Ads and Brochures Help You Sell Your Home

Selling your home requires a bit of marketing effort. Ads and brochures are important and powerful tools. So, what do you put in you're marketing materials?

Content

To the degree possible include key information in your ad or brochure. A classified ad will contain less than a poster, which will contain less than a brochure, which may contain less than an Internet listing, etc. The key, however, is to make sure each medium contains maximum information and minimum fluff.

In general, people want to know what type home is being offered (single family house, townhouse, condo, etc.), how many bedrooms and baths it has, its general location, and the price. Obviously, you also need to include contact information so potential buyers know how to reach you.

If you have the space, a good tactic is to describe the characteristics of the house that lead you to originally purchase it.

1. Was it the location?

2. A beautiful view?

3. Neighborhood charm?

4. A school district you were seeking out?

5. Lots of storage?

6. Garage spaces for 3 cars?

7. High ceilings?

8. The style of architecture?

9. Large entertainment areas?

10. A beautiful garden?

Don't be shy. Mention the best features to set your home apart from others for sale.

A note of caution is called for here. When you mention your home's best features, don't overstate them. If your potential buyer's first emotion on actually seeing your property is disappointment, there really isn't much potential for a sale to that person. With that in mind, I wouldn't refer to a house with a garden that backed to a small farm pond as "waterfront property," nor would I call a small, city apartment with windows on an air shaft a "spacious city abode with sunny views."

Photos

Include color photos of your home whenever possible. When selling real estate, a picture really can be worth a thousand words.

When taking your photos, take lots of them. Take them from typical angles and from unusual ones, too. Cameras often like odd angles. Photos that show three walls very often seem to reduce the size of the room visually. It is often better to show only two walls with the corner slightly, or very, off center. You may want to show the same room from more than one angle. One photo may include a wall of windows and another show a fireplace in the same room. Regardless of your approach, keep in mind the photographs will give a potential buyer the first impression of your home.

Obviously, marketing is one of the key factors in selling a home. If you are creative with yours, buyers will come.

Brochure Holder

Be sure to get a brochure holder.  Place it where passersby can easily access it.  Keep it stocked with brochures that have photos of your property and your contact info for making appointments to view the interior.  A simple brochure can be made by simply printing your Internet listing.  If you are handy with a computer, you can do your own "magazine style" brochure.  Think of a lay-out in House & Garden and present your home that way.

Raynor James