Macoyosh Journal

We all have heard the claim that being a realtor is easy – they simply take a few pictures and put a description on the local MLS and then receive an eventual commission. And while everyday real estate can perhaps afford to employ everyday marketing techniques, luxury home sales are a completely different proposition and typical real estate practices can be not only ineffective but detrimental to a luxury home transaction.

If you study the Tucson Multiple Listing service with a focus on the $3, 000, 000 and higher homes that sell, a surprising trend occurs. It is not unusual to see a home selling on the first or second day of the life of the listing. It’s not magic, it’s positioning and understanding that luxury markets work differently than the general real estate world. In order to succeed, an agent and homeowner need to avoid these pitfalls so commonly used in the real estate world.

1. hiring the cheaper photographer. This is one of the largest issues that keep luxury listings in limbo. we live in a visual age and your photos need to stand out. Understanding the importance of not only taking photos of a structure but making those photos meaningful is the difference between creating impact and pouring investment down the drain.
2. Overpricing is a silent killer. We all know that, but frequently homeowners will add their emotion to the cost of the home. The question is not “how much do I want to make?” or “How much is this house worth to me?” It is “how has the market been doing, how long are similar homes taking to close, and how can i leverage this specialized knowledge to my advantage?” this is where the magic sits.
3. have you ever seen those property descriptions with multiple emojis, an abundance of exclamation points and little actual value? your listing description should call to the right buyer, and luxury buyers tend to automatically screen out anything that looks like it could have been written by a sophomore in high school. Even if the photos are excellent, a description with the wrong tone will repell the right buyer.
4. Heakening back to the importance of visuals, we cannot underestimate the importance of staging. Staging, while not everything, creates the feeling of a living experience, which is what luxury buyers tend to embrace. Staging, whether physical or virtual, can change a brick and mortar structure to a living, breathing entity, immediately triggering a desire to be involved.
5. One thing that separates luxury from other forms of homes is the architect and builder who brought it to life. A boutique style builder or a well known local architect can bring a tremendous amount of interest to a home and cultivate more curiosity and desire to own not only a house but a masterwork connected to artisans.
6. here is where 99.9% of luxury listings miss the mark. We are not selling a home, we are inviting a buyer to invest in an experience. To that end, the real estate professional should spend a good amount of time before the photos, before the write up, before the marketing gets off the ground, to create a cohesive story about the home, and drive all their marketing from there. Giving a home and estate name, deeply pondering not only the square footage but the actual experience of the home is more important than almost anything a professional can do. It keeps the home in front of the right eyes, keeps the marketing cohesive, and gives photography a structure that not only captures the physical aspects of the house but creates artwork that invites, persuades, and closes transactions.
7. And the reason that so many luxury homes show that they sold within a day on the mls? Because a luxury home listing doesn’t begin on the mls. A luxury home listing prioritizes privacy, exclusivity, and connections. Ensure your real estate professional is connected to and has access to private luxury networks nationally and internationally, that they focus on exclusive hgih end real estate soirees, publishing your listing in places like the wall street journal, JamesEdition and other places where the right buyers can see it. A pocket listing, away from the prying eyes of the public listing service can prove a more meaningful and powerful way of marketing a home, and reaching more extensively buyers who have the financial means to purchase a high end estate.

The ultimate key in luxury home sales is to find a real estate professional that has education and experience in working at the luxury level, who has the understanding of the luxury world, and who understands that your home deserves white glove service. it will not be the cheapest agent, or the friend of a friend, that crosses the finish line. It will be the real estate professional who understands the importance of luxury service and is committed to treating your house with the care and expertise it deserves.