$338,581
Zestimate
$410,000
List Price
$410,000
Sold Price
6
Days on Market
Meet The Jensens
We were first introduced to Billy and Jessica Jensen when they inquired about a property that they had seen listed for sale on Zillow.com. They were looking for a home with more room for their 2 recent (and absolutely adorable) additions to the family that would give them some much needed space.
The Jensens' current home was beautifully updated with top quality upgrades including custom cabinetry, granite countertops, oversized tile flooring, a new roof, and a new AC system. There was exceptional attention to detail paid throughout the home on items like crown molding and custom millworking that were sure to impress even the pickiest buyer that saw the home in person. The house was located in a quiet neighborhood on a little over an acre. It was zoned for great schools and had little traffic while still being very near SR 46 and with easy access to FL 417 and I-4.
The Problem
While their current home was in excellent condition and in a desirable part of town, there was a problem. Like most of the people we meet with, while looking around on Zillow.com at new homes they pulled up the value of their own home. The value, or "Zestimate", according to Zillow.com was $338,581.
They had a feeling that was a little low (so did we). We completed a thorough and completely customized value analysis for their property and determined that it was actually worth as much as $410,000.
But how do we sell the house for that much more than the "Zestimate" when the potential buyers are all going to see that lower value when they look at the house online?
The Proposed Solution
In our conversations about the situation we arrived at a simple solution. "Let's just make sure that people don't see that Zestimate before they see the house, because once they've seen it in person, they won't even care about that number." So we went about designing a custom property page for the Jensens' home that we could advertise on our own and drive potential buyers to that would show the property beautifully, without the inaccurate data and competing listings. We just needed to make sure that we went pedal to the metal with our advertising approach to make sure that WE were the source of the information, not one of the hundreds of other websites out there.
In order to make sure that we were putting our advertising in front of the right audience, we payed particular attention to who would be the likely buyer for this home. After much discussion, we concluded that the most likely buyer for a home would be either a young family that would value the yard and the school zone or an older couple that would enjoy the peaceful setting. Whomever it was going to be, they would need to appreciate the ample upgrades in the home.
So we know what we're selling, we know we have have to do it quickly, and we know who we're selling it to. But how do we reach them and get them engaged?
Custom Listing Site
At the heart of our marketing strategy was technology. With our custom property page, there was no inaccurate "Guesstimate" to mislead a potential buyer. There was no list of competitor's less expensive homes along the side. No advertising for half a dozen other Realtors desperate to sell those buyers ANY home. Just a showcase for our client's home directing interested buyers to our team, whose only priority was selling THEIR home. Over 90% of home shoppers start their search online, and there is no 2nd chance at a 1st impression, so it had to look fantastic.
You can view the page that we used to advertise the Jensens' home here: www.OrlandoSold.com/137-Steeplechase-cir.
Facebook Advertising
We reached out to our likely buyer profile through advanced demographic targeting and paid advertising on Facebook. We ran a "coming soon" ad as soon as the pictures were processed while the Jensens were preparing for their first weekend of showings. Then, as we approached the first weekend of showings, we ran a massive "open house" advertising campaign to drive showing activity for that first weekend on market. That Facebook advertising reached 26,034 targeted Facebook users and we saw 6,318 clicks on the posts and 134 positive reactions to the ads. More importantly, those ads resulted in 131 interested potential buyers submitting their contact information and an enormous amount of traffic to our open house.
"Coming Soon" Facebook Advertisement
"Open House" Facebook Advertisement
Professional Print Advertising
Professional print materials were prepared featuring the most impactful photos of the property and drove the recipient to our custom property website.
The phone number used on the materials provided a recorded description of the property and followed up with a text message with the link to the mobile version of the custom property page. Those callers were also placed onto an active marketing campaign where our team made every effort to coordinate private showing appointments for the caller.
As part of that print advertising, a post card was delivered to a targeted group of 500 area residents to announce the open house. We also advertised the property to neighboring communities using door hangers and in area restaurants and business using glossy double sided flyers.
All buyers that saw the home received hand written "Thank You" cards on custom made property specific cards. Custom business cards were used when showing the property and when meeting with other agents about the property.
Targeted Email Blasts
The "Coming Soon" advertising and open house announcement were emailed to our existing database of over 2,000 active Orlando Area home shoppers. These are not cold emails, these are potential home buyers that know our name and receive our updates and contacts on a regular basis.
Professional Videography
Nothing can capture the true experience of a home like video. According to the National Association of Realtors, homes advertised with video get 3 times more clicks on average than homes without. One of the biggest selling points of this property was the size of the lot, so we incorporated drone video that highlighted the 1+ acre lot and pool area as well as a professionally recorded walk-through video. Take a look at that YouTube.com video that we had prepared for the Jensens' home below.
Professional Photography
Every one of our listings gets professional photography. A professional can provide higher resolution photos with fewer shadows and an artist's appreciation for lighting, photogenic angles, and visual appeal. There is simply no room for cell phone photography or amateur snapshots in the marketing of one of your largest financial assets. Take a quick look through the slideshow below to see the how the pictures came out.
