Summer Real Estate Marketing Ideas
Summer is everyone’s favorite time of year, and for a good reason. The sun is shining. The days are longer, and, most importantly, it’s finally the peak selling season! From seasonal tips to insights on separating your listing from the rest, here’s how to close listings faster and increase your brand presence this season.
Why is summer the best time to buy?
It’s been proven, time and time again, that the best time of year to sell or buy a home is during the summertime. Let’s discuss the top reasons why.
The Weather
May, June, and July are the best times for home sellers and home buyers alike. Daylight savings is over, so the days are longer. The sun also sets later, meaning there’s more time for potential homeowners to view your latest listing looking its best. Whether you’re offering longer open house hours on the weekend or doing appointment-based tours after work, a staged house with perfect landscaping is always appreciated to its fullest extent when natural light is shining in.
The seasons may seem quite similar for temperate states, but for states that experience all seasons, selling during the warmer months holds multiple advantages. First, there’s no snow, ice, or inclement weather affecting open houses. Snow should not be tracked into the open house, and the lawns will be green and beautiful, increasing overall curb appeal.
It also means the actual move done by homeowners or home buyers won't be affected by the same cold weather. Longer days mean warmer weather and more daylight hours to pack, move, and clean.
The School Year
For families with children, moving in the summer is a top priority. Moving can be a complicated process. Factor in anything related to schools, and that multiplies tenfold. When you move during the summer, children won’t have to switch schools in the middle of the year, and they’ll know what their new school district zone is. In addition, a summer move allows kids—and parents—ample time to get settled in a new neighborhood and city rather than transitioning during the middle of the school year.
And as tax refunds have recently hit bank accounts, these additional funds can provide enough money to hit the down payment percentage they’ve been planning for or make those final few repairs or renovations to get a house ready to hit the market.
Because of these factors, the demand for buying and selling houses in the summer is highest. Why is this important? It means that, while prices are higher due to the increase in competition, more properties are available, and listings have faster closings. It’s ideal for both buyers and sellers who don’t want to spend months looking for their next home or waiting to get the funds to put a down payment on a new home.
5 Tips for Successful Summer Real Estate Marketing
Summer is the busiest time of year for the entire real estate industry. An increase in prospects and leads means agents, brokers, lenders, and everyone in between must be at the top of their game to stand out from the competition. Here are five must-know tips to have a successful summer selling season.
1. Begin Your Marketing Today
The summer selling season may have just started, but homeowners and homebuyers have been considering making a move for months now. So start your marketing today and show them you’re prepared to help as soon as they’re ready to hit the market!
Send your entire farm direct mailers with tips on what they need to know before they start selling or buying a home—from considering down payment percentages and neighborhoods to the best cosmetic upgrades to tackle. There are many agents in the area; separate yourself from the rest and show them you’re the agent here to help them with every step of their real estate journey.
For more tips, check out our Summer Real Estate Business Checklist.
2. Focus on Branding and Signage
With eye-catching branding and signage, there’s no better way to separate your upcoming listing from the competition. From unique sign riders showing off your open home’s special features to A-Frames around the neighborhood, make every second of your open house experience memorable.
Your open house signage shouldn’t stop at the front door. Instead, add virtual staging signs showing what a room in your open house could look like, and add personalized welcome signs to the mantle or by the front door.
3. Use Your Success to Win More Listings
In this industry, referrals and references are everything. Show homeowners in your neighborhood that you’re the local expert who consistently closes on listings. Feature testimonials from their satisfied neighbors with every mailer. You’ve helped them close for the above-asking price, and you can do the same for them.
Send out postcards, newsletters, or order door hangers that show off your newest listings and just sold homes. It’s the perfect way to connect with your leads, grow your brand, and prove you’re the agent they need to hire.
4. Emphasize Your Brand and Experience
Show off your professionalism with marketing materials that are high-quality, branded, and make a statement. Order an entire branded collection—from postcards, listing presentations, and business cards—that match and show off your expertise.
Prove you’re the agent who’s here, not just to help them every step of the process. You’re here to help them find the home of their dreams. From personalized Home Estimate landing pages to virtual property websites and online open houses, offer the technology and tools needed to impress homeowners and home sellers alike.
