The story of the home in Kirkby Lonsdale that wouldn’t sell…until it did.
730 days on the market, no offers, few viewings. Frustration and disillusion followed.
At the point we first met, Carol and Peter had been on the market with 2 agents.
Here is their story…
On 15th June 2015 they decided it was time for them to move closer to their gorgeous grandchildren, have a little more community and move closer to all the things they love. Walking, cycling, the outdoors, while being just a walk away from the sea, fresh air and most importantly, the shops. Their Kirkby Lonsdale home was wonderful, but they had others things that now became more important.
Carol was quite the property enthusiast, they loved their home and knew that someone would love it just as they had. The initial decision they faced was finding the agent that was a good fit for them. During the weeks before they selected their agent, they had a few out to value the home and they settled on an online agent. Their confidence was low with the local agents they had met and wooed by a small upfront payment and the ability to control the listing they instructed the national online agent to sell the home. What followed wasn’t quite what they had intended.
They really loved the company, in fact, were happy with the service, if they needed something changing, it got changed, eventually. If they wanted to ask for advice, they got it. (It wasn’t anything particularly helpful, but was pleasant and kind) Yet their home didn’t sell. They had a few viewings and got on the viewing feedback as they showed them around themselves.
After 275 days and no sale, they were feeling a little despondent. Ever the optimists, they thought they’d have a try with a local agent. Perhaps this will bring a little more people over the threshold.
Sadly, their experience was less than positive, the brochure was not very attractive, they didn’t even get the town name correct. A further 143 days went by with little interest and still no sale.
Here’s what was online… Just for your information, this house was on the market for almost half a million pounds. £440,000 to be exact.
After a frightful experience the online agent started the advertising again and in Carol’s quest for success, her research started. VMOVE had just sold her daughter’s home and so that was where she started. A keen reader she downloaded our tips, read our blogs and executed what she could to increase the desirability of her home.
She did lifestyle shots of her own, tried view shots, changed things and wrote wording to help sell. (with no help from the online agent)
Yet something was missing because it never quite worked as well as it should.
Our first call
We had a long chat on the phone a few weeks later, where we talked about what I could see as a prospective purchaser and helped her along with a few things, and talked about the perception a buyer would have about the home. There was a disconnect which meant what a buyer saw on Rightmove versus what was actually for sale was not in alignment, therefore the potential saleability of the property was reduced. It was far more picturesque in real life!
After a whopping 730 days on the market…
It was time to see what other agents could do. I was invited round along with a few other agents. They all offered that the sale price was too high and they should be going on the market at £375-£400,000 to achieve offers under that.
We felt differently.
Most agents will cite the asking price as the reason a home is selling, that if you drop the asking price enough the house will sell. After selling many unique and premium homes we know this isn’t always the case.
It stands to reason then, that if your home isn’t professionally dressed to sell, and the marketing – photography, brochure, written description, advertising campaign and promotion strategy – is not at 100%, then no one can really be sure what’s preventing your house from selling.
So we opted to keep the price the same.
The problem: There were very few viewings.
The goal: Get more of the right people over the threshold
The Action:
- Remove from the market as soon as possible to give it time to breathe
- Engage a professional Copywriter to write a compelling description to convert more online views to real life viewings
- Fix the access – as the main door was accessed over grass and not a path (We discussed this on our first ever call)
- Get a lifestyle photographer in to get the very best shots
- Fully re-brand the whole house and showcase it in a bespoke brochure
- Style the home for the day of the shoot and assist the homeowners with ways to increase the desirability of the home when people viewed.
- Showcased the whole plot
- A bespoke board to grab attention
Our fee was higher. Yet our ideas (and we’ve only touched on a few) were far more impressive, offered tangible evidence of how it worked and were all executed perfectly. There is a real science behind the results and we knew that we’d have to make sure every step we make would create a result. Peter asked me the consultation if the “enhanced marketing would work.” A one-word reply was all they needed to feel confident that they were doing the right thing. Yes.
After over 2 years on the market and little hope, they now had direction, a clear structure on what we needed to and why. They had confidence that we could take control and get them the sale that had so desperately wanted. Grandchildren here they come.
So what was the outcome?
These gorgeously styled photographs were carefully selected for their selected brochure and board. Here they is.
We launched on the 3rd of July 2017 and sold the property on 15th August 2017.
In just two months we sold for more than the other agents wanted to go onto the market for.
On 2nd October 2017 Carol and Peter moved into their dream home. The day they found it, after agreeing to an offer they called me up to tell me all about it. Carol loved the super-storage. She loved the fact that there was so much care had gone into thinking about the design of her perfect home. I love that Carol called us to tell us all about it, I love that they both found the home they could have the grandkids in, can do what they’ve always wanted and they achieved a price the other agents couldn’t.
To Carol and Peter the right agent got them the life they had been dreaming of for over 2 years. Carol & Peter’s name’s have been changed, but theri geniune personalities, honest nature and positive attitude really was something inspiring. We love it when we get to work with people just like them. It makes our job so much better.
Thank you Carol & Peter for being our perfect clients, we enjoyed every second of working with you. x You were amazing.
How will your new life start? Can we help? Want us to check out your unique or premium home? Call me on 01524 230722
Warmly
What to do next:
If your home is struggling to sell you may want to have a quick chat with me first. Call me on 01524 230722.
My advice is free – we can have a chat over what I can see on Rightmove and how it will be affecting your sale. Send me your Rightmove link via email on v.green@v-move.co.uk
Have a wonderful day.
PS: Did you know we have analysed and independently tested and found the be among the top 10% of agents in the country. (There’s 26,000 of them in total) We were the only local agent to appear for SALES!! I’m so proud of the team, Want to find the Very Best Estate Agents in your area? Check it out here
PPS: You can check out our dedicated page page for you if your home has not yet sold here
