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Part 2 - the obvious - what is their marketing like?

In Part 1 , we suggested the tried and time tested strategy of the Mystery Shop - an excellent first step into checking the quality
of the service on offer. Perhaps now you should turn your attention to some of the detail - How do the best agents market their
properties ?

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The best agents will discuss a COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGN with you - and the others might  attempt to spend ten minutestaking photos during a Valuation appointment in a race to list your property! Avoid that at all costs!

Remember the best marketing will attract the right sort of viewers- and ultimately the BEST PRICE. So what might be included in your marketing campaign ?

  • HOME STAGING - Your agent should know your property and discuss which features will be a focal point of the marketing - They will discuss how best to present your property.
  • PHOTOGRAPHY- Your agent should arrange a photographer who will take their time to get the best shots of your property. He will  also spend more time processing them back at the office. And if a new photo shoot is required - perhaps because it was rainy and dark that day , or perhaps you now need new shots to reflect the new season - they should be prepared to come back!
  • BROCHURE- its easy to compare different agents brochures by viewing their online listings - perhaps you should download a few different agents brochures to compare? Do they look good? Are they easy to read with engaging text and do they contain all the information you would want? 
  • FLOORPLANS - Rightmove tells us 'Buyers are less likely to enquire about a property without a floorplan' . Buyers find it easier to visualise themselves in the property with a well designed and clear floorplan.
  • ONLINE PORTALS?  Rightmove, Zoopla and S1 Homes ? You want the best quality coverage.
  • ONLINE PRESENTATION- how does your agent present their online listings ? Do they include all the information a buyer might need in order to make the decision to request a viewing ? Can they easily access your home report ?
  • FOR SALE SIGN - you need to consider which type of sign and its placement!
  • GO LIVE! - What is the strategy for the day which your property goes LIVE ? Who is the agent talking to before , during and after this day ? Does the agent utilise an email database of prospective buyers ?

All these items and more need to be covered in a sound marketing plan which really needs to be tailor-made to your property - Do you have the confidence in your agent to manage everything on your behalf?

Alba Property always provide pdf brochures with floorplans and a For Sale Sign - ALL FREE OF CHARGE .

We also advise our clients on all aspects of their marketing campaign and have access to additional 3rd party services as required - for example Video and Aerial Photography, which we dont use as standard. We really do design your campaign around your home - so everything is taken care of for you.

Why not download your FREE copy of our ULTIMATE Guide to SELLING your West Lothian property here...

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Of Course you could always try to manage your sale, yourself - but most people value the services of an active local agent who spends their days speaking to buyers and sellers - Like you!

Choosing your Estate Agent is key to a good Sale . Make the wrong choice and it can literally COST you Thousands!

By the way , I hope you enjoyed our last article about maximising the value of your sale where we gave you tips on how to SELL for MORE, FASTER! If not , you can check that out here .

So how should you choose which Agent ?

  • Their Fee ?  
  • Their Marketing abilty - both online and off?  
  • Their communication skills - how personable are they?

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Alba Property know that most of our Sellers are also Buyers - so perhaps one way to check on an Agents performance is to enquire about one of the properties they already have listed .

  • Email them to find out how quickly they respond - Do they answer your query efficiently , providing you with property brochures and home reports?
  • Call them to find out how they deal with telphone enquiries - Do they show an interest in your situation and a genuine desire to help?
  • Arrange a viewing - judge them on their performance  - Are they professional , friendly and knowledgeable about the property and the area? Do they make follow up calls?

Alba Property are keen to make the Sales Process simple for Sellers and Buyers alike - Watch out for the next in this series of blog posts which are all designed to help you with your next move!

Why not Download your FREE copy of our ULTIMATE guide to SELLING your West Lothian property here..

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NO UP FRONT FEES ESTATE AGENCY

 

 

WEST LOTHIAN PROPERTY UPDATE

JUNE 16

 

 

CURRENT HOUSE PRICES IN WEST LOTHIAN

 

In the aftermath of the EU referendum there are many unanswered questions which may determine the direction of the UK housing market.

 

Some Market Info:

 

Total properties For Sale in West Lothian - 316

 

Properties Listed in last 14 Days  - 61

 

Average Price of properties listed - £199,129

 

Average Time on Market - 144 Days

 


 *Property data in this report has been compiled from www.Home.co.uk

 

 

 

 

ARE HOUSE PRICES GOING UP?

 

 

 

•Asking prices have been steadily rising across West Lothian over the past 12 Months.

 

•Flats have performed best over the last 12 months with an impressive 19% growth in asking price.

