Real estate agent Nicole Reber shares what to do when an open house just won’t cut it.
Welcome to Ask a Realtor, an advice column about the ins and outs of home finding, renting, buying, and selling from expert Douglas Elliman real estate agent Nicole Reber. Have a question? Submit it here.
Q: I am the trustee/owner of a property owned by a beloved family member who died tragically last year. It has been on the market for six months with strong interest but no offers. Agents and buyers alike agree it’s in amazing condition and priced right, but its attributes appeal to a niche group (i.e., childless and working age buyers vs young couples with kids or retirees) who want walkability to downtown and loft-living (vs a suburban single-family home). If not sold by December, I’ll have to rent out the property, which is not ideal for the close-knit loft community, or desired by the beneficiaries. So, my question is: Besides open houses and agent events, what are the best ways to find and alert prospective buyers to the opportunity?
A: Thank you, reader, for your question, and I’m so sorry for the circumstance that led to the sale of this property. I hope my tips not only help with strategies for selling the loft but also bring a sense of closure for this chapter of the healing process.
When I’m preparing a house for sale, I think about the four main ways buyers encounter a property: through the internet, their agent, their community, and in-person showings. Each tangent is an opportunity for communication and differentiation—and a chance to connect with the right buyer.
Internet strategy
- Your property photos should be high-quality—and arranged with intention. When uploading images to online real estate platforms, a bit of purposeful sequencing goes a long way. This is particularly important with the Multiple Listing Service (MLS); the order of the images you upload to that database will aggregate to the platforms where many potential buyers will first encounter your property, like Zillow and Redfin. A common mistake is uploading listing photos in the order the photographer shot them, often starting at the front door. That means a potential buyer will see five angles of the foyer before ever reaching the kitchen. Instead, use an exterior or the most desirable interior shot as your cover image, and ensure that within the first 10 photos you’ve shown the kitchen, primary bedroom, main living spaces, and any amenities. If outdoor space is a highlight, include it twice in those first 10 shots. When you post listing photos to social media, be intentional about order as well—attention spans are short, and you want to get to the parts of the property that people care about the most, the fastest.
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The description shouldn’t be a fall-off point. You’re off to a good start, having already identified the types of buyers that may be interested in this loft: professionals who value walkability. Buyer avatars like this will help you build out a marketing narrative for the property that aims to stick out to the best-fitting groups. Imagine what these types of buyers may like most about the area, even where they may walk to after visiting the loft to get a feel for the neighborhood. Make sure that context about lifestyle and area amenities is in your listing descriptions. On social, you may want to adjust some text to take advantage of the various platforms’ algorithms. Instagram, for instance, has said that it recommends posts to users based on key words in captions and profile bios. Meanwhile, TikTok’s search engine has the ability to work more like Google’s, picking out words in captions that align with user searches. I think that’s one of the key advantages of using TikTok when it comes to connecting directly with the consumers you’re looking for.
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Activate other people’s internet. Think beyond your own channels. You want to make sure that your property is being publicized via every potential avenue for the highest visibility—you never know when one extra post can reach an interested buyer, or an agent who has the right client. Many cities have designated weekly times for private broker’s tours that allow agents to preview multiple new properties at the same time for their clientele. The properties shown on those tours might be publicized via Facebook groups, newsletters, or printed brochures. Reach out to local social media creators who’ve made content about your area by searching terms like "things to do in," "places to try in," or "real estate in" (with the name of your city). Invite these creators to tour your property and share it with their followers. Run targeted ad campaigns on social media, and consider sponsored posts in local newsletters or Substacks.
Agent strategy
- Don’t sleep on the power of IRL. I firmly believe in the importance of a phone call, even in 2025. Conversations often stir momentum in ways emails can’t. Have your agent call, text, or email agents who’ve sold similar properties in the last two to three years. Ask if they met prospective clients during those sales who might still be looking. This gives those agents a reason to reconnect with their databases and bring buyers forward. It also may give you a sense of the types of buyers that are looking in the area. Perhaps several people who’ve looked at downtown properties similar to yours are downsizing from another part of town where the homes are bigger. With this insight, you could talk to agents representing for-sale houses in that area and ask them to alert those sellers to your property. This is a sales job at its core, and sales happen when you’re top of mind.
