Buyers Expect Better Content From Builders

When consumers shop online, they can click on just about any retail item and find a healthy selection of photos and a solid product description. Rarely does a buyer face a shortage of information about something they want to buy: Images, videos, 360-degree views, feature lists — online shopping typically has it all.

Here’s an example: The product page for a KitchenAid Professional Mixer on Amazon includes 11 photos from all different angles and a description with 200-plus words. It also has a grid comparison of all the different models, sizes and finishes, as well as a list of the accessories that you can buy for it.

It’s pretty safe to say that consumers expect this encounter every time they shop online. So, shouldn’t buyers experience the same when they search online for a home? Matt Riley of Builder Designs — a partner in the Zillow Group Advantage Program — thinks so, but his follow-up research told a different story.

He found instead that this is what the average home builder inventory home page looks like:

Image Source: Builder Designs

A small kitchen appliance has 100 times more content than an $800,000 home. Why would any home buyer make the largest and most emotional investment of their life without seeing the goods in detail?

When a builder says they aren’t getting any leads or have homes that aren’t selling, the first thing they should do is go to their website and then to Zillow to see how they are representing their homes to the customer. Nine times out of 10, the listing looks like the above: A watercolor rendering, maybe the floor plan, but little to no photos, videos or virtual tours — and no captivating details to describe the lifestyle that home offers. Remember the stand mixer, with 11 photos? A kitchen appliance should never have more photos than your listing does. Aim for at least 30 showing off your homes and communities.

Now, go to your home builder website and look at your inventory and floor plans. What do you see? Does your website offer a selection of information that equals what the average buyer sees on any given retail product page?

If you want to increase your sales and profits, start investing in content. Take the time to develop complete and compelling listings that attract buyers to your homes; that might include working with developers to offer 3D floor plans, videos and interactive tours. Work with a real estate photographer to take high-quality photos that you can add to your listings as soon as possible. The sooner you improve the quality of your listings, the healthier your home sales will be.