Capturing the Millennial Market: Copywriting Tactics for Reaching Young Homebuyers

What does the millennial buyer want? It's a question that has left some real estate professionals scratching their heads. There's no doubt that millennials are eager to be able to purchase homes. However, there's often a disconnect between traditional marketing messaging and millennial habits. This guide to how to capture the millennial market using copywriting tactics for reaching younger buyers is full of ideas!

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1. Talk About Their Pain Points

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Millennial homebuyers are frustrated. They see rising interest rates and sky-high home prices as factors that are pushing the dream of owning a home further and further away from them. It can be easy to see a real estate agent or mortgage broker as a "gatekeeper" instead of someone who is there to help them realize their dreams. This is where the messaging you use in your copywriting matters. Here are some tips for using messaging that speaks to younger buyers:

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• Let them know that you feel their frustrations.
• Talk about how you are dedicated to helping buyers overcome the challenges of today's market.
• Share market statistics that actually counteract the "doom and gloom" narrative that is common when discussing the real estate market in the news today.
• Regularly highlight affordable homes that come on the market.
• Showcase younger buyers who have had successful journeys after setbacks.
• Talk about the advantages of purchasing smaller, more affordable smaller homes in some markets.
• Share DIY tips and examples of impressive home makeovers that can inspire buyers who are currently looking at less-than-perfect properties.
• While you don't want to vilify other generations, share that you understand the frustration younger buyers face when trying to talk about real estate with older generations who haven't endured a market quite like this one before!

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The truth is that you can't change the realities of the market for your clients. However, millennials who have heard nothing other than negative conversations regarding their chances of actually getting into a home can feel empowered simply by having their frustrations validated and acknowledged. In many cases, younger buyers today are dealing with parents and older adult figures in their lives who aren't sympathetic to the struggles of younger generations. They are tired of being told that they would be able to afford a home if they just stopped "buying coffee" instead of making it at home. They are also tired of being lectured on what interest rates looked like when their parents bought homes. Be the agent who actually has a grasp on what millennial buyers are up against! In addition to helping you earn the trust of potential clients, this mindset can ultimately make you better at your job.

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2. Be an Advocate

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Use your marketing platforms to create a professional identity as the agent or broker who acts as an advocate for first-time buyers. Most younger buyers are searching for their first homes. While first-time buyers have always needed a little extra help, today's first-time buyers are up against a cascade of hurdles that includes economic uncertainties, runaway housing costs, and constant negative messaging about their ability to ever afford a home. The antidote is knowledge. Let's talk about what that means.

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A great strategy for any real estate professional trying to capture millennial leads is to position yourself as an advocate first. Create content with the idea that it's your mission to get millennial buyers into homes. What are some great ways to do this? As many real estate professionals know, many people who assume they can't afford a home actually can afford a home. The issue is that they are unaware of the many different paths to ownership that are available today. Here are some great talking points to pepper into your marketing content:

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• Cover the different types of loans that are available to buyers today. This includes conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and more.
• Talk about housing grants and programs that offer down payment assistance. In many cases, this will be the first time many first-time buyers are hearing about these programs.
• Bust myths about down payments. Be loud about the fact that you don't actually need to put down 20% to be able to buy a home. This 20% line is repeated so often that many people have no idea that you can purchase homes for as little as 3% down in many cases. For millennial buyers who have been living with that 20% hurdle in their minds, hearing about alternatives can mark a life-changing moment.
• Be a cheerleader when it comes to finding ways to save for a down payment, boost credit scores, or improve a financial situation. This is a great way to nurture long-term relationships with people who will soon be looking to buy their first homes in your market. Not everyone who is searching for real estate in your market today will be ready to buy within the next one to three months. However, there's a good chance that the people who are getting their ducks in a row to be able to purchase six to 18 months from now will be ready to come straight to you if they've been reading your content during the journey to getting approved for a loan.

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Many millennial buyers don't know what they don't know until they actually sit down to think about buying a first home. The reality is that our society doesn't do a good job of preparing people to purchase homes. By being the advocate who teaches aspiring buyers "everything they don't teach you in school" about buying a home, you can gain trust and credibility that simply can't be bought!

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3. Spend Time on Neighborhood Profiles

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Millennial buyers are "lifestyle" buyers. That means that amenities and aesthetics matter more to them when it comes to where they want to buy homes compared to their parents. By creating neighborhood and community profiles, you can help buyers discover gems in affordable areas that millennials may not have thought to look at on their own.

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Take time to think about the towns or areas of town that aren't as "hot" as the high-desirability areas you cover. Look at them through the lens of a "cool" millennial buyer who wants to feel like they're purchasing a home in an up-and-coming area with plenty of things to do. What would you highlight? The truth is that most towns and neighborhoods have plenty of great restaurants, shops, trails, views, and parks that only locals know about. Shine the spotlight on these features to help millennial buyers begin to accept the idea that they may need to start thinking outside the box when it comes to where they want to buy homes. Good copywriting for the millennial market creates a little bit of hype where there currently is no hype.

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Final Thoughts

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The final takeaway on all of this is that none of your content should be disingenuous. Copywriting for attracting millennial homebuyers needs to be genuine above all else. High-quality content is never empty or deceitful. However, it knows exactly how to speak to the way millennials view where they want to live through a completely different lens than the buyers who came before them!

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