August 26, 2025 • 20 mins
It’s the most defeating feeling: you’ve prepped the listing, nailed the photos, crafted the perfect MLS description, hosted an open house…and then: crickets.
In today’s market, even great listings are sitting—and it can shake your confidence fast. But a stale listing isn’t a failure. It’s feedback. And in this episode, Lindsay walks you through exactly what to do when your listing isn’t selling.
You’ll learn:
- How to reset your mindset (before you spiral)
- The data points you actually need to analyze
- What to audit—and how to relaunch like a boss
- Ways to refresh buyer interest without starting from scratch
- Her go-to script for keeping sellers calm and trusting you
Plus, the weekly communication strategy that keeps clients loyal (even when it takes 7 months to sell).
Whether you’ve got a listing sitting right now or you just want to be prepared, this episode will help you take back control, protect your peace, and get that property SOLD.
*****************************************************
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Can you believe that we are almost in September?
I cannot.
It has been probably thelongest, shortest year of my
life.
Welcome to the Happy Agent Copodcast.
I am Lindsay Dreyer, your host,real estate coach,
(00:56):
broker-joiner, mom of three andsomeone who has been in the real
estate industry for 21 years.
Yes, it has been a long andwild ride.
First, if it is your first timevisiting, welcome, so happy
you're here.
If you are a return visitor,thank you so much.
You are amazing.
I would love it if you wouldfind me on Instagram,
(01:17):
lindsaydryer also Facebook,lindsaydryer.
I love connecting with you guys.
Shoot me a message, give meepisode ideas.
I just love getting yourfeedback and connecting with you
.
Today we are diving into a topicthat I think is so relevant to
the market we are in today,which is your listing that is
sitting.
It is crickets.
(01:38):
We will talk about what you cando, what you cannot, and I
really think this is superpertinent to so many of us
because we have entered thelistings that are not selling
market, which is a very hardplace to be.
I remember early on in mycareer when a listing didn't
sell in the first two weekends Ihad a complete mentee bee, like
(02:02):
I went into a downward spiral.
You can ask my husband.
It was like utter failure in myface.
So I will tell you.
We have all been there.
It happens to all of us Likeyou have put in so much work,
you've listed the house, did thephotos, the mls description is
the chef's kiss.
(02:22):
You didn't just copy and pasteit from chad gpt.
You had an open house and thenit is like completely crickets.
It is the most defeatingfeeling in the world.
You're like checking your phone.
You're calling everyone forfeedback.
You refresh the mls listing.
You're calling everyone forfeedback.
You refresh the MLS listing.
You're just like, okay, what'sgoing on?
(02:45):
Where's this offer?
And you really start spiraling.
Is it me, is it the market?
Is the seller going to fire meor is the seller hating me right
now?
So first, just take a deepbreath.
It is important to get regulatedand also understand that you're
not alone.
It happens to the best of us,even the listing agents who are
rock stars, especially now,because it is happening to
everyone.
And today I'm going to walk youthrough exactly what to do when
(03:08):
your listing is sitting, so youcan move it from sitting to
sold, hopefully without losingyour client, your confidence or
your mind.
All right, so why does thismatter?
Here is the stark reality thatevery day a home sits and you
know this that its perceivedvalue in a buyer's mind drops.
(03:30):
Stale listings are harder tosell.
They stress out your sellers,which really makes them lose
trust in you quickly, and thelonger that you're waiting to
take action, the less leveragethat you have.
So you can turn this around,and there is a short and
specific list of things that youcan do and a few things that
(03:53):
you can't do and that youshouldn't be wasting your time
stressing about.
So, before we talk about tactics, I need you to get your head in
the right place.
I have some tips for you.
The first is you need to detachfrom your ego.
You need to detach from thedesire for the outcome.
This is not a personal failure.
(04:15):
It is the market telling yousomething.
This is information.
The third thing is that youneed to be proactive and not
reactive.
The earlier you makeadjustments, the more proactive
you are, the more control thatyou have.
So if you realize that yourlaunch was a flop, fix it.
Be proactive, do not bereactive.
(04:37):
And the third thing is that youneed to communicate confidence.
You're in control of thisprocess and your seller is
relying on you to be that steadyinfluence in this market.
Your seller needs you to becalm.
