Make Your Home Shine Online

With over 90% of buyers beginning their home search online, the way your home is presented on the internet matters when you are selling a home in Boise! Here are a few ways to make your home shine online so as to give it the best chances of attracting an internet shopper.

• Be in the MLS: The MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is basically a catalog of homes on the market listed by the various brokerages within an area.  Our area's MLS is called the Intermountain MLS (or IMLS).   Since the overwhelming majority of online home searching services, such as HomeGain, Zillow, and real estate brokerage sites, pull there data from the MLS, it is imperative that sellers have information  on their home inputted into the system to maximize exposure. Only real estate brokerages that are members of the MLS can input the information on your home into the system.

• Include Professional Photos:  When selling a home in Boise, the photos presented online will be the first impression for most buyers.  They are KEY to hooking an internet shopper and reeling them in for a second look, a showing, and hopefully an offer.  Photos should be taken by an experienced photographer with a high quality camera.  If someone is taking pictures of your home with their cell phone, cancel your listing immediately and run the other way.   The photos should be taken at a time when your home is looking at its best and should showcase as many major selling features as possible.

• Incorporate a Virtual Tour:  Buyers love listings with virtual tours.  A virtual tour can be created from the photos used for the MLS but should include additional photos as well.  The tour should be created by someone who has experience in virtual tour software and should focus in on the highlights and overall layout of the home.

• Have a Descriptive Narrative: Although a picture paints a 1000 words, an accurate and well-written description is also important.  The available space for a narrative on your home is usually short, so it should be effectively and efficiently written.  It should expand on the selling features that may not be visible in the pictures.  In essence, it should allow potential buyers to get an overall feel for the property, similar to how a good book provides an overall feel for the setting of a story.

• Present Accurate Data: You and your agent will want to make sure that all of the specifications and features of the home are listed and listed correctly on the MLS.  Most online shoppers do advanced searches online that allow them to narrow their listing results to only the homes that have the criteria they are looking for.  If you don't have accurate information, your home could be filtered out before even reaching the buyers eyes.  For example, if your home has a fireplace and that information is not input in the MLS, a buyer seeking homes with fireplaces would not see your property in their search results.

• Incorporate Social Media: Having information on your home avalaible on social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn can give your property a great deal of exposure.  Have your real estate agent give you a link to your listing on the MLS or company website and get it out there!

Remember, internet advertising is what will reach the highest percentage of potential buyers.  Make sure your agent is experienced in effective online marketing and has the skills to make your home stand out to internet shoppers. 

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