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Questions? Need support? Looking to get more out of your membership? Locked out of your account?
Here's where to contact us: 1) POST your social media questions, share ideas, and find referrals for your clients moving out of state/province in our Members-Only Facebook Group (The Social Broker VIP). 2) DM us any time on Instagram! @the.social.broker. 3) EMAIL us your tech support questions at maris@thesocialbroker.com. |
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YOUR CONTENT LIBRARY
FEBRUARY 1 - FILL IN THE BLANK
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Let's be honest, Christmas and New Year's are hard acts to follow. But, it's February and we need more excuses to celebrate.
Between Valentine's Day, National Pizza Day, and National Margarita Day, I think it's going to be a great month! I have always loved __________, so I'm definitely looking forward to February _____. Plus, how cool is it that for just one month, the calendar fits into evenly divisible units of seven? POST TIP: Choose your favorite "holiday" from the list and talk about why you're looking forward to it.
To personalize this post, here are some options: 1) Use the list of holidays but drag and drop your own photo celebrating a February holiday into the graphic. 2) Make a gallery post on Instagram -- post a photo of you enjoying one of the February holidays (you with your pet, you out on a Valentine's date with your person, you holding a slice of your favorite pizza) and make the list of holidays the second slide. 3) Use a photo of you celebrating a February holiday and copy/paste the holiday list into your caption. Lots of ways to mix these up and make them uniquely your own! |
FEBRUARY 2 - COPY AND PASTE
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Want to show your home a little love this month? Here's a quick checklist to help you keep up with home maintenance year round so that when it comes time to sell, there won't be any surprises 🏡
I always like to throw in a few fun to-dos as well to keep things interesting 😉 Which of these items do you need to do in your home? Tell me in the comments! ⤵️ |
FEBRUARY 3 - COPY AND PASTE
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Salsa dancing. Wine bar. Steakhouse. Valet parking. Get fancy, Valentine's Day is right around the corner!
Whether you're heading out, braving the elements of a heated patio or planning a night in with takeout and movies, tag your favorite local spots to have a date night (whether it's with your significant other or a group of girlfriends!). OR, tag your own favorite spots! Here's an example (you can just swap out your own favorite local spots + tag them in the photo, too!). Love is in the air 💓 and Valentine's Day is right around the corner. To help you plan your special night out, here are a few of our favorite spots to head out on the town! 🧀 @__all_together_now__ has the best cheese and charcuterie boards and wine selection. 🥩 @rpmsteak does a perfect medium rare every time and has a heated patio that is actually comfortable! ⛸ The ice skating ribbon at @maggiedaleypark is a perfect social distance outdoor activity. 🥐 Grab coffee and a croissant at @gaslightcoffeeroasters and then head to @aireancientbaths_us for a 30-minute massage. 🥡 Pick up Chinese takeout from @ChefsSpecialChicago and have an 80's movie night on Netflix. Do you have Valentine's Day plans yet? Tell me in the comments where you plan to go! BONUS IDEA: If indoor dining is open where you live (I know it may not be the case everywhere) make a few advance reservations at hard-to-book spots and offer them up to your clients!).
CLICK HERE FOR THE CUSTOMIZABLE GRAPHICS. Caption Idea: All you need is love, but a reservation never hurt either. I made a reservation at a few of my favorite spots in _________ [town] and I'm offering them up on a first come, first serve basis. DM me if you'd like one of these reservations to celebrate and I'll give you the details |
FEBRUARY 4 - FILL IN THE BLANK (local market data)
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Should we sell this year, or should we wait?
