Is your home taking longer to sell than you’d like? It’s possible that your listing has gone stale. As we hit the summer holidays, there will invariably be homes on the market that launched in the Spring that are still to find a buyer. There’s still life in the market in the summer break, we’re just negotiating a sale as I type this and oversaw a sealed bid process just yesterday on another new listing, but invariably people go away or the focus shifts to occupying the children. If you’re finding yourself in this position, it’s a good time to take stock and hopefully inject some life back in your sale.
Give your home a lift
Chances are that when you first listed your property you kept everything spick and span for viewings. But maybe, just maybe, you’ve let things slip since.
So take an objective look at your home.
Would it benefit from a spring clean?
Is some tidying or decluttering in order?
Could it do with a refresh, perhaps with some new paint or hire a carpet cleaner?
Is the garden turning into a jungle and in need of a hack?
Review your photography
In a digital age, prospective buyers scroll through property listings at lightning speed. It’s essential that your photos catch their eye and encourage them to look further into your listing.
Is the very best picture of your property in the number one position in your listing’s photo gallery? If the exterior isn’t the prettiest architecture, but you have a great garden or a fabulous kitchen, why not switch it around? Making minor adjustments can sometimes make a significant difference.
Is the external photography in season? We’ve just taken instructions on a listing that has spent 7 months on the market with a large, national Estate Agency and the photos were taken in January, not a leaf on a tree. Not a great look in the middle of Summer!
Also, consider the quality of the imagery in your marketing. We understand the importance of using good quality marketing photographs and use professional photographers; however, not all agencies share the same high standards.
Update your description
Cast a critical eye over your property’s online listing.
Are all the key features – the best-selling points of your property – clear?
Could the description of your home, and information about the local area, be improved or added to?
Tip. Have a look at the listings for similar properties online. Pick out the best ideas from those and add them to your listing.
Equally, be aware of agents using AI for write ups. They’re frequently over long (buyers do not want to read War & Peace for every listing), and clunky. They should also be honest. No point saying it’s “tucked away in a quiet oasis” if you can hear the dual carriageway behind the house or it’s “conveniently located for commuting” if it’s half an hour walk to the station, it’s just wasting everybody’s time and makes it look a bit silly.
Review the marketing price
Both agents and sellers, some more than others, are full of optimism at the stage of having your property appraised (valued), and hopefully you haven’t automatically sprung for the highest valuation without seriously looking at the evidence of recent comparable sales, but the market does shift.
Local price levels might have changed. The market is subject to external factors such as the economy and confidence in it, interest rates, levels of supply and demand, and the asking prices of your competition, all of which may have changed since you began marketing.
It is important if the price needs adjusting it’s not a negligible amount. Shaving 1% off the price, or our own pet peeve adding “offers in excess of” to a modest reduction, won’t do anything. You’re looking to put your home into a different price bracket in online searches and in front of new, enthusiastic buyers who haven’t previously considered your home.
Take expert advice
If you’re concerned that your home’s listing isn’t as fresh as it could be, your estate agent is the very first person to talk to.
And don’t forget, we’re here to help, too. If you’d like professional advice about the best strategy to sell your home or an expert appraisal of your home, contact us today.
