Featured Homes
Featured Homes are the premier positioning space to market your homes. Featured Homes now appear at the beginning and end of every search results page on Realtor.com and our Distribution Partners. There are only 8 positions available per zip code. The Featured Homes at the beginning of the page are sorted by relevance to the consumer search. We hand pick your most relevant listing for every buyer's unique search criteria. You select any listing you want to appear at the end of the search results page. Each section allows the consumer to view all Featured Homes in their search. This allows you to leverage this tool in every listing presentation as it applies to your entire inventory! Featured Homes now also appear in on the Home Page photo carousel for Local Homes to prioritize Featured Homes ahead of Non-Featured Homes, giving them more exposure.
Ensuring a Great R.O.I.
One consistent thread that I hear from the top producers I work with is that Featured Homes like Showcase Listings, make sellers happy. The difference is that any one can have Showcase Listings but only 8 agents maximum can own Featured Homes per zip code. Content sellers refer great agents to other potential clients and a strong referral network is the key factor to long term success. The Featured Homes now appear at the beginning and end of each search results page and generate 10x (YES TEN TIMES) the traffic on average to your featured listings
.
Featured Homes are also the ultimate farming tool. Do you think a seller wants their home on one of 50+ pages of search results or EVERY PAGE of search results? So Leverage this! Use this tool in every listing presentation. Incorporate information regarding your ownership of these positions into every piece of marketing you send out.
Here are a few examples of the increase in traffic due to Featured Homes positioning.
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OFFLINE MARKETING and LISTING TOOL
Here is an example of how Will Rahill from Big Bear, California used his Featured Homes in an offline postcard campaign. He then illustrates his success in listing appointments since using Featured Homes.
HOW TO FARM EXPIRED LISTINGS
Step by Step Guide:
1. Each day search for newly expired listings in your MLS.
2. Take this list and search on Realtor.com in your area to locate these listings (you will need to do this the day they expire as these listings will most likely only show up for a limited time.)
3. Identify expired listings that have been marketed poorly and print the listing details page in full color.
4. Keep print outs of your current listings that have all the bells and whistles (25 photos, detailed descriptions, virtual tours, videos, your contact info, etc.)
5. Do a search on Realtor.com using the zip code in which you own a Featured Home. Print this page out in full color.
6. Print out a traffic report (from the reporting section of your control panel) which illustrates the difference in traffic between the Showcase Listing and Featured Home.
7. Include all of these printouts in an envelope along with a hand written note similar to the text below, and drop it in the mail, or drive by the address and put it in their mailbox.
Dear Home Owner,
I noticed your home is no longer for sale. I also noticed this is the way it was marketed on the #1 Real Estate site on the Internet REALTOR.COM. Enclosed you will see how I market my homes, which includes featuring them so they pop up first in front of potential home buyers and they actually get seen 10 times more often than the average listings. I would like to meet with you and discuss how I can UPGRADE THE MARKETING of your home.
Please call 555-1212
Sincerely,
Agent
Sellers who have failed to have their homes marketed effectively will appreciate your willingness to help, and are also the most likely to price their home competitively to get it sold. Agents with Featured Homes can capitalize on this to move more inventory faster. Not to mention that only eight agents maximum can offer this service per zip code. How many have this tool in your farming area?
HOW TO FARM FSBO's
Another great way of picking up listings is to target For Sale By Owners. Why? Because only 8 to 12 percent of them actually succeed in selling their home on their own. That means that 88 to 92 percent of FSBO's eventually list with a Realtor. The best way to farm these sellers is to go online where they market their homes. Go to www.owners.com www.fsbo.com www.forsalebyowner.com and take a look. In most instances these sellers have multiple photos, descriptions etc. Convey to them not only the value of listing with a Realtor (which is obvious to you and me but apparently not them) but what they would care about: The advantage of getting more buyers viewing their home by ADVERTISING ON REALTOR.COM. Only Realtors can market properties on Realtor.com because the properties come from MLS. Stress the fact that most buyers search Realtor.com not these FSBO sites. Let them know that you too understand the value of online marketing but have the capabilities advantage of marketing their home on Realtor.com as a Featured Home. MOST OF THESE SELLERS HAVE THEIR CONTACT INFO ONLINE. Don't be afraid, call them, email them! Offer your services. You should be proud that you provide the best marketing in the industry to your clients.