 

 

 

 

IS THE MARKET HOTTING UP?

 

 

*This graph displays the average time on market for unsold property for sale in West Lothian for each month from June 2015 to June 2016. 

 

•Average Time on the Market has been decreasing across all property types.

 

•Semi Detached properties have seen the best improvement with a decrease in Time on the Market of 32%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW QUICKLY WILL MY HOUSE SELL?

 

 

*Selling times for homes in West Lothian represent the actual time taken from a property coming onto market to reaching a sold status as tracked in the Home.co.uk property search. Time to Sell is distinct from Time on  Market as only properties that have achieved a sold status are included in the analysis.

 

•Average Selling Time is currently 80 Days.

 

•Properties in the £400k + Bracket take the longest to sell.

 

 

 

 

 

WEST LOTHIAN MARKET SUMMARY

 

 

 

•Asking prices have been steadily rising across West Lothian over the past 12 Months.

 

•Average Time on the Market has been decreasing across all property types over the same time period.

 

•Average Selling Time is currently 80 Days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALBA PROPERTY VIEW...

 

 

 

 

•The market may have slowed a little over the past 1-2 weeks pre-vote, perhaps due to a ‘ lets wait and see ‘ attitude felt by both buyers and sellers.

 

 

•Its probably still to early to determine the long term impact of the result on the local housing market .

 

 

•However, Buyers are still Making Offers & Sellers are still bringing their properties to market.

 

 

•The factors which have given us a strong and improving market over the past 12 months – Low interest rates and High employment rates are still with us.

 

 

 

•West Lothian’s housing market will continue to thrive!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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At Alba Property we believe that it is our attention to detail which  makes the difference. As Local property experts we really do make every effort to ensure that all our homes for sale are presented in their best light.

 

However there are many things which you can do to help your sale - Here are 5 Superb tips which will help you get it right .

 

‘Everyone’ by now knows to De-Clutter ! Our advice is to CREATE SPACE – in every way possible , and in every room :

  • For Living rooms , this means getting rid of any kids toys which have become a permanent feature
  •  For your Kitchen it might mean hiding away more obtrusive appliances like blenders
  • For Bathrooms – it definitely means putting away personal effects like shampoos and other wash gear
  • Open up blinds and let the light in!

 Obviously you need to clean your house! We recommend: 

  • Taking a tooth brush to your tile grout! 
  • Make sure internal bins are emptied prior to your viewings too. 
  • Don’t forget to wipe down your skirtons and clear away the cobwebs! 

You may have heard of Home Staging – The best presented homes really do sell the quickest ! And for more!

  • Beautifully present your bedroom to give it a luxurious boutique hotel feel.
  • Show off your Living room and make sure your solid oak flooring isn’t hidden under an old rug. 
  • Fill your fruit bowl!    

Consider your viewer’s experience. This doesn’t stop at Kerb appeal - This means: 

  • Making sure the parking spaces outside your house are available
  • Your garden must be tidy and well kept 
  • Lighting  your solid fuel fire , or your leave your gas living flame fire burning to full effect

 Make the right impression

  • Perhaps you should ask your viewers to remove their shoes or provide blue cover shoes 
  • Switch on any mood lighting you have installed – internal and external – let your viewer know that everything works 
  • Make sure that any small jobs which need to be taken care of ( perhaps highlighted in your Home Report ) – are already taken care of.

 

We know these kind of tips can be too general – but hopefully they will inspire you to think about what’s right for your home .

Alba Property SELL beautiful homes throughout West Lothian .  If you have any questions about how your home should be presented – Call us to find out more.

Meantime , why not download our Free Seller’s Guide..

 

 

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Alba Property Traditional Values

 

Alba Property - Home Of Great Marketing - certainly have traditional values when it comes to fairness and transparency. Our No Sale Fee Guarantee , with No Tie-in Period and No Exit Fee should re-assure you that we are focussed on SELLING your property.

Our Modern Approach means that we advertise on ALL the leading portals such as Rightmove, Zoopla & S1 Homes. We always use high quality photography and brochures with Floorplans.  We also supply For Sale boards - and all of this Free of Charge with no obligation. We work hard locally and online to achieve your BEST PRICE.

When you start to think about selling your property - its time to talk us ! Check out our mobile friendly website and download our Sellers Guide to find out how we will SELL your property. We manage every detail of  the sales process on your behalf to make SELLING YOUR HOUSE SIMPLE .. Call us on 01506 500 999 or why not request a NO OBLIGATION VALUATION via our website ?