It seems that everyone is talking about preparing property for marketing and if they aren’t they should be!

There is an endless stream of advice on TV and in print, on social media and various blog sites, all very sage stuff; but what is the real answer you are searching for?

Let’s start with the right questions. You’re thinking of selling and so you should be asking two things of yourself. What can I do and What should I do to make my home as appealing as possible?

You may also find yourself asking; Is it worth it?

Lets answer those in reverse. For most people the answer is very much – yes it’s worth it! 

Why?

Because we live in an age where the majority of people buy with their eyes and, when around 80% of people start their search on the internet, ensuring your home appeals visually is crucial. You need your home to capture their attention for the right reasons. It needs to stand out over and above your competition.

What do you do when you look online for property? You make judgements instantly don’t you? We all do. It’s a visual media. Images grab hold of us and draw us in. Well some do. If you find yourself clicking onto page two or possibly three of the search results ask yourself, ‘How many of those properties did I properly look at?’

40% of people spend 6 months looking online at property before contacting an agent, according to Google apparently. What’s the betting many of those have missed a property that would have suited them? Why?

A sales maxim that holds true is ‘You only get one chance to make a first impression!’

Think very carefully about that and what it means for you, your home and your chances of selling.

That first impression generally isn’t the one when people pull up outside your home. Ok if you’ve got a for sale board outside your property then for some people that may well be the first impression.

Remember, roughly 80% of people start their search online!

Now I have various thoughts about internet property marketing and the pros and cons. Fortunately, unlike some agents I know I don’t rely solely upon it.

What I do aim to do is make sure we use it to it’s most effective best. That’s why, on a regular basis, I check the activity levels of my clients homes online.

Why is that important? Obvious really, we want to and need to engage with buyers.

How your home is presented dictates whether or not people enquire about it.

Therefore it is imperative that, if you are thinking of selling, you look carefully and practically at your home and consider what you can do to ensure it is as appealing as possible.

Do you de-clutter? Do you strip out family photos, remove holiday trophies and get rid of garish colours? Do you pack the kids and pets off to mother in laws for the duration of the sale? How minimalist do you go? How much of that advice out there is relevant?

The answer will be different for each of you won’t it.

Get advice from a great estate agent. Every week I read a fabulous new blog from one of my peers around the country with some really sensible advice to offer their clients.

Look around in your area and find one of these agents to talk to.

In a nutshell the answer should be along the lines of: You bought this house; you are probably the best buyer for it. The reasons why you purchased will probably also be the same ones for the next buyer. Play to that.

People buy into a lifestyle! They buy with their eyes!

If they love the way you live then most likely they will be captivated with the property.

If it’s a chocolate box period cottage do they want to see nary a piece of furniture or art? How will they feel if you make it sterile by removing very aspect of it being a home?

Conversely, if you live in an ultra modern home will people really feel comfortable with a house full of twee stuff that you have to navigate around? Will they feel comfortable wandering around whilst thirteen generations of your family and friends glare down at them or will they want a slick seductive modern interior feel that matches the architecture?

I haven’t seen your home so I can’t say for certain but look at it through a photographers eyes. How would you want it to look if it were to be featured in Country Life, Homes and Gardens or any of the lifestyle magazines. When an agent creates a brochure they should be treating your home as if it is going into one of those publications. Nearly as many, perhaps more, people will have the chance to see inside your property online as will read certain lifestyle magazines! You need to grab as many ‘readers’ as possible.

It’s your home! It’s amazing and hopefully you love it. Take time to show it off at it’s very best and it will reward you by selling sooner and probably achieving a better price to boot.

There’s lots of good advice on line if you want to find it. I will write a breakdown of some of the things I feel are important in another post.

Have I debunked the de-clutter myth? No I haven’t, in fact I do believe in a bit of judicious de cluttering, but with a caveat. Think about why someone will be interested in your home and show it accordingly! Stripping out every vestige of personality isn’t the way to go.

People buy Homes and sometimes homes have ‘select’ clutter! Don’t market a property for sale, sell a home that grabs the heartstrings. Buying a new home is a heartfelt decision and people want to see one they aspire to owning. Show it to them!

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