OLD SCHOOL BUT EFFECTIVE

As the real estate market slowdown becomes more pronounced, here's an underrated but effective way to help market properties.

In the digital age, people have become overly reliant on technology. They post listings in broker groups, advertise on property platforms, sponsor ads on social media, and use direct marketing. However, these approaches often get lost in a sea of other ads, making the correlation between the number of views and actually selling the property less relevant.

People forget that the likely buyer of the property is often from the very location of the property itself. Why? Because they're already familiar with the area. Even problematic properties, like those prone to flooding, attract interest from local residents who know how to address such issues.

So, how do you capture the attention of these potential buyers? Huge tarpaulin ads that would make people look.

If it's that simple, why don't more people do it?

Listings often have non-exclusive arrangements, preventing brokers from putting up their signage. Or, if they're exclusive, brokers want to minimize expenses and post small tarps since they have the property exclusively for only a short period. Owners might also put up their own tarps, which can demotivate brokers from pushing the property. This strategy works only if the owner has a team to handle inquiries, but often, no one responds to the posted numbers.

How effective is it?

The property in the cover photo received two offers two weeks after the huge signage was put up and closed after a month. Before that, a 3x6 foot sign had been posted for about a year with minimal inquiries. That tarp cost roughly Php15,000.