They need you to be capable andthey need you to be in control.
(04:58):
Even if you are absolutelyspiraling, even if you are
doubting yourself, wondering ifthis thing will ever sell, you
have to communicate confidencein every interaction with your
client.
Now, that's different thanlying, but it is showing that
you have a process, you haveinformation, and we will dive
into exactly how to do that andmy tips for that in a few
(05:21):
seconds.
It is also super important tounderstand what you can't
control.
There's so much we can'tcontrol.
I know in the Washington DCmarket right now, where my
brokerage is, there is a lot ofshit going on that I cannot
control and it is frustrating.
So there are just some thingsoutside of our hands.
There's seasonality, so let'sjust say, listings in November
(05:44):
may naturally get a few lessshowings than those in April.
Interest rates can't change.
That Can't change what theFed's decision is going to be
next week.
Inventory competition we can'tchange what other sellers are
doing, but it does impact demand.
It impacts the market thatwe're in.
We can't change or controlbuyer psychology, and that is a
(06:07):
tough one right now.
Sometimes buyers are holdingback because of the news cycle.
They're seeing layoffs orelection uncertainty or economic
uncertainty.
So a huge part of your job as areal estate agent, especially a
listing agent, is helpingsellers focus on the things that
you can control.
A listing agent is helpingsellers focus on the things that
you can control, because thoseare the levers that are actually
(06:28):
going to get the home sold.
These are the things that youcan actually do something about
and show that you areproactively taking steps to sell
their home.
So let's get into what do youdo when a listing is sitting,
and I'm going to give you mystep by step guide of what I do
when a listing is sitting, andI'm going to give you my
step-by-step guide of what I dowhen a listing is sitting.
Step one is the first thingthat I think everyone goes to,
(06:51):
which is audit.
The price Pricing is the numberone factor that drives showings
and offers, and here is what Ido.
And here is what I do.
I am going to pull weekly thestatistics on what is active,
what is pending and what hasclosed, and I am going to track
(07:12):
that every single week to seewhere the movement is.
This is very good informationbecause it is showing you what's
moving.
Is anything at all moving?
How many buyers are out there.
It's going to give you an ideaof what's moving.
Is anything at all moving?
How many buyers are out there.
It's going to give you an ideaof what's happening.
Now, if you have the ability todo the months of inventory, I
also love to pull that so weknow that if we're seeing a
(07:36):
trend of months of inventorygoing up, it means that there's
more competition.
It means that there's notenough buyers to absorb the
amount of inventory out there.
Now don't forget to factor inseller concessions.
So if you are seeing thateveryone's offering $10,000
closing credits or agent comp orany of those things, like you
(07:57):
need to be, this is yourdetective hat.
You need to put on yourdetective hat and really audit
what is going on with your price.
Is it competitive?
Now I've seen examples where alisting sits at $750,000 and
that home absolutely needed tobe listed at $699,000.
(08:18):
It had to be there and as theseller or listing agent, they're
like we're just going to keepit at $750.
If someone wants to negotiate,they'll come along.
That listing sat for months andas soon as they dropped it to
$699, they had multiple offers,even after sitting on the market
(08:39):
for months, and it ended upselling for $10,000 over ask.
So price is super important, sothat is key.
That is the first step.
You are going to audit theprice and we're not talking
about just a CMA.
It is a full market overview ofwhat's going on in the market.
Now step number two is audit thepresentation of the property,
(09:00):
because buyers shop with theireyes.
They do not shop with theirbrains usually.
So ask yourself are the photoshighlighting the property in a
way that is enticing?
You do not have to use apicture of every room in the
house.
You do not have to use all ofthe pictures your photographer
(09:23):
sends to you.
It is your responsibility as anagent to tell the story of the
property.
Lowest hanging fruit.
Does it have a floor plan?
I am telling you floor plans inthe photos.
It makes such a huge difference.
Cuba Casa is an app.
You can do a floor plan.
You literally scan it with yourphone.
It is the easiest thing onearth.
(09:43):
It takes $15 and maybe 15minutes of your time and you
have a floor plan.
You literally scan it with yourphone.
It is the easiest thing onearth.
It takes $15 and maybe 15minutes of your time and you
have a floor plan.
There is no excuse to not havea floor plan on every single one
of your listings.
