How things have changed in the last decades and in the last couple of years!
Our expectations
The way we behave as customers has changed. Our expectations are higher than ever. We expect and look for immediate answers to our needs. We ask Alexa for prompt responses, buy from amazon to get anything for next day delivery, and compare products at the touch of a button.
The virtual world
We spend most of our time in front of a screen and the pandemic has fast-tracked us to an even more virtual world where every aspect of our lives have a parallel online.
Visuals are more important than ever, we skim through the text and pay more attention to pictures and video clips. Not to mention that our attention span has reduced greatly.
When it comes to selling properties we have to increase our efforts to grab the attention of the potential buyer in a space that is overloaded with information. Buyers are not just looking for properties online, they are comparing their homes (and their lives) with those they see on the screens of their TVs, computers and smartphones. They certainly have great expectations and aspirations.
Moving on with the times
The way we buy and sell properties has changed and it pays off to be up to date so as not to miss any opportunity to make the most of one of your main assets.
When was the last time you sold a property? If you went through this process a few years ago, you may find many things have changed since then.
There has been an increase in online portals, the figure of online or hybrid estate agents has appeared and the use of online viewings, 3D virtual tours and social media to advertise properties is on the rise.
How can you adapt to the new environment, sell quick, for the best price and minimise stress?
1. Choose the right partners for your journey
Don’t underestimate the power of having a great team to support you!
Most people just think about estate agents and solicitors, and although this may have just been enough until not so long ago, the reality of today means that to make the most of your sale you should engage a home stager and a professional interior photographer!
Solicitor
Solicitors are a crucial aspect of your property sale. Research and choose a local conveyancing specialist solicitor and instruct them earlier. The solicitor will prepare your seller's contract and deal with the buyer's solicitor.
Ask them to write a draft contract and apply for the title deeds while you gather all your property paperwork (building certificates, work guarantees, etc.)
Home Stager
A professional home stager will ensure that your property is presented in a way that appeals to the widest array of buyers, increasing the chances to generate competitive offers, sell faster and achieve higher prices.
Think of the stager as the person that is going to prepare your property to be featured on a dating site, styling and furnishing it to make it irresistible for prospective suitors.
Before staging your home, a home stager will take into consideration your target buyer demographics and their lifestyle aspirations, current local market, price and competing properties in the area. If you were thinking that home staging was some kind of interior design, you should rethink it. Home staging is a property marketing tool.
Home staging is a very cost-effective way to speed the sale and increase the perceived value of your property. It can increase viewings and offers, allowing you to choose the most suitable buyer according to your needs.
Photographer
Professional photography is as important as staging the property!
Won't you choose the perfect photos for a dating site? Once the property is looking good, it is vital to capture the space and lifestyle vision with professional photography that entices the viewer.
Don’t settle for the average estate agent photography, choose your own photographer and make sure they specialise in interior and architectural photography and are able to capture the space properly and create vignettes (close up’s) to illustrate the aspirational lifestyle.
Another advantage to choosing your own photographer is that you will have the licence to use the photos no matter which estate agent you appoint or if you use more than one. You will always have control of how your property is presented on the online portals.
Estate Agent
A local conveyancer will most likely be able to advise on the best local estate agent. This could translate into a smoother and stress-free legal transaction and a faster sale.
Always do your research and choose the right estate agent depending on your property and your needs. Remember that there are independent, online, hybrid, high street agents, etc.
Do not base your decision just on valuation or commission, they are not necessarily the best options. Always think of the value (not price) that they are offering you. Are they proactive? Are they going to give you regular updates? Where do they advertise? How do they present properties online? Do they use social media regularly? Do they have statistics about the market and their performance as estate agents? How do they treat the buyers?
There are few different contracts an estate agent can offer you, sole agency, sole selling rights, multiple agency, etc. Make sure you understand them and know which one is right for you. If you are unsure, get advice from a solicitor or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
2. Prepare your property for marketing!
Grab the buyers attention online = staging + photography
Your potential buyer is certainly spending time looking at properties in the online portals and not just that, they are already dreaming of the lifestyle they aspire to live while they scroll through Pinterest and Instagram for deco ideas and inspiration.
It is a must that your property stands out and grabs the attention of prospective buyers. When they set the parameters on the online portal (price range, location, number of rooms, etc) they will scroll through a number of properties but they will just click and spend time on the ones that are presented attractively. Just think about the times you have done this yourself to find those properties with clothes over the beds, cluttered rooms and a decor style that you can use to date the property back to the 70s.
The key to engage with the buyer and get their attention is to present the property in the right way - by staging it!
Staging
To stage a property we need to transform well lived-in homes into properties that offer a lifestyle vision to the buyer, depersonalising it and creating a look that has universal appeal and a style that enhances the best features.
Home staging doesn’t involve big renovations. It is not about building an extension or knocking down any wall. It is about minor repairs and cost-effective improvements that increase the visual appeal of the property. Sometimes small changes can make a great difference!
There are many things that you can do yourself to improve the appearance of your home but most of the time it pays off to pay a professional home stager. It is extremely difficult to see the homes that we lived in and hold our memories and memorabilia in an impartial way.
A home stager will assess the appeal of your property from a buyer’s perspective and give objective and honest advice as to how to improve the saleability of the property.
Home staging focuses on curb appeal, small repairs, cleaning, decluttering, depersonalisation, neutralising decor, maximizing space, furnishing and styling.
Professional photography
Did you know that 90% of potential buyers search online first? This is where we have to make our best first impression. Good photography is paramount to maximise the staging and grab the buyers attention. It is the virtual kerb appeal, do not underestimate it!
3. Let the buyer connect emotionally
Once the property is staged and online we just have to wait for the viewers to fall in love. With the right staging and photography, the viewers will be enticed to book a viewing and find out more about the property, and once they step in, they will be wowed with a set-up that will make them feel they can move in and enjoy the life they were dreaming about.
Home staging is about portraying the property highlighting its best features and setting the scene for the lifestyle that the buyers are looking for. Believe it or not, staging is about creating emotional connections. Once the viewer falls in love with the lifestyle, they will overlook other possible inconveniences of the property, will feel reassured that it is right for them and the fear of losing their perfect home will make them put an offer for the asking price or over.
The property will attract more buyers and potentially competing offers and higher sale prices!
4. Sell and move on!
Selling a property is stressful and full of uncertainty, that is why focusing on the areas we can control will pay off. Selling quick and with minimum disruption is worth the effort and adapting to the ever-changing environment is a must.
If you are planning to sell, start preparing now!
Be aware of the changes and adapt to them.
Choose the right partners and make sure they work collaboratively.
Take control of one of your biggest assets and prepare it to stand out of the crowd.
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