- Do high-level lurking. Ask your agent to see if their MLS offers a reverse prospecting feature. This is a search function private to their agent database that shows which agents have saved searches that your listing is showing up on. Go through that list and call the agents that are matched to your property. Whether those searches are tied to active clients or not, it gets agents talking and thinking about who in their network could be a fit. If it’s available in your market, leverage Top Agent Network, a membership platform for the top 10 percent of agents that allows members to post properties before they hit the market and browse a database of buyer needs. Searching the buyer needs list by price point and area may uncover exactly the right match for your loft—possibly even someone who overlooked your property as an option.
Community strategy
- Activate other residents. Ask neighbors if they know friends, colleagues, or family who’ve admired their places and might be interested in living in the building. Word of mouth is powerful in close-knit communities, and a direct ask can go a long way. You never know when someone has just thrown a dinner party where someone said, "I wish I could live in a place like this"—and with that, you may have found your buyer!
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Cross-promote with local businesses and utilize local organizations’ resources. Brainstorm the routine of your potential buyer—nearby coffee shops, gyms, design stores, or restaurants they might already frequent if they live in the area. Leave postcards advertising your property near the cash register or on the bulletin board, if the business has one. Your chamber of commerce can be a great place to get an idea of which companies are bringing new people—in your case, potential buyers—to your area by hiring for work. Get a list of those employers and reach out to put your property on their radar. Prep a one-sheet that highlights the lifestyle perks and walk-to-work benefits of your listing and share it with HR and relocation departments. Connect with arts nonprofits, business improvement districts, or civic associations that promote downtown living. Many have newsletters or social media channels, and who knows, you could find the buyer working at one of those organizations!
Showing strategy
- Break down—and highlight—important financial info. Build a one-sheet that compliments the property brochure to display at open houses and online with estimated monthly mortgage payments. Seeing "own for $X/month" can help make ownership feel more tangible for prospective buyers and lead to actual decision-making. Since your loft may appeal to younger, first-time buyers, partnering with a local lender to show estimated monthly costs could spark interest among those who didn’t think ownership was in reach.
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Stage for lifestyle, not just rooms. Help buyers imagine themselves living there, not just admiring finishes. In your case, lean into the loft vibe—industrial-modern furniture, art books, candles from a local business, a designated WFH space. Take a look at what similar properties to yours have sold in the area and see if there are any standout design choices that you might be able to incorporate. Share a map with restaurants, shops, event venues, and parks within walking distance. If the property’s HOA has social events, showcase flyers or photos so prospective buyers see they’d be joining a community, not just buying a unit.
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Host lifestyle-driven events. Beyond traditional weekend open houses, try cohosting an evening food and drink tasting, charity event, art show, or workout class with a local business to get new groups of people to experience your property. Perhaps a local trainer is looking to attract new students with a free class—offer your space to them and promote their business alongside your listing. Getting your neighborhood involved is a great way to generate renewed visibility and excitement.
Ultimately, every property has its perfect buyer, it’s just a matter of creating enough touchpoints for them to discover it. I once sold a property that had a vineyard, a wine tasting room, and a winemaking room, but the original listing didn’t elaborate on those features beyond straightforward photos. By adding more info to the description, I was able to find a buyer that was intrigued by the winemaking room, and that helped get the house sold. In tailoring your listing’s internet presence, activating the agent community, leaning on local connections, and making every showing a preview of the lifestyle the property offers, you multiply the chances of your listing finding the right match.
Top illustration by Ana Galvañ.
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Questions will be anonymized and may be edited for publication. Content shown in this column includes fact-specific advice, limited by the context given. We recommend consulting a licensed professional for your individual needs.
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