4 FREE Tools for Listing Apartment Buildings for Sale
Listing apartment buildings for sale, or any commercial property for that matter, can be a grueling and time-consuming task. And, as a broker or agent, who has time to perform the research on the best sites, input all the listing details, and monitor the traffic? You want to get your listing in front of as many interested buyers as possible, and you want it done now. So, where can you go?
Need to List Apartment Buildings for Sale? There’s No Bigger Platform Than the World Wide Web
The Internet has obviously created a huge space for selling and buying apartment buildings. And, with all the websites involved in listing and selling commercial real estate properties, how can you choose? Luckily, the team at The Robert Weiler Company has combed the web in search for the best sites to list your property, whether it is an apartment building or warehouse space for rent. Here are four fantastic and free tools to get the job done.
Related Article: If you’re looking to buy instead of list, check out our Guide to Buying Apartment Buildings for Sale in Ohio
Tool #1: LoopNet
Boasting five million unique visitors per month, LoopNet is the largest network for commercial real estate, from a small rental space for lease to an apartment complex for sale. LoopNet is also one of the oldest CRE marketplaces on the Internet, established in 1995. Today, it is owned by CoStar Group, which also owns similar platforms such as Showcase and CityFeet, in addition to Apartments.com.
As a Columbus realtor or commercial real estate broker, adding a listing is free; however, there is also a paid membership model if you want to explore some added benefits. To receive your free listing, you must be a member. Here is what your membership includes:
- Potential exposure of 100,000 unique monthly visitors for your listing (based on two percent of the average unique visits the site receives monthly)
- Posting a photo of your apt buildings for sale
- Limited access to marketing tools, such as an email campaign generator, flyer and brochure templates, and custom property website
- Activity reports for your listing
- Access to over 800,000 listings and daily email alerts on commercial properties, such as warehouse space for rent, office buildings for sale, and more.
As you can imagine, LoopNet also has several listing features for premium members, which come at an added cost for members.
Tool #2: Craigslist
When you think of apartment buildings for sale, you may not consider the same platform that also includes personal ads, garage sales, and job listings. Surprisingly, Craigslist has become an excellent channel for your commercial property listings with thousands added daily. Founded in 1995, Craigslist was the “first of its kind” on the Internet – a website dedicated solely to traditional classified advertisements.
Hidden below the “housing” section, you’ll find a selection for “office/commercial.” That’s where you’ll want to be to solicit investors interested in a Columbus Ohio property search. Here is a step-by-step guide to posting:
- Select the “office/commercial” category.
- In the upper right-hand corner, click on “post.”
- When you arrive at the posting choices, pick “housing offered.” (Don’t be confused. Craigslist is not necessarily set up for commercial listings, hence the “housing” reference.)
- Choose the appropriate category, which is “office & commercial.”
- Indicate your specific area, depending upon your state.
- Enter a posting title, description, and contact email. (Tip: Integrate a few relevant keywords and key phrases into your description; doing so will give your listing a greater chance of appearing in search results, both on Craigslist and Google. But do not overdo it and make your listing appear spammy.)
- Upload any images associated with the property. (Up to 8 images are allowed.)
- Preview your ad and continue to initiate a confirmation email.
- Once you receive the confirmation email, click on the embedded link. You will be directed to a screen asking you to accept Craigslist’s terms of service.
It is free to post your apartment buildings for sale on the site. (The only real estate-related fee is for brokered apartment rentals in the New York City area.)
Tool #3: Realtor.com
Realtor.com is the official website of the National Association of REALTORS® and has access to over 800 multiple listing services. If the name doesn’t tell you everything, Realtor.com has approximately 3 million listings for every type of property imaginable.
Buying an apartment complex is a major investment. So, why is Realtor.com a great place to post your listing? First and foremost, purchasers will turn to a reliable source, particularly one owned by one of the most trusted associations in the industry. Furthermore, since the site includes everything an investor or Columbus realtor might want, they are likely to stay on the site longer; thus, increasing the chances that they’ll find your listing.
Realtor.com’s “Essentials” solution provides a free tool to manage your profile, your leads, and your listings. Not to mention, you don’t need to be a member of the National Association of REALTORS® to register. Check out their site to access the free sign-up form and further explanation of their introductory features.
Tool #4: PropertyShark
Founded in 2002 by a New York real estate investor and programmer, the website currently boasts 90 million property listings. For commercial real estate agents and brokers seeking to list their apartment buildings for sale, it is completely free to list on PropertyShark.com.
The focus of the site is providing people with property records, which include the owner’s name, address, taxes, square footage, and purchase price. Anyone who is serious about buying your property will want to see this, so it is a useful tool that will help you make the sale.
Posting on the site is simple and straightforward. After you register or sign-in, users can do the following:
- Select “For Sale/Lease” on the website’s main menu.
- Choose “Post a New Ad” on the drop-down menu.
- Find the address of the property by using the search tool.
- Pick whether the listing is a sale or lease.
- Insert the information for your listing including the property type, description, and agent details.
This site provides highly detailed information on the neighborhood in which you are selling your property. People can find out the demographics, recent sales data, and even the height of nearby buildings. This knowledge is incredibly useful for someone who is thinking of a rental space for lease or owning and operating an apartment building. The quicker prospects can obtain these facts, the quicker they can express an interest in your property.
Who Can We Turn to for Help in Listing My Commercial Property?
In commercial real estate, it is not only about who you know, but what you know. That’s why building owners, land developers, and investors have crossed the threshold of The Robert Weiler Company offices on High Street in Columbus, Ohio. We have almost 80 years of industry experience as brokers, property managers, developers, appraisers, and consultants. And, we are prepared to assist you with your next listing, whether it be apartment buildings for sale or another form of commercial real estate. Our expert advice is waiting for you at 614-221-4286.
