Most of what I have discussed in past articles is related to people moving into this area, but for this article, I wanted to focus on how to attract the out-of-area buyer to the home you have for sale. Some of the concepts and ideas will be just as applicable for attracting the local buyer as well as the long distance buyer.
  Relocation departments of real estate companies handle homes that corporations have bought to expedite the transfer of one of their employees to their new job. These corporate-owned homes need to have a quick turn around on the market because the company doesn’t want to have the interest carry or the maintenance costs. Corporate housing specialists are often called upon to sell the house quickly and have a couple of tips that makes a house more salable.

• Curb appeal and price sell houses long before other market techniques are even put into play. Before a house is put on the market, the corporate housing specialist makes sure that the yard is in top shape and the front of the house is appealing. Someone who might drive by either via the web or in a car is first attracted to the front of a home. This is the first impression, and it should be a good one. The rest of the house should also be in good shape as well for a quick sale and a quick move-in.

• In regards to price, ask your agent for a comparative market analysis, which pulls prices of sold houses and houses that are currently for sale in your area. This will allow you to find a price range that will attract people just to look at the house without you sacrificing any value along the way.

• Out of area buyers often start their search for a home in a new location either through a local agents’ or real estate brokerage’s web site or through a national real estate portal. Check with your agent to make sure that your home is available for viewing via the web. This will increase the possibly exposure to a wider audience than advertising in newspaper or real estate magazines, not that they aren’t good resources as well, but with 70 percent of out-of-state buyers looking on the internet first — this may be your best opportunity to showcase your home.

• In addition to the look and price of your home, buyers are looking for homes located close to employment centers and are in move-in condition. Often out-of-state buyers purchase new homes because they can move in right away.

• You can’t put new in a resale home, but you can offer some of the same attractive features. Offer to change the locks and reset garage door openers. Offer a home warranty that covers most appliances for up to a year after purchase. Check to see if your home has contact to high-speed Internet access whether over the phone lines or cable. Some newcomers have an unsold home in their previous town.

• You might attract more buyers if you are able to offer a lease/option arrangement. Make preparations to move quickly if you need to. A nice final touch is to map out community activities, parks and outdoor recreation locations for a person who is new to the area. Like the scent of cookies baking in an oven during an open house, this extra step will make a new-to-the area person feel much more at home.

(Editor’s Note: J. Lennox Scott is the President of John L. Scott Real Estate.
Visit his web site at www.johnlscott.com.)
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