With the biggest selling season of the year just around the corner, new home sales professionals may feel like they are battling to survive the sluggish winter and early spring months. However, this is when agents can set their sales trajectory for the rest of the year. During slower sales cycles, doubling down on lead follow-up, marketing initiatives, and the time you spend in the field can get you 3X the results of doing the same thing during the busy summer months, increasing the likelihood of hitting your monthly sales goals.
Just because an expected growth in sales is a month or so away doesn’t mean you should grow lax when leads are all but trickling in. This is the time to double down and focus on creating urgency in sales efforts.
Creating Urgency in Sales
Creating urgency in sales gives your customers the feeling that they should purchase their home as soon as possible. As a new home sales professional, you are responsible for creating that sense of urgency and motivating potential buyers to purchase a home at the best price possible. In this article, we break down how to create urgency in sales and close deals that set your team up for success not just in the coming month but for all of 2025.
Creating Urgency in Real Estate Sales Takes Planning and Effort
In new home sales, first impressions are everything. From the condition of your model home to how prepared you are to answer a homebuyer's questions or counter their objections, your presentation must be professional and competent to create a sense of urgency. A first-rate sales team in a gorgeous community will suggest this is a coveted, high-quality builder that other buyers will surely want to purchase a home from.
Perfect Your Model Home
Every morning, walk your models and inventory to ensure your storefront is in perfect condition. If live floral bouquets are displayed on the tables, make sure wilting or brown flowers are removed from the bunch. Keep a small broom, Windex, and paper towels in your car to always have on hand for quick cleaning. Remember, this is not a job for rookie sales team members; keeping up appearances is all hands on deck. Sales leaders or directors can pitch in to help instill a sense of servant leadership.
Read this article for tips and tricks on creating a great first impression with expert model home staging.
Leverage Incentives
One of the most effective ways for creating urgency in sales is through builder incentives. Popular new home builder incentives can include:
- Discounted upgrades
- Closing cost assistance
- Reduced interest rates or buy-down programs: Temporary
- Extended warranties
- Free or discounted landscaping
- Flexible floor plan customization
- Homeowner association (HOA) fee coverage
- Energy-efficient upgrades
- Furniture or appliance packages
Be sure to tailor your incentives to your community target consumer profile (TCP). Consider introducing micro-incentives and/or micro-price increases for homes with premium floorplans, prime views, or homesite locations with less road traffic.
Check out this article to learn how to choose the right incentive to close the deal.
Follow-up With Non-Converted Appointment
Take a look back over your last 30-60 days and reach out to any non-converted leads that you spoke with or who visited your model home. When foot traffic is slow, ramp up your lead follow-up efforts. Send a quick “checking-in” text or share new information about recent incentives, changes in pricing, or community updates. While you never want to be pushy, it’s important to let your leads know you are still available to help them find their forever home.
Be Intentional When Scheduling Appointments
Make the most of your time with potential customers with an intentional, pre-set schedule. Time block your appointments so they don’t overlap with high walk-in traffic times. On slow days, stack appointments back-to-back to help drive a sense of urgency. If possible, schedule contract appointments after hours.
Tap Into Your Sales Team
When creating urgency in sales, tap into one of your most valuable resources: your sales team. These are the folks who are talking with potential homebuyers, hearing their objections, and putting in the hours to make the sale. Ask for their feedback on common challenges and work together to come up with effective solutions. During weekly sales meetings, focus on conversion strategies and appointment setting tactics as a team to workshop and refine your approach.
Be the Expert
When homebuyers reach out for help in their home search or visit your model home to get a feel for the community, they expect the sales agent to be knowledgeable and an adept partner in the home buying process. Because of this, it is crucial that you are an expert on your inventory so as to streamline the appointment process. Ensure that your hot sheets are updated and that you are well-versed in the information that is presented. To prepare for both scheduled appointments and walk-ins, role play with team members and sales leaders to practice answering buyer questions about the home, community, local market, and even your competitors.
Bonus Tips for How to Create Urgency in Sales
Looking for some additional ways to create urgency in sales? Try some of the following:
- Drive urgency with sold signs on display throughout the community.
- Have your preferred lender on-site during high-traffic times to assist with pre-approvals or financing questions.
- Use third-party endorsements (i.e. social media reviews, Google reviews, customer testimonials on your website) to drive your point home.
Interested in learning other effective ways to sell new homes? Our industry-leading sales training program has been used by homebuilders nationwide for decades. Check it out today!
