How to Market Difficult Properties – Five Challenges, Five Solutions
Ok, you have been in real estate long enough to have endured a few listings that you would
rather NOT have landed. Let’s call them ugly ducklings, shall we? Now, how do you market them? Here’s how you can invite people to recognize their potential and help the homebuyer see them as a swan! In the same way we make lemonade when life deals lemons, you can find something good about any property – no matter how flat it may seem at first glance.
It’s not just tiny homes or homes “out-of-step” with the neighborhood that need special care. In fact, I’ve helped market multi-million dollar listings with bedrooms that left me astounded.
“THAT is the master bedroom? The bedroom in my first apartment was nicer!” My solution? I don’t mention the master bedroom. Instead, I highlight the triple-sized whirlpool with adjustable jet streams in the master bathroom with the marble steps and the heated towel racks. Accentuate the positive and simply ignore the negative.
In smaller, less dramatic homes, you may need to create positives by altering your potential buyer’s perspective. You may not have the luxury of ignoring difficult features. And, it’s not a matter of sticking the term “handyman’s dream” or “fixer-upper” on it and calling the marketing plan complete. Nor, is it convincing the seller to list it below market value, so you have a chance of turning it over quickly.
Remember, every home has something charming about it. It’s your job to find that “something” and frame it attractively for display through your marketing approach. Here are a few tips to do just that:
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