A: The Internet has transformed the way buyers search for homes. Buyers are no longer reliant on the newspaper for open houses. Since more than 90 percent of home buyers find the home they purchase online, Internet presence should be an essential component of your real estate agent's marketing plan.

 

To effectively market a property and get the best price and terms, you will want an agent who knows how to make your home stand out among the hundreds of other home listings online. You need to have professional photos properly formatted for each website to show your home in the best light. The average buyer views 10 homes before making an offer. You want your home to be seen first.

 

While online marketing is how we reach a large share of potential buyers, your agent should still provide all the tried-and-true offline marketing methods. Widely read newspapers such as The San Francisco Chronicle provide a large audience of potential buyers for your home. Home sellers still benefit from The Chronicle open house ads, postcard mailers and direct marketing to the surrounding neighborhood.