The most common question I hear from my clients is: how is the market? Followed closely by "is now a good time to buy/sell? Well, it's a great time to do both (hello, low interest rates!), but the truth is that this year, inventory has been lower than average. The National Association of Realtors recently reported that the number of homes currently for sale in the US stands at 1.28 million, down 22% from one year ago. Additionally, inventory is at an all-time low, with only 2.3 months supply available at the current sales pace. Normally, that number would be 6.0 months of inventory – significantly higher than it is today. Here in __________ [your city/town], there are _____ [# of homes] homes available for sale, which is __________ [pretty standard for this time of year/on the low end of normal/down _____% from last year]. The average home is selling after _____ days on the market. With such high buyer demand, you might not want to wait to put your house on the market! DM me if you'd like me to run a comparative market analysis/equity analysis on your home to help you make the most informed decision -- completely free and no strings attached POST TIP: If your local market conditions do not sync up with the national trends, you can edit the paragraph about NAR and just report on your local market patterns
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FEBRUARY 5 - FILL IN THE BLANK
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Don't let the cute uniform fool you. Those Girl Scouts are savvy negotiators 😉
Which cookie will you choose based on your enneagram? (If you haven't taken the enneagram personality test, it's only $12 at The Enneagram Institute. I'm a _____ and I do happen to love _____ [your cookie]. OR Don't let the cute uniform fool you. Those Girl Scouts are savvy negotiators 😉 Which cookie will you choose based on your enneagram? (If you haven't taken the enneagram personality test, it's only $12 at The Enneagram Institute. I haven't taken it yet, but based on this cookie chart I'm going to go ahead and guess that I'm a _____). |
FEBRUARY 6 - COPY AND PASTE
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🛑 STOP HERE FOR THREE OF MY FAVORITE HOME STAGING TIPS:
Staging a home is all about making the best possible first impression on prospective buyers. But at the same time, we're not Selling Sunset here, this real life! Buyers will overlook the wedding portrait hanging in your bedroom and the fact that you have a trash can in your kitchen (as long as they can't smell it!). What we need to do is make your home look more spacious and free from clutter. Here are three staging tips that will help make your home look larger. 1. SWAP COLORS FOR NEUTRAL TONES. White, grey and beige are your friends when staging your home. Swap brightly colored curtains or bed linens for white ones (even in the kids' rooms!). Target and Ikea have some super affordable options. Painting the walls lighter can make a room appear bigger, too. 2. SWAP DARK OR MOODY ARTWORK FOR MIRRORS. If you want to make a room feel larger, hang a mirror on the wall! Not only do mirrors reflect light, they reflect the view, which tends to lend a perception of more space. 3. CLEAR A PATHWAY. Even if you love the end table you have next to the sofa, excess furniture may make your space feel cluttered -- and therefore, smaller. Buyers might not fall in love with your great-grandmother's antique sewing table, but they will fall in love with your open floor plan and layout. Comment below or DM me if you're interested in more tips like these! 🏡 |
FEBRUARY 7 - FILL IN THE BLANK
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In real estate, there's always an app for that! If it seems like the real estate agents you know are always on their phones (we are), I promise it isn't because we are addicted to watching TikTok videos.
In addition to texting and emailing with clients and using social media to connect with my clients and market my listings, I also use a lot of mobile apps that I always suggest to my clients: 📲 📲 📲 📲 What else would you add to this list!? POST TIP: Pick 3-4 apps that you think would benefit your clients to copy and paste into the post above! Or, add your own favorites!):
-AroundMe - This is perfect if you're not only buying a new home, but moving into a new neighborhood. AroundMe will tell you where you can find gas stations, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, banks, bars, concerts, movies and theaters, and parking closest to your address. -Benjamin Moore Color Capture - If you're planning any painting projects, you need this app! Snap a photo of any object and the app will match the any color to one of Benjamin Moore’s paint shades. Other handy features include the ability to create color combinations. -BringFido - This app makes it easy to find places to stay, play, and even go out to eat with your dog. Find all of the pet-friendly hotels, restaurants, activities, events, services, and more in your area. Bring your pup to dinner! -Centriq - Instead of saving the instruction manuals for all of your appliances, electronics and systems, simply take a picture of the object and this app will provide information like user manuals, troubleshooting guides, and compatible parts and supplies. You can also order compatible parts directly from Amazon, too! -Havenly - Make the process of redecorating your home easy with an app that pairs your redecorating project with a professional designer based on style, budget, and more. Whether you're looking for tips or a full room redesign, Havenly makes it affordable and convenient. -HomeZada - Save time and money managing, maintaining, protecting, and improving your home. This app will help you budgeting and manage your DIY and remodel projects. -JouleBug - If you are concerned with sustainability and lowering your energy consumption, this app lists practices and habits that you can pick up to save energy and water -- and lower those utility bills! It also has a social component so you can share your achievements with friends for accountability. -Pinterest - I love interior design and Pinterest is my favorite place to go when I need inspiration, especially when it comes to staging. Just be careful -- your list of home projects is about to get even longer! |
FEBRUARY 8 - COPY AND PASTE
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Low interest rates and low inventory = lots of buyers searching for the next place to call home. If putting your home on the market sounds a little tempting right now, you are definitely not alone!
