The potential sale of a property becomes very real the moment it’s officially listed by an agent.
While decades ago, listing your home involved simply putting a “for sale” sign in the front garden and the agent taking out an ad in the local newspaper, it’s now all about online advertising and a strategic sales strategy which accompanies it.
Advertising and the sales strategy
The advertising side typically includes professional photography and a comprehensive media campaign, covering online and social and sometimes print media.
Campaigns usually include an internet listing, a sale board, letterbox drops and agency marketing via magazine and window display.
Then comes the actual sales strategy, which the agent drives. It covers the method of sale, staging suggestions, how many opens there will be and when, how negotiations will be managed, the roll-out and monitoring of advertising and lots more.
Be ready to sell
A home should be picture-perfect the day the listing goes live.
You only get one chance at a first impression, so you want to make it count. A good agent will help the vendor understand the best way to present their property to maximise the sale price.
Selling the home vacant and bringing in hire furniture can present the property in the best possible way, to show off its natural character, but also ensure it appeals to different buyer types.
Tweaking the strategy
While the sales strategy is designed to guide the sale process, it should be tweaked if needed. If, for example, the property doesn’t travel well at its first open, you should you reassess your approach.
We are dealing in a market now where you will find out if the property is doing well in the first five days of being listed. Generally speaking, if you get 20 to 30 people through the inspection on day one, then it’s a good sign. If you get five people through, there is probably a need to re-strategise.