Because homes can't take selfies...

'Selfie' DEFINITION

 A photo of oneself taken by oneself

If we look at the 'selfies' taken by friends, colleagues or celebrities, you often see that they are flattering, taken from the best angle in the best light to produce the best picture, typically they depict a lifestyle or image that one would like to be portrayed in.  They often show their 'friends or friends of friends' how they want you to see them.

(Note to self: don't google 'selfie's' then check out images, although it really does prove my point of flattering, best angles and best pictures)

So, in the spirit of showing off a lifestyle that you want others to aspire too, what do the pictures of your home say about your house?

They should tell a story.  

This is effective marketing, we see it all the time, from the best nappies for the happiest babies, to the most tempting of professional marketing and fantastic food, by Marks & Spencer's.  The ones where the chocolate pudding in broken into by a sparkling silver desert fork and the thick chocolate centre oozes out in ripples of chocolate heaven.  This is very clever marketing.

Your personal social media profiles are too just that, they are marketing us as individuals, why else would your new employer be in the news for checking your profile out on facebook?  It is, after all, a way of learning about you, the same way your photographs of your house should be a way of learning about your 'home'. 

So take a quick look at your current photographs, what do they show. 

In true Blue Peter Style.

Here's one I did earlier:

What do these two pictures say to you?

They say 'living room'. That's it.  

Living room. 

Nothing more.


So let's try something new:

Here's another few of the same property:

These show off a luxury, somewhere to warm your toes on a cool winter evening, a big comfortable sofa that swallows you up, while you nestle in the large duck feather cushions that surround your with marshmallow softness while you read your book, before you fall asleep in front of the fire in a draped in an earthy blanket of love and homeliness.

This is what people buy.  

This is what your buyers want. 

A 'home'. 

If you have some spare time, take an objective look at your home's photographs online now.  See your house through a buyers eyes, like we do,  
and what do they say about your home and about you? 

Still stuck & you live locally to Lancaster & Morecambe?

Drop me your Rightmove link to v.green@v-move.co.uk and I will let you have 1 free tip to bring in more buyers!

VMOVE. Because homes can't take selfies.

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Have a super day, 

What to read next:

The Art of being a Brilliant HOME SELLER

1 Quick Tip to get MORE VIEWERS through your door

The art of being a BRILLIANT Home Seller

BE a Brilliant Home Seller

We all hear the stories of how someone has sold their house in record time, smashed the ceiling price on the street, and finally sold before the three cheaper houses up for sale at the other end of the street.

So now it's your turn, you have made the decision to sell, how can you get sold just like that?

Here are my five top tips to BE BRILLIANT.

Be Aware

Open your Rightmove app and check what properties there are around in your area and your price bracket.

Take a look through and see how you compare. Do you have a bigger kitchen?  South Facing garden?  A recently refurbished bathroom? If so, these should prominently feature in your particulars as these are the items that you have that are 'better' than your competition.

Be Armed (with your DIY tools)

Get your last pieces of DIY done as soon as possible.  It may be simply fixing a broken bath panel, resealing your shower, rehanging any broken doors and repainting any scuffed walls or repairing any broken guttering. 
This will prevent your buyer from running in the opposite direction or mentally making a note and exaggerating totaling costs to complete these small jobs.

Remember, give them a reason to buy, not an excuse to leave.

Be Brutal (a de-cluttered home will sell much easier)

Sometimes this is easier said than done, especially with a family.  The key thing here is to double check why your moving.  Is it because you need more space?  If so, by leaving the clutter you are also telling your potential buyers that the home is too small for you and therefore will be too small for them.

Be Clear

Clear your cupboards, if they are fixed/built in items you need to show the uses without a dreaded overflow onto your viewers.  (They WILL look in these!)

Clear your bathroom - old shampoo bottles, prescription ointments and embarrassing treatments.  Hide these away, give the impression you are ailment free, only use the best products and the most luxurious fluffiest towels.

