If you’re planning to sell your property, you’ll know full well that creating an online listing is practically a necessity. But, with the market being as saturated as it is, how can you make your listing stand out from the crowd?
There’s no two ways about it; selling a property can be pain in the backside. The list of tasks you need to tick off is seemingly endless and, if you’re trying to buy a new property at the same time, the whole process can quickly become overwhelming. You might even begin to wonder whether all the fuss is worth it!
What can make matters worse is if your property isn’t gaining as much interest as you’d like from an online listing. Online property conveyancing can be a minefield at the best of times and, while you might think your property is a steal, your online listing might suggest otherwise to potential buyers.
So, if you’re ready to put your home up for sale online, or you’re worried that your existing listing isn’t receiving the love it rightly deserves, we’ve put together a list of simple tips that could up the chances of your home having buyers lining up the street.
Photo credits – Tierra Mallorca via Unsplash
6 Ways to Make Sure Your Property Stands Out Online
1. Consider Working with an Estate Agent
First things first, you probably don’t want to try and organise an online listing by yourself, especially if you’ve got no prior experience. Sure, you technically can set up an online listing without the support of an estate agent, but that won’t guarantee you any sort of success. You might even be making some mistakes that you don’t recognise until it’s too late.
Yes, estate agents don’t always have the best reputation, but the fact remains that they’re property experts. They’ll know how to stage your house in the best light and, importantly, they’ll be able to list your home on a property portal like Rightmove or Zoopla. Budget depending, it makes sense.
2. Provide a Fair and Accurate Price
Let’s get this out the way straight away – your property may not be worth as much as you initially expect. That’s why you need to take some time to conduct a careful price assessment of your property.
You should also keep this in mind if you’re looking to instruct an estate agent to help you with a valuation. You shouldn’t be tempted to work with one estate agent just because they’ve offered a very high valuation. Often times that’s only going to work against you as buyers are immediately put off by your asking price.
On the flip side, make sure you don’t get short changed! If you know that your property is likely to sell for a certain price, don’t be tempted to simply settle for a lower valuation for convenience’s sake.
3. Stage Your Property in the Best Possible Light
Staging a property is always essential if you want it to stand above everything else in the market. That will usually mean making plenty of minor adjustments to your property like:
- Decluttering and depersonalising your interior
- Clearing away all worktops
- Storing away any non-necessary items
- Making small repairs where needed
- Tidying up outdoor space and the property exterior
Granted, when you stage a property, it might not be a true representation of what it’s like to live in, but that’s not always a bad thing! After all, we imagine you don’t want to be sharing images of your children’s toys strewn across their bedroom floor, or those dirty dishes next to the sink you haven’t quite got round to sorting – right?
Photo Credits – Tierra Mallorca via Unsplash
4. Use a Professional Photographer
While taking photos of your property on your smartphone might simply suffice, it’s not exactly going to do your online listing any justice. That’s why you should consider using a professional photographer if your estate agent hasn’t already instructed one.
Professional photographers will have a good idea of how best to frame your property, how to use lighting to their advantage and which shots will provide the best possible reflection.
Hiring a photographer will also mean you can focus on quality rather than quantity. No one is going to want to sift through hundreds of photos of the same room.
5. Don’t Just Focus on Photos
That said, don’t be tempted to focus solely on photos. Online viewings give you the opportunity to be a little more experimental, so why not try and create a short video? Or, if you’re estate agent has the tools, consider offering a VR experience.
This is especially important as it isn’t always easy for buyers to come and view your home in person. So, giving them the tools to get a full experience online will come good in the long run.
6. Provide a Clear, Easily Digestible Description
If you want to ensure that your property has the best chance of standing out online, you will need to pair your images and videos with a clear, straightforward description that includes all if the necessary information a buyer might need to know.
Don’t try and write a convoluted essay – that’s not going to get anybody’s attention! Keep it nice and simple and try to highlight all of the most attractive selling points as soon as possible.
It’s also worth mentioning that you should always be as truthful as possible when it comes to writing your description – if you don’t, it’ll soon come back to haunt you.
Photo credits – Dan Gold via Unsplash
Are You Looking to Sell Your Property Through an Online Listing?
So, there you have it! If you want to make sure that your home is quick to sell through an online listing, make sure to keep these tips in mind and you shouldn’t go far wrong.
There is no exact science to online property listings, so you may already be aware of some tips and tricks yourself. If so, why not leave a comment with your thoughts below.
Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained property professional. Be sure to consult a conveyancing or property professional if you’re seeking advice regarding selling your property. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.