After you obtain your license to sell homes in South Carolina, you’re always going to be looking for ways to generate leads, get offers and secure closings. It’s that simple. These will be primary goals in your career, and you can tap into many resources to help accomplish them. As a listing agent, you’ll undoubtedly make use of the Multiple Listing Services (MLS) system.

Within the MLS system, there are tools you can use to make your clients’ offers stand out from the rest, to catch attention and, hopefully, acquire interest for showings. One such tool is known as a “feature sheet.” MLS posts have built-in formats to enter useful information for potential buyers. Creating a feature sheet, however, helps you to highlight features in your seller’s home, which can refine the overview of the property in a more personal, detailed way.

Things to include or omit in a feature sheet

When you incorporate a feature sheet into an MLS post, you’ll want to include specific categories or features in the home. It’s important to know what NOT to include as well. For instance, a feature sheet is not the place to list major repairs that have been done on the home. Such information is best left for property disclosure forms. You also want to omit any type of special feature or item that does not convey with the home sale.

The following list shows numerous highlights that should be included on a feature sheet:

• Renovations or remodeling that has been done in the past six months
• New flooring
• Any interior or exterior surface that has been freshly painted
• Landscape upgrades
• Upgrades that are not immediately noticeable, such as under cabinet lighting or shower heads and fixtures, etc.

Keep the 6-month time frame in mind. Even if there’s a feature that your client loves about his or her home, if it’s outdated, it’s typically best to omit it from a feature sheet.

Divide a feature sheet into home area sections

If you list everything all at once in a feature sheet, the page may appear cluttered, and a potential buyer will be more likely to just skim over the content, perhaps missing key details. To avoid this, use white space strategically and keep a feature page organized by using headers to highlight various areas of the home, such as:

• Exterior
• Entry ways
• Garage
• Basement
• Laundry room
• Outdoor living spaces
• Roof
• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Master rooms
• First floor, second floor, etc.

Under each subtitle, list all of the updates and special features that you wish to highlight, such as new appliances under the kitchen section or a new floor, door or windows in an entryway. Take time to read over a feature sheet as if you were a potential buyer and re-organize or refine it as needed. Learning how to use a feature sheet to your client’s advantage can help you boost showings, which is a key factor to become a profitable listing agent.