The next is does the stagingmatch your target buyer, that
buyer profile?
So I have a condo listing thatI recently got under contract
(10:04):
and it went under contract thefirst weekend.
We were targeting downsizing orpeople looking for low
maintenance living.
It is so crucial that ittargets that vibe and person.
So my sellers were not thattarget but we staged their home
to make that attractive to theirtarget buyer profile.
(10:24):
So if, for example, a home is afamily, like you know a family
is going to be moving in, you'llhave it staged minimally.
But maybe you just add littlecozy touches, like a kid's room
setup or a little book nook andagain, like our downsizing
target, we like leaned into,like the low maintenance, the
like kind of like cozy butspacious vibe.
(10:46):
So really putting yourmarketing hat on and figuring
how does this property match theideal buyer?
And then how can I tell thestory through staging.
It is so crucial tell the storythrough staging.
It is so crucial.
The next is could you benefitfrom a little mini makeover?
So this could be the sellersrepainting that hideous red wall
(11:07):
in the kitchen, which, honestly, you should do pre-listing
anyway, but if you couldn'tconvince them and their home
isn't selling, it's probablytime to do that now Adding new
light fixtures, swappingoutdated cabinet hardware.
So this is a great opportunityto maybe do a relaunch.
Maybe you pull it from the MLS,you withdraw it, cancel your
listing agreement or put inwriting that you're going to be
(11:29):
withdrawing it.
Always make sure you have thisin writing, because the MLS will
come and get you and then doingyour mini makeover and then
getting some new pictures andrelaunching.
I'm a huge fan of a relaunch.
So, yes, audit yourpresentation, audit the MLS
listing, audit your marketing.
Make sure that the home istelling a story that resonates
(11:49):
with your ideal buyer.
Now, this kind of goes intowhat I was talking about, which
is step number three, which isaudit your MLS listing.
Okay, your remarks are more thanjust Chachi PT's gobbledygook
that they spit out.
They are a movie trailer I wantyou to think of like you're
producing a TV show or you'reproducing a movie that then is
(12:11):
going to be syndicated toNetflix and Hulu and all these
places.
You need to lead with the bestlifestyle features of the
property.
You need to reorder yourpictures so it makes sense, so
there's like a flow that you'rehighlighting the best parts of
the home.
(12:31):
Also, remove redundancy.
I can't stand descriptions thatname or call out things that are
already featured from theobvious photos.
We do not need to put extrainformation.
If there's granite countertopsand stainless steel appliances
in the pictures, you do not needto say that in the description.
(12:52):
The description is honestly forthat information that sells the
lifestyle and also points outfeatures or selling points of
the home that are not readilyapparent in the photos.
My other favorite thing is Ilove to do what's called overlay
images in MLS.
So I will actually call outwhat amenities are there on the
(13:15):
picture.
So I'll do like a translucentkind of like square and then
I'll put like luxury pool orroof deck with views.
So this is really popular forlike condo buildings or HOAs
that have amenities.
So people know exactly whatthey're looking at with those
photos, as long as it doesn'thave your branding on it, you
(13:37):
can absolutely put text onphotos in the MLS and I highly
encourage you to do that Samewith floor plan.
Put it in the photos, like a lotof agents.
Upload it as a PDF to thedisclosure section.
Do not do that.
Just put the JPEG or the PNGimage of the floor plan.
Do it in the MLS photos.
That's what people are clickingthrough.
(13:57):
We have to put our mind in likethe buyer's mind.
Like if I'm a buyer flippingthrough Redfin or wherever I'm
like I'm flipping through thosepictures, it's got to grab my
attention, it's got to spark myinterest, my intrigue.
So audit your MLS listing andthen, step four, expand your
marketing net.
If all you've done is put it inthe MLS, you've left money on
(14:19):
the table so you can try postingto local Facebook groups.
Call local agents, startnetworking with people who sell
in the neighborhood where yourlisting is.
Email to your full sphere ordatabase and ask them to share
with anyone that they know islooking.
Host a broker's open, featureit like wherever you can like
(14:42):
door knock neighbors if you feelcomfortable with that.
But you need to start expandingthe marketing net and this is
where you just have to getcreative, depending on where
those target buyers are.
So maybe it's relocation youmight be doing paid Facebook ads
or Instagram ads.
