In this week's installment, we're focusing on how to get your FSBO home, pocket listing or even MLS home noticed by more buyers looking for homes in your area. 

Gone are the days of yard signs, flyers and print ads. Here now and forever is the digital marketplace. Over half of all US consumers will find things they want or need and make the purchase online this year. 

While that may sound like old news or common-sensical to us all, that's actually the most important thing you can think about when you set off to get your home sold. 

Whether we end up buying it online or not, over 90% of us start every buying decision with online research. Just let that sink in for a moment. 

In stark contrast to the past where we'd go to a store or seek out a local expert, we're all making our decisions using the web - and increasingly from our mobile phones and tablets.

So what's the biggest takeaway? If you're selling something, it or you needs to get found online. Period.

In fact, we here at HomePocket think it matters even more than market conditions or the economy. Why? 

Well, there are always buyers looking for good buys where they can find them. And that's the whole point. Get found or don't get sold.

Here are five things to consider if you want to get your home noticed:

1. Local matters more than national - Sure, you can and likely should post your home everywhere you can (even if you're using an agent!), but bear in mind that, when consumers search online for homes, there's a "trust factor" that subconsciously affects where consumers end up clicking. That trust factor for homes is almost always higher when the consumer finds that home info on a local, area-focused site. Plus, real estate is the single most "noisy" industry when it comes to the web and social media, so seek out local web exchanges, classifieds, forums and solid local real estate agents who have great websites that are easy to use and up-to-date (and who rank highly in Google search!). In fact, although services like Zillow are very polarizing (some hate it, some love it), many buyers use them to start their research, then connect with a great local agent not by clicking on the agents who pay to be listed on Zillow listings, but by finding homes they like, then heading to Google to find the right one. Google is still and will always be the "key to decision-making" for most all consumers. 
2. Use hyperlocal web communities - Services like https://nextdoor.com/ that are focused on your neighborhood or community are very good outlets for posting your FSBO or even your MLS listing. Real estate listings are notoriously boring and poorly-written, so here's your chance to extol the virtues of your home to as many local community members as possible. Someone always knows someone else looking for a home or has a relative who's in the market.
3. Use Facebook and Facebook Live - Facebook and local Facebook groups are great places to post your home. Join groups that are relevant to your community or even local real estate investment groups found in almost every locale. Want a great way to showcase your home? Take your phone and broadcast a live Facebook tour or walk-thru of your home. A video is always much more engaging than flat text and you can save your videos to post along with your listing on other sites. Plus, Google prioritizes video in its indexing. Most agents do not yet make wide use of video in listings mainly due to outdated MLS technologies, bad websites and poor support for modern video on most major exchanges. Make your own with your phone and post it with your home info. Don't worry about not being a professional videographer, just showcase your home well for buyers.
4. Use drone video - Want a way to set yourself apart? Get a fly-around of your home from a licensed local drone video provider or shoot it yourself with one of the latest mini-drone cameras like this one or one of the new "selfie drones." Warning, though, FSBOs can legally use their own "hobbyist" footage, the vast majority of Realtors using drones now are doing so illegally. It requires a drone pilot's license (not just a FAA registration!) so be careful and be sure to ask if your agent has a drone pilots license issued by the FAA or uses a licensed drone pilot. You could get in trouble too when law enforcement sees your home posted online with the illegal footage. 
5. Make sure your Realtor has a "searchable" website - Go on. Go to Google and search for things like "homes for sale in Atlanta GA" (substitute your local area, of course) and see who shows up on the first 3 pages of Google. Go with one of them. Period. Why? Apart from all the other things to consider when picking an agent, what matters is selling your home. 90% of the battle is just getting seen by the right buyers looking in your area. Don't get seen, don't get sold. It's that simple. Agents with good search rankings are committed to moving their product and, most importantly, understand the impact of the digital age we're in. FSBOs? The data shows that over 80% of you will end up with a real estate agent after 4 months of not selling your home. Don't get frustrated, get smart and plan for that eventuality. Start researching your agent now, as not doing so only hurts your chance. You can do worse.

Lastly, a great way to get your home out to more buyers is to post it right here on mobileweb.homepocket.com. It's free and our national and local-focused marketing brings in more buyers to your listing.

Better yet? Hook up with a HomePocket exclusive agent like Jesse Vasquez in Forney, TX just outside Dallas. These agents are the only ones we partner with in any given zip code. Plus, we build, maintain and optimize their websites so you get found on the web and mobile. They have the full power of the HomePocket home marketing system at their disposal to move your home via the web.

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Real estate agents: Want to become a HomePocket exclusive agent? What you get:

• A highly search-optimized website
• Be the only one in your area getting our digital leads
• Exclusivity to local home marketing on Google and social media for your zip code
• Continuous monitoring for your web presence
• Marketing for Pocket Listings
• Real estate app showing your market info, web trends and consumer reach
• Over a dozen other benefits exclusive to you

Sign up for a demo today! https://www.homepocket.com/lead-wallet/

FSBOs and Real Estate Pros: Post your homes for sale free on mobileweb.homepocket.com