5 Tips for Scoring New Listings in a Low-Inventory Market

Competing for home sellers’ attention can be difficult in today’s market, where rising prices, limited inventory, and intense competition create a challenging environment for agents to stand out. 

However, you can still stand out to sellers and convince them to let you represent them by doubling down on your competitive advantages. 

Here are our top five tips for scoring new listings in today’s market: 

1. Highlight the Full-Service Advantage

As a listing agent, you do more than list properties for sale. You guide homeowners through the entire selling process and help them secure the highest possible price for their home. However, many homeowners may not recognize how valuable this is, so you must educate them.

For example, demonstrate your local market expertise to potential sellers by preparing a preliminary comparative market analysis (CMA) for them. This helps them understand what their property is worth and builds trust in you as an expert. 

Additionally, showcase how you’ve secured strong offers for past clients through your full-service marketing and negotiation skills. To do this, consider asking past clients for testimonials, which you can display on your website or social media pages.

2. Find Motivated Sellers First

Identifying motivated sellers before competitors is another way to stand out.

For example, real estate data tools like PropStream let you zero in on motivated seller leads with various situational filters: bankruptcy, divorce, failed listings, liens, pre-foreclosure, tax delinquency, and more. From there, you can skip-trace the owners’ contact information and reach out to offer your listing agent services. 

By helping owners sell their property, you can often take an unwanted burden off their hands while securing top dollar for their home. 

3. Present Strong Listing Strategies

While it may take a bit longer, a strong listing strategy can lead to a higher sales price and return for the homeowner. 

As an agent, you know that strategic pricing, professional staging, and targeted marketing can significantly impact a home’s final sale price—often adding thousands of dollars in proceeds. For homeowners facing substantial debt, that difference can be life-changing. Explain this difference to potential sellers.

For example, explain how setting a low yet competitive listing price can sometimes incite a bidding war that drives the home price above market value. Conversely, sometimes setting a high listing price leaves room for the buyer to negotiate the price down to what feels like a discount to them, but is still a good deal for the seller. 

Additionally, show sellers how compelling property descriptions, quality listing photos, and social media exposure can broaden their potential buyer pool, leading to more offers at higher prices. 

No matter the property, a strong listing strategy can always help it sell for more. 

4. Leverage Financing Solutions

Some sellers prefer cash offers because they perceive them as less risky than a financed offer that could fall through at the last minute. 

However, a strong financed offer with solid lender pre-approval and favorable terms can still be competitive, especially if it comes with a higher purchase price or fewer contingencies.

Furthermore, creative financing solutions like seller financing, bridge loans, and buy-before-you-sell programs can mitigate some of the risks of traditional financing.

As an agent, you can reassure sellers by educating them on the merits of financed offers, reputable lenders, and your ability to vet buyers’ financial strength to avoid delays and prevent a deal from falling through. 

5. Build Relationships & Follow Up

Stay top of mind with potential sellers through regular communication.

One simple way to do this is to share periodic market updates with potential sellers. That way, they gain free insights on their local market, and you’re more likely to be the first person they think of if and when they decide to sell. 

Another way to stay in contact with potential sellers is to offer free home valuations. After all, many homeowners are interested in the value of their property because it’s their largest asset. A free valuation can get them thinking about selling and position you as a market expert. 

Success in real estate ultimately hinges on strong relationships. Stay engaged and consistently follow up with potential sellers, because you never know when they’ll be ready to make a move. By nurturing these connections over time, you can be top of mind when the opportunity arises.

Gain a Competitive Edge with PropStream

Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned pro, PropStream can give you the edge you need to thrive in today’s competitive real estate market. 

Search its database of over 160 million properties nationwide with 165 search filters to find motivated sellers before the competition. These could be tired landlords ready to offload their portfolio, heirs with unwanted probate property, or couples going through divorce who need a sensitive guide to help them sell their property and split the proceeds. 

Additionally, you can create automated lists that update anytime a new seller lead matches your custom criteria (or an old one no longer does). You can even run email marketing or direct mail campaigns within your PropStream account.

And if you ever want to run comp studies for a seller client, PropStream has you covered. Our AI-powered automated valuation model makes it easy to get accurate comps in no time, and you can customize the comping criteria to capture the unique requirements of a property.

Ready to find motivated sellers and position yourself as a trusted advisor? Sign up for a free 7-day trial and get 50 leads on us!