{"id":2154,"date":"2017-01-17T10:15:15","date_gmt":"2017-01-17T18:15:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=2154"},"modified":"2026-03-31T08:56:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T15:56:34","slug":"real-estate-marketing-strategies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-marketing-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"Memorize These 6 Real Estate Marketing Strategies Before Selling a House"},"content":{"rendered":"

The internet has become one long tourist-trap for real estate marketing advice. A bunch of different websites sell practically the same strategies to dazed and confused newbie home sellers.<\/p>\n

Sorry about that.<\/p>\n

In an effort to clear the air and bring a little quality control to this cacophony, we set out to determine which real estate marketing strategies<\/a> are actually valuable and which aren\u2019t worth their weight in salt.<\/p>\n

\"Bad<\/a>
Source (resized): (Nisha D\/ Flickr<\/a> via Creative Commons Legal Code<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We used data from millions of transactions to separate value from rubbish.<\/a> After all, generic real estate marketing strategies are the Eiffel Tower keychains of the internet — if made up of bad material, they both fall apart fast.<\/p>\n

Common Advice for Selling Your Home: Not All it’s Cracked Up to Be<\/h2>\n

As real estate industry writers and strategists, we scour the internet daily to find blog posts, articles, studies — you name it — to see what our peers are saying. Much of what we find certainly means well, but it\u2019s repetitive, unspecific, and it\u2019s the type of advice we\u2019ve heard for so long, we\u2019re not sure it\u2019s still true.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the oft-touted real estate marketing strategies we\u2019re referring to:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The best time to put your home on the market is spring<\/li>\n
  2. List your home below comp prices in order to ignite a bidding war<\/li>\n
  3. Lighting is the most important factor when taking photos of your house<\/li>\n
  4. Open houses sell homes<\/li>\n
  5. Curb appeal is important, but doesn\u2019t really affect price<\/li>\n
  6. Throwing in some personal property can help close the deal<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    We put our detective hats on to get to the bottom of these claims, and the results we found provide a pretty specific blueprint for sellers. You\u2019ll want to take notes.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019ll wait while you get a notebook or your notes app out\u2026.<\/p>\n

    …Back? Great, let\u2019s begin.<\/p>\n

    Is there really a universal \u201cBest Time to List Your Home for Sale?\u201d<\/h2>\n

    The Claim:<\/em> List your home in spring, also known as the \u201con season.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The Truth:<\/em> Correct, but the real truth is a little more specific. Yes, you do want to strike while the iron (er, market) is hot, so to speak, but based on your home’s geographic location,<\/a> your best window is a two- to four-week timeframe:<\/p>\n

    Nationally, the best time to list your home is March, with April and May following in second and third place, respectively.\"Top<\/p>\n

    However, we can get even more specific:<\/p>\n

    California:<\/h3>\n

    San Francisco: May, followed by June and April.
    \nSan Diego: November, followed by December and February.<\/p>\n

    Colorado:<\/h3>\n

    Denver: May, followed by June and April.
    \nAurora: October, followed by November and September.<\/p>\n

    Texas:<\/h3>\n

    Houston: June, followed by May and March<\/p>\n

    Missouri:<\/h3>\n

    Kansas City: July, followed by August and June<\/p>\n

    Georgia:<\/h3>\n

    Atlanta: June, followed by July and November<\/p>\n

    Ohio:<\/h3>\n

    Columbus: October, followed by November and June<\/p>\n

    Additionally, it\u2019s not just the season that affects timing, but the day of the week as well. The best day of the week to put your home on the market is Thursday.<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"Should<\/a>
    Source (resized): (William Hook\/\u00a0Flickr<\/a> via Creative Commons Legal Code<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The reasoning here is that by Saturday — the most popular day of the week for house hunters — your home will have only been on the market for two days. By the next Saturday, it\u2019ll have only been on the market for nine days. That single digit number can have a big impact on the psychology of buyers, who will be more likely to offer full price.<\/p>\n

    Deflate the Listing Price on Purpose? Really?!<\/h2>\n

    The Claim:<\/em> List your home below the comp price — it\u2019ll look so attractive, potential buyers will bid it back up in bidding wars<\/p>\n

    The Truth:<\/em> Sometimes true, but it completely depends on your location — not just state to state, but also town to town. \u201c[It\u2019s] sound advice for certain areas, but in San Antonio – no,\u201d says top real estate agent Misty Wood.<\/a> Wood consistently sells homes for 4% over the regional average. \u201cWe price them really close to the market analysis, because the buyer\u2019s agent should be doing their job and telling them what to expect based on the market.\u201d<\/p>\n

    You don\u2019t want to inflate the list price either. In our Top Agent Insights survey<\/a>, we identified over 100 top real estate agents with our proprietary algorithm and we asked them whether they would recommend initially pricing a home over the desired sale price in order to leave room for negotiations. 50% came out and said they just plain don\u2019t recommend doing that.<\/b><\/p>\n