Now, as much as I want to be celebrating with you after we sell your home over asking 😉 there are a few things I want you to consider before you call me: 1) How fast are you willing to move? Although there are no guarantees that your home will sell as quickly as we want it to, I would never want you to list it "just to see what happens" and then find yourself scrambling to find an Airbnb while we finish up your own home search. If you are planning to sell, what is the next step? And are you ready to make a move if we get an offer right away? 2) What is your budget for a new home? If you're selling -- and especially if you're selling for the first time -- remember that you will be responsible for the costs involved with selling -- including any necessary home repairs, closing costs and moving expenses. 3) What will you need to do to prep your home for sale? If you've lived in your home for years and haven't made any updates, you may need to do some minor renovations -- even in a market like this -- to get your max ROI. Think about what you're willing to change, and, if you make all of these changes, if you'll still want to sell or if you'd rather enjoy your updated home for a few more years. Once you've considered all three, then you can call me! I can run a comparative market analysis and we can make a game plan for you, wherever you are in the process. |
FEBRUARY 9 - COPY AND PASTE
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Any agent can plop a for sale sign in front of your home. But it's my goal to make every client feel like my only client.
From the time we first meet to discuss selling your home to the moment we hand over the keys (well, the proverbial keys because covid), there are a lot of steps involved and I'll be your partner every step of the way. Swipe for a few of those steps involved in the process and DM me if you are interested in meeting for an informal coffee to chat more about it! |
FEBRUARY 10 - COPY AND PASTE
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Do you like vocabulary day as much as I do? I love sharing these nuggets because there is so much real estate jargon out there!
For example, did you know that an appraisal is an estimation of a home’s current market value, required by mortgage lenders to be sure that the money they are lending to a new homeowner or a current homeowner is a fair amount? You might hear the word "appraisal" come up throughout a few times as you buy or sell your home, but in the mortgage world, lenders simply want to be sure that home buyers are not overpaying for a property. A home appraisal can potentially break a deal if the selling price and the appraisal are not comparable -- no buyer will want to overpay for a property |
FEBRUARY 11 - COPY AND PASTE
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Here's why the current market is favorable for home sellers ⤵️
You've probably been hearing that it's a seller's market, so I'm going to tell you what you might expect if you decide to list your home this year: 1. Higher Prices: With so many buyers in the market for new homes, we are seeing a lot more multiple offer situations. This type of buyer competition is known to drive home prices up. 2. Greater Return on Your Investment: Rising prices means that homes are gaining value, so the equity you have in your home increases. 3. Better Terms: When the housing market is competitive, buyers are more likely to work with your terms, such as timing or closing date, if it means an accepted offer and the opportunity to purchase their dream home. Of course, every situation is different. If you are wondering if it might be the right time to sell, drop me a DM and I'd love to have an initial conversation. |
FEBRUARY 12 - COPY AND PASTE
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May the odds be ever in your favor 😉
POST TIP: Use one of these quotes as the first slide in a market update post. Find market update templates here.
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FEBRUARY 13 - FILL IN THE BLANK (+modify as appropriate)
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🔖 Save this post for my local business support list! Shouldn't every Saturday be Small Business Saturday?