Be Clean

Oh yes, this is my absolute favourite one.  This doesn't just stop at a quick hoover, this means, skirting boards, window sills, windows, built in fridges and even...

...light switches.   The viewers are looking for an ideal and something to aspire too. Grubby corners and Grimey handrails really wont appeal to them and their ideal property they already have in their minds.

Simple and yet very effective.  The impression you give about your lifestyle will have a big impact on how your viewers see your property so...

...Be Happy it's infectious!!

Enjoy reading this?  Loved the content?  Well, why not share your new found knowledge.

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What to read next:

1 quick tip to get more viewings

Sell your house Faster & Higher: Part 4: Aspiration & Desire

Selling houses for BOYS - The World Cup Way...

I was in the middle of another blog post when this dawned on me.  My blog posts are for women, mums, aunties, grandmothers, daughters and sisters, but do men actually read them?  And do they really understand them?

Not really, so I thought it might be nice to explain something's in a butch kind of 'get another beer' and 'let's have an arm wrestle' kind of way.

Just for you chaps here's the football way to sell your home... (from a female perspective obviously!)

The Pre-Match build up - Also known as 'The Home Moving Appointment'

Here you have your expectations at an all time high.  The excitement of an impending challenge.  A game of two halves, (in this case buying and selling) so you are on the edge of your seat as the time time comes and the Estate Agent woos you into a selling frenzy as you sign on the dotted line to officially open 'The Match'

Avoid the Yellow Card:  Check the small print and ensure you are quoted a fee including VAT.

Team Captain (you) and The Manager (The Estate Agent)

We have to work together as a team, to ensure that we are both working to the same GOAL. The Estate Agent's job is to assist you in reaching these goals.  We back you up and we get you in training to ensure that every viewing runs smoothly.  We coach you on the best way to present your house for sale so that before each viewing, you (as the captain) can execute these moves in a smooth and timely manner.

Avoid the Yellow Card:  Make sure you pick the agent you are comfortable with.  It makes the whole process smoother.

Attack

The first line of attack as a team is to ensure firstly that your home is on the market at the right price and presented in a way to really appeal to all your buyers. (Your fans).  After all you wouldn't expect your team to let the fans down.  And the best way to attack, is to do it at the right time.  So ensure your property is only released when it is ready and on the best day to capture the biggest audience.

Avoid the Yellow Card:  By checking all the photographs carefully.  If you're not happy ensure your agent comes back to re-take them.  

Defence

The best way to defend your property is to ensure that the price that has been selected can be backed up by what is is actually there.  So don't overprice, as you may be just turning your buyers away.  Clean it to a sparkling shine, complete all those little DIY jobs and move all those car magazines that are cluttering up your coffee table.

Avoid the Yellow card:  Clean your grout, it will make a huge difference to your sale.

Corner Kick

 So your team has a corner kick, so now check all the corners of your home.  We all like to gather things in the corners, broken bits and pieces, old toys, things we moved out of the way while we did something else.  Clear these as a priority to make your rooms feel more spacious.

Avoid the Yellow Card: Cobwebs also gather in corner so grab your duster during half time.

GOALS

Set them.  Find what you want, know why you are selling and ensure that you are doing your best for your team.

Remember, your viewers are like your fans,  They want your house to be the ultimate dream, they want to aspire to be just like you. Give them something to aspire too.  Your house should be the best it can be, and then you are only a GOAL away from winning the CUP!

Avoid the Yellow Card:  Please clear up all cups before a viewing!!

I hope you enjoyed my themed blog.  I would really appreciate your feedback on this blog...I laughed as I wrote this as I'm a girl that really doesn't watch football and certainly couldn't explain the offside rule in relation to selling your house!!  Have a go, I would love to hear them...

PS:  To avoid a RED CARD:

1 -  Please let your agent know if you intend on having a World Cup Party late at night so they don't book an early viewing the very next day.

2 - Take down all football memorabilia while your house is on the market.  Your next viewer might not share your opinion on your 'dream team'.