THE LATEST NEWS ON NEW BUILD PROPERTY IN SUSSEX, SURREY & HAMPSHIRE

The Changing Face and Pace of New Homes Marketing

28 November 2019

Rapid innovation in technology has certainly changed the way that property is sold, both new build and existing housing.  However, the 'proptech' is not the panacea that many forecast.

Online is the place to be

It's hard to believe that Rightmove was launched less than 20 years ago.  It's had such a dramatic influence on how homes are sold.

Since then Zoopla and OnTheMarket also compete for buyers' attention.  But there's still no better platform to highlight a new build property than on a bespoke website.

It's not just the benefits of great design for modern lifestyles, sparkling new kitchens and bathrooms and good insulation leading to lower bills.  There's also Help to Buy, part exchange and assisted move schemes and all of this information is readily available for buyers in one place.  In 2015 we set up simplynewhomes.com to make life easier for all those home buyers who have set their heart on a new build property.

But how much has new homes marketing really changed ?

We all search on our mobiles rather than in the newspaper or on the desktop, so everything has to be mobile friendly and updated instantly.

Visual material is far more dynamic.  Aerial photos, video testimonials and life-like CGIs are now almost the norm, so those who don't invest in such professional images are immediately at a disadvantage in a crowded marketplace.

Knowledge is power - for buyers and sellers

Buyers are now able to research quickly and easily.  They're well informed, so pricing has to be spot on.  Full service estate agents on the high street, far from being a dying breed, know better than anyone else what's selling, to which buyers and at what price.  So for real market and pricing accuracy, a strong agent is a valuable asset.

Despite the power property portals and rise of social media, very few homes are actually sold on line.  People want to see what they're buying so outstanding presentation of the sales suite and show homes is crucial.  And of course the calibre of the new homes negotiator.

Filling the Sales Suite with IT isn't the answer

This is where the sales journey has really changed.  Sales Suites are IT'd up to the nines but the old adage of 'people buy people first' still rings true.

New homes sales negotiators not only have to be experts in the properties themselves and a whizz with all the selling skills of listening and persuasion - now they also have to be at home with IT.

Training is therefore paramount.  Continued sales support is important to recruit and retain top flight negotiators.

All the enquiries in the world won't result in a reservation without a skilled sales person to lose the deal and chase it through to exchange and completion.

As for the future ?

Online isn't the only place to be.  Excellent sales people remain the most valuable part of the process.  And the human face of new homes marketing remains key to successful sales.

Tags:

New Homes , Industry news