At the end of a long day of viewing homes I want the buyers that have walked through one of my listings to be able to remember every little detail about it. I want my SELLER'S listing to stand out, therefore I create Buyer's Brochures.
I buy 3 prong dual pocket folders, depending on the listing I include:
1. Cover Sheet with a welcome message and index of content
2. 2-3 pages of large color photographs of the best features of the home
3. List of items included with the sale
4. List of special features / upgrades
5. Documentation of upgrades (per owner)
6. Tax Roll Print out
7. County Demographics
8. Summary of school district with links to websites
9. Tax Exempt information
10. Driver's License Info/voter registration (for our out of state buyers)
11. Septic Tank Maintenance Information Sheet (if no sewer)
12. Blank Contract for Sale and Purchase
I try to theme the sheets with the photos to go with the theme of the home. (Country Style, Floral patterns etc.)
I'm trying to address as much as possible with those brochures to help the buyer's agent sell my listing and to keep my listing in the buyer's mind. I have NEVER seen anything similar in any of the properties I've shown or previewed. Additionally, my sellers believe it's a great marketing idea, something I do to get their property sold.
"Do you furnish your listing with Buyer's Brochures?" Copyright ANDREA MILLS 2008 *All Rights Reserved
This article was originally posted on http://sebring.activerain.com/
I too Andrea have been giving out binders to prospects who come to my open houses. They are all starving for information and what better way than to let them clutch something under their arms while they go through the house. I put enough reading material (with my name and phone number on everything) that I can stuff into the binder. Education is knowledge. Good for you and good luck!
Vicki - Tucson
Whoops, I forgot: I also include all disclosures pertinent to the property as well as HOA info. Depending on the location, I might include info about golf courses, hospitals etc. Whatever it takes.................
Keith & Robin, I have done power point presentations as a way to market to my fellow realtors but I never thought of including them with the buyer's brochure! I like that idea!!!!
Leigh, I have my contact and company logo on the bottom of each page. I look at it as identifying myself, not as advertising. Of course, mine doesn't include tag lines like "I'm the #1 agent".
Vicki, sometimes I can't get any documentation from the owners regarding upgrades or special features. To make sure my brochure has enough "substance" I ask them to fill out a "Owner's Brag Sheet" to tell potential buyers why they chose the house, what they liked most about it, etc.
All great ideas. My business partner and I make a Homebook that stays with the listing and eventually is given to the owner. In it, we have the seller's favorite local spots, maps, services (ie. dry cleaners), appliance manuals.
For the buyer's agents, there is a packet with supplemental documents that are needed for offer preparation (seller disclosure statement, affiliated business disclosures, etc.) However, our multiple here in Seattle allows uploads of these documents for listings.
Joy Canova
Associate Broker, Coldwell Banker Bain
www.NorhwestElegance.com
Hi Andrea...You have described a very useful brochure. You've made it very informative for perspective buyers and their agents. One thing that I include in my brochure is a letter from the sellers, if they would like to write one. I find that they can often add something very personal and meaningful. Perhaps it's because most of my listings are waterfront homes. The signifigance of the lake in their lives is often very important to buyers that have long thought of having a waterfront home.
For the brochures that are placed in the homes, I eliminate much of the "self promoting" as the perspective buyers are coming in with their own agents. The brochures in the brochure box have more about me including a sheet at the end that covers my experience, etc.
Joy, I would love to be able to upload information for the buyer's agent to the MLS. I have been thinking about making that info available as pdf files to download from my website..................
Kathleen, I like the idea with the personal letter. I think that forces the buyer to see the seller as a human being and might help out when negotiating get tough.
Andrea,
Here's a cropped image of the webpage where we upload documents to the MLS. It was just implemented in 2006. Before that, agents were using websites to facilitate supplying forms. There is one hitch in this, however, you cannot secure a time and date that buyers received timed addenda.
Joy
www.NorthwestElegance.com
Joy, thank you so much!!!!
I can use get all info I input into the MLS through our CTI as pdf files, either saved to my puter or emailed to me, but that would only be the listing sheet itself, flyers I make in CTI or taxroll print outs.
I agree -- this package is very important for the first impression of the home to continue on when the buyer goes home. I would also encourage you to use a single property domain service like listingproducer.com for a web site flyer dedicated just for the home. You can actually burn a CD and give a CD out to the buyers too. Buyers will throw away a flyer but not a cd.