How Virtual Tours Add More Value to Your Estate Agent Portfolio?

Whether you live in the exciting & multicultural urban hub of Sheffield’s city centre or enjoy a more relaxed pace in one South Yorkshire’s smaller villages or market towns, sooner or later selling your Sheffield property will be a process that you will more than likely have to go through.

So how can you make sure that you really maximise the potential value in your home and speed up the sales process? We looked at how some of the top local property investors and agents prepare their homes before being photographed, put on the market & viewed by potential buyers.

Make Sure The Home Is Clutter Free But Still Has Some Personality

After living in a property for some time it is normal to accumulate an assortment of all kinds of junk, especially if it is a family home. So clearing away items that usually cover kitchen sides, living room carpets & children’s bedrooms not only showcases the available space of the property in much clearer way, it also offers potential buyers a semi blank canvas to then imagine turning into their own home. Sheffield’s pro sellers will even go as far as to remove bulky pieces of furniture and replace them with smaller more lightweight items to help key rooms appear bigger.

People need to be able to envisage what the property would look like if they were living there

However, it is possible to go too far and turn what was once a warm and inviting family home into feeling like South Yorkshire’s most drab and soulless bed and breakfast. So don’t be afraid to leave some personal touches around the house that help the property feel lived in, if nothing else this will help spur the imaginations of less creative potential buyers. Fresh flowers or a fruit bowl displayed in key parts of the house such as the kitchen are an easy way to inject some life into a property.

Blog-02-image-01-scene3d-virtual-tour-image-sheffield — Little details can make a big difference

Sell The Lifestyle As Well As The Home

One of the greatest assets available when selling a property in South Yorkshire, is the abundance of cultural history available. Finding out some information about local museums, heritage sites and attractions along with recommendations of nearby delis, restaurants and cafés can help a potential buyer picture the life they could lead by living in your property.

Understanding more about the wider area in general is also another great way to showcase the benefits of a home beyond it’s four walls and roof. For example, Sheffield has recently been voted one of the happiest places to work in the UK thanks to the range of tech, sport, green, cultural and research businesses that have set up centres in the city.

South Yorkshire also boasts the peak district, arguably the most beautiful national park in the north. With its range of walking trails, country pubs, scenic roads and climbing routes, the peak district offers something for all those looking to move to Sheffield and being located in a relatively close proximity to this stunning natural landscape is an asset that Sheffield’s top property sellers are keen to highlight. Some will even make sure to have photographs or paintings of the peak district around a property as a talking point and organic way of bringing this into conversation while showing potential buyers around during a viewing.

Make The Outside Is As Nice As The Inside

The first “real life” impression of your property a potential buyer will have is the walk up to the property, so ensuring that your home is looking as attractive as possible will give a powerfully positive first reaction. Top agents in Sheffield strongly recommend trimming back unruly vines & plants, cutting the grass, killing weeds and giving any outside furniture a wipe to help present an idyllic picture. Giving windows a good clean, both inside and out, will not only make the property look nicer from the outside but will also help more natural light enter the home.

Green_lane_farm_sheffield_3D_virtual_tour_scene3d_external_matterport_photograph_01 — Help give your home the best first impression

Present Your Home Correctly Online

With the majority of potential home buyers starting their property search online it is now more important than ever to make sure that your home is displayed properly on property portals and agency websites.

The first and arguably most important part to get right are photographs of the property, images taken on your smartphone will not do the property justice. Make sure to use a high quality camera with a wide angle lense that will make each room appear as large as possible. Lighting also requires careful consideration, ensure the property appears flooded with natural light by opening all blinds & curtains. One of Sheffield’s pro agents claims he will even replace bulbs in lamps to bulbs that simulate natural light in an attempt to make a property appear as open and breezy as possible.

With more than 98 percent of buyers clicking on to the internet to search for their new homes, the first few seconds’ viewing has become make or break.

It is also very important to make sure that your property has a well written and in depth description highlighting key features, important considerations & surrounding attractions that may not be visible with still images. This will not only answer many potential home buyer’s questions prior to any viewings but will also help your property “rank” better on property portals.
Some of South Yorkshire’s best property investors & sellers will employ the use of a 3D virtual tour as a powerful way to properly display their properties to a digital audience. 3D virtual tours allow a potential buyer to explore the property, room by room, from a smartphone, tablet or computer (read more about virtual tours click here). This type of content has been proven to substantially decrease the amount of time a property spends on the market, although do often require an additional cost.