People who buy homes in their current area tend to have particular aims: a move to a new school district, a bigger house or yard, a location closer to work. When selling to individuals from outside your region, though, you have more tools at your disposal. After all, while individuals considering a move to Houston might have a few points of interest in mind or may have visited before, as a seller, you have the ability to guide their awareness of the area.
As you prepare your Houston home for sale, familiarize yourself with the attractions and information you can leverage to attract buyers from around the country. Houston is a thriving area right now, so you have a lot to work with, whether your audience is made up of job hunters, young families, or foodies – Houston has it all.
One of the primary reasons that so many buyers are flocking to Houston from other areas is that the job market is booming, and in more ways than one. First, real estate agents have seen sharp growth in the office and retail sector, with redevelopment largely a thing of the past. Businesses want to use new spaces as an opportunity to shape their office or service area to meet their needs, rather than try to adapt to another company’s design.
As for individual jobs, Houston is thriving on that front as well. While old trends like oil are out, the Greater Houston Partnership says the area is expected to add 71,000 new jobs this year, after a few years of stagnation. This growth will include a lot of jobs in the tech sector, as well as healthcare and construction. Someone has to build all that new office and retail space, as well as housing for Houston’s growing population.
In addition to general job growth, real estate agents selling in Houston should be prepared to pitch some of the area’s workplace alternatives, particularly spaces like WeWork. As we’ve reported before, millennial buyers, who are often on the move and open to moving to new areas, tend to be interested in alternative arrangements like co-housing. Co-housing provides a pre-made community, as well as affordable amenities, and tends to accommodate atypical live-work-leisure arrangements. And while your current properties may not be able or want to shift to a co-living model, you can pitch area opportunities.
Houston in a major hub for these new spaces and is home to three WeWork spaces (in Central Houston, near Bellaire, and a new location The Woodlands), and the co-working company Spaces announced two new Houston leases last month. These spaces are ideal for freelancers, young people who work from home, and even those operating small businesses, so make sure potential buyers know that co-working is a viable local option.
Not only are millennials now at a prime age for purchasing homes, but they’ve also reached the age when they’re starting families and considering their school options. With this in mind, then, be sure that you promote both your area schools and Houston’s growing school choice programs to interested individuals. Right now, HISD is considering adding magnet programs to all middle and high schools, meaning that students could participate in specialized courses, such as dual language education, an emphasis on STEM, or arts and performance. Magnet programs also allow students to go outside their zoned schools to pursue these offerings.
It’s not just older Houston students who have special educational options available to them. Elementary school students have access to several public Montessori programs, gifted and talented, and language immersion programs, among other options. Montessori options continue through middle school for those interested in this alternative education model.
As with any large city, Houston is home to a variety of cultural offerings, but many people don’t realize that Houston is home to a museum scene comparable to that of New York City. In the designated Museum District you’ll find 19 museums, as well as four special walkable outdoor areas. And beyond this limited area, you’ll also find the Cockrell Butterfly Center and Brown Hall of Entomology and the Hines Waterfall Park. The opportunities are endless and make Houston a vibrant, enriching place to live.
Another major cultural attraction in Houston: the food. This year’s James Beard Award semifinalists include Houston’s Anvil Bar & Refuge, in the Outstanding Bar Program category, chef Chris Shepherd of the restaurant Georgia James for Outstanding Chef, The Original Ninfa’s for Outstanding Restaurant, among others. With young buyers more interested in experiences than objects, the museum and food scenes in Houston just can’t be beat.
When it comes to selling a home, you can’t predict what exactly will tip the scales for any particular buyer, but you can leverage some of the most appealing elements of your area – and Houston gives you a lot to work with. But how exactly should you promote these attractions and demonstrate your city pride? First, be sure to list these various attractions on your postings about the property. We’re used to telling residents what the local schools, shopping, and transit options are; this is just a bridge further.
Another valuable way to promote these attractions is by assembling a local “guidebook” for visitors to look at when viewing the property. This might include brochures for local museums, information about schools, and news articles about regional awards and events. If possible, you might also secure coupons or discounts for visitors and for the ultimate buyer.
Navigating the real estate market can be challenging, and you don’t have to do it alone. At Green Residential, we’ve been managing Houston-area properties for over 30 years and we offer a range of services. Whether you need help preparing your property for showings, developing listings, or preparing a contract, we’re on your side. For more information on our services, contact Green Residential today. We’re happy to walk you through the process and want to help you bring new residents to Houston. This has been our home for decades and we want newcomers to love it as much as we do.
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