Don't Just "List" It, Showcase it!

Let’s face it. Buying a home today isn’t easy. Competition is fierce, interest rates are in flux and nobody has the time or money to take on a fixer upper. Time crunched buyers are shopping for houses on the internet and expect the same online experience they have on Amazon or any other e-commerce website or phone app. You need to be prepared to present your house in full detail to today’s savvy internet shopper and we have the program to help you do just that. We call it Showcase Homes.

Every agent you meet will ask to "list" your home. The term comes from the practice of posting or listing your home and its features on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The MLS is a great tool and it's a critical way to notify other agents that your house is for sale, but it’s not the the best way to inform active (and passive) home buyers. 

 

According to recent studies, a significant percentage of home buyers find their homes online. In fact, it's estimated that around 90% of home buyers start their search for a new home on the internet. 

 

This trend has been increasing in recent years, as more and more people are using online resources to research homes, find listings, and connect with real estate agents. 

 

The convenience and accessibility of online real estate platforms have made it easier for home buyers to find the right property, compare prices and amenities, and make informed decisions about their purchase.

 

Online platforms like social media and YouTube do a much more effective job of “showcasing” your home to a broader audience. And isn’t that what you want - having your home seen by as many people as possible to increase the odds that more people ask for a showing and more people make you an offer?

What is a Showcase Home?

You’ve probably visited a builder’s model home. No matter what the rest of the neighborhood may look like, the model home is perfect and it does an excellent job showcasing the home’s rooms and features. First of all, it’s professionally decorated, featuring all new furniture, lighting, window treatments, artwork and more. 

 

The model home is highlighted on the builder’s website and social media platforms with professional photos, videos, floor plans and 3D virtual tours. They may even share aerial photos of the neighborhood and photos showing the home at night with all the lights on.

 

Well, that’s a Showcase Home too! In other words, we’ll use similar tactics to make your home “show” like a model home in person and on the internet.

 

How I Turn Your House Into a Showcase Home

 

Staging and Home Preparation

 

We offer a range of staging options, from the development of a staging plan that uses your own furnishings to digital staging of empty rooms to full staging with furniture, art, lighting and more. 

Staging a home can be extremely important when selling, as it can help make a property more attractive to potential buyers and increase its perceived value. 

A well-staged home can help create a warm, inviting atmosphere that makes it easier for buyers to imagine themselves living in the space.

Staging can also help highlight the best features of a property, downplay any shortcomings, and create a cohesive, appealing look throughout the home. 

This can help make the property more memorable to potential buyers and increase their interest in making an offer.

Staging will also help a home stand out in a crowded market, as most homes for sale will not have been professionally staged. 

Showcase Homes also benefit from a pre-listing crawl space evaluation. The crawl space is the #1 trouble spot during home inspections. 

By knowing the issues before going on the market, you have the opportunity to avert issues during the inspection period. It’s at this stage of the home selling process that most deals fall apart (especially if any mold is found in the crawl space!).

Should your home need any other repairs, we have a team of contractors at your disposal to get the house looking its best.

The Amazon Effect

Shopping for a house is no different than shopping for cars, clothing or furniture on the internet. Shoppers want to see the product from every angle, watch a video demonstration and read detailed descriptions and product specifications.

Showcase Homes provide home buyers with more information and tools to evaluate the home than you’ll find offered by the average realtor. 

We’ll produce floor plans and 3D virtual tours to help buyers get a better understanding of the layout and flow of the home. Floor plans and virtual tours can also help buyers visualize how they might arrange their furniture and see how different rooms relate to one another. 

Buyers also appreciate having 24/7 access to these tools in case they can’t remember some of your home’s details or they have confused them with one of the many other homes they are considering.

Finally, my marketing team will send up a drone to capture aerial views of the home, yard and surrounding area. They’ll even take photos of the home at sunset with all of the interior and exterior lights on and a gorgeous “golden hour” sky framing the house.

All of these features can be especially useful for those buyers who can’t physically visit the property (yes, some homes are bought sight unseen) and they demonstrate to potential buyers that the seller is committed to providing a comprehensive and user-friendly home buying experience.

Multi-channel Marketing

Many agents still think that they can just post your listing to the local multiple listing service (MLS) and put a sign in the yard. 

 

By limiting visibility of your home to many potential buyers, they are also limiting how many private showings, open house visitors, and written offers you will receive. Less competition means less money for you and it could also mean that your house takes longer to sell.

 

Our multi-channel marketing plan will make sure that your home is seen wherever buyers are looking for homes. 

 

We’ll create listings for your home on dozens of national home shopping websites like Zillow.com, Realtor.com and Trulia.com. These are the main places that out-of-town buyers will see homes for sale in the Richmond area (and lots of locals will too!).

 

We’ll also promote your listing on Richmond’s premier home shopping website, searchRVAhomes.com.

 

 

We’ll use all of the professional content that we’ve created, like photos and videos, when we promote your home on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Social media is a great place for your home to be discovered and shared by other members of the home buyer’s network including parents, friends and co-workers.

 

Showcase Homes even include paid social media campaigns targeted at users who are currently in the market for a new home. 

 

Of course we’ll also place an attractive sign in your yard and add directional signage around your neighborhood to help home buyers easily find your home. We’ll also invite them to an Open House that will be hosted by a member of our team.

 

And last but certainly not least, we’ll share your listing among agents in our brokerage and across the vast Keller Williams network. KW Richmond West is the area’s largest brokerage and KW is the largest real estate brand in the world.

 

About Mark Cipolletti

 

Like many agents, real estate has not been Mark’s first career. He spent the first 20+ years of his career as a marketing executive and creative director for organizations like Allianz Travel Insurance and Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation Centers. 

 

Most recently, Mark founded Pinch Hit Partners, a marketing consultancy that provides fractional Chief Marketing Officers too small and midsize companies.

 

Since joining Keller Williams Richmond West, Mark has quickly become one of the brokerage’s top producing agents. 

 

Using his extensive marketing background, Mark has created innovative promotional techniques, like his Showcase Homes program, to become one of Richmond’s most sought after listing agents. 

 

Mark has also developed a unique program to capitalize on the growing number of Baby Boomers who are interested in downsizing. He has partnered with downsizing experts, senior living consultants, and home improvement companies to create a one-stop-shop for seniors as they sell their homes and relocate to new residences with main floor living, low maintenance or senior living amenities.

 

How To Get Started

Please answer a few questions for us (see below) and then we'll reach out to you to set-up an appointment. We look forward to working with you. Don’t want to wait? Find a time on Mark’s calendar for a Zoom videoconference. 

 

 

What Mark's Clients Say

“The old way of selling a house has come and gone. You want a realtor like Mark who actually markets your house vs just listing in the MLS.”

“His marketing background and attention to detail keep him a step above his peers.”

“He has years of experience as a marketing professional, which means he knows how to communicate effectively and has an expert understanding of what really matters to buyers and sellers.”

“We want to thank you for a job well done. We very much appreciate all of your hard work and realize you went the extra mile in your approach to marketing our home. Thank you.”

“If you are looking for a real estate agent in this crazy market, contact Mark Cipolletti at Keller Williams. He was amazing to work with throughout the entire process, from getting the house ready to sell to closing and he negotiated us a fantastic offer. Bonus - he’s also a genuinely nice guy.”

 

Don't miss the client stories that will give you a sense of what it's like working with Mark to sell your home.