With an excess of houses for sale in today’s real estate market, advertising is key. Selling the house by using a realtor is what most people think of when they first think of selling. There are millions of realtors that are looking for work right now. By looking for work, I mean that they are looking to help buyers and sellers achieve their goals. Choosing the right one for your situation is crucial. There are many things to consider:

•Locale- how far from your home is your realtor located? The farther away they are, the longer it will take from them to handle your needs quickly.

•Experience-how long have they been a realtor? If they have not been a realtor very long, you want to keep looking for one who has more experience.

•Commission-what percentage do the charge? If they have a set percentage that they charge, and won’t lower it for you, keep looking. There are several that will just to get your business.

•Advertising-how will they market your home? Do they use just MLS, or do they use every medium available, like TV, newspapers, internet, etc.

These are the most important questions to ask your realtor when deciding to sign a contract with them. Probably the 2 most important items are the commission they charge, and is that negotiable. And how will they advertise your property.

Commissions can be adjusted if the realtor is motivated to get the sale. If they aren’t willing to budge, you may consider finding one that does. Remember, the level of motivation exhibited by your realtor will directly affect the amount of time and pricing it takes to sell your home.

Most local areas have publications that are printed monthly. These are great tools for exposure. They are offered for free to anyone that wants one. These are usually displayed in the front end of stores and in boxes outside other establishments as well. They are well placed for maximum exposure. The only problem is-they are published monthly. There are deadlines to get a property in them for the next month’s printing. If you list your house close to the deadline, you may not get it in these magazines for the next 30+ days. If you choose a realtor that is motivated, they can get it in the book on time. Pick up one of the magazines, and check them out for yourself. You can contact the publisher or your realtor to find out the deadline for publication. This may be a good time to get your house on the market.

The internet is a good way to get instant advertising. The definition of instant is that it is done within a week if listed on the MLS. There are free classified ad websites that allow you to post an ad for free. They send prospective clients to you via email. Your realtor can take high-quality pictures of your home, and post them as well. Some sites also have photo tours. This is a great tool to showcase the best that your home has to offer. Local newspapers are also a great source for advertising. They have websites that have the same ads that are in print. Maybe a little easier than reading the newspaper and you get the most bang for your buck, because the ad is in print and online at the same time. If you are using a realtor, ask them if they use this form of advertising. If they are good, they most likely do it all the time.

The content of the advertising is where you get to show off your home. New bathroom, renovated kitchen, new flooring, roof, a/c, etc? These are all great selling points, especially today when people are trying to maximize their buying dollar. It is an investment. It should be marketed as one. Here a few things to remember when advertising your home for sale:

•Accent the good things-new roof, newer roof, new a/c, newer a/c-these terms mean that the roof or a/c are within 3-5 years old-rather vague-if the roof is 2 years old, then “the roof is 2 years new”. The word new catches their attention. That’s money they don’t have to spend.

•Remodeled/renovated kitchen or bathroom(s). If you just painted the bathroom, it isn’t worth mentioning just that. If you changed the toilet and sink, and painted the bathroom, it has been remodeled. If you changed everything in the bathroom, from floor to ceiling, it has been renovated. These are terms that need to be mentioned. The same for the kitchen, the most important room in a house for selling purposes. If you have new appliances, and they are staying with the house, then mention that as well. If they aren’t new, then just mention all appliances stay.

•Exterior features. If you have a beautifully landscaped yard, it is a huge selling point. Curb appeal is everything-it’s the first impression. Don’t spend a lot of time trying to describe the exterior. Pictures are worth a thousand words. A well taken picture of the exterior of your home will do the job. If you have a pad to park a boat or an RV, this is good to mention. The property size is also important. People will accept a higher asking price if they know they are getting more property for the price.

•Recreational items. If you have a pool, it is worth mentioning any major repairs or replacements done within the last 2 years-briefly. The size of the pool-length and width-would be good also. If you have a tennis court, horse stables, etc, these are all good to mention.

•Any other new or unusual things in or around your home. Make sure that whatever it may be, that it adds and not detracts from your home. Do not include anything that would discourage a potential buyer from contacting you or your realtor. Some things can’t be explained away.

The object of the advertising is to get people in your home to see its charm. Getting them there is half the battle. Keeping them there is the other half. Just remember, that in today’s market, you have to be creative. Come up with a catchy title, if you are writing your own ad. Take the best pictures possible. List as many great attributes without being repetitive and dragging on. Be upbeat and positive.

Follow these simple advertising steps, and you will have more prospects than you can shake a SOLD sign at!