Beyond Comps: Why Real Estate Needs a Fresh Marketing Approach
Passive light filled room with natural wood beams and a fireplace built from local stone.
In a previous article, "My Real Estate Agent Dumped Me." Iwrote about finding a property in a terrific location. But it came with a repair list longer than your worst work week. I continued to follow it on Zillow, and over three months, it had fallen out of contract twice. Of course, I made an offer… with another agent. The inspection and due diligence period felt like navigating a minefield, but having persevered, it is now headed to closing.
(I must remind you I am not picking on real estate agents as I was one myself. It can be a very challenging profession and I respect anyone who has chosen this path. It is the industry itself that could benefit from updates to changes in climate awareness, regenration value, and generational demands.)
The Right Agent Search
I began interviewing agents to sell my current home. This is when I realized (again) that matching an agent with the property matters more than you might think.
What I Was Looking For
I wanted someone tech-savvy who leveraged video and social media. I also needed a good communicator since I would be away often, working on an out-of-state remodel. The first agent I met checked all those boxes. She was confident and self-assured, immediately launching into her pitch: about social media platforms and the inevitable litany of comps. She said she would check on the home weekly and closed with, "If you want to sell this home, I am your girl. If not, well…"
I thanked her, said goodbye, and crossed her off the list.
Why She Wasn't the Right Fit
Here's what she missed: I'd recently renovated this home, but not with a steam shower or ultra-luxe walk-in closet. It had all the upscale features you'd find in the local neighborhoods’ homes—granite countertops, quality finishes, and appliances.
What made it different was something else entirely:
An endless private view in the back
A huge screened-in lanai that played into that view
A private patio off the master bedroom
Thoughtful landscaping that enhanced privacy
Sliding glass doors opening up all the back walls
East-facing orientation that bathed the home in soft, passive light
The agent noticed none of this. Even if I'd made a detailed feature list and spelled it out line by line, if the agent doesn't understand these elements, she'll miss the buyers who want them.
The Problem with the Cookie-Cutter Housing
Mass building is destroying thoughtful design. We're getting containers filled with decorative features, jammed together with weak attempts at efficiency. The result? Homes that mentally dumb us down, impact our health, and reduce housing, offering nothing more for an agent to sell than one comp compared to the next.
Are Comps Still Important?
Absolutely. Some buyers care more about a golf cart garage than a lanai with a fantastic view. But when marketing luxury properties, the gap widens and is even more apparent. There's much more to a home than comps alone.
Yes, you should reference square footage, market reports, and comparable sales. But if that's all you're doing, you probably won't be selling many luxury-level properties.
Why the Marketplace Is Shifting
Let's return to the basic principle: supply and demand.
Housing choices are becoming increasingly limited while demand continues to rise. We're seeing interesting options emerge:
Backyard ADUs (accessory dwelling units)
Tiny homes
Rental markets offering greater amenities for attracting long-term tenants
More and more regeneration of older properties and even entire neighborhoods.
Why Design Matters More Than Ever
The more compressed living space becomes—whether in communities or square footage—the more critical design becomes for:
Sustainability
Energy consumption
Health and well-being
Noise abatement
Overall efficiency
New products are emerging to address these needs, and the real estate industry should evolve, too.
The Appraisal Challenge
How Appraisers Currently Evaluate Homes
According to Fannie Mae's appraisal guidelines, appraisers can assess/measure energy-saving features and note special amenities such as pools or porches.
But here's what they often can't capture:
How the home is designed for environmental impact (community sustainability)
Emotional well-being and health benefits
The intangible "feeling" a home gives its occupants
You can't measure happiness or the feeling of life being in balance. When selling luxury homes, we can't always quantify the sizzle on the steak either—but we absolutely need to know how to sell it.
The Most Challenging Features to Appraise
According to a McKissock Learning survey of their appraisal community, the top three most challenging home features are all related to sustainability and lifestyle:
Solar panels and "green" features - Limited sales data and uncertainty about contributory value
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) - Wide variety and complexity in finding comparable sales
Premium views - Subjective nature makes precise monetary value difficult to assign
Why are these challenging? Not enough comps exist yet, and their value is inherently subjective.
The Emotional Connection
Nothing can create a stronger emotional connection with buyers than a home offering:
Biophilic design
Quality views
Passive natural light
Transitional indoor-outdoor spaces
Sustainable features for cost savings.
These elements may be hard to measure, but their impact is profound. Real estate is an asset class that simply cannot be valued like a stock.
Moving Forward: A New Standard
Until sustainable assets become more standardized in property valuations, we can take note of this by:
If you're selling your home, Create your own sustainability checklist
If you're a real estate professional - Learn to identify and market these features effectively
If you're a buyer - Ask about these assets and understand their value
