If you’re gearing up to sell your home, you need every advantage in helping your listing stand-out. Your home is competing with every other residence in the area. And the market is definitely hopping – more than 6.4 million US homes will be sold in 2018 alone.

Your home listing needs to instantly communicate why a realtor should add your property to the short-list that they present to their client. And, for buyers that are shopping for real estate without the help of a realtor, you need to make it really easy to both find and read your listing information.

Let’s take a closer look at five ways you can really make your home listing pop in 2018.

1. Create a Digital Brochure for Your Real Estate Listing

Yes, you do need a brochure or one-sheet for your real estate listing. Putting a flyer in a tube, attached to your for-sale sign, is a great way to make it easy for someone driving or walking by to take some information home with them.

But, we’re living in the age of the smart home. And, just like everything else, home buying is becoming more and more digital. Use a digital brochure program, like Flipsnack, to create an online brochure that can easily be shared. They even have unique templates for real estate listings.

In 2018, your home listing needs to speak to both old-school and online shoppers. Save yourself some hassle and use the same brochure for both!

2. Offer Online Home Buyers a Birdseye View Using a Drone

Drone technology is getting pretty crazy. In fact, the FAA is now requiring both hobbyists and businesses to legally register their drones with the Federal Aviation Administration . With drones flying to new heights, and becoming more capable of carrying heavier payloads, it’s time to seriously consider leveraging drone technology to take your real estate listing to the next level.

Depending on the price of your home, buyers may actually expect to be able to watch a drone video of your property, and the surrounding area, before burning up limited time to come see it in person. You can do this yourself, or you can hire a professional firm that offers drone videos for real estate listings.

3. Create a Welcoming Home Environment

Once you decide to place your home on the market, it’s time to accept the reality that it isn’t yours anymore. Yes, you do own the property until closing, but potential buyers want to imagine what the home could be for their family.

This means letting go of your sense of décor. Instead, try to offer a neutral canvas that buyers can use to jumpstart their imagination. Once a buyer starts imagining all of the possibilities for your home, you are one step closer to sealing the deal.

There are staging companies that will prepare your home for you. Of, you can do it yourself by following these guidelines:

• Use neutral colors.

• Declutter your space.

• Thumb threw a few home décor magazines or websites to find what’s trending.

• Remember, less is more. You don’t have to go crazy. Leave room for the buyer’s imagination.

4. Set a lower price than nearby listings.

I know. This probably sounds pretty obvious. But, some of the most prolific listings I’ve assisted with started with a lowball price. You don’t need to go crazy. Even just $10k below every other listing within a 10 mile radius is enough to do the trick.

Basically, the idea is that your listing shows up at the top of any area search when the buyer sorts it by price. And, if your home is properly presented, it will look like a killer deal – hopefully because it is. This leads to a bidding war, if handled correctly.

Generally, I don’t recommend FSBO (for sale by owner) listings pursue this strategy on their own. An experienced realtor with experience negotiating will be able to help you successfully execute this strategy.

5. Band together with other local listings.

If there’s one thing social media has taught us, we are more connected than ever before – at least digitally. A new strategy that I’ve seen work for some home sellers is banding together with other local sellers. This might seem counterintuitive. You might be thinking to yourself, “Aren’t the other listings in my neighborhood my competition?”

You’re not wrong, but it’s in your best interest to work together. How? It’s simple. Present your neighborhood to potential buyers as a package. Create a brochure (don’t forget the digital version) that includes all of the local listings. Let each homeowner / realtor draft their own description and choose their featured photo.

The goal is to encourage cross-promotion between listings. Basically, if someone come to see your home, they’ll be offered a flyer with all of the other local listings. And, if a buyer visits a property down the street, they’ll learn about your property as part of your visit.

Collaborating and building interest in your neighborhood is a great way to increase the value of your home. A rising tide lifts all boats. When buyers see your neighborhood as a compelling place to raise their family, everyone benefits.

In conclusion, don’t be afraid to try new things. There are many similarities between the hustle that it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur and selling your home. Try to work with your neighbors, instead of in direct competition. Put some energy into creating both a paper and digital flyer / one sheet. Let go of your unique style and create room for buyers to imagine themselves in your home. And don’t be afraid of taking your listing to new heights with a drone video.

Happy selling!