With all that’s gone on the past few years within the residential real estate industry, from sluggish sales, tight inventory and yo-yoing mortgage rates, the hope is that this summer will continue the spring’s rebound.
Chris Atwell is president of the Orlando Regional Realtor® Association (ORRA), and an agent at Empire Network Realty, a local independent brokerage with over 430 agents.
“National Association of Realtors® research shows that home-buying activity peaks from late spring into summer, reaching its high point in June,” he says. “With schools out and inventory rising, the agents who win summer listings are the ones who work collaboratively to prepare sellers early on curb appeal, pricing and exposure.
“The busiest season is also the most competitive, and small preparation mistakes cost sellers. Here’s what agents and teams can focus on to help clients through the summer market.”
Maximize curb appeal. “The exterior of a home is make-or-break during the summer months,” says Atwell. “Green grass and blooming landscaping signal a well-kept home. With summer’s longer daylight hours and more drive-bys with school out, the exterior of a home should be made presentable early.”
Atwell notes that low-cost updates like landscaping, gardening, fresh paint and pressure washing can go a long way toward maximizing curb appeal. “This is where a team effort can truly pay off during the fast-paced summer market,” he says. “One member can coordinate vendors for small fixes like landscaping and painting while another can prepare the listing. In a large brokerage like mine, vendor coordination gets easier because a colleague who works in a particular community often already knows the reliable local landscapers and painters.”
Price competitively from day one. Many agents will make a critical mistake in the summer market: overpricing in the full-inventory market and slashing prices as the booming market settles down.
“To avoid the trap of overpricing, agents should review recent comparable sales and local data to set a price that will work for the first two weeks of traffic while on the market,” says Atwell. “In addition, agents can turn to team members for comparable sales while pooling knowledge across different neighborhoods to find the right price faster. I work alongside agents across so many markets, and there is almost always a colleague with firsthand knowledge of a specific neighborhood, and specialists in segments like development can flag how nearby new construction and pipeline inventory should factor into pricing.”
Stage to help buyers picture a home, not just a house. “When the market is filled with quality listings, a house that looks like a real home stands out to buyers,” says Atwell. “Staging a house helps buyers imagine themselves living there, but an over-staged house can feel crowded. Strong agents advise sellers to cut back on the clutter and opt for light, bright and neutral themes to emphasize the season.”
For brokerages, the light and bright look should be consistent across all listings, with similar lighting, staging and photography in each. Teams can keep a shared staging kit and rolodex of preferred vendors to keep the listings looking cohesive.
For the summer months specifically, show off the seasonal amenities of the home, from a working AC unit to patios and pools, advises Atwell. Buyers will be interested in the qualities of a home that make the summertime enjoyable.
Maximize exposure. “Even the best preparation work is wasted if buyers never see the listing,” says Atwell. “To maximize exposure, teams should hire professional photographers or videographers and coordinate a well-timed open house strategy.”
Summer buyers move quickly, so agents should share a fully polished listing without waiting on photography or other marketing pieces.
“To accomplish this, teams can work together to schedule photography, draft the description, queue up social media and email content, and schedule an open house, so all elements of the listing can go live together,” says Atwell. “A complete listing gives buyers the confidence to act quickly, which is what the summer market demands.
“The summer market rewards preparation and teamwork. When buyers are ready to act fast, agents must rise to the occasion. Teams that stand out are ones whose agents have considered curb appeal, pricing, staging and exposure before the listing goes live.”
