Buyers may look at photos and think “this looks good”, But by the time they reach the front door, they should be thinking “this feels good.”
Properties should be marketed with sufficient quality photos and information to attract interested buyers, but not to the point of overexposure or disappointment.
In marketing, there is a principle known as “less is more”
Good photos are essential to the sale of a property. However, many sellers spend thousands of dollars on unnecessary images, doing more harm to the sale than good. It is possible to attract buyers with affordable, good quality photos.
The aim of real estate marketing is to initiate an enquiry from a buyer interest in a particular property. Not as it seems so often to sell the house from the photos.
Most property buyers will still personally inspect a property prior to purchase. Property sales without inspection are rare. Yes, buyers do research online, but more often than not, the final purchasing decision is made after personally viewing the property. Buyers like to get a feel for the place.
Photos on the Internet generate interest. When it comes to commitment, first impressions when walking in the front door are what really count. Buyers may look at photos and think “ this looks good”, but by the time they reach the front door, they should be thinking “this feels good”.
When inspecting a property, its is far better for buyers to be pleasantly surprised, than to have the impression of “gee, it’s smaller than the photos suggest”.
Countless buyers have been let down by the size of the kitchen after seeing distorted photos in marketing.
Professional photographers and agents can easily make properties look larger and more attractive than reality, all pointless in the end. This practice loses more sales than it attracts. Property photos should always be a true representation of reality; they should never be altered to correct property or positional flaws.
Over exposure of a property – too many photos and too much detail – can have a detrimental effect on buyer enquiry. The more photos and details released, the higher the chance a potential buyer sees something they don’t like. Once a buyer sees a negative, the chance of them enquiring about the property is reduced significantly, even though it may be perfect in every other way.
Buyers should be pleasantly surprised when they arrive at a property not disappointed. People buy on emotion.
This article is an excerpt from “Real Estate’s Greatest Dangers – How to avoid them Through Smart Decisions” written by Andrew Trim – Managing Director of the Johnson Real Estate group – To receive a free copy of “8 Questions Smart Home Sellers Ask”, please email mail@goulburnre.com.au and we can post a copy to you or visit our office at 148 Auburn Street.