How to Generate Buzz Before You List

Most sellers think that the process of selling their home starts once the listing hits the market, but why wait that long? The earlier that you can generate excitement and interest in your home sale, the better the chances of a positive final result! Luckily, there are a number of ways in which you can get your home onto buyers' radar before the listing is active. Currently, the market is experiencing very low inventory coupled with lower mortgage rates have created a frenzy in the real estate market. Here are four great ideas from realtor.com that can can make your home sell for even more than you can imagine.

Use word of mouth

Nothing spreads faster than gossip! Make sure that you let everyone know that you are preparing to sell your home. Chances are good that someone in your family or friend group is either thinking about buying or knows someone who is, and putting your home into their head first gives you an advantage over other for-sale properties. Don't stop at just talk! Make sure that you post on social media sites, such as Facebook and Instagram, with plenty of photos that cast your home in the best possible light!

Talk to local loan officers

You want to sell your home, and loan officers want to lend buyers the money to do it, so who could be a more natural ally to help you generate interest in your sale? Get the word out to local lenders that you are preparing to sell your home. When serious buyers go in to get their loan pre-approval, even a brief mention of a "property that isn't even listed yet" will immediately pique their interest; after all, everyone wants to feel like they are personally getting a special offer!

Two words: "coming soon"

Ask your agent about a "coming soon" sign in front of your house. Buyers who are already looking in your neighborhood are guaranteed to see the sign and make a mental note to check back soon. In fact, they might even come right up to your front door and ask you about specifics! You can even make a special "coming soon" MLS listing for a few weeks for the same purpose. Why not just list now? People want what they can't have! The special status often generates more buzz than simply listing right away would have.

Schedule a sneak-peak

Similar to the "coming soon" status, you can also schedule a "preview" open house! It is just like a regular open house, except for the fact that the home isn't officially on the market quite yet. Try to schedule the preview at the same time as other local open houses to help increase foot traffic. Buyers who attend many open houses in a short time frame won't be able to forget the one that was a special preview, so they'll be more likely to make an offer later.