I love to talk real estate, but the truth is my job would be so much harder without the local businesses and business owners that make our community such an amazing place to call home. ☕️ - @__________ for the best coffee bevs! 🪀 - @__________ is my favorite toy store. 🐕 - @__________ has the best dog treats. 🍔 - @__________ makes my favorite burger in the city. 🧖🏾♀️ - @__________ is my go-to for a massage. 🌷 - @__________ for all of your local floral needs. 🥡 - @__________ go-to Chinese take-out! 🍻 - @__________ for a fun sports bar (go for the game, stay for the nachos!) 🍷 - @__________ is the perfect wine bar for a date night. 🧁 - @__________ has the best cupcakes - try the red velvet! I hope you'll join me in showing a little love to some of these businesses today, whether it's grabbing takeout from __________, swinging by __________ for a coffee, or even just following them on Instagram and liking or sharing their content. Tag your favorite local spot in the comments and I'll show them some love too by sharing one of their recent posts to my stories! POST TIP: Use the customizable graphics or list your favorites in the captions. Fill in your favorite local shops (or change up the emojis and feature different types of businesses).
You can also delete the list and just tag a few -- this caption is meant to be modified! |
FEBRUARY 14 - COPY AND PASTE
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This Valentine's Day, I'm feeling the love for my family, friends and clients. Happy Valentine's Day ❤️💕🤍
OR: Take the 'Roses are Red...." letter board sign and finish the poem with a fun or witty one liner! Here are a few (albeit. cheesy!) examples. Roses are red, violets are blue Call your realtor, I can write poems....and sell houses, too. Roses are red, violets are blue Call your realtor for a brand new chez-vous. Roses are red, violets are blue Call your realtor, interest rates are good now, too. POST TIP: Photos of YOU will get the best engagement. Use the customizable template in Canva to drop a photo of you/your team as a Valentine's Day greeting!
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FEBRUARY 15 - FILL IN THE BLANK
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The meaning of home has changed a lot this year, but for me, home is still __________ [fill in what home means to you]. What does home mean to you?
When I am working with clients, I will always ask a version of this question because in order to find you the best possible home or find the perfect buyer for your house, I need to know what you love most about where you live. When I'm talking about your home to prospective buyers, I'm not just going to recite statistics about the market or rattle off the names of the local schools -- I'm going to tell your potential buyers that you have the perfect kitchen island to crowd around for Friday night pizza parties, a living room with the perfect layout for pre-dinner cocktails or a back deck ideal for sipping morning coffee. So, tell me...what do you love about your home? |
FEBRUARY 16 - COPY AND PASTE
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✋🏼 STOP HERE FOR MY THREE TIPS FOR A SMOOTH HOME SALE 🏡
Once you decide to put your home on the market, it might feel like a whirlwind of staging, showings and moving tips. And add to that the logistics of buying a new home too, it can be extremely overwhelming. That's why I'm going to tell you the top three most important tips to selling your home. 1) SET THE RIGHT PRICE. I want to help you get top dollar for your home so I always create a customized pricing strategy for every listing. One of my first steps is to run a comparative market analysis where I compare your home to recently-sold homes nearby as well as similar currently on the market. I'll also factor in what upgrades and improvements you've made to your home, such as adding a new HVAC system or remodeling the kitchen. 2) KEEP YOUR EMOTIONS IN CHECK. Your home is not just a building -- it's where you've celebrated holidays, birthdays, built your family, and made memories. Selling your home is an emotional process, but during offer negotiations, it's important not to take things personally in order to get the best possible deal. If things get stressful, just think of me as your emotional support realtor, I'll be with you every step of the way! 3) STAGE, STAGE, STAGE. Before we list your property for sale, we want to make it look as appealing as possible to prospective buyers. That means cleaning, decluttering, organizing and staging. While I won't tell you to tear out your kitchen and do a complete rehab, I almost always recommend minor updates that go a long way with prospective buyers, like a fresh coat of paint on the front door, shampooing your rugs, or replacing torn window screens. I like to meet with home sellers 3-6 months prior to listing so that we have plenty of time to prep your home and make a game plan. If you want to do an initial consultation, don't hesitate to shoot me a DM and we can have a Zoom meeting for initial introductions! |
FEBRUARY 17 - COPY AND PASTE
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Save this post to reference next time you're planning a paint project!
