Did you log into Facebook today? How about Twitter or LinkedIn? Social networks have been one of the biggest revolutions in how we talk to each other since the invention of the telephone, and there’s no end to the ways in which enterprising users are using social media to change and develop the way our world works.
Real estate is no different, and increasing numbers of estate agents and homeowners alike are looking to the internet to find ways to sell their property. Not only can you get your house out to a wider audience, a web-savvy seller can bypass real estate agents entirely and take an extra slice of the sale.
Of course, it’s inadvisable to perform all parts of a house sale by yourself – sometimes you’ll need to call in an expert. In particular, the legal and administrative side of buying or selling your house must be handled properly or you could end up with some nasty surprises with potential restrictions and problems that could occur with titles and deeds.
In the U.K. this is called “conveyancing” and you don’t need to go to an estate agent to get this done – online providers such as Quick Move Conveyancing can take care of the paperwork, so you can concentrate on advertising and selling.
The conveyancing process in the United States varies from state to state depending on local legal requirements and historical practice. In most situations, three attorneys will be involved in the process: one each to represent the buyer, seller, and mortgage holder; all three may sit around a table with the buyer and seller and literally “pass papers” to effect the transaction but some states do not require all parties to be present simultaneously. In order to protect themselves from defects in the title, buyers will frequently purchase title insurance at this time, either for themselves or for their lender.
Create a Listing
This is the easy part – simply put together a web page to advertise your house with all the relevant details you’d expect. This might include descriptions of rooms, key features, photographs, and – as an increasingly popular addition – videos. You could put this all up as a page on Facebook or a listing on a site like Gumtree. If you have a blog, add it as a post: you can both drive views from your readership to the listing and give interested buyers an idea of the area and what it’s like to live in your house.
The Key to Sharing
It might all start with a single photo on Facebook. Find a particularly noteworthy and photogenic part of your home – perhaps you have a wonderfully designed living room, a carefully maintained garden that looks amazing in spring or a façade brimming with rustic potential. Upload it to Facebook or Twitter, and see if your friends are willing to share and retweet it to their friends. A particularly striking photograph might spread by word of mouth right to someone who will fall in love with your home straight away – all you need to do is let them know it’s for sale.
Providing a Service
Social networks like Twitter thrive on a very real sense of community – users located close to you will appreciate a steady stream of local events and hotspots, if you’ve got your finger on the pulse of a neighborhood. Once they’re watching, slip in a subtle and friendly reminder that you’ve got a property right in the midst of all this action up for sale – it should create a small but steady uptick in views.
Spread the Word
You don’t want to spam potential buyers with your listing, but every pair of eyes that scans a link to your home is a potential buyer. Add it subtly to your outgoing emails where appropriate, list it on your blog or website, and advertise it on local forums. If the place you work has an intranet or internal bulletin board, that can be a great place to drum up interest as well.
See Also:
- How to Use a YouTube Video to Sell Your Home
- Choosing a Real Estate Agent
- Real Mortgage Rates
- Real Estate articles on OptioMoney
Resources:
Image © Karlien Du plessis | Dreamstime Stock Photos
