The Weekend Post - Real Estate
Changing face of real estate windows
IN the days of Ford Falcons, coloured bathroom suites, patterned carpets and gentleman’s shorts that really were short, your local real estate agent’s office and its location was a vital part of the agent selection process.
In those days, the window may only have displayed a few black-andwhite pictures and strange artist impressions of existing and to-bebuilt homes, but it was enough to get you, the potential vendor, to sign up.
Then as remote control TVs became the norm and the rich – or wannabes – carried around phones the size of an inner city terrace, the real estate office and its location remained paramount.
At this time, the decor and the window display actually were given some thought with improved attempts to attract for your attention, your listing or buying inquiries.
Then the 1990s saw a new emphasis and fresh importance placed on creating a stylish, client -focused environment, resulting in the modern real estate office we all recognise now and the competition started to heat up.
Today, the office refits continue. There are more high-tech features in the windows with fewer photos but large screens featuring top listings.
Most of these are absolutely useless in bright sunlight of course, meaning many real estate windows seem to feature nothing more than a series of black holes when viewed from afar. But to be honest, do any of us even notice any more?
The office was important because its location and style was a physical representation of the agent and created an impression for the buying public. But in the last few years, the importance and power of the office fitout has plummeted.
Buyers don’t need to look in agents’ windows for that elusive listing, sellers email all the paperwork – the office is now purely a place for the agent and their company to manage their administration – although many will meet with vendors there and many even make an excellent cappuccino. Today, the best agents are impressing and promoting their business at open for inspections. This means that your open house is new office space.
That’s a bit of a cheek, I hear you cry. I fully understand your reaction, world to know your home is open. He or she will want the home to look its best and generate excitement around the listing. And this is great news for vendors.
Pro-active agents are likely to ensure every cushion is perfectly placed, the right lights are on, the blinds are at the perfect level, even in your rush to escape you forgot to make your little person’s bed, that will be dealt with in the agent’s preopen checks. Some even bring their own candles, air fresheners and welcome mats.
Today, the best agents are impressing and promoting their business at open for inspections.
however it is not all bad news. The open house has always been important to agents but now that has stepped up to a whole new level. It means that agents no longer regard inspections as a painful disruption to their weekends, but a vital ingredient to getting sales and listings.
That means an agent will want the
Be assured these agents will be advising you happily on all things to make your open appealing.
So the new real estate office window is your place. And the better your home looks and the more people that see and know its for sale, the better the likelihood of a great result. It’s a win win.