Selling A House? Impress the Buyer the First Time
Selling a house is not only an art, but it is a strategic process. Studies show that potential home buyers on average look at between four and eight homes before committing to a property and submitting an offer. New listings receive the most traction as it is introduced to the market, so it is important to create that “wow” factor from the very beginning when allowing prospective buyers to come and see your home. Prepping your home requires proper planning, and these steps will assist in achieving the first impression needed to get your home sold.
1. PRICE, PRICE, PRICE
As a seller, you must allow the professionals who are in the field everyday guide you as to what is fair market value for your home. Real Estate agents have access to current and historical sales data of comparable properties to arrive at a market value. It is not in your best interest to overprice your home, resulting in it sitting on the market for a long period of time, and questions arising as to why the house can not be sold.
2. Who is the target market?
Based on the type of home and the price range, you along with your real estate agent will be able to determine who are the most likely candidates to purchase your home. Is it first time home buyers? High level professionals? Young or more established families?
Once the target markets are determined, you must tailor your marketing plan to appeal to these groups of people. Where is the placement of the marketing material going to be most effective for each group of people? The marketing must be designed in a way to appeal to the target audience. Social media is a great way to get your property in front of all age categories.
3. Getting your home show-ready
Sellers should allow their agent to do a walk through of the property and offer their advice as to any recommended changes that could be made to the home. You must determine any small repairs that may need to be made, any changes, additions or subtractions. You want your home to show really well, and minor details can influence a buyers decision.
Sellers, it is then your responsibility to make the investment to get your home ready to be shown based on the recommendations. The objective of this is to create as many “wow” moments throughout the home. This will require the help of house keepers, cleaners and maintenance workers to do any repairing, repainting, cleaning and most importantly decluttering.
4. Make an Entrance
Curb appeal is very important for a home, as this is the first impression of the house when prospective buyers drive past the house or approach it for the first time during a showing. Ensure the yard and entrance to the home is kept very clean and make your home the model home of the neighborhood.
5. Imagery is the Key
The reality is in this day in age, at the speed that technology is rapidly evolving, most prospective buyers’ first encounter with your home will be online. Professional still photos of your home are a must. Not making the investment in a professional photographer would be a great disservice to your property.
A skilled real estate photographer will know which focal points in the home are important to capture, and angles of the photographs make a huge difference.
Video has become increasingly popular as it is an effective way to capture your target audience’s attention online, especially on social media platforms. It is proven that viewers are more engaged with video content and are more inclined to stop and view videos when searching the web.
All of these techniques are ways to get your property in front of as many potential home buyers as possible, and for them to imagine your home as their own. Trusting a well trained and knowledgeable real estate professional will get you your desired results when trying to sell your home as quickly and efficiently as possible.