Paint is one of the quickest and easiest ways to spruce up your home, but not all paint finishes are created equal. Do you have anything in the works? Be sure to tag me in your photos -- I love to see your home projects! |
FEBRUARY 18 - COPY AND PASTE
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Did you know that National Drink Wine Day is a holiday? 🍷 This is a celebration I can get behind. Are you going to celebrate tonight? Tell me what you'll be pouring! 🍷 🍷
POST TIP: If you don't drink wine or don't want to post about National Wine Day, here are some other options:
-Pop into the archives to find a post that you didn't use from a prior month. -Share a listing or client testimonial. You can find templates here. -Grab a brand personality prompt + pair it with a photo of you! |
FEBRUARY 19 - COPY AND PASTE
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Being a real estate agent, I am very good at working from home....or from the car, or anywhere I can get a WiFi signal and log onto the MLS!
With so many of us working from home semi-permanently, I wanted to share some of my tried-and-true work from home tips. Are you still WFH? How is it going? |
FEBRUARY 20 - COPY AND PASTE
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HOME STAGING TIPS THAT WON'T BREAK THE BANK 💰
I know I talk about staging a lot and if you're about to sell, you might be thinking, "this sounds expensive." Now, if I think we need to bring in a professional stager, I will tell you honestly. But, most of the time, staging costs very little (if anything!). Here are a few of my favorite "on the fly" staging tips: 💡 Play up the brightness of your home by opening all of the window shades, turning on every lamp and replacing any dim lights with 100 watt bulbs. 🛋 Bring your furniture off the walls -- this is a trick to make rooms look bigger and more spacious, even if it's just a few feet. 🌷 Create mini "vignettes" throughout your home and stage end tables, nightstands, or empty surfaces with plants, fresh flowers, frames, and other decorative accents. 🎨 Freshen up baseboards, moldings and trim with white paint. 🍽 Set the dinner table as though you were about to have a dinner party. It can help buyers easily imagine their own gatherings around the table. Pro tip: since we're all staying home more, I highly recommend trying some of these tips even if you aren't selling! Fresh flowers go a long way in brightening up a room and your mood! |
FEBRUARY 21 - COPY AND PASTE
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What is your ideal home style? Tell me which of these four houses you'd pick as your next home.
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FEBRUARY 22 - COPY AND PASTE
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Move over hygge, you were fun until we had to stay home 24/7. This year, the cure to cabin fever just might be 'friluftsliv,' the year-round Norwegian practice of getting outdoors and connecting with nature -- regardless of the weather.
According to Apartment Therapy, there are a few we can try it at home: ✨ Bundle up to spend more time outdoors.. ✨ Drink your morning coffee outside. ✨ Take a daily walk -- even for 10-15 minutes. ✨ Spend more time in your own backyard or outdoor space. ✨ Take in a beautiful view every day. ✨ Bring the outdoors inside -- think fresh plants, nature-inspired art and organic materials. Are you going to practice friluftsliv this winter? Which of these ideas do you think you're most likely to try? |
FEBRUARY 23 - COPY AND PASTE
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Did you know that it costs nothing to work with an agent as a home buyer? In fact, it can even save you money -- hear me out!
When a home is for sale, the listing agent works for the seller and makes decisions that are in the seller's best interests. As a buyer's agent, I represent you and your best interests when you find the perfect home and submit your offer. It's a competitive market for buyers right now but my clients are finding amazing homes and nothing makes me happier! Swipe for a few of those steps involved in the home buying process and if you are interested in buying this year, DM me and we can have an initial conversation. |
FEBRUARY 24 - COPY AND PASTE
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An interest-only loan is an adjustable-rate mortgage that allows borrowers to pay just the interest rate for the first several years of their mortgage loan (typically between 3-10 years).