    Wood continues, \u201cIf I do get a bidding war it\u2019s because of supply and demand, not price. Austin, on the other hand, gets into bidding wars every day, because of supply and demand, so it might be a good strategy there. But in San Antonio, if it\u2019s too low, people will assume something\u2019s wrong with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Additionally, when it comes to list price, there\u2019s another psychological tactic you can use to attract buyers. Make sure your home price ends with anything but a zero.<\/p>\n

    A study from Time Magazine proved that buyers perceive prices like $352,528 as a better deal than $350,000. In fact, one zero at the end of the price can lead to a loss in sale price of .72%, while two zeros bring it down .73%.<\/p>\n

    While that may not sound like much, if that was your home you listed for $350,000, would you want to sell it at a .73% loss putting it at $347,455?<\/p>\n

    We wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a>
    Source: (Matthew Henry<\/a>\/\u00a0Burst<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Real Estate Marketing Photos: Is Lighting Everything?<\/h2>\n

    The Claim:<\/em> Lighting is the most important factor when taking photos of your house<\/p>\n

    The Truth:<\/em> Pictures are important, but they must be the right photos. Lighting is an essential factor, but not the only one. Wood\u2019s team has a professional photographer take 50 high-definition, horizontal pictures, from which she chooses 25.<\/p>\n

    In the real estate listing itself, Wood recommends starting at the front (street-view) of the house and ending in the backyard to give potential buyers a complete story of the property.<\/p>\n

    In our ever more visual world, investing in high-quality photos taken by a professional real estate photographer is highly recommended based on their ability to attract buyers online.<\/p>\n

    Not only do professional real estate marketing photos generate 139% more clicks<\/a> than similar listings, but listings with professional photos sell for $934 – $116,076<\/a> over similar listings. (Although these gains are only noticeable on properties selling for $300,000 and higher.)<\/p>\n

    In terms of time, homes with professional photos sell over 50% faster<\/a> than homes without.<\/p>\n

    Social Media: Absolutely Necessary or Just Hype?<\/h2>\n

    The Claim:<\/em> Promoting your house on social media can sell it quicker.<\/a><\/p>\n

    The Truth:<\/em> \u201cThis is the direction the industry is going,\u201d according to Wood. She says that many people begin their search online to \u201csave themselves from visiting homes they don\u2019t want.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Nowadays, 44% of home buyers find their new house online,<\/a> and 80% of home buyers look online<\/a> before they\u2019ll even agree to go see a house.<\/p>\n

    However, just telling someone to go put their house on social media doesn\u2019t necessarily help. What type of buyers are they trying to attract? Which channels should they use? A good real estate marketing strategy will account for these things.<\/p>\n

    Knowing the average age of a first time home buyer is 33<\/a> with a median income of just over $69,000<\/a>, and the average age of repeat buyers is 53<\/a> with a median income of just under $99,000,<\/a> we can make some very educated guesses about where to find them on social media:<\/p>\n

    Facebook = best bet<\/h3>\n

    72% of adults are active on Facebook
    \nOf active Facebook users, 70% log on daily, 43% log on several times a day.
    \nPercent of online adults on Facebook ages 30-49: 79%
    \nPercent of online adults on Facebook ages 50-64: 64%
    \n    Income: 72% of Facebook users have incomes over $75,000<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"real<\/a>
    <\/a> Source: (Pew Research Center<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Pinterest = gaining real momentum<\/h3>\n

    31% of online adults use Pinterest
    \nOf active Pinterest users, 27% visit daily
    \nPercentage of Pinterest users who     search on Pinterest instead of Google: 33%<\/a>
    \nPercent of Pinterest users ages 30-49: 28%
    \nPercent of Pinterest users ages 50-64: 24%
    \nIncome:     64% have incomes over $75,000<\/a>, and the average user has a household income of over $100,000.<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"Real<\/a>
    <\/a> Source: (Pew Research Center<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Instagram = can\u2019t hurt<\/h3>\n

    28% of online adults use Instagram
    \nOf active Instagram users, 59% use it daily.
    \nPercent of Instagram users ages 30-49: 25%
    \nPercent of Instagram users ages 50-64: 11%
    \nIncome:     52% of users have incomes over $50,000<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"Real<\/a>
    <\/a> Source: (Pew Research Center<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Twitter = sure, but it shouldn\u2019t be your only channel<\/h3>\n

    23% of adults use Twitter.
    \n60% of adults have made a purchase based on something they saw on Twitter
    \n25% of Twitter users are 30-49 years of age.
    \n13% of Twitter users are 50-64 years of age.
    \nIncome: 54% of Twitter users have incomes over $50,000<\/p>\n

    \"Real<\/a>
    Source: (Pew Research Center<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    If listing a home on every channel sounds excessive to you, focus on Facebook. Make good use out of Facebook\u2019s uber-targeted ad feature to narrow in on potential buyers. For example, if you know employees at a certain company will have to move to your area soon due to a relocation of their headquarters, target your ads at people who currently live near the old headquarters.<\/p>\n

