Not Your Typical Real Estate Brokerage
The other day we were reading an article in a local newspaper. The piece was one in a monthly series written about local real estate agents. To be fair to the agents responding, the journalist asked each agent the same questions:
- Describe your brokerage and what makes it unique. How did you become involved in real estate?
- Where in the Nashville region are you active?
- When selling a home, what can a seller do to maximize its value?
- What advice to you have for clients who are preparing to buy a home?
- How is technology changing the way people buy and sell houses?
- What are the features that are most popular with today's buyers?
- What is the hallmark of the service you provide to your clients?
As we read article after article written about different agents in our market, we were disappointed to see that no one was bringing anything new to the conversation. As a matter of fact, the only real differences in these agents were their names and photos.
No wonder consumers think that real estate agents aren't necessary to the buying and selling process. They hear the same responses to questions over and over again. Agents aren't contributing anything new to the discussion.
We were so discouraged by this. First, the questions were worded in such a way that they didn't allow much deviation in the agent's responses. Second, it puts all agents, buyers and sellers into stereotypical boxes. We can tell you there is nothing stereotypical of buyers and sellers. Each client is unique in some way. These questions don't take into account the unique personal desires of our clients.
Listening Carefully to Our Clients Wants and Needs
One of the most important attributes of good real estate agents is our ability to communicate well. Not only do we need to explain some very complicated issues regarding the exchange of real property, we also need to carefully listen to our clients wants and needs.
We recently worked with a young couple relocating to Franklin. They had a long wish list. While they had a very generous budget, we knew right away we weren't going to be able to meet all their criteria. One item they possessed of great importance was a 16' dining table. There were no if, ands or buts about it, they needed a home to contain that table. Normally, we tell buyers not to purchase a home just to accommodate a piece of furniture. After all, furniture comes and goes, homes are designed to outlast their contents.
Through careful listening it was clear to see that it wasn't the table that was important to them, it was what the table represented--family time. This table seats their entire family; their kids, parents and siblings. It is an opportunity for their family to come together in a multi-generational time of sharing over a family meal. Wow! That table says a lot about who these buyers are as a couple and a family.
Fortunately, we were able to connect them with a custom home builder who incorporated a magnificent dining area into their home to accommodate this massive table. The room is very unique to these buyers. It's easy to see why this space was so important to them.
Connecting Local Buyers and Sellers
That's the type of service Franklin Homes Realty LLC strives to provide. There is nothing sterotypical about our brokerage. To begin with, we concentrate our marketing efforts on connecting local buyers and sellers. As our name implies, our target market is Franklin, Tennessee. We don't try to be all things to all people.
Does our business take us outside of Franklin? Absolutely. We have sold homes in Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Thompsons Station, Nolensville and Fairview. Many of these home buyers began their search in Franklin and either found a home in a neighboring community or had a home to sell there first.
Whatever the case, we can help buyers and sellers with all their Williamson County real estate needs. What sets us apart is that we won't sell homes outside of Williamson County. We have partnered with other agents in surrounding counties to provide our buyers and sellers with the best service possible. We believe the only way to do that is to use a local agent knowledgeable in that community.
Putting the Clients Needs Above Our Own
We recently co-listed a property in Mt. Juliet with a Keller Williams agent who knew that market extremely well. The result was a quick sale for the sellers who then had the ability to buy a home in Franklin. It was a win-win for the sellers/buyers. We made sure they had excellent representation on the sale on their home, even though, it meant Franklin Homes Realty LLC received a reduced commission. We put their needs ahead of our own. That is just one thing that makes us unique to other brokerages in our area.
Marketing Your Home to the Right Buyers
Additionally, we concentrate our marketing efforts to attract buyers to your home. You've probably heard it said that buyers want homes with an open concept. What if your home doesn't have an open concept? Does that mean it's not sellable? Absolutely not! We focus on the unique features of your home and aim our marketing to attract buyers who are looking for those features. Given that our multiple listing service has a limited amount of space for a description of your property, we have found other ways to attract buyers.
Franklin Homes Realty LLC is able to do this through a series of blog posts about your property. Ninety-two percent of home buyers begin their home search on the internet. We study the key search terms used to locate homes. We then take that information to produce quality content that we provide on our website. We hone in on the unique features of your home and write blog posts about those features. Buyers find your home by searching for these unique keyword phrases. The posts we've written rank highly in the search engines and draw buyers to your home.
Reaching a Global Market
Marketing your home is no longer limited to local buyers. As a matter of fact, buyers are moving here from all over the world. Agents who use print media, direct mail, open houses and yard signs to attract buyers are doing a terrible disservice to their sellers.
Buyers living outside the local area don't see these types of marketing. Their only opportunity to find homes is through online advertising. If agents aren't marketing your home online, they aren't exposing it to the largest number of buyers.
Simply putting your house on Zillow or Trulia is NOT a complete internet marketing campaign. There are thousands of homes on these sites making it almost impossible for buyers to find the right homes. Blogging about your house using keyword phrases gets your home in front of the right buyers. It's the only way to successfully reach the largest number of buyers.
Our Website Attracts Over 30,000 Visitors a Month
We've designed our website to attract buyers to the properties they desire. As a result, Google and other search engines rank us very highly in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERP). That means your house is viewed by more buyers looking for a home in Franklin TN. We have more than 30,000 visitors a month to our website. That is huge! No other local brokerage website attracts more buyers.
You won't find Franklin Homes Realty LLC responding to many of the questions posed above in the same way most agents do. The services we offer aren't found in other local brokerages. We look at each buyer and seller and taylor our services to their specific wants and needs. This requires more effort on our part to connect buyers with the right homes and market our seller's homes to the right buyers.
We don't aim to be the biggest brokerage in town but we do aim to be the best. We carefully follow the Franklin TN housing market and constantly update buyers and sellers to the current housing trends. This provides them with the necessary tools when making their housing selection.
Who would you rather work with? An agent who does what every other agent is doing? Or an agent who designs your home search and home sale specifically to your needs?