So it really is just putting onthat marketing hat and figuring
(15:02):
out how can I reach our idealbuyers, because that is who you
want to get All right.
So step five is refresh buyerinterest.
So this might be like you justneed to give it a second debut
so we could host a really funthemed open house.
You could also do limited timeincentives.
(15:23):
I have seen people likegiveaway scooters or like a Mini
Cooper.
I mean there's like some prettycrazy stuff that people have
done.
Obviously, check your localrules, laws, regulations, all of
that but there are definitelyclosing cost credits, rate buy
downs, home warranties, whateveryour target buyer market would
be interested in.
Short-term incentives can work.
(15:46):
Taking new photos again goinginto like the relaunch.
So maybe it's like flowers inspring and now it's pumpkin time
in fall or it's twinkle lightsin winter, but make sure that
everything is feeling currentbecause people can tell it's
ainkle lights in winter.
But make sure that everythingis feeling current because
people can tell it's a stalelisting that has been sitting
based on the season from thepicture.
So if you are out of the seasonwhen you listed, get some new
(16:08):
pictures taken.
I know up here in New England.
It's so important because if Isee some like fall foliage
pictures and it is like spring,I know that is a stale AF
listing.
So just making sure you aredoing your best in terms of like
refreshing buyer interest,inviting people back through,
having a reason for them to comeback through, having a reason
(16:29):
to follow up with buyers who'vebeen through agents, have been
through that is always a goodthing.
So those small refreshes cansometimes make it feel like a
new listing in a buyer's feedand again, huge fan of the MLS
relaunch, withdrawing it for aperiod of time and then
relaunching it with new picturesand usually a new price, all
(16:51):
right.
So those are my step-by-stepwhat to do when a listing is
sitting, things you can actuallydo auditing the price, audit
the presentation, audit the MLSlisting, expand your marketing
net and refresh buyer interestor do a listing relaunch.
I also want to dive in to beingproactive on your communication
because this is a key one.
(17:12):
I live and die by my Mondayupdates to my sellers.
So I will send a Monday emailto every single one of my
sellers and I will let them knowwhat's going on in the market.
I will give them a showingreport, I will analyze the
competition for them and then Igather feedback and let them
know what people are sayingabout the property and then I
(17:34):
will present what we need to dothis week to try to get their
homes sold.
So this is crucial in settingexpectations with a seller.
So I had a seller who actuallythis is like so sad, but he had
a condo and we went on themarket, like in Washington DC
with a week after Trump gotinaugurated and the market in DC
(17:58):
like did not respond well tothat event happening.
So we just had really badmarket timing and it was like
crickets for a while.
We ended up getting undercontract.
They canceled because the condoassociation didn't have an
approved budget.
Long story short, oh my God,seven months later long story
(18:19):
short, oh my God, seven monthslater he actually re-upped his
listing agreement after fourmonths and I was like, all right
, let's just keep going.
And then finally, we ended upgetting it under contract and
closed seven months later.
He was not angry with me, heactually thanked me for sticking
it out and I think it's becauseI literally sent him a weekly
update with what was going on,what was happening in the market
(18:40):
.
What was going on with consumerconfidence, buyer psychology?
I was keeping him in the loopevery step of the way.
That is how you get sellers tonot be mad at you.
Most of the time when your homeisn't selling Because it's
showing you're on it, they justwant to know you're on it
because they want to sell theirhouse.
And so that is the key, likemake sure you are presenting
(19:01):
information to the seller on aregular basis, definitely weekly
.
I highly recommend it and haveit be.
Data Like this is not youropinion necessarily.
This is data that you feel ishelpful and gives you
information that you guys needto adjust course.
So I know a listing that issitting sucks, but it isn't a
(19:25):
death sentence.
It's just the market giving youyour homework.
We now have to do our jobs andif you can stay calm, lead with
data, bring creative solutions,you will not only get it sold,
but you will strengthen yourreputation as an agent who gets
it done in this market, evenwhen the market is tough.
And you will start to see thatpeople notice your listings are
(19:48):
selling while other people's arenot, and this is how you become
the boss listing agent in yourarea, because people will start
to realize why do only Lindsay'slistings sell and everyone
else's kind of sit for a longtime and people notice.
So just remember this the bestagents don't always have perfect
(20:09):
listings.