    Curb Appeal: Nice to Have for Pictures and That\u2019s All?<\/h2>\n

    The Claim:<\/em> Curb appeal is important, but doesn\u2019t really affect price<\/p>\n

    The Truth:<\/em> Curb appeal is indeed important, but yes, it can also affect price. Augmenting the quality of landscaping from average to excellent can add 6-7% to a home\u2019s selling price.<\/p>\n

    Depending on where you live, upgrades to your landscaping can increase your home\u2019s value anywhere between 5.5% to 12.7%<\/a>.In other words, if your home is worth $300,000 without landscaping, it could sell for somewhere between $316,500 to $338,1000 with the right landscaping.<\/p>\n

    \"Add<\/a>
    Source: (Couleur\/ Pixabay)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    What are the best decisions you can make to improve curb appeal?<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Add More Trees:<\/h3>\n

    The 24-inch diameter red maple is the country\u2019s most popular tree.<\/a> It adds value to your home, while contributing towards energy savings — shade keeps your home cool in the summer, and they act as windbreakers in the winter, thus keeping your home warmer. The number of these trees your have on your property increases the value and savings, as long as they\u2019re healthy and don\u2019t have any dangerous limbs or roots.<\/p>\n

    Use Native Plants:<\/h3>\n

    Not only do buyers like the look of plants that are native to the area — they are about 15% of the cost to maintain<\/a> compared to non-indigenous greenery.<\/p>\n

    Include Large and Colorful Annuals:<\/h3>\n

    Curb appeal in a competitive buyers market can have a big impact on price and sale time,<\/a> according to a study by Virginia Tech. This advantage is especially true if your home is very similar to others in your neighborhood.<\/p>\n

    Having said all of that, we should let you know that Wood always tells her clients that simple is better. While impressive curb appeal can indeed fetch a higher sale price, appraisers don\u2019t take it into account when they come up with the house\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n

    Are Open Houses Worth It?<\/a><\/h2>\n

    The Claim:<\/em> Open Houses Sell Homes<\/p>\n

    The Truth:<\/em> Nope, not true anymore. Open houses don\u2019t sell homes like they may have in the past, but they are nonetheless still a very important part of the sales process. While 41% of home buyers attend an open house, data shows that only 9% of homes have sold through an open house or yard sign.<\/p>\n

    On top of that, when ran our Top Agent Insights survey<\/a> and asked America\u2019s top real estate agents what they thought about open houses, we found that 63% of real estate agents\u00a0don\u2019t always recommend\u00a0them.<\/a>\u00a0\"63%<\/a><\/p>\n

    The point of an open house is to allow potential home buyers to picture themselves living in your home. Wood emphasizes that if you do have an open house, proper staging is a must. The house must \u201clook good, feel good, and smell good.\u201d She suggests baking cookies the night before to share with guests. \u201cPeople don\u2019t buy homes,\u201d Wood adds, \u201cthey buy lifestyles.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Throw in a Little Extra Stuff to Seal the Deal? Only if Its Smart.<\/h2>\n

    The Claim:<\/em> Throw in some personal property to close the deal.<\/p>\n

    The Truth:<\/em> Adding in appliances, televisions, or even furniture that the buyer loves can smooth over negotiations and give you more leverage to get the price you want, but you have to be smart about it.<\/p>\n

    Wood says that over the course of her career, buyers have asked to keep some bizarre things — her favorite example of this is the client who put an offer on a house that had 10 goats on the property. He requested the goats stay with the house in order to keep the greenery under control. The owners agreed.<\/p>\n

    While goats are great, nowadays smart home technology is making a big impact in home sales, and is expected to be a major factor in the future.<\/p>\n

    As of 2015, 28% of Americans had some sort of smart home technology installed in their homes.<\/a> This number is only expected to rise, especially among parents and millennials.<\/p>\n

    CNET reported<\/a> that parents with children under the age of 18 are twice as likely to have smart home technology in their house as people who don\u2019t have children under the age of 18. Among millennials (18-34), 47% currently live with smart home technology, meaning it will be a big selling point in the future.<\/p>\n

    81% of those homeowners said they\u2019d be more likely to buy a house that came with smart home technology already installed.<\/p>\n

    Think about that for a moment.<\/b><\/p>\n

    As more and more people bring smart home technology into their lives, the more it\u2019ll be a very attractive perk for buyers.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re selling to first-time home buyers or to families, your smart home technology may be more attractive to them than that big screen TV you\u2019ve been on the fence about including.<\/p>\n

    \"Put
    Source: (Startup Stock Photos)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Put the Good Real Estate Marketing Strategies to the Test<\/h2>\n

    Hopefully at this point, you have a page full of notes on the right creative real estate marketing strategies<\/a> for you personally.<\/p>\n

    For example, if you live in a great house for families that you think may be worth $400,000, your notebook may look something like this:<\/p>\n