If you’ve had your home on the market for a while, but you’re not getting the red hot buyers beating a path to your door, it’s likely that you’re feeling a little miffed. Everywhere you turn people are talking about how many buyers there are in relation to the amount of property available, and yet your property is barely getting a sniff. What’s going on?
Well, there are a number of reasons why a property can receive little to no attention, even in the hottest of markets. The key thing is knowing what you can do to improve your chances and get things rolling once and for all. Time is of the essence, so let’s jump straight in!
Is the price really right?
If you’ve had your property on the market for a considerable amount of time and interest has slowed or ground to a halt, the chances are good that your current valuation is in need of an update. Getting your home revalued will put your property back in line with similar homes in the area and give you the best opportunity possible to make a sale.
Not only that, any adjustment in price will also mean your property’s details will be resent to all of the property portals once again. Couple this with a change in the main image of your home (such as switching from an external shot to a picture of the best room in the house) and you could stir up quite a bit of interest in your home - even from those who may have previously dismissed it.
Everyone is aware of just how fluid the property market is, and yet it’s not uncommon for sellers to have their house valued once and then leave things to chance. This is not, unfortunately, a set-and-forget situation, so be sure to have your property priced correctly or you’ll risk your home being left on the shelf.
Above all else, remember the old estate agent adage: A property will sell if it’s priced correctly!
Be seen by the masses
This may sound too simple to warrant a mention, but sometimes it’s the obvious things that get overlooked. It stands to reason that if you want to sell something you first have to get the item in front of prospective buyers. After all, if they don’t know it’s for sale, how can they possibly purchase it? This is true of everything from the latest brand of soft drink through to high-end cars, and property is no exception.
If your estate agent isn’t handling the marketing of your property properly, it’s time to start asking questions. Gone are the days where a few pictures in the office window did the trick. Now your estate agent needs to be across a multitude of channels and platforms in order to get your home the exposure it deserves.
Social media, email marketing, property portals, and all of the offline marketing opportunities need to be covered if you want to get your property seen and sold. So, if your current agent is falling behind with marketing matters, it may well be time to make a change.
Stop playing hard to get
While it is most definitely your agent’s job to market your home effectively, there are a few things you can do to help them help you. Simple stuff like making yourself available and keeping in touch with your agent will go a long way and it’ll also enable you to discuss what’s happening with the sale and any changes that can be made to push things forward.
Equally important is being able to demonstrate to buyers that you’re in a good position and able to move quickly should they wish to do so. Many people want to get the home buying process done and dusted swiftly once they fall in love with a property, so try not to put any obstacles in their way!
Make your home irresistible
To be honest, this should have been done already, but if you skipped this step before putting your property on the market, now is the time to put things right. Simple things like improving your home’s kerb appeal and decluttering rooms can make all the difference to how people perceive your property.
Buyers like to imagine themselves living in your home, so do all that you can to encourage that feeling. Depersonalise your property, but don’t leave it feeling cold. Tidy up the garden and keep pets away during viewings. While your fur babies may be the apple of your eye, not everyone else will agree, so it’s always best to keep them out of the way whenever possible.
Finally, make sure you air your property and freshen things up before a viewing. Simply changing the towels in the bathroom can make a huge difference to how things look, so why wouldn’t you do it? Hide away toys, hoovers, ironing boards, and the like, too. Oh, and never, ever, have a pile of washing up on the side when viewing time comes around!
Switch agents
If things aren’t going the way you want them to with your current agent, it might be time to look elsewhere. Here at Pettys, we believe in going the extra mile for every single one of our clients, but the unfortunate truth is that not all agents feel the same way.
Little things like ensuring your property is properly represented by the pictures the agent has taken can make all the difference, and bad photos are a tell-tale sign of a lazy agent who’s rushing and not taking care. Similarly, failing to adjust the imagery on a regular basis should be a red flag to sellers. Having images of Christmas trees and snow when you are trying to sell your property in the spring sends out all the wrong messages.
Luckily, for buyers, sellers, tenants, and landlords alike, no one dealing in property has to put up with shoddy agencies anymore. The choice is remarkable these days, so if your agent isn’t up to scratch, switch. Avoid the temptation to list your property with multiple agents, though, as this can smack of desperation and may even cause alarm bells to ring in a buyer’s head over the quality of your home. Simply switch agents instead of adding your property to another agent's books.
If you are in East London or West Essex and are having a hard time selling your home, come and talk to the professionals. We have been operating locally for over 100 years, so we know a thing or two about both the area and the wonderful property that fills it. Give us a ring today to find out exactly how we can help move your sale forward.
Wanstead office – 020 8989 2091 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Buckhurst Hill office - 020 8504 5403 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lettings office - 020 8989 2091 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
As Petty’s MD, John steers the ship. He is, however, first to admit that the team around him run the show, and he’s incredibly proud of each and every one of them. Sporty and studious, caring and loyal, John is a father of two wonderful children (and Cooper the dog).
020 3370 8784 / Email Directly