Build Trust by Offering a Free Home Evaluation
When you’re trying to establish a foothold in a neighborhood, it’s time to get creative. Two of the best real estate marketing tools are door hangers and jumbo cards. Not convinced? It’s all in the message. One of the most effective ways to get people to trust you — and give you their business — is to show them what you know. Include your best success stories, a little bit about your background and offer them a free home evaluation.
Using a Free Home Evaluation in Your Real Estate Marketing
On your real estate marketing pieces, be sure to explain to prospective clients that a home evaluation by a qualified real estate professional gives them a free estimate of their home value. Gathering this information may help them decide whether it’s a good time to sell. Even if clients aren’t ready to sell their home, conducting a home evaluation literally gets your foot in the door and gives you contact information so that you can follow up. A percentage of those who take you up on the offer have probably been thinking about selling and just need a little nudge to get the ball rolling.
Tips for Conducting the Home Evaluation
1. Sellers want to get the most money they can when they let go of their largest asset: their home. To help them figure out what a competitive price is, do a quick walkthrough of the home, asking questions as you go along. You may want to prepare a survey of things to look for and questions to ask so the walkthrough goes smoothly. Do your homework beforehand so that you can demonstrate your expertise in the neighborhood and market by discussing trends.
2. Don’t provide an estimate right away, but do follow up quickly. Take this opportunity to send them a Comparative Market Analysis from the MLS or comparable report. The more information and contact points you create, the better the homeowners will develop a trusted partnership with you and ultimately, hire you. Be sure to leave additional marketing materials, so they have some to pass out to friends and neighbors who are ready to sell or get a free home evaluation.
3. There’s a great deal of inaccurate and incomplete data on the internet when it comes to home values. Sell the homeowners on the authenticity of information coming straight from the MLS and recent sales for comparable properties. Home values on the internet sites often rely on incomplete information from tax records, listing data, and best guesses. Show them the resources a local real estate agent brings to the table in terms of timely information and connections to buyers.
4. By conducting a house evaluation, you’re helping the prospective seller take a step forward, hopefully toward a decision to sell. By giving them valuable information, you’re creating goodwill and establishing trust. If the valuation is lower than the seller expected, it might take a little longer for them to make a decision. Add value as their trusted partner by providing tips on how to increase the value of their home with repairs, landscaping, upgrades, or home staging. Our Home Tips postcards are a great way to do this at scale if you have a list of prospects that needs to be nurtured.
What to Include in the Home Valuation Packet
Remind homeowners that they need a real estate agent to get an accurate home evaluation based on real sales from the MLS. Highlight these important services that only a licensed agent can provide:
- Develop a market report that includes recently sold houses resembling the seller’s home
- Send details and photos of the homes with the listed price and final sales price
- Interpret the current market for homes in the same price range and neighborhood
Include one or two brief examples or quotes from satisfied customers to maximize your marketing and target potential sellers.
What is your favorite way to provide value in a home valuation? Let us know in the comments.