Are you selling a house or are you selling a home? Will your advertisement in the paper say, "house for sale?" Hopefully not, because you are always selling more than just a "house." The "home" you are selling is also a location, a yard, a certain amount of living space, and more.

If you want to properly market your home, consider what exactly it is that you have for sale. Your house might fit many buyers' criteria, but there will normally be a few critical things that are most important about your house. Identify these and use them in your marketing.

Selling A Home - Marketing Questions To Ask

- Is your asking price higher or lower than similar homes, and why?

- What reasons did your neighbors have for moving here? (Ask recent arrivals.)

- What kind of people buy this type of home, and in this type of neighborhood?

- What good things have people said about your home?

- Are schools, parks, or jobs nearby?

- What lifestyle is associated with this home? (Is it on a golf course or beach?)

Potential buyers need the usual details when they see the listing for your home. But they also need other reasons to come and look at it. If your house has a view, tell them, or better yet, show the view in a photo, instead of the garage. They already know they're buying a house, and what a garage looks like. Let them know what else they are getting.

Selling A Home - What Does A Buyer Value?

"What are you selling?" You answer this in your marketing, to appeal to the most potential buyers. But the moment a specific buyer comes to see your house, your focus should change to "What are they buying?" If your home meets their needs, you should sell them on the features they like - never mind what you like about the home.

If a buyer mentions that he needs space for a playroom for the kids, show him the convertible basement space. If he never sees the beautiful deck you built out back, so what?! Ask about what he is looking for in a home. It saves you time if there's no way your home can fit his needs. It also helps you sell the house if you can show him how it fits his needs.