Selling Luxury Homes-Information for Sellers

Our Luxury Home Marketing Plan and Techniques; Information for the Seller

This is what distinguishes us from the other high-end agents selling luxury homes.

The luxury marketplace is very different from the rest of the market.  The homes in this marketplace are appropriate for far fewer potential home buyers than average priced homes.  Sometimes luxury homes may go unlisted to protect a high-profile seller’s privacy.   Such homes, and the buyers for these homes, are often found through personal connections rather than public open houses.

Marketing Plan and Reaching Potential Buyers:

Each luxury property that we represent the seller in requires its own specifically tailored and customized plan as it is very likely that the property will be purchased not be someone in the immediate area but by someone who is out of town, even in the bay area or out of state and looking to relocate.  Posting a listing on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn isn’t going to be sufficient in the luxury market and in fact can even cheapen the listing.

The more expensive the home, the more likely the buyer will come from more than 500 miles away.  It is important to have an agent who has a rolodex and connections with other agents and potential buyers to help locate buyers moving from one market to another.  Many luxury homes have custom features that will require special “staging” to attract buyers.

Most luxury homes are advertised in the local multiple listing service (MLS) database and in some media.  However many sellers of luxury homes first attempt to sell through private networks in order to avoid the hassles of an open house; these are called pocket listings.

Affluent Connections:

Many sellers and buyers are self-made and consist of Entrepreneurs, Corporate Executives, Doctors and Lawyers.  Both Jason Litchney and Sarah Litchney have the background and connections necessary to connect with these types of sellers and buyers.  They attended and received their college degrees from an Ivy League University on the East Coast.  As a result they have access to a large alumni network both in the Sacramento and Bay areas and through-out the nation.  These connections resulting from their graduate and post-graduate education and social activities both during college and after allows them to market to potential buyers who are likely to have the funds and interest in purchasing certain luxury homes locally, state and nationwide.

The Discerning and Private Seller:

When we represent sellers who have the desire for complete confidentiality without any concerns from potential buyers leaking information, we will have them sign a non-disclosure document which agrees to keep their plans and details quiet in exchange for bringing a buyer in for a first look and first option to buy, before the listing goes public.  This can help a seller sidestep the headache and personal invasion of a broker’s open house or for potential “buyers” that draw interior-decorating “tourists,” and house-hunters who simply can’t afford the property.

After a discussion with the seller we can require that any potential buyer only be allowed to see the home once they have shown ample proof that they are pre-qualified for the amount that the home may be sold for or asset statements showing that they have the cash funds available to them or the assets available to convert to purchase.   This is to avoid such scenarios as well. The job of a listing broker is to keep those types of people out.  However sometimes a broker open house is necessary to draw attention to a home that may need it or that isn’t likely to get a lot of immediate attention in order to help it sell.  Sometimes a seller must make the decision in the balance of privacy or inconvenience toward their ultimate goal of selling the home.

Marketing Strategies:

There are times when it may be necessary especially before a property is officially listed that in order to create an appetite among buyer’s agents, we “leak” select information about a property’s availability before a broker-only open house and the Web site launch featuring the property with professional photos, videos and marketing.  We may also make a DVD of the property in order to send it to potential buyers agents to facilitate the ease of watching it and create the sense of an exclusive invitation to preview the home.

Many luxury homeowners custom built their homes, others may have spent lavishly and invested a lot of time to renovate existing structures to suite their tastes.  Unusual features can sometimes reduce the pool of potential buyers; staging in these instances is critical to show the appeal of such features.  A good real estate agent will know how to make a home appeal to people with a number of different lifestyles and interests and those likely to be potential buyers. It is about knowing more than just your market but knowing and understanding the potential buyer demographics.

High-end brokers often will rely on the “six degrees of separation” sales technique.  So your broker’s connections are who their six degrees associate with and that depends largely on their background, education and connections.

To discuss buying or selling a luxury home please contact us so that we can discuss your unique situation and needs.

 

We are experienced Sacramento Real Estate Attorneys and Sacramento Realtors. We are a unique and powerful combination and can help you buy Sacramento Real Estate homes or sell Sacramento Real Estate homes with proven results, legal advice and the strategy needed to give you the results you want. Contact us today by clicking HERE or by calling 916-378-5760. We look forward to helping you with all of your Sacramento real estate needs.