Over 63,000 people moved to Tennessee in 2021, making last year quite significant in terms of net domestic migration. This trend has continued into 2022, resulting in ongoing high demand for housing. The savvy realtor will position themselves to attract newcomers and locals alike with a variety of both creative and time-tested techniques.

Today, we’re breaking down ways to make your listings stand out from the competition, ensuring that you are doing your utmost to promote your business, serve your clients, and contribute to our healthy housing market.

1.) Spend on Professional Staging

To ensure that your listing stands out from the competition, we recommend hiring a skilled home stager. A stager who has experience in the Middle Tennessee market will be able to quickly ascertain which staging strategy will speak to buyers in your target demographic.  

Some buyers are gifted with a vivid, accurate visual imagination that allows them to picture a bare-bones house transformed into an inviting, warm home. For the vast majority of buyers, however, a home beautifully staged with tasteful furniture, a curated selection of art, and soft rugs will be much more inviting. As a result, buyers will begin to picture themselves living in the house right away, enjoying this beautiful space that looks as though it’s been designed with their lifestyle in mind.

Once invoked by excellent staging, this positive emotional response is likely to urge a potential buyer to make an offer on the property.  

2.) Hire a Skilled Photographer

Nearly all real estate agents have smartphones with incredibly sophisticated cameras and photo editing apps. There are even agents that take the listing game to new heights with drone-executed aerial photography.  

Still, we’ve observed that buyers can discern—albeit subconsciously—the difference between amateur and professional photography. The difference between the two can be all it takes to put one listing at the top of a buyer’s list while the other languishes several positions below. 

Put your listings ahead of the pack by hiring a professional photographer who has produced digital and print materials that have instantly attracted your gaze in the past. Listings accompanied by gorgeous photography are more likely to hold a buyer’s attention for longer, giving them time to envision a reality in which they make this property their new home.  

3.) You’re Selling a Lifestyle, Not a Property

In the preceding two tips, we’ve discussed the power of creating a listing that prompts potential buyers to picture themselves living their best lives in the home you’re showing. That’s because each tactic you employ in your efforts to sell a home should be focused on selling a lifestyle, not just a property.

To that end, you’ll want to choose a target demographic. If a home is perfect for child-free, high-income professionals, your listings should paint a vivid picture of the lifestyle potential if they purchased this home. Mention any smart home technology, fully-appointed kitchen, large walk-in closets with custom built-ins, his and her home offices, and the low-maintenance yard, along with any other features that will make their lives better.

A home perfect for a family should be listed with current or soon-to-be parents in mind, with mentions of the aspects of the home that will most appeal to family-oriented buyers. A standout neighborhood safety rating, nearby parks, top-rated schools, ideal nursery space, home theater, large kitchen with island seating, and several bathrooms complete with double sinks will all be features that are sure to attract your target demographic.

As a real estate agent, creative writing will always be an essential part of your career. Take each listing as an opportunity to hone and expand your writing skills.

4.) Maintain Your Impeccable Professional Standards

With enough capital, any real estate agent can present a beautifully staged home complete with professional photographs, aerial footage, and an evocative listing. Still, unless the agent meets or exceeds the expectations of their client at each stage of the sale, they will not be creating a long-lasting, career-propelling impression. 

In our experience, the most successful agents are those who take care of the people involved in a transaction while simultaneously (and expertly) performing the technical aspects of the job. Thereafter, they stay in contact with their clients, inquiring about their experience in their new home, and offering recommendations for reliable tradespeople if any repairs or upgrades are desired. They will express their thanks, then remember their client on holidays, and send a card on the anniversary of the day they closed on their home.

Of course, this is a skill level that takes time to achieve. Each listing you can snag is a prime opportunity to throw yourself into your work! Bring your A-game every time, and your positive reputation will grow organically at a pace that may surprise you.

5.) Work Your Social Media Platforms

Maintaining a social media presence across multiple platforms is an essential part of your marketing strategy. It’s true that mastering social media content creation takes some time, but the time invested will be well worth it. Networking with realtors who’ve mastered the social media game will help you get started. Social media is extremely “real estate friendly,” and future homeowners are tuned in to their feeds multiple times a day. Make use of your audience and note what kind of content receives the most interaction and leads.