Recently we have come off the back of an incredible market. If you were selling then, you didn’t need to do much in order to achieve a sale. Just hint that you were selling and you had a barrage of buyers wanting to make offers. Times have changed.
We are returning to a more balanced market and sellers are now competing for buyers. Sellers need to offer an attractive proposition to buyers or else they don’t sell. Making a positive first impression is where it all starts.
From outside to in
It often pays to delay the launching of the property and making sure that the property is presented in its best form. Lawns cut, gardens weeded and paths swept are all great places to start.
Moving on inside, windows cleaned, clutter gone, fresh flowers and wonderful fragrances will surely bring a smile to your prospective buyer. But before we get buyers through the front door, we need to capture their attention.
Furnishing without the cost
Often we come across owners who have an empty home without furniture. Photographing an empty room really doesn’t make for a positive first impression.
Staging a property with furnishings (renting furniture) can be a costly option. An alternative many of our clients use is “virtual furniture.”
We take a photo of an empty room, send it to our graphic designers who insert furniture into the photo. It looks really good, is very cost effective and super easy. And it’s not deceptive because we are not selling the furniture just the property.
Experience has taught us that if the first impressions are positive, then it’s a lot easier for the buyer to take their interest to the next level.
You’re then one step closer to a successful sale. If you would like to know more about maximizing the salability of your property, talk to one of the LJ Hooker Team today.
By Neil Walker, LJ Hooker, Tauranga
“I write for this magazine to help people learn how to increase the value of their properties prior to selling.”
