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You only get one chance to make a first impression when launching a new listing, and it is one of the most important parts of the sales process. Because of this, we all work together as a team to bring a home to market. We kickoff the process with a group tour of the property followed by an all-hands-on-deck meeting to determine the best strategy for each individual listing.
Although no two listings are the same and each requires a tailored approach, here is the three-step process that we follow as a team when it comes time to launch a new listing.
Prep the home
As we work with buyers each and every day, we understand what they are looking for in the market and can work with sellers to advise on any changes they need to make to their home before listing to achieve the best possible price.
Some of these updates could be landscaping, painting and other smaller items that will make a big difference when it comes time to make the deal and achieve the desired price. If it is a newly built development property, we like to be involved in the staging process as we will be the ones showing the property and want to make sure current trends and buyer wants are included and that the layout is conducive to an easy walk-through showing.
We also will ensure smaller items like flowers, candles, lighting and such are used to create a nice welcoming atmosphere for showings and also to be displayed for photography purposes. We do this prep work as a team, as each of us brings a different lens to the home.
Gather high-quality marketing collateral
Once the home is ready to be photographed for the MLS and marketing materials, we make sure that the photography is professional quality and that we have video and drone footage. It is especially important now to have video footage of the home to be able to share with potential buyers for health and safety reasons as well as for social media. You can also film guided home tours for social media channels as well at this time so they are ready to post.
Make sure to note that if you are working with a professional photographer to find out their stance on rescheduling shoot days due to weather. Here in Los Angeles, it can be a little overcast some mornings, so you might want to have an understanding with the photographer in advance or at least factor in weather nuances into your shoot day and time.
We then each go through all the images and make a selection of the strongest shots for the MLS, marketing materials, public relations and social media. Sometimes we have differing views on best angles, lighting and such, but we all come to an agreement after a little back-and-forth.
At this time, we also work on the property descriptions and make sure they are professionally written to include all the important home features, and accurately depict the home and its amenities. One of the great things about working as a team is that you can have multiple pairs of eyes review the image selection and copy to ensure the highest quality from multiple perspectives.
Launch and publicize
Launching a property is a much smoother process once all the foundation and prep work is completed and in place. Before the launch, we make sure our public relations, marketing and social media teams are familiar with the listing and have a clear strategy. Some publications do require an exclusive to cover the listing of the home and that it not be listed on the MLS, so we work with our PR team on any exclusive stories in advance.
Once the listing is live in the MLS, we make sure that it is active on The Agency’s website and our Bond Street Partners site and deploy our “just listed” email campaign as well as social media posts. We would typically also host a launch event — be it a grand scale event, twilight open or broker’s open — but due to COVID-19, we will not be doing these types of events for the foreseeable future.
Once a property is launched, it is important to keep on task with broker outreach, public relations, marketing and social media campaigns. Make sure to have an ample stock of necessary personal protective equipment ready for showings as well: hand sanitizer, masks, booties, wipes and PEAD (property entry advisory and declaration) forms.
For more realities on launching a listing today, click here.
David Parnes is a director at The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram. James Harris is a director at The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram.
