Can ‘local agents’ do the job?
I recently had an email from Terry and Di who own a lovely property outside
Brisbane. They want to sell but in their own words …….. they “do not have faith in the local real estate agents who mainly deal with town residential houses or farming properties. Our property best suits Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney families looking for a treechange or nice weekender”.
I believe there is a great danger in moving too far away from ‘local agents’ in a belief that agents in major centers will be able to achieve a better result. There are some exceptions and some questions you should ask your agent. If indeed you believe your buyer will come from an area outside where you live, then it is likely your buyer will see the property on the internet so it is important to check that the agent you are using is internet savvy. Here are some guidelines and questions to help you. 1. Ask the agents to detail their internet strategy for marketing your property. This is likely how you will find your ‘southern buyer’. If the agent is not comfortable with internet marketing, they should not be employed by you.2. Ask where they think the buyer will come from and how they will reach that person.
3. Make sure that the agent is using the main internet sites to market your property. These are www.realestate.com.au, www.domain.com.au and at a major franchise site.
4. Ensure your copy is targeted at the buyer not at what makes you feel good about the property. Copy for the internet or press should not be written to make the seller feel good but to attract a buyer. It is all about features and benefits.
5. The internet copy should be supported with good quality photographs – and plenty of them – up to 20. Pay a little extra to have the photos taken professionally. A good photo is worth 1,000 words but a poor photo is best in the bin – it could turn the buyer away.
6. Try ‘on line marketing’ for the first 2 weeks of listing to see if you can attract a southern buyer. Most internet sites have buyers waiting in specific categories and price ranges and they can be reached economically with email brochures.
7. The most important point you need to know is how the agent will handle enquiry from the internet, via email. I am alarmed at how many agents still do not understand the importance of this type of enquiry. We know that 2 out of every 3 email property enquiries will not be answered and 75% of agents will not answer emails in under 24 hours.
Don’t rule out local agents but make sure they understand how you want your property marketed.
Kevin Turner - kevin@realestatetalk.com.au 0403 043 100