They have the skill and theconfidence to fix imperfect ones
and change course.
So I know you've got this.
I hope this was helpful becauseI know that it can be really,
really frustrating.
If you have a friend who'smaybe going into a little bit of
a spiral, feel free to sharethis episode with them as a
reality check, to give themideas on what they can do and
(20:30):
what they can't do.
And again, say hi on Instagram.
Lindsaydryer, I'd love to hearfrom you and until next.
Can you believe that we are almost in September?
I cannot.
It has been probably thelongest, shortest year of my
life.
Welcome to the Happy Agent Copodcast.
I am Lindsay Dreyer, your host,real estate coach,
(00:56):
broker-joiner, mom of three andsomeone who has been in the real
estate industry for 21 years.
Yes, it has been a long andwild ride.
First, if it is your first timevisiting, welcome, so happy
you're here.
If you are a return visitor,thank you so much.
You are amazing.
I would love it if you wouldfind me on Instagram,
(01:17):
lindsaydryer also Facebook,lindsaydryer.
I love connecting with you guys.
Shoot me a message, give meepisode ideas.
I just love getting yourfeedback and connecting with you
.
Today we are diving into a topicthat I think is so relevant to
the market we are in today,which is your listing that is
sitting.
It is crickets.
(01:38):
We will talk about what you cando, what you cannot, and I
really think this is superpertinent to so many of us
because we have entered thelistings that are not selling
market, which is a very hardplace to be.
I remember early on in mycareer when a listing didn't
sell in the first two weekends Ihad a complete mentee bee, like
(02:02):
I went into a downward spiral.
You can ask my husband.
It was like utter failure in myface.
So I will tell you.
We have all been there.
It happens to all of us Likeyou have put in so much work,
you've listed the house, did thephotos, the mls description is
the chef's kiss.
(02:22):
You didn't just copy and pasteit from chad gpt.
You had an open house and thenit is like completely crickets.
It is the most defeatingfeeling in the world.
You're like checking your phone.
You're calling everyone forfeedback.
You refresh the mls listing.
You're calling everyone forfeedback.
You refresh the MLS listing.
You're just like, okay, what'sgoing on?
(02:45):
Where's this offer?
And you really start spiraling.
Is it me, is it the market?
Is the seller going to fire meor is the seller hating me right
now?
So first, just take a deepbreath.
It is important to get regulatedand also understand that you're
not alone.
It happens to the best of us,even the listing agents who are
rock stars, especially now,because it is happening to
everyone.
And today I'm going to walk youthrough exactly what to do when
(03:08):
your listing is sitting, so youcan move it from sitting to
sold, hopefully without losingyour client, your confidence or
your mind.
All right, so why does thismatter?
Here is the stark reality thatevery day a home sits and you
know this that its perceivedvalue in a buyer's mind drops.
(03:30):
Stale listings are harder tosell.
They stress out your sellers,which really makes them lose
trust in you quickly, and thelonger that you're waiting to
take action, the less leveragethat you have.
So you can turn this around,and there is a short and
specific list of things that youcan do and a few things that
(03:53):
you can't do and that youshouldn't be wasting your time
stressing about.
So, before we talk about tactics, I need you to get your head in
the right place.
I have some tips for you.
The first is you need to detachfrom your ego.
You need to detach from thedesire for the outcome.
This is not a personal failure.
(04:15):
It is the market telling yousomething.
This is information.
The third thing is that youneed to be proactive and not
reactive.
The earlier you makeadjustments, the more proactive
you are, the more control thatyou have.
So if you realize that yourlaunch was a flop, fix it.
Be proactive, do not bereactive.
(04:37):
And the third thing is that youneed to communicate confidence.
You're in control of thisprocess and your seller is
relying on you to be that steadyinfluence in this market.
Your seller needs you to becalm.
They need you to be capable andthey need you to be in control.
(04:58):
Even if you are absolutelyspiraling, even if you are
doubting yourself, wondering ifthis thing will ever sell, you
have to communicate confidencein every interaction with your
client.
Now, that's different thanlying, but it is showing that
you have a process, you haveinformation, and we will dive
into exactly how to do that andmy tips for that in a few
(05:21):
seconds.
It is also super important tounderstand what you can't
control.
There's so much we can'tcontrol.
