Attract Traffic to Your Property—How To Make Buyers and Agents Call

When selling your home, it’s vital you work to spread the word about your property, especially if you’re trying to sell a home in a buyer's market.

While an oversaturated market can sometimes slow a sale, there are numerous other factors that can either hurt or help your success as a seller in the housing market. With a few smart strategies up your sleeve, you will fill your calendar with house showings and make the sale in no time. Here’s how.

Make Your Home Easy To Show

One way to increase the likelihood of your home’s sale is to make the showing process simple—for you, your buyer's agent, and prospective buyers.

You can do this by having your agent or broker set up your multiple listing service (MLS) to read, "Call first, lockbox." The "Call first" notation ensures that you'll know when a buyer or an agent is coming to show your home. This system is especially helpful, since agents aren’t likely to show your home as often if it’s difficult for them to gain entry. For that reason, avoid limiting the times they can show your house, and try to resist asking that they book “by appointment only.”

Additionally, you don’t have to require your agent to be present at every house showing. If you do, you may miss out on times when prospective buyers may want to swing by.

About the Lockbox

This handy gadget allows agents to swing by and show your property even when you're not at home. For instance, should you not answer your phone when your agent calls, he or she can access the keys to your home, which are conveniently stored within the box.

When using a lockbox, place it somewhere near your home. For example, if you live in a gated community, you'd place the box at an accessible point near the gate's entrance, with the gate code inside. That way, your agent can open the gate and head inside to show your home at any time of day without your assistance.

For peace of mind as a homeowner, some digital lockboxes can be programmed so that they'll only open at certain times of the day.

Offer a Competitive Buyer's Agent Commission

Check your listing agreement to determine whether your listing agent is splitting the commission you're paying at least 50/50 with the buyer's agent. It's your money, which means you can direct which funds go where.

You might also consider increasing your buyer agent's commission above the average in your area, especially since you may not get many showings if the fee going to your buyer's agent is less than 2.5%.

Increase Traffic Through Market Exposure

Upping your marketing efforts is another good tactic when trying to sell a home. In some markets, direct mail works well. If that holds true for your area, consider sending postcards to surrounding homes and neighboring areas.

You can advertise in local papers and via online websites such as Craigslist, Trulia, and Zillow. Don’t forget to spread the word via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, because someone within your own network may be interested in buying.

Cater Lunch for a Broker's Tour, and Offer a Drawing

In certain locales, it's common for listing agents to pick up the cost of a catered lunch. During these events, buyers' agents generally linger in the home, noticing details that you may overlook during a fast tour. As a way of brightening the mood during this lunch, you may also want to consider hosting a raffle for a prize.

Host an Open House Extravaganza

Another strategy is to work together with other sellers in your area to host a neighborhood-wide open house.

In doing so, publicize the event. Using the aforementioned marketing tactics, such as advertising via social media and the local newspaper, you hopefully will gather the attention of many local interested buyers.

During the event, serve snacks and soft drinks. Buy brightly colored helium balloons, and hang up streamers; you might even hire a clown to entertain children.

Send E-Flyers

It's relatively easy and inexpensive to create an e-flyer to alert others about your for-sale home. VFlyer is one free online source. Use it or a similar source to email your friends, family, and acquaintances. Ask your agent to send e-flyers to every agent who works in your area and to those outside of your area who bring buyers to your city.

Make a Limited-Time Offer

Advertise a limited-time offer that buyers can snatch up if they act quickly. Everyone wants a deal, and buyers are more motivated if that offer is going to vanish soon. You might offer to pay down the buyer's mortgage interest rate for a few years, credit a percentage of the sales price toward their closing costs, or prepay taxes or insurance for a year.

Co-Op Your Advertising

Check with real estate affiliates such as mortgage brokers, property inspectors, appraisers, and insurance brokers—anyone who stands to make money as a result of your sale. Ask whether they would be willing to co-op advertising with you by helping to pay for some or all of your marketing. You can include their information in the efforts.

Drop Your Price as the Last Resort

If your home is still not selling, you may have to lower the price. Sometimes, when in a buyer’s market where the stakes are high, lowering your price even just slightly will catch the attention of buyers.

Just be sure to thoroughly consult the advice of real estate experts—and keep a close eye on the local housing market—before making any decisions.