At a time when the UK property market is not exactly flourishing, those wanting to sell a house need to ensure they are doing all they can to give their properties an edge.
According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, September’s property market saw “housing sales remaining subdued, and buyer demand and supply slipping into negative territory”. Meanwhile, Nationwide’s October House Price Index found that “annual house price growth remained subdued at 0.4%”.
Technology is proving to be one of the most important aspects of facilitating sales. This is how it can be used to help you gain the advantage in your local property market.
Online property searches
Online property searches are becoming the most common way of finding a new home. The likes of Rightmove and Zoopla have become the starting point for the majority of house hunters. This means that you should select an estate agent who knows how to market properties effectively on these platforms. Think about the photographs that will be used and what features of your home will be highlighted in the listing.
Social media sales
It is becoming increasingly common to find properties being sold on social media. This is an effective way of avoiding estate agent fees. However, selling your home on your own, without the help of an agent, will mean more work for you. You’ll have to market it yourself – that means taking your own photographs, describing the home in glowing terms and hosting viewings yourself. So weigh up whether you want to take on the extra effort for the reduced cost of selling your house.
Highlight your broadband speeds
According to Cable.co.uk, the UK is 34th in the world for download speeds. So if you’re located in an area with the best broadband, think about using this to your advantage. We are becoming increasingly dependent on our internet connections – for everything from work to grocery shopping – so it’s an important factor for a potential new home in the eyes of many.
Dress an empty home
If you’re selling an empty home, you could benefit from technology that can help add furniture and décor to photographs of the space. It could help potential buyers visualise how they might use the rooms or reflect the real-life dimensions of a room – for example, if a bedroom looks slightly small, you could add a double bed to show that it’s bigger than it looks.
Virtual tours
More sellers and agents are starting to offer virtual tours to searchers. This means filming a walk-through of the property, providing a thorough look into all corners. Spend more time on the more positive aspects and don’t forget the outside space. Your tour should start before the front door opens. This gives anyone viewing the property online a clearer idea of whether they want to view it in person. This means you can cut down on your time being wasted by buyers who decide the house isn’t for them.
Image copyright: feverpitched