3D Floor Plan Model with Dollhouse View
Have you ever looked at photos of a home and wondered "which bedroom is this?" or "is this the master bath or the hall bath?" The technology we use takes thousands of photos and "stitches" them together into a 3-D "dollhouse" style floor plan model and virtual reality enabled virtual tour. In a home like the Jensens' with high quality touches everywhere that you looked, it really makes a difference.
We have more people relocating to Central Florida than almost anywhere else in the country. With this technology we've been able to sell homes site unseen to buyers that couldn't fly in to see them in person because they've already seen every corner of the home online. Take a look for yourself!
The Property Description
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but the words still matter. It's our opinion that the property description should both describe the details of the home as well as paint a picture of what owning and living in this home would be like. In this case, we wanted visitors to imagine sitting in the beautiful family room entertaining appropriately impressed family and friends while the kids are outside splashing in the pool and burgers are being grilled out on the covered lanai. We're selling the experience of living here! Here's how we did it:
Cozy Family Room
Soaring vaulted ceilings welcome you into the warm and inviting family room, featuring a granite mantled fireplace, upgraded 18-inch tile flooring, and custom entertainment center with wiring for surround sound. Just imagine enjoying the spring breeze blowing through the triple sliding doors as you enjoy the game or your favorite music as the kids splash around in the pool!
Gourmet Kitchen
Built for easy entertaining, the kitchen is open to the family room and includes both a dinette area and breakfast bar at the granite countertop. The 42-inch solid wood cabinetry and custom finial woodworking are beautifully accented with pendant lighting and marble backsplash. Stainless steel Kenmore Elite appliances included.
Outdoor Living
As spectacular as this home is on the inside, you're likely to be spending a lot of your time out at the heated and screen enclosed pool. Featuring a covered lanai with connections for cable TV, the expansive paver patio provides plenty of space for grilling, swimming, or just enjoying the Florida sunshine.
1+ Acre Fenced Corner Lot
Situated on a 1+ acre corner lot, this property provides tremendous privacy and room to grow/play. The yard is fenced and includes a 12x16 air conditioned work shop that is sure to delight the hobbyist or handyman in the family. There is a fire pit to the rear of the property, and there is still so much room for more. Make it your own with lavish landscaping, a garden, an over the top playground for the kids, or all of the above!
Formal Dining Room
When you're looking for a more formal atmosphere for dinner parties or holiday events, the separate dining room is the perfect location. With over-sized baseboards, decorative crown molding, plantation shutters, and decorative architectural features, this room is sure to impress even the pickiest guests.
More Details
This exquisite custom pool home sits on a corner lot with more than an acre of land in one of the most desirable areas of Seminole County. It's move-in-ready with a new roof, new variable speed 22-SEER air conditioning system, new variable speed pool pump, new well filtration system, and fresh exterior paint. The remodeled kitchen is simply breathtaking. It features granite countertops with a breakfast bar, solid wood 42-inch cabinetry with custom finial woodworking, stainless steel Kenmore Elite appliances, marble backsplash, dinette area, spacious pantry, and is open to the family room for easy entertaining. The soaring vaulted ceilings make the home feel open, airy, and bright. In the cozy family room you're welcomed by a spectacular custom entertainment center built to accommodate the fireplace with granite mantle and wiring for surround sound. The home has a split floorplan, with the master suite open to the pool area through sliding glass doors. The master suite also includes an enormous en-suite bath with walk-in closet. Both of the additional bedrooms are spacious and include durable bamboo wood flooring. You can't help but be impressed by the meticulous attention to detail paid to this property; from the plantation shutters and extensive crown molding to the oversized base boards and upgraded fixtures. Whether you love this home because of the enormous fenced piece of property with its 12x16 air conditioned work shop, the outstanding schools it's zoned for, the luxury it exudes, or the optional HOA filled with varied architecture and other spectacular well cared for homes, one this is certain; you WILL love this home! Call or click to schedule your private tour today!
Repetition Through Retargeting
Have you ever looked at something like a pair of shoes on Amazon.com? You don't buy the shoes, but you go to another site and there they are, following you around reminding you of just how much you want them. Why should such a successful marketing tactic be ignored in real estate?
Visitors to our custom property page were "tagged" for future advertising on non-real estate related websites. Each view of the ad builds recognition and increases the interest of the prospective buyer. Targeted visitors return to the custom property page, maximizing the opportunity for an offer.
The End Result
In the days prior to the property being listed for sale, the page for the Jensens' home had been viewed over 1,000 times by people in 5 different countries and 14 states. The print and online advertising did its' job and the open house was a fantastic success. On day 5 on the market we had a full price offer at our list price of $410,000 and on day 6 we were officially under contract. The home appraised precisely at our list price of $410,000, and we closed on time without issue. The Jensens are enjoying their beautiful new home with the added room for their boys to play and explore and couldn't be happier for it!
Every Client Matters
If you're thinking, "sure they did that because that house was in their area, or in that price range, or just because their boys were that stinking adorable", you're wrong. We take this same approach with every home we list. That's because every client we help is of the utmost importance to us, and service is always our 1st priority.
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