Learning how to write a house for sale ad using the newspaper classifieds section, can still be while worth it when selling for sale by owner.
Having said that, if you don't have a quick sale, local newspaper classifieds can be your biggest expense marketing your home.
Note: Don't forget to check out the other advertising pages on this site which cover other topics in more detail, including examples.
How to Write a House for Sale Ad
Use Your Dollars Wisely
Check with your local newspaper before you write your ads and compare costs. Ask about any specials that are currently running.
Ask about price for different size ads. Ask about 2 or 3 day run costs. Ask how much for a photo ad.
When you have all the ad prices, take them home and devise a plan. Plan for at least a 90 day selling time.
Your property may sell in 2 days or it could take 6 months. There are too many factors to even attempt a discussion on this subject.
The time frames mentioned above should be the same whether you are for sale by owner or listed with a real estate agent.
Your particular selling time may depend on whether you follow the guidelines on this site. :)
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House for Sale ad Ideas
I would start my newspaper advertising plan by deciding how often and when I was going to have open houses. For information go to Open House Weekend
If you run the newspaper ads, put out proper signage and take advantage of the real estate agents having their open houses, this can work very well for you.
Your whole local newspaper classifieds can be run on open house ads only if you have them almost every week-end.
Worth Repeating
Once you have a plan of what size ads you want and how often you run those classifieds, you are ready to start writing.
How to Write a Newspaper Classified Ad
(for sale by owner style)
The first thing to remember, is don't follow what the real estate agents do. Why? Different agenda. Real Estate Agents want to sell A House.
Your agenda is sell My House. Think about that one for a minute.......OK? Do you understand the difference? Great!
How to Write a For Sale by Owner Ad
What to ALWAYS Include
The Address or at least a named area. examples: Birchgrove Sub-Division or 2 miles (kms) south of town. Of course if it's an open house ad, you MUST have the address.
The Price
Your Phone Number (Don't laugh, I've seen it happen)
How to Write a Home For Sale Ad
Highly Recommended to Include
How to Write a House for Sale Description
Some More Ideas to Think About
These are just a few ideas for your newspaper classifieds when it comes to how to write a house for sale by owner ad. Take your best selling features and include those keeping yourself mindful of your advertising budget.
How to Write a House for Sale Ad
Not Recommended to Include These
The Following Invite Low-Ball Offers and Serve No Useful Purpose
Think
Just think before you write your newspaper classifieds. Ask yourself this questions. Is this a feature or benefit that will appeal to many buyers? If the answer is no, don't put it in your ad.
You have to catch the buyers attention! Make them want to view your home. Make your place a must see! Just writing hard facts may be enough but why take a chance?
The problem with printed advertising in your local newspaper classifieds, is you usually have to pay for each character or for space used.
This is why in local newspaper classifieds you see lots of short forms such as:
A/C, b/r, bths, h/w, f/p and u/g sprinkler. Of course when you advertise on a for sale by owner website, you usually can write as large of ad as you wish.
Why do you always put the address and price in ALL advertising? Because you are selling YOUR house not A house.
When a real estate agent advertises, they just want the phone to ring.
If the area or the price is not suited to the person that calls in on the ad, they try to switch them to another property.
You on the other hand most likely have one property for sale and one only. It is in a certain area and a certain price range.
You DO NOT want calls from people who don't want to live there or who can't afford to buy in your price range.
Unwanted calls will just discourage you and annoy you. Quality of calls is what you want, not quantity. Real estate agents want quantity not necessarily quality on a given property.
Make sense? The reason I cover this in such detail is I've seen this mistake made far to often by for sale by owners.
For sale by owners will run an ad in the local newspaper classifieds and not include the address or the price. Why?
Because they look at the real estate agent newspaper classifieds and figure the Realtors are the professionals so that must be the right way to advertise.
Side Note: When I was in real estate, newspaper classifieds actually had a low return on the investment. Today, I'm sure it is even less. Why? The internet.
For More Information about Advertising
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