Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
When it comes to home search, one of the key requirements for any buyer is the location. Not everyone wants to live downtown close to all the restaurants, shops and other amenities, but not all buyers want to live in the suburbs. Everyone has their own requirements, and a home’s location can therefore be a major selling point.
This is where Location Certified steps in, putting a home’s location at the forefront as one of its top selling features.
When you add a Location Certified logo to a listing, it certifies that the property is located in a low-traffic, low-crime area with high-performing schools nearby. The service uses an algorithm to rate addresses according to traffic conditions, school performance and crime rates. So, a home will pass the traffic rating if it’s not impacted by noise or traffic flow, and so on.
How to use Location Certified
The service allows real estate agents to test an unlimited number of addresses for their eligibility free of charge, with results being returned in less than 30 seconds. If a property meets the requirement, listing agents can then pay a fee of between $7 and $15, which blocks other agents from certifying the same address. Of course, agents still have to have the seller’s agreement.
Once the listing is reserved, agents receive a web link, online printable certificate, badge photo, and more for use in marketing materials.
Location Certified is in compliance with the Fair Housing Act, does not discriminate based on a home’s physical condition, price, size or any other factor. So, a luxury mansion could still fail the certification, while a modest town home could pass it.
Why bother?
The idea is that location is a key selling point for many buyers, especially a family looking for a safe neighborhood with good schools. Location Certified says its listings sell faster because the designation drives more buyers to investigate the property by highlighting its prime location. Pitch the certification to qualified buyers as an incentive to purchase the property or to sellers as a marketing tool to make their home stand out. Having Location Certified listings increases an agent’s portfolio both in total numbers and value.
