Since the 1990s, we have been conducting the “Beyond MLS” marketing program. Thousands of properties do not sell each year because of the limited (or unproductive) promotion of the property.
Beyond MLS™ is successful because it goes to the places the buyer begins when they decide to make a move.
Below are the 5 key components of our Beyond MLS Program.
Loan Officers
If you are looking for a steady stream of buyers to view your property, network with loan officers. A typical LO will carry approximately 15 pre approved buyers. A Rock Star loan officer may have 50 pre-approved buyers.
The greatest source of pre-approved buyers is not from an open house, but rather, it is wise to go to the source that is contacted before the property search begins.
Each week we seek additional connections with lenders for the sole purpose of getting introduced to more buyers. About 3 of every 10 buyers are not attached to a Realtor.
We introduce those buyers to For Sale By Owners, Expired listings, or leased properties that may sell, thereby providing the buyer with more housing choices.
Relocation Companies
The technical term is Third Party Relocation Services. These firms oversee individual and corporate group moves for small and large corporations. Unlike buyers at open houses, in this case, 100% of their clients “have to move.”
I was the relocation director for Excelsior Relocation, and presently for Fox Financial. We are constantly expanding our network to secure these relationships to receive relocation assignments.
The strategy behind the Beyond MLS™ program is that it is
tied to the sources where buyers first begin the buying process.
Leased Properties
Often within 3 miles of your current residence, there is a large portfolio of tenants, who love the area, but either chose not to buy or could not locate a property match. With our lender relationships, we can show the buyer the financial strategy to own vs continuing to rent.
Move-up or First Time Buyers
This buyer already has their property on the market. Approximately 30% of people who have their property on the market have not selected their next home. Once again, the people that live within approximately 3 miles of your residence, who we have identified as “moving up in price and lifestyle”, are candidates for your property. (In some cases, the buyer is not a move-up but rather from our efforts to secure a first-time buyer.)
MLS Feed (IDX)
Every listing agent uses the IDX/MLS process. The property goes into the MLS, and via the IDX system, sends your property to more than 1,000 websites. Thus, if you have your home for sale on Zillow, you go from 1 site to over 1,000 when you enter the IDX platform.
The question to ask is, “Where in the process is the buyer, right now?”
Additional Strategies
- Our superb photography
- The writing of the property profile
- We are effective in our responses to buyer inquiries
- Over 1,000 websites are fed from our promotion
- We target “track record” agents (agents with recent success nearby)
- We target the “move up” buyers (high probability that your buyer is on this list)
- We target “move down” buyers
- We are firm believers in tapping the loan officer buyer pipeline (we grow this each week)
- We have been members of the ERC (Employee Relocation Network – 3rd party relocation)
Marketing is attracting buyers, networking relationships are tapping the buyer referral sources.