I know in the Washington DCmarket right now, where my
brokerage is, there is a lot ofshit going on that I cannot
control and it is frustrating.
So there are just some thingsoutside of our hands.
There's seasonality, so let'sjust say, listings in November
(05:44):
may naturally get a few lessshowings than those in April.
Interest rates can't change.
That Can't change what theFed's decision is going to be
next week.
Inventory competition we can'tchange what other sellers are
doing, but it does impact demand.
It impacts the market thatwe're in.
We can't change or controlbuyer psychology, and that is a
(06:07):
tough one right now.
Sometimes buyers are holdingback because of the news cycle.
They're seeing layoffs orelection uncertainty or economic
uncertainty.
So a huge part of your job as areal estate agent, especially a
listing agent, is helpingsellers focus on the things that
you can control.
A listing agent is helpingsellers focus on the things that
you can control, because thoseare the levers that are actually
(06:28):
going to get the home sold.
These are the things that youcan actually do something about
and show that you areproactively taking steps to sell
their home.
So let's get into what do youdo when a listing is sitting,
and I'm going to give you mystep by step guide of what I do
when a listing is sitting, andI'm going to give you my
step-by-step guide of what I dowhen a listing is sitting.
Step one is the first thingthat I think everyone goes to,
(06:51):
which is audit.
The price Pricing is the numberone factor that drives showings
and offers, and here is what Ido.
And here is what I do.
I am going to pull weekly thestatistics on what is active,
what is pending and what hasclosed, and I am going to track
(07:12):
that every single week to seewhere the movement is.
This is very good informationbecause it is showing you what's
moving.
Is anything at all moving?
How many buyers are out there.
It's going to give you an ideaof what's moving.
Is anything at all moving?
How many buyers are out there.
It's going to give you an ideaof what's happening.
Now, if you have the ability todo the months of inventory, I
also love to pull that so weknow that if we're seeing a
(07:36):
trend of months of inventorygoing up, it means that there's
more competition.
It means that there's notenough buyers to absorb the
amount of inventory out there.
Now don't forget to factor inseller concessions.
So if you are seeing thateveryone's offering $10,000
closing credits or agent comp orany of those things, like you
(07:57):
need to be, this is yourdetective hat.
You need to put on yourdetective hat and really audit
what is going on with your price.
Is it competitive?
Now I've seen examples where alisting sits at $750,000 and
that home absolutely needed tobe listed at $699,000.
(08:18):
It had to be there and as theseller or listing agent, they're
like we're just going to keepit at $750.
If someone wants to negotiate,they'll come along.
That listing sat for months andas soon as they dropped it to
$699, they had multiple offers,even after sitting on the market
(08:39):
for months, and it ended upselling for $10,000 over ask.
So price is super important, sothat is key.
That is the first step.
You are going to audit theprice and we're not talking
about just a CMA.
It is a full market overview ofwhat's going on in the market.
Now step number two is audit thepresentation of the property,
(09:00):
because buyers shop with theireyes.
They do not shop with theirbrains usually.
So ask yourself are the photoshighlighting the property in a
way that is enticing?
You do not have to use apicture of every room in the
house.
You do not have to use all ofthe pictures your photographer
(09:23):
sends to you.
It is your responsibility as anagent to tell the story of the
property.
Lowest hanging fruit.
Does it have a floor plan?
I am telling you floor plans inthe photos.
It makes such a huge difference.
Cuba Casa is an app.
You can do a floor plan.
You literally scan it with yourphone.
It is the easiest thing onearth.
(09:43):
It takes $15 and maybe 15minutes of your time and you
have a floor plan.
You literally scan it with yourphone.
It is the easiest thing onearth.
It takes $15 and maybe 15minutes of your time and you
have a floor plan.
There is no excuse to not havea floor plan on every single one
of your listings.
The next is does the stagingmatch your target buyer, that
buyer profile?
So I have a condo listing thatI recently got under contract
(10:04):
and it went under contract thefirst weekend.
We were targeting downsizing orpeople looking for low
maintenance living.
It is so crucial that ittargets that vibe and person.
So my sellers were not thattarget but we staged their home
to make that attractive to theirtarget buyer profile.
(10:24):
So if, for example, a home is afamily, like you know a family
is going to be moving in, you'llhave it staged minimally.
