Denver is at a record low in inventory when it comes to houses these days, which I’m sure many of you have noticed when you start looking to buy. I am not saying this to scare you from entering the market, just sharing the truths about where our market lies right now. That being said, sometimes it is up to me as an agent to get creative when it comes to helping my buyers find homes.
Recently, I helped a buyer of mine lock down an off market property in One Lincoln Park Tower by sending out a "Buyer Need" professional postcard. I had an agent call me who had a listing coming available in the floor plan my client wanted and we were able to view it before it hit the market, made a good offer and went under contract a day later. Needless to say my buyer was thrilled! You may have noticed a postcard or two in your mail or an ad or even a personal letter written to you in regards to your home. More and more agents are not waiting for homes to come on the market but are being proactive and if there is an area or home that their buyer really wants to be in, the agent should make an effort to see if they can make that happen.
Here are a few other ways that agents can scope out off market properties and hopefully find a potential seller:
Contact other real estate agents – many agents work in certain areas and if your buyer is hoping to be in a certain area, find homes recently sold, find the agent who sold it, contact that agent and other agents who work in that area to see if they will be putting any new homes on the market soon or know of any off house properties.
Direct marketing – sending out postcards or marketing materials stating that you have a buyer looking in that neighborhood can be a game changer if it gets in the hands of someone who is looking to sell.
Networking – relationships make the world go round and that rings very true when it comes to real estate as well. Contact your family, friends, client and any contractors you have worked with you may be able to help you in your search. Someone always knows someone who is thinking of either buying or selling so if you can get there first, you can have a chance to help your buyers out.
Look around – I always tell my buyers to scout the area they are interested in – drive around, talk to neighbors, check online to see what properties come up. I myself will also take the initiate and ask around in specific areas to see if anyone has heard or any properties coming on the market soon or sellers looking to sell.
Overall, as an agent in this tough market is it my job to be as proactive as possible for my clients especially my buyers. I want to get them ahead of the competition and to do so, I must think outside of the box and look at other options when finding that perfect home.