The marketplace is slowing and investors are struggling with house monthly payments. Will this end soon? Probably not. What can a seller do in this market? Certainly dropping the purchase price until you get it sold is one way to do it. I’ve got a much better choice – SELL the home.

What amazes me is that nearly all home owners don’t sell their homes. They advertise homes, they list homes, but they don’t SELL houses. In a good market you can rest on your laurels, when times are tough you must be willing to innovate. Stop complaining about the weak market and start SELLING your houses!

I’ve got 5 tricks for marketing a house more quickly in a weaker marketplace:

1. Make Your Listing Sparkle!

A lot of listings are uninviting, informative but don’t sell the home. That’s because most people leave it with to the realtor to develop the listing, which is communicating with other brokers. Instead, take charge of your own listing. Make sure the photographs are great, definitely not typical. Photoshop the pictures so there will be outstanding photographs of the entrance, the kitchen area and the most appealing features of the home. Don’t take the outside pictures on a cloud day; wait for sun. If the front lawn looks dead and brown, you can use your computer photo program to brush it up and add some green to the grass. Whenever a buyer’s agent is looking at the MLS with their clients, you have got two seconds to catch their attention and cause a showing – you need to make a great first impression!

2. Use Lots of Directional Signs

A sign in the front of your house is fine if your home is on a major avenue, otherwise you must get traffic to the residence. Use lots of directional signs coming from the most adjacent main road to the home. On weekends, tie bunches of balloons on the primary sign on the road.

3. Utilize a Professional Sign in front of the house

Do not, I repeat DO NOT use the economical sign you get at the hardware store. Purchase a strong metal-framed sign which includes an attached flyer container which is easy for folks to grab your brochure. In the event the property is empty, have an arrow together with the words “More info” going to the house, and put your flyer box on the front step of the dwelling. This can get folks looking into the residence, which is exactly what you want

4. You need a FANTASIC Flyer

It surprises me how bland and unappealing most property facts leaflets are prepared. The typical agent usually prints the flyer in black and white off the Multiple listing service listing computer. Instead, use a full color flyer with optimal high-resolution photos of the inside. If you are not a digital camera aficionado, place an ad online at Craigslist and hire a low cost freelancer to take and edit some photos. Sell the features of your home, not the facts.

5. Sell Home Shoppers on the Home

Many sellers show houses, and say, in effect, “Hope to See You Again”. Let me ask a question… is that what car dealers do? Certainly not! The cardinal rule of a salesman is to NEVER let a customer off the lot. Why would selling your home be any different? If you generate the useful information and facts from the buyer to understand that he or she is in the “making a decision” mode, encourage him or her to make a decision.

Can you remember going into a car dealer thinking to yourself, “I’m just looking, I have not made up my mind yet”? And then, for some inexplicable reason, you left the dealer with a new car! Why? Because that salesman SOLD it to you, he didn’t just let you test drive.

Not all buyers are ready to make a decision, but if he’s been looking at a few houses for a few weeks, he may be wanting to decide, even if he says otherwise. Be prepared with a contract for purchase and try to get the buyer to leave you a deposit check, even if it is refundable. Secure as much commitment as you are able to; rather than merely showing the property, SELL it!