But maybe you just add littlecozy touches, like a kid's room
setup or a little book nook andagain, like our downsizing
target, we like leaned into,like the low maintenance, the
like kind of like cozy butspacious vibe.
(10:46):
So really putting yourmarketing hat on and figuring
how does this property match theideal buyer?
And then how can I tell thestory through staging.
It is so crucial tell the storythrough staging.
It is so crucial.
The next is could you benefitfrom a little mini makeover?
So this could be the sellersrepainting that hideous red wall
(11:07):
in the kitchen, which, honestly, you should do pre-listing
anyway, but if you couldn'tconvince them and their home
isn't selling, it's probablytime to do that now Adding new
light fixtures, swappingoutdated cabinet hardware.
So this is a great opportunityto maybe do a relaunch.
Maybe you pull it from the MLS,you withdraw it, cancel your
listing agreement or put inwriting that you're going to be
(11:29):
withdrawing it.
Always make sure you have thisin writing, because the MLS will
come and get you and then doingyour mini makeover and then
getting some new pictures andrelaunching.
I'm a huge fan of a relaunch.
So, yes, audit yourpresentation, audit the MLS
listing, audit your marketing.
Make sure that the home istelling a story that resonates
(11:49):
with your ideal buyer.
Now, this kind of goes intowhat I was talking about, which
is step number three, which isaudit your MLS listing.
Okay, your remarks are more thanjust Chachi PT's gobbledygook
that they spit out.
They are a movie trailer I wantyou to think of like you're
producing a TV show or you'reproducing a movie that then is
(12:11):
going to be syndicated toNetflix and Hulu and all these
places.
You need to lead with the bestlifestyle features of the
property.
You need to reorder yourpictures so it makes sense, so
there's like a flow that you'rehighlighting the best parts of
the home.
(12:31):
Also, remove redundancy.
I can't stand descriptions thatname or call out things that are
already featured from theobvious photos.
We do not need to put extrainformation.
If there's granite countertopsand stainless steel appliances
in the pictures, you do not needto say that in the description.
(12:52):
The description is honestly forthat information that sells the
lifestyle and also points outfeatures or selling points of
the home that are not readilyapparent in the photos.
My other favorite thing is Ilove to do what's called overlay
images in MLS.
So I will actually call outwhat amenities are there on the
(13:15):
picture.
So I'll do like a translucentkind of like square and then
I'll put like luxury pool orroof deck with views.
So this is really popular forlike condo buildings or HOAs
that have amenities.
So people know exactly whatthey're looking at with those
photos, as long as it doesn'thave your branding on it, you
(13:37):
can absolutely put text onphotos in the MLS and I highly
encourage you to do that Samewith floor plan.
Put it in the photos, like a lotof agents.
Upload it as a PDF to thedisclosure section.
Do not do that.
Just put the JPEG or the PNGimage of the floor plan.
Do it in the MLS photos.
That's what people are clickingthrough.
(13:57):
We have to put our mind in likethe buyer's mind.
Like if I'm a buyer flippingthrough Redfin or wherever I'm
like I'm flipping through thosepictures, it's got to grab my
attention, it's got to spark myinterest, my intrigue.
So audit your MLS listing andthen, step four, expand your
marketing net.
If all you've done is put it inthe MLS, you've left money on
(14:19):
the table so you can try postingto local Facebook groups.
Call local agents, startnetworking with people who sell
in the neighborhood where yourlisting is.
Email to your full sphere ordatabase and ask them to share
with anyone that they know islooking.
Host a broker's open, featureit like wherever you can like
(14:42):
door knock neighbors if you feelcomfortable with that.
But you need to start expandingthe marketing net and this is
where you just have to getcreative, depending on where
those target buyers are.
So maybe it's relocation youmight be doing paid Facebook ads
or Instagram ads.
So it really is just putting onthat marketing hat and figuring
(15:02):
out how can I reach our idealbuyers, because that is who you
want to get All right.
So step five is refresh buyerinterest.
So this might be like you justneed to give it a second debut
so we could host a really funthemed open house.
You could also do limited timeincentives.
(15:23):
I have seen people likegiveaway scooters or like a Mini
Cooper.
I mean there's like some prettycrazy stuff that people have
done.
