You bet it does!  Look at the studies and statistics.  Houses that are better marketed sell faster and for more money, consistently.  What does “better” mean?

Well, it is mindboggling (and depressing) that in 2012 houses are still being marketed using still photographs.  The Internet has fully evolved into a VIDEO medium.  Our nation has the bandwidth to support it.  People are watching TV online and videos on YouTube.  Why then aren’t people using VIDEO to show potential Buyers how great their house is?  We know that when people shop for a “house”, they start with their “mouse” (meaning they’re shopping online).  So, if you’re selling your house, you ABSOLUTELY MUST have a video.  And, I don’t mean an “animated photo slide show” like we see so often (where you see still pictures moving around the screen to give the ILLUSION of video).  I’m talking about a REAL VIDEO (made with a video camera); and I’m talking about a PROFESSIONALLY PRODUCED video (not something an Agent makes with his camera or Flip).

They cost thousands of dollars, when done right, especially if you hire an Actor to host the video and walk the viewer through the house (almost like an in-person showing, or like you see on the popular TV show OpenHouseNYC).  BUT, THEY MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

For instance, I took over a listing that had been on the market for almost two years, with three different agents and two different real estate companies.  I completely re-did the Marketing (with a knock-out VIDEO that really allowed Buyers to see what was so special about the property), put the house back on the Market, and we have an accepted Offer (in less than 30 days).  It’s the SAME house.  But, different Marketing gets different results.

And, TECHNOLOGY makes a difference too!  To succeed, you need more than just making fancy and pretty marketing materials.  Nowadays, you have to “connect” with the Buyers the way they want to communicate.  It amazes me the number of real estate agents who still don’t regularly send/receive Text messages.  Consider the Buyer for your home.  If you think your Buyer will be the Texting-type, you want to make sure your Agent can handle it.    But, Texting is so “outdated”.  It’s a given.

Nowadays, you need an Agent who can offer “Live Chat” on your listing.  When a Buyer is interested in a property, they should be able to click on a button to begin immediately Chatting with your listing agent, to ask questions and schedule a showing.  You’ve probably experienced this in other industries.  Big companies (especially in Customer Service or Tech Support) usually have on their website a place where you initiate an immediate Live Chat with a real human about your question.  Frequently, it’s QUICKER than calling on that old telephone-device-thingy.  (Check out www.130LyonsPlain.com to see what I mean.)

I might still be the only Agent in Fairfield County offering Live Chat on my listings.  But, it won’t be for long.  This tough Market is forcing the industry to adapt.  Even those who don’t believe will eventually come along kicking and screaming.  But, why wait?

Sure, it’s not great for the personal life to make yourself available 24 hours a day to answer Live Chats (which instantaneously come through to my cell phone).  But, in a Market like this, I do whatever it takes to get the house sold.  When the Market recovers a bit, I’ll go play golf.  Until then, I’m on call…looking forward to hearing from YOU.