As an Estate Agent you might expect me be a huge fan of the ‘For Sale’ board, but <SURPRISE> I’m really not!
I think they’re generally a little ugly, they fall down in strong winds (and when swung from by an overly enthusiastic drinker!), they’re often left up long after a sale and it’s surprising how many of them disappear and then re-appear upside down in a nearby hedge.
However, if I was selling, would I want one outside my home? Absolutely, 100%, yes!
In fact, if I had a big enough plot, I’d want two! And if I was in a flat where the block managers didn’t allow boards, then I would try and put one in a window or on the balcony.
So, if I don’t like them, why would I want one and what can a board do for you? Well, not surprisingly it’s all about visibility:
- Locals will see it – most people move quite close to home, so the chances are that your future buyer has already walked or driven past your door many times before. Whether they’re actively looking or not, they’ll spot your sign.
- Neighbours will see it – if you like the area you live in then chances are so do your neighbours, and so they may just have family and friends who want to move nearby. One of the first houses we sold was bought by the parents of a lady who lived on the next street. She’d been waiting for over a year for something to come on to the market.
- People who want to relocate to the area will see it – When I bought my home in Enfield, I didn’t know the area very well. So for a few weekends I visited the area, drove around looking for areas and streets that had a good feel to them and scribbling down details from ‘For Sale’ boards.
Now I know you may be thinking ‘OK, that makes sense but……….’, and the biggest objections I hear are:
- They’re just there to promote the agency. Yes, of course there’s an element of that. We all know that sometimes there are boards up where there is no property for sale, either that or there are some blocks of flats where just about everyone must be selling up based on the number of boards outside! And every agent has a little smile when they see their sign outside a property they’ve just taken on.
- I don’t want people knocking on my door. This one I completely understand and depending on peoples circumstances I often agree! Some people seem to think they have magical powers of persuasion and that their dazzling smiles will make you lose your senses and allow a random stranger into your house at all hours of the day (and night!).
The key thing to remember is – if I’m driving passed your house and I see a board outside, I want to know in a instant who I need to call.
So don’t be afraid of the board, it’s very visibly advertising your home 24/7.
P.S. We’re about to launch our new bespoke ‘For Sale’ boards.
Our name will still be very visible on the boards but the main focus will be your home and an image of something special that can’t be seen from the road. This might be a beautiful original fireplace, landscaped garden, or maybe the view across to the city from the loft conversion balcony. This little sneak peak is bound to make buyers even more curious.