Obviously, check your localrules, laws, regulations, all of
that but there are definitelyclosing cost credits, rate buy
downs, home warranties, whateveryour target buyer market would
be interested in.
Short-term incentives can work.
(15:46):
Taking new photos again goinginto like the relaunch.
So maybe it's like flowers inspring and now it's pumpkin time
in fall or it's twinkle lightsin winter, but make sure that
everything is feeling currentbecause people can tell it's
ainkle lights in winter.
But make sure that everythingis feeling current because
people can tell it's a stalelisting that has been sitting
based on the season from thepicture.
So if you are out of the seasonwhen you listed, get some new
(16:08):
pictures taken.
I know up here in New England.
It's so important because if Isee some like fall foliage
pictures and it is like spring,I know that is a stale AF
listing.
So just making sure you aredoing your best in terms of like
refreshing buyer interest,inviting people back through,
having a reason for them to comeback through, having a reason
(16:29):
to follow up with buyers who'vebeen through agents, have been
through that is always a goodthing.
So those small refreshes cansometimes make it feel like a
new listing in a buyer's feedand again, huge fan of the MLS
relaunch, withdrawing it for aperiod of time and then
relaunching it with new picturesand usually a new price, all
(16:51):
right.
So those are my step-by-stepwhat to do when a listing is
sitting, things you can actuallydo auditing the price, audit
the presentation, audit the MLSlisting, expand your marketing
net and refresh buyer interestor do a listing relaunch.
I also want to dive in to beingproactive on your communication
because this is a key one.
(17:12):
I live and die by my Mondayupdates to my sellers.
So I will send a Monday emailto every single one of my
sellers and I will let them knowwhat's going on in the market.
I will give them a showingreport, I will analyze the
competition for them and then Igather feedback and let them
know what people are sayingabout the property and then I
(17:34):
will present what we need to dothis week to try to get their
homes sold.
So this is crucial in settingexpectations with a seller.
So I had a seller who actuallythis is like so sad, but he had
a condo and we went on themarket, like in Washington DC
with a week after Trump gotinaugurated and the market in DC
(17:58):
like did not respond well tothat event happening.
So we just had really badmarket timing and it was like
crickets for a while.
We ended up getting undercontract.
They canceled because the condoassociation didn't have an
approved budget.
Long story short, oh my God,seven months later long story
(18:19):
short, oh my God, seven monthslater he actually re-upped his
listing agreement after fourmonths and I was like, all right
, let's just keep going.
And then finally, we ended upgetting it under contract and
closed seven months later.
He was not angry with me, heactually thanked me for sticking
it out and I think it's becauseI literally sent him a weekly
update with what was going on,what was happening in the market
(18:40):
.
What was going on with consumerconfidence, buyer psychology?
I was keeping him in the loopevery step of the way.
That is how you get sellers tonot be mad at you.
Most of the time when your homeisn't selling Because it's
showing you're on it, they justwant to know you're on it
because they want to sell theirhouse.
And so that is the key, likemake sure you are presenting
(19:01):
information to the seller on aregular basis, definitely weekly
.
I highly recommend it and haveit be.
Data Like this is not youropinion necessarily.
This is data that you feel ishelpful and gives you
information that you guys needto adjust course.
So I know a listing that issitting sucks, but it isn't a
(19:25):
death sentence.
It's just the market giving youyour homework.
We now have to do our jobs andif you can stay calm, lead with
data, bring creative solutions,you will not only get it sold,
but you will strengthen yourreputation as an agent who gets
it done in this market, evenwhen the market is tough.
And you will start to see thatpeople notice your listings are
(19:48):
selling while other people's arenot, and this is how you become
the boss listing agent in yourarea, because people will start
to realize why do only Lindsay'slistings sell and everyone
else's kind of sit for a longtime and people notice.
So just remember this the bestagents don't always have perfect
(20:09):
listings.
They have the skill and theconfidence to fix imperfect ones
and change course.
So I know you've got this.
I hope this was helpful becauseI know that it can be really,
really frustrating.
If you have a friend who'smaybe going into a little bit of
a spiral, feel free to sharethis episode with them as a
reality check, to give themideas on what they can do and
(20:30):
what they can't do.
And again, say hi on Instagram.
Lindsaydryer, I'd love to hearfrom you and until next.
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