What distinguishes a great listing, that gets buyers or renters straight on the phone, from a so-so effort that is greeted with indifference and passed over?
Not the time spent on it - a lousy photo takes as long to do as a good one and a boring write-up is no quicker than an engaging one. So what makes a listing really pop?
Photos, photos, photos
The mighty Rightmove actually says that photos are the key when it comes to seizing the attention of buyers. They've even increased the size of photos on their mobile app because of demand from property viewers. However, this doesn't mean that buyers or renters want to see 23 images, including the dog kennel and five separate views of the bathroom. Rightmove reckons that the ideal listing has between five and nine photos. They also suggest refreshing the visuals after a few weeks if the property remains on the market.
One of the “added value” services that buyers are paying for from professional agents, is photos that look much better than anything they can do themselves with a mobile phone.
Lose the clutter
Rooms must be clutter-free so that potential renters or buyers can visualise themselves and their possessions in the home. Everybody who is trading up wants more space, and clutter makes rooms look smaller. People who are downsizing are worried about fitting everything into the new, smaller home so they will be completely put off by pictures which show stuff everywhere.
What's the USP for this property?
The unique selling proposition (USP) is the one key factor that this property has that similar ones being listed at the same time, don't have. Whether it's a superb view, top of the range kitchen, larger than expected outside space, potential to extend - it must be emphasised in the description.
Don't be tempted to do without a floor plan
Rightmove reports that nearly 40% of buyers would be less likely to enquire about a listed property if it didn’t have a floor plan. Partly, this is the effect of full Internet listings - they are now so comprehensive that if anything isn't included, buyers immediately become suspicious that something is being hidden.
The description
Unfortunately, some great agents don't have the best grammar or spelling. If this is the case, be honest with yourself and get your descriptions checked by one of the office staff before they go online with howlers like “sort after area” and “flower boarders”. Great descriptions give potential buyers the feel of a property, so that they can begin to imagine what it would be like to live there.
The asking price
Valuing a property is, of course, an entire subject in itself. When listing a home on a property portal, remember that many buyers are searching in price bands using drop-down lists with £10,000 steps.
Infographic showing location and sold prices
It's extremely helpful for both agent and buyer to see a map view of the area in which a property is located, with sold prices marked on the map. Agents with their own site can integrate this as a marketing tool, with their logo featuring against sold properties. Contact nethouseprices.comfor information on how to do this.
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