \u201cIf my sellers have certain contractors who come in and out all the time, like the guy who maintains the fireplace, or the one who is responsible for the pool service, or the air conditioning, or maybe they have a landscaper they\u2019re using on a regular basis \u2014 since those people are already familiar with that particular home, I would like the future homebuyer to have that information,\u201d shares Sedillo.<\/p>\n Finally, she asks her sellers to write a letter to the future buyer. The letter is an opportunity to share what they love about the home and the neighborhood, as well as offer preemptive reassurance on unusual quirks about the house \u2014 like how that pooling water in the backyard after heavy rain is not actually a cause for alarm.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve done the legwork to compile valuable information for potential buyers, now let\u2019s make those details accessible.<\/p>\n While our digital age<\/a> may have turned yesterday\u2019s flyer boxes into today\u2019s QR codes, there\u2019s still value in tangible documents. The COVID-19 pandemic<\/a> has likely shifted your open house routines, but buyers are almost certainly still walking through a house before they\u2019ll even consider making an offer.<\/p>\n Sedillo presents her packets in the form of a detailed binder that potential buyers are welcome to peruse during home walkthroughs. Her books open with a cover page of pertinent property information and pricing, while the next page summarizes the features of the house and any special incentives offered by the seller, then subsequent pages reveal her wealth of information as outlined above.<\/p>\n Due to the expansive, highly customized nature of her listing materials, Sedillo requests that her home books remain on the property.<\/p>\n \u201cSo many buyer\u2019s agents ask me if they can keep the book,\u201d she says. \u201cI tell them that this is only for the future buyer. So I say, \u2018If your buyer is ready to write an offer that we\u2019re going to accept, it definitely goes to your buyer, but if not, please leave it on the premises,\u2019 and I\u2019ve never had an issue.\u201d<\/p>\n If print isn\u2019t an option for you, or perhaps in addition to your print booklet, HomeLight has a new tool that allows you to offer an online listing information package to buyer agents and their clients. Read on to learn more about Disclosures.io<\/a>.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019ve mastered the art of Facebook ads<\/a> or you\u2019re still trying to get the hang of Instagram stories<\/a>, there\u2019s no escaping the reality that real estate has gone digital.<\/p>\n Even if your seller still prefers putting pen to paper, being able to effectively collaborate with other agents and tech-savvy buyers is key when it comes to navigating a high-stakes transaction. This means that your listing information package \u2014 no matter how glossy your in-house printed copy may be \u2014 should be accessible in a digital format and ready to present to prospective buyers.<\/p>\n You\u2019re undoubtedly familiar with digital presentation options like PDFs and PowerPoint slides, and maybe you have a website or YouTube channel for your listings. Or, if you\u2019re using a customer relationship management (CRM<\/a>) system for your real estate business, you may have found a useful marketing tool within your chosen platform.<\/p>\n Those are all fine and good, but for today\u2019s busy agents, the value of sharing information in a way that is secure and easily accessible to involved parties cannot be overstated. The human attention span is only trending downward<\/a>; patience wears thin when buyers have to ask their agents to ask you follow-up questions about the home they\u2019re watching a video on in one hand while flipping through a brochure in the other. Disclosures.io<\/a> alleviates these concerns.<\/p>\n With Disclosures.io, you can:<\/p>\n After breaking things down, it\u2019s clear to see how an all-encompassing listing information package \u2014 whether print, digital, or both \u2014 can help you (and your seller!) accelerate toward the closing table.<\/p>\n Clear, concise, relevant information facilitates the ability to make smart choices, which can result in an offer coming across your desk in less time and with fewer back-and-forth questions.<\/p>\n Sedillo has been assembling her home books for 7 years now \u2014 a process she admittedly enjoys so much that she refers to making them as her own little treat \u2014 and the positive feedback is a constant reward.<\/p>\n \u201cI hear from buyers that they\u2019re just blown away by the amount of information,\u201d Sedillo shares. \u201cThey\u2019ll say, \u2018I didn\u2019t even have to ask my agent anything. Any possible question I had was already answered just by looking at your book!\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t mind if it takes a lot of time and effort to make. I know that not a lot of agents do this, which helps set my listings apart.\u201d<\/p>\n Header Image Source: (Dean Drobot \/ ShutterStock)<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After you put a client\u2019s home on the market, interested buyers will have questions about the home. That’s where a listing information package becomes your secret weapon! The sooner you can answer a buyer’s questions, the more you speed up their decision-making. Learn how one agent has created a perfect listing information package to proactively sell more listings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":152,"featured_media":20497,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[193,664,674,669],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-agents","category-marketing","category-offline-marketing","category-selling"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"What](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/perfect-listing-information-package-make-666x381.png\")
<\/a>What exactly is a listing information package and why do I need one?<\/h2>\n
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So, what should go into the perfect listing information package?<\/h2>\n
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Presenting a listing information package<\/h2>\n
Perfect in print<\/h3>\n
Delightful in digital<\/h3>\n
![\"disclosures](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/disclosures-manage-offers-666x502.png\")
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![\"disclosures](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/disclosures-activity-report-666x502.png\")
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\nDisclosures.io<\/a> helps agents create consistency and boost sales efficiency, all while keeping information secure and confidential. There\u2019s no syndicating to major real estate portals, and you\u2019ll never have to worry about the contents of your listing information package appearing in search engine results.<\/p>\nWith a great listing information package, knowledge is power<\/h2>\n