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Use Classified Ads To Sell Your Home For Top Dollar

I'm told the first newspaper ever written was in 1605.  I'd be willing to bet that classified ads shortly followed.  That said, classified ads are nothing new and can be credited with billions of dollars of merchandise being sold.

How do I write an effective classified ad to sell my home?

Since we are working with a small amount of text space, we want to grab the readers' attention as quickly as possible and have a call to action.  The first item within our classified ad that will accomplish this is our title.  If we don't stand out from the hundreds of others, we won't get the desired response.  A great title could be "Gorgeous Home with Big Yard".  Your home might not actually be gorgeous, but it grabs the readers' attention more than "Nice Home".  Also, your yard might only be 5,000 sqft., but that could mean a big yard to someone who's never had a yard.  You get the point.

Now that we have their attention, again space is an issue, so a brief description is necessary..."150K Updated: 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage".  If you've done any improvement to your home big or small, use the word updated.  Again, it's about standing out from the others.  Always spell out bed, bath and garage.  To your surprise, most home buyers aren't aware of the 3/2/2 most sellers use, and we don't want them to be confused.  Don't go into a long description about how lovely your home is.  If they know everything your home has to offer, what reason do they have to call you.  Remember, the objective here is for the home buyers to pick up the phone and call.

Lastly, and probably the most important...the call to action.  This is where the magic happens.  It will determine whether or not your classified ad is a success or failure. Try something like, "Free 1-year Home Warranty.  Must Call Today!".  This is your offer.  The home warranty is a few hundred bucks and protects the home buyers for 12 months in case something breaks.  It's worth it, since you are likely to get your asking price and everyone wins.  So when it's said and done, your ad will look similar to this:

Gorgeous Home with Big Yard
150K Updated: 3 bed, 2 bath and 2 car garage
Free 1-Year Home Warranty
Must Call TODAY! 555-555-5555

Now your more than welcome to give it a try.  Start with your local paper.  It might be fairly expensive, so if you are going to shell out the bucks, make sure the ad hits on Sunday at a minimum.  This is the day, home buyers will most likely have the time to sit down and house hunt.

Conclusion

I have extensive knowledge and skill in regards to selling homes in Houston, Texas and surrounding cities.  If you've thought about ridding yourself of the hassles of FSBO, I'd be happy to share with you my full blown marketing plan (magazine advertisement, 360 degree virtual tour, direct marketing etc..) 

I also offer multiple listing package options ranging from discount to full service.  The choice is yours.  I feel that my clients should have a choice concerning how involved they choose to be in the sell of their home.

I thank you for visiting my site and hope that you've enjoyed the knowledge shared with you today.

Happy home selling,

Jeannie Rogers
Realtor / Consultant
Rogers United Realty
832-885-5445
www.JeannieRogers.com

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