THE BEST TIME TO LIST? NOW!

In today's digital real estate marketplace, waiting until spring to list no longer makes sense. Think about it. Typically we see listings come to market between April and June. In a blink the competition is on. But where are our Steamboat buyers? The season's over and they all just flew home. In resort towns like ours, we have to take advantage of the high impact tourism seasons when people come here to vacation and fall in love with the lifestyle. It seems so obvious. A huge percentage of our buyers are in the second-home market and they come here to vacation BEFORE they come here to buy. With all the technological advances and real estate search apps out there, these visitors are looking to see what's for sale and they're doing it while riding up the gondola or relaxing in the hot tub. They are looking at 3D models, virtual tours, high res photos, property websites...it's do it yourself virtual showings and they can be pretty impressive...if the listing agent is worth her digital salt, that is.

So why don't sellers list now?

The number one reason I hear is that it's vacation rental season and bookings make it very hard to do showings. My answer? Make it clear on the listing that until April, showings are limited or not available. The key? Use every tech bell and whistle out there. High res photos are great, but do not stop there. Have a website that showcases the property, the complex, the surrounding area, the local bus stops, the closest grocery store, the neighboring properties...use video, 3D modeling, photos...it's super easy and cost efficient.

Once you list your property in the MLS, it will be automatically syndicated on all the major real estate websites (Zillow, Realtor.com, Homesnap, Homes.com, etc.) so no matter where your potential buyer goes to search, they'll find your listing.

So list now! Get found! Be 1 of 5 instead of a needle in a haystack. March is going to be jam-packed with potential buyers and they'll be searching...