Helping sellers in a ‘buyer’s market’

May 20, 2008

First National runs initiative to help sellers in a ‘buyer’s market’.

In a bid to increase housing stock turnover over May and June First National is offering customers free help with improving the presentation of their properties.

First National General Manager John Stewart said presentation was always a factor in real estate but in the current market, it could be the difference between a sale and a non-sale. First National is offering to visit properties that are about to go on the market and do a presentation audit that results in a personalized report with maintenance tips for both house and garden.

The presentation report offer is a nationwide marketing initiative aimed at helping vendors in a difficult market.

“With plenty of properties around, buyers are choosy,” Mr Stewart said. “A survey First National carried out last year showed 82% of vendors did not receive any kind of presentation help from their real estate agent. We see this initiative as one of First National’s practical ways to help vendors attract the greatest number of potential buyers. The report is a culmination of experience and research into some of the key factors resulting in someone buying a property – and what can cause them to pass it up.

“It is often hard for an owner to see their property objectively through the eyes of would-be buyers, especially if they have lived there for longer than six months. First National has developed a report that can be used to rate a property and provide recommendations to improve buyer response.”

For example, neglected exteriors could cause a negative first impression and may make a potential buyer wonder what else had been overlooked in the property’s maintenance. A clean tidy exterior showed good maintenance and buyers often unconsciously extended that perception to other areas of the house.

“Some real estate agents may comment on areas that need a bit of work. This report goes a step further and provides a visual reminder with personalized recommendations that the property owner can tick off as they do the work.”

“First National’s slogan is that we put our customers first. This report is one way of getting buyers to come to our customer’s properties first.” ends

ENDS

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