ADVANTAGES: ☑️ Initial payments may be lower than those of a conventional loan. ☑️ There is more flexibility -- you can use any extra money, such as bonuses or raises, to apply toward the principal. ☑️ Borrowers often pay off interest-only loans more quickly than conventional loans. DISADVANTAGES: ❌ Loans can be dangerous for borrowers who don't realize the loan will eventually convert, then cannot afford the higher monthly mortgage payment when the "teaser rate" expires. ❌ If you take out an interest-only loan with plans to refinance and interest rates rise, you may be stuck paying more than you can afford. ❌ If housing prices fall, it can hurt homeowners who plan to sell the house before their interest-only loan converts. Whether you're buying your first home or your fifth, there are a variety of loan types that might be a good fit for you. If you're ever interested in speaking with a qualified lender, I'd be glad to introduce you to one of my loan officer partners! |
FEBRUARY 25 - COPY AND PASTE
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Do you know what your home is worth!?
Even though it's a great time to sell, you might be thinking, "that's nice, but I'm not moving anytime soon." If you already love where you live, then I have some good news for you. Here's what you should know: 2021 looks promisingly stable compared to the events of 2020. Freddie Mac predicts a rise in home prices of 3.8%--slower than 2020, but still above interest rates and still above inflation, and most economists predict continued stable growth. The super low mortgage rates are keeping home buying competitive and allowing for home price growth, so your property value is likely going to increase. These are national trends, however, and we know that real estate is an extremely hyper local industry. If you'd like to start monitoring your property values, shoot me a DM and I'd be glad to set up a (completely free!) comparative market analysis so that you can know where you stand heading into what is shaping up to be a busy spring! |
FEBRUARY 26 - COPY AND PASTE
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Home buying can get a little weird, right? 😉 You're making the biggest financial decision of your life and sometimes, you have to make it within the 15-minute window of a showing or open house.
That's why when I accompany my clients to showings, I encourage you to spend time getting to know the property and deciding if it checks enough of your boxes, while I focus on making sure we ask following questions: -Why is the homeowner selling? -How long has the property been on the market? -Are there any other offers on the property? -When does the seller want to move? -Has the seller made any major updates to the property? -How old are the appliances, roof and heating/cooling systems? Are they in good condition? -Have there been any foundational issues? -Has the sewer ever backed up? -Have there been any leaks or water damage in the property? -What are the property taxes? -How much to utilities cost? -What is the school district? Save this post in case you find yourself spontaneously popping into an open house this spring and remember, I'm always just a phone call or text away! |
FEBRUARY 27 - COPY AND PASTE
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Here is the one thing you must do before listing you home 👇🏼
You already know that I'm going to tell you to clean, declutter, pre-pack and depersonalize your home. But how do you know what *really* needs to be done? Grab a notebook or open up the notes app on your phone and head outside. Then, walk through the front door as though you are a potential buyer. Go from room to room and take notes of things that you think you need to change or update (you can snap photos and send them to me, too!). Most of my home sellers only need to make small tweaks -- like touching up paint, adding a pretty scented candle or some fresh greenery and having carpets professionally cleaned. In some cases, you might consider removing some of the furniture from smaller rooms to create more space or hanging a mirror on a wall to make a room look bigger. Once you're done, we'll review the list ands photos together and decide what the priorities are. Remember, even though you don't need to make drastic changes like rehabbing your kitchen or refinishing floors (buyers will want to make their own choices!), you still want to make that great first impression on prospective buyers!
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FEBRUARY 28 - COPY AND PASTE (+personalize)
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Sometimes all you need is a little bit of inspiration ✨
POST TIP: Choose the quote that resonates best with you and add a sentence or two about why you like it/how it applies to you.
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH - POST ANY TIME!
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February is Black History Month and today I want to celebrate by honoring some of my favorite local Black-owned businesses.
-@__________ -@__________ -@__________ -@__________ -@__________ Tell me yours and tag them in the comments so we can all show our local businesses some support this month 🖤 POST TIP: Check with your local REALTOR association for any Black History Month events to attend. For example: in Chicago there is a virtual Race in Real Estate event on February 3. Attend + share what you learn with your community.
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