Don't forget to market your location

Have you ever gone traveling and found the experience was not what you expected ? Maybe someone told you about how good or bad their experience was, so you had certain expectations.

The first time I went to Europe I was lucky enough to know or meet some great people In the different areas I visited, and as a solo traveler this made the experience and the memories just that much more amazing. I’d tour around the different areas and find some interesting things on my own, but the standout spots were almost always things I had been shown or introduced to by a local. This actually changed my opinion about some areas and left me with a very different impression than I might have formed on my own. Funny enough these spots were never obvious, you couldn’t find them in travel books, review sites or even maps in many cases, you needed that local guidance.

These spots whether it be beaches, trails, restaurants, amenities, shopping etc. are what differentiate locations and ultimately create a lifestyle. Knowing about the different spots a location offers has the power to create an attraction and even change false expectations. This is why it’s critical when listing and marketing real estate not to forget about marketing your location. So many of the home buyers we see between Qualicum Beach and Nanoose on Vancouver Island are relocating from other areas, and while many have visited the area, they still need that local guidance about the different locations and the lifestyles they offer.

We see so many listing presentations focus on the home and the finishes and forget all about the location. Your homes location and all those great nearby spots you love have the power to differentiate your property compared to others, and attract your ideal home buyer. This can be different things for different homes / buyers…for families this may be schools and recreation, or for retirees this could mean golf courses and walkability, or maybe you’re marketing to an investor and they are concerned with the future potential of an area. No matter the case, if you understand your ideal buyer and market your location and the lifestyle accordingly it has great benefits for all parties. Colors and finishes can be changed but the enduring characteristics of a location have the ability to add immense value to your property.

Virtual Staging Versus The Real Thing

Do you enjoy a little retail therapy ? Who doesn’t right… Usually I like to make a day of it, maybe hop over to Vancouver to visit some of my favourite shops and obviously a delicious lunch spot, maybe even a hotel lobby if there’s enough time, haha. Even if I’m not looking for much, having the day and not being pressured makes it so much more enjoyable. I’ll usually spend the morning with a coffee in hand visiting stores to see what’s new and trying on things that I’ve seen online. Morning is key because I still have the patience to get changed 20 times, haha. Inevitably I end up near one of my favourite lunch spots and a little break is in order. This gives me time to consider what was available, what fit, and what my favourites were. By now several hours have passed so I’m booking a hotel room, cancelling work appointments…. hahaha, just kidding (or am I). Usually I leave the lunch spot, quickly grab the things I decided on and head back home to Q.B. feeling like I had a pretty good little day. This is sort of a how a good day of viewing homes should feel, just a little different price point.

What does retail therapy have to do with virtual staging and shopping for a home ? Have you found that lately when you try and do a little shopping it’s a constant let down? The fit is wrong, the color or quality in real life is nothing like it looked online, they don’t carry that particular item in store, the stores closed down but you can shop online, or a personal favourite…. you can buy that today and it will be delivered in 6-12 months when we find someone to make it. Needless to say I’ve been finding retail very frustrating over the last number of years. They lure you in with hopes of getting something you saw online and then let you down or try and convince you to wait or to buy something else. I don’t know about you but for me this experience doesn’t leave me open minded to exploring the possibilities, it usually leaves me feeling discouraged and like I’ve wasted a bunch of time. No doubt a lot of these companies would prefer we shopped online, but for me I need to see what things are really like, I find online shopping extremely unreliable and it has me shipping the majority of things back, not to mention it takes all the fun out of it.

Virtual staging can have a smilier effect. That’s not to say that it can’t create for more interesting or attractive listing images that entice you to want to view the property, but setting someone up for an experience that isn’t real and then trying to convince them it could look a certain way can create uncertainty and has the potential to be a letdown. Actual home staging adds value by creating an authentic, real experience for homebuyers both online and in person. Home staging shows a home in its best light by demonstrating what is truly possible with spaces and building homebuyers confidence in a homes potential.

How Important Are Listing Photos ?

Do you ever just flip through cookbooks ? I do, and I always find myself drawn to the recipes with the best looking photos. If only it ever looked that good when I made it, haha. Those photos though… the impact they can have is unreal. They can make you hungry, they can make you crave certain things, they can even make you think you’ll like something that you know you don’t like, haha.

Real estate photos can have a similar impact. Great listing photos can stir up your emotions, they can create a connection to a property, a desire to view the property in person, or maybe you weren’t even thinking of moving until you saw how good the property looked. No matter the outcome, the impact of great listing photos is all positive and provides numerous benefits in selling.

The alternative is if a great photo has the power to make you hungry it can also be said that a lousy photo can be a turn off, or maybe even cause you to lose your appetite all together. Think about what makes a good cookbook photo. They always choose the best angle to showcase the specific dish, they’d never shoot a sandwich from the top would they ?. They always shoot the photo when the dish is at it’s freshest, not after it’s been picked through and the signature ingredients are gone. The finished dish is usually the main image and while there may be supporting images, they are usually the best looking freshest ingredients used to support the deliciousness of the dish. Can you imagine if they included all the dishes, utensils, the mess etc. involved with making the dish ?

If you are looking for a Realtor to sell your home, a great place to start is by having a look at the photos of their past and current listings. Ask yourself whether those photos increase your hunger for the property as it were, or do some of them cause you to lose your appetite for the property. Great listing photos involve thoughtful preparation, a strong understanding of real estate and of course a highly skilled photographer. If you are considering selling your home in Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Nanoose, Fairwinds or Lantzville and value great photography, we’d welcome the opportunity to introduce our photographer and our listing services.