Spring, it’s that most wonderful time of the year. The mercury is slowly rising, flowers are out in bloom, jumpers and jackets are stored away and the positive vibes of a new season put a spring in everyone’s step.
Whilst, any time of the year is ideal to sell depending on your circumstances, a lot of people think spring, in particular, is the perfect time of year to put up that For Sale sign. There are numerous reasons this season hits the psyche and that includes, gardens and yards are at their best, warmer temperatures brings more people to the open homes and generally there’s a renewed energy of possibility in the air.
For agents preparing for an onslaught of listings in spring starts months earlier, the prospecting, the marketing, the hype, and energy requires planning and preparation. If you fail to prepare for spring selling season the bloom could well and truly be off the rose and your commission spreadsheet looking as baren as your winter garden.
So here are our top tips for Sales agents to prepare for spring selling season:
HAVE A SPRING MARKET CAMPAIGN
With the sales market more competitive than ever, think outside the square and have a spring marketing campaign ready to launch. This should commence in the last few months of winter, so potential vendors thinking about selling might be pushed over the edge with the right incentive. We are currently running a No Upfront Marketing campaign for our spring selling season, or offering Tax Time appraisals is also another option we offer clients. Social media is a great way to promote this.
PROSPECT IN WINTER
Your spring sales come from the prospecting you do in winter. Whilst it may be colder and harder to hit the pavement, you need to keep up your prospecting more than ever in the winter months. No time like winter to turn up the heater or crank up the fireplace and pick up the phone and step up your cold calling, or reach out to clients you haven’t been in touch with for a while.
DO YOUR RESEARCH & KNOW YOUR MARKET
Hit the ground running and offer some value to clients with updated market information. Build your expertise as the area expert and prepare an e-book or market report and share it with clients. Is there new development underway, what is the trend with prices, include as much information and value as you possibly can.
STEP UP YOUR SOCIAL PROFILE
Get creative with your social media, get out and about in the local community, partner with some local businesses, share knowledge, and connect with others. We all know the power of social media and it is only going to increase. Run a competition to get more likes and shares, there are literally so many ways to get creative and boost your digital profile.
The best agents don’t rely on a particular season to sell, consistency is generally believed to be the key to achieving success as a sales agent. Keeping up your prospecting week in and week out, not just when the mercury starts to rise.
If you are a vendor and thinking of selling, we have some top tips for you as well to prepare your home for sale this spring:
SPRING CLEAN
There is no better time of the year to declutter and get in and clean everything from top to bottom. Take a trip to the dump or the charity shops, put a few items on Facebook Marketplace, and your home is pristine and ready for the spring For Sale sign to go up.
WEED THE GARDENS
Like inside, give your yard an overhaul. Weed, mow, trim, gardens, hedges, trees. Spend extra TLC on the front of the home, first impressions really do count if you are serious about selling.
TAKE CARE OF MAINTENANCE
If there are little maintenance jobs you have been putting off, then now is the time to tackle them. Have your gutters cleaned, the loose door handles fixed, the light fittings replaced, etc.
HAVE PEST CONTROL DONE
This is always good to keep on top of regardless if you are going to sell or not. If you are going to sell it could make the process a whole lot quicker if you’ve already had your termite check and report carried out.
SEEK OUT ADVICE OF A HOME STYLIST
Nevermore than ever has the presentation of a home been more important. This is for several reasons including number one attracting people to look at the property, and secondly helping you achieve a premium price. There are a lot of experts who can help and you’d be surprised at how just tweaking a few things can improve the look and feel of your home.
Selling a home can certainly be stressful, but with a bit of planning and preparation and of course the right agent, it doesn’t have to a nightmare. In an ideal world, it should be a seamless process, with a focus on service and ultimately a premium price for your property.
KYLIE WALKER – DIRECTOR – BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING