30th August 2019 / Prue Fletcher: Selling in Spring? How to Stand Out in a Crowd

As chilly mornings make way for warmer afternoons, Spring is traditionally the time of year when the property market heats up! But how do you make your home stand out in a crowd?

Why is it that home owners flock to the market just as the weather gets warmer? Is it due to the seasonal buzz we typically find in Melbourne during this time of year? Footy finals are about to kick off, the natural deadline of Christmas looms and home owners re-surface to tend to their roses as the city comes into full bloom!

Compared to CoreLogic data from last Spring, where we saw clearance rates fall below 50% for 9 weeks in a row, the Melbourne market is currently experiencing clearance rates which have tipped 80% ... something we haven't seen since early 2017! Whilst we know that this is, in part, being driven by a lack of housing opportunities, the coming months will traditionally see more homes hit the market and Vendors will find themselves with some increased competition.

If you're selling this Spring, follow these tips to ensure you stand out from the pack!

Invest in a good social strategy

lnstagram & Facebook

Both platforms allow you to pick a target audience, budget, post type (e.g. image, video, IGTV), and length of your promotion. Our marketing team are experienced in creating targeted campaigns to ensure posts are presented to the audience in which we need to reach.

Video

Don't be afraid to be involved in the marketing of your home. Prospective purchasers are buying a lifestyle and the impact of seeing and hearing why you have loved and enjoyed your home adds an authentic layer to your sales campaign. An example of this is our video of 44 Glyndon Road in Camberwell, which is currently on the market with Director Tim Heavyside.

Be seen in the community

At Fletchers, we are committed to being active participants within our local communities and you will find 'PLACES' magazine in many of our favourite cafes, shops and local businesses. With over 4,000 copies printed weekly, our digital footprint also reaches an audience of more than 132,000 active people in the market. Complementing the homes we have for sale, you will find an abundance of lifestyle content and editorials that allows magazines to stay in the hearts and homes of many for weeks to come.

For a margin of the cost of mainstream media publications, it'd be crazy not to!

Early bird gets the worm

Respected Buyer Advocate, Cate Bakos, of Cate Bakos Property, believes that, "Vendors should consider listing their homes earlier this Spring, to capitalise on the buyers who are feeling 'desperate in a desert' with limited or no stock available." She also advises that, "Vendors would be wise to consider a pre-auction marketing campaign to attract any highly motivated Spring buyers who may be prepared to make strong pre-auction offers."

Up your A-Game

Make sure that when the masses are ready to inspect, you are on your A-game! With buyers having a list a mile long each Saturday, being able to establish an emotional connection with a buyer is imperative when trying to maintain their interest in the lead up to auction day.

Let the light in, focus on street appeal and have the Vendor's Statement and contracts ready as soon as possible. We see time and time again that when buyers have more choice in the market they typically act quicker and stronger. Being ready for offers from day one will ensure you don't miss out on what could potentially be your greatest opportunity.

Good luck this selling season!