5. Sign Up for Corefact Elite
During this busy season, automating as much work as possible is critical to your success. Your time is valuable, and following up with hot leads and closing deals should be the priority. But, at the same time, you don’t want to stop regular communication with your farm. That’s where Corefact Elite comes in.
Corefact Elite is an automated direct mail marketing campaign. We create and manage a semi-personalized postcard campaign for you. Elite sends out postcards at a regular cadence to your farm area. This saves you time and allows you to create consistent communication with your farm, all through branded marketing that’s complimentary with the rest of your marketing.
You’ll be able to continue connecting with your farm and grow your brand while also focusing on closing listings.
How to Separate Yourself From the Other Agents Around
Wow Them with a Listing Presentation
From branded listing presentations to a personalized thank you note, your care and expertise are something all homeowners and homebuyers are looking for in an agent. So pay attention to the small details: consistent marketing materials, making them feel seen and heard, and being on time—those are the things your leads will remember and how you’ll close the deal.
Make It All About Them
Send out direct mailers that provide value. Show leads you’re here to help them succeed. Include home estimates or market updates, making it easy to see exactly how much their home could sell for in the current market. While you have the local experience and knowledge, make sure you emphasize how this translates to helping them find the home of their dreams.
Combine Traditional and Digital Marketing
One of the easiest ways to separate yourself from other agents is by having a marketing strategy that combines traditional and digital marketing. Direct mail is crucial when communicating with leads and building your brand presence. It’s also what connects across multiple age ranges and demographics.
By adding digital marketing, you can utilize the benefits of this traditional method of marketing alongside the immediacy and personalization of digital marketing. Now, leads can see precisely how much their house is worth and all of your available listings.
Add in Corefact Social Share, and you’ll be able to post to all of your favorite platforms in seconds. You’ll be growing your social presence and sharing your open houses, just listed and just sold listings for your leads to browse and look through at their convenience. In addition, Corefact Social Share comes with several online seasonal marketing templates, so you’ll be the top agent on their minds all season long.
Communication Is Key
Follow up with leads immediately by text, email, or call—whatever they prefer. Show them you’re the agent here to help them with their questions. Many homeowners are excited to begin the process but unsure how to start. If you prove you’re there to help them every step of the way, you’ll secure them as a client. And you’ll be their first recommendation to any friends and family looking to buy or sell.
Of course, communication is more than just responding to their messages. It’s sending out regular communication via direct mail, social media, or email, so you’re top of mind. We offer several free email templates for summer newsletters and letters for sellers you can send out to make it easy.
The Top Products Every Agent Needs in Their Arsenal
Direct Mail Marketing Materials
Make sure you’re sending out mailers to your farm that are engaging, informative, and branded. For example, send out just listed and just sold postcards for every listing. Personalize postcards with their home estimate or market update trends, so homeowners can see exactly how much their home could sell for in today’s market.
Listing Presentation Materials
Impress future clients at your next listing presentation. Use our Listing Appointment Checklist to make sure you’re ready to seal the deal and pack luxe tri-paste business cards, one-of-a-kind luxury brochures, and matching notepads within your presentation folder to show that you care. While your track record speaks for itself, paying attention to these small details tells future home buyers and home sellers you’ll be there to help them with the big questions and the small ones once they begin their buying or selling journey.
Quarterly Sales Portfolios and Newsletters
A Quarterly Sales Portfolio is an ideal mailer for the summer months: there’s no better way to summarize your recent successes with your hot leads. Highlight the listings you’ve recently closed and exactly how much they sold for over the asking price.
You can also send a quarterly newsletter, which allows you to feature multiple tips, updates, and local information all in one mailer. These can be completely personalized and ordered in minutes. You can also copy and paste some of our free summer-specific newsletter content into your next long-form direct mailer.
Unique Listing Items
Show clients, you care about them on a personal level. For example, send them moving announcements that they can use and send to loved ones, and show your appreciation for them with a personalized gift tag to go with their closing gift.
Need help?
Our Customer service team is ready to come to the rescue:
Call us: +(866) 777-3986
Monday through Friday 8:00 AM - 5 PM PST
Email: CS@Corefact.com
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