Where Should my Property be Advertised?

Q: I’m about to list my property for sale and I’m concerned about getting it marketed properly so that my home sells for the best price. What should I be looking out for?

Bruce F.

A: It is really refreshing to hear someone asking about how best to market their property. In our opinion, a comprehensive marketing campaign is the first, and possibly the most important, step in getting a premium price. There are three main areas to cover: Online (realestate.co.nz, TradeMe, etc.), print Property Press, NZ Herald, Epoch Times, etc.) and social media (FaceBook). Advertising online will certainly get you in front of buyers, but these buyers are actively searching for a property and you need to have ‘passive’ buyers too. And passive buyers come from print advertising (like Herald Homes). By the way, make sure your agent uses a professional photographer to take the photographs of your property and make sure he has someone complete a floor plan. This is all about making sure you get as many people to view your home as possible – amateur photos will not do the job.

Check the copy for print advertising. Your agent should run this by you prior to having it submitted to the magazine or newspaper. People make mistakes, so check spelling and grammar carefully. Do the same with advertisements as soon as they appear online.

Facebook: Your property needs to be marketed on Facebook. Not many agents know how to market on social media, so make sure your agent has a plan, and check them out on Facebook to see how many followers and interactions they get. Again, you do not need to be on Facebook to get your home sold, but if you want to maximize your exposure to produce more bids on your home, you cannot afford to miss out on this great exposure. If your home is not actively featured on a highly trafficked Facebook Page, tell your agent to make it happen right away. Don’t be fooled by a low-price marketing budget – make sure all your bases are covered so that you reach as many potential buyers as possible.

At the close of another year, we gratefully pause to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Fabulous New Year.