Birchler Group prides themselves on maintaining an excellent website. Our site has grown over the years as more and more buyers turn to the internet to begin home searches. BirchRE.com allows buyers to run their own real-time searches of listed property and can register to receive new home listings that match saved criteria. Prospective purchasers receive an e-mail anytime a property that falls within their specifications hits the market. In an area widely sought after as ours, buyers realize the importance of knowing about new listings as soon as they become available. We have thousands of registered users that receive these very useful e-mail alerts.
Birchler Group listings are displayed with interior pictures but have virtual tours as well. Virtual tours allow buyers a 360 degree view of each room. Using arrow buttons or a touch pad, shoppers can look up, down and all around as if they were standing in the center of the room. Current statistics show that listings are 80% more likely to be viewed when this type of tour is offered. Birchler Group employs two staff members with the skills and technology to take these tours that are renowned for moving property. Few agencies offer this service as they rely on other companies to upload these complicated photo files. Many brokerages purport they offer virtual tours and then only follow through for customers selling “big dollar” properties. Birchler Group treats every listing the same. We make good on our promise of virtual tours and clear pictures whether your home is listed at $200,000 or $2,000,000.
Beyond our own site, Birchler Group listings are linked directly on major real estate platforms. The pictures and tours previously mentioned automatically transfer to the various 3rd party sites. Realtor.com allows buyers to search for listings with only virtual tours. 80% of searches are completed requesting listings with tours only. This means the properties with tours are more likely to be viewed by the public.
Understanding that more traditional buyers like to flip through home sales publications, we continue to advertise in the Real Estate Book, Homes & Land and Home Source Magazines. These booklets are distributed to convenience stores and shopping centers in the counties of Ocean, Monmouth, Middlesex, Atlantic, Cape May, Bergen, Essex, Morris and others as well as Staten Island & Manhattan. Homes & Land Magazine is offered nationwide upon request from their web site. Homes & Land Magazine also direct mails copies to families whose household income exceeds $500,000 in northern New Jersey.
Finally, it’s important to find a broker that offers a fifty-fifty commission split. Of late, many agencies have decided to keep more of your commission fee for themselves. For example, a 6% listing may be advertised as only 2.5% to the buyer’s agency. This means that the listing broker is keeping a full percent more than what they offer. Although this practice is not illegal, it can be considered unscrupulous. Most sellers are not even made aware that a listing agency is aiming to retain the lion’s share of the commissions set to be paid. Birchler Group finds it important to offer fair splits with other agencies as they, too, are working hard to bring buyers to your listing. Pay special attention to the split offered to participating agencies. Equal splits generate added interest in your home from the buyer’s agents’ perspective. Of course, the more prospective buyers shown your home, the better chance you’ll have to sell it for top dollar.
Contact us at Birchler Group any day to discuss these and other ways we ensure your home is being properly marketed.
Thank You,
The Staff of Birchler Group