Securing property viewings can be a difficult task. Landlords and letting agents alike can struggle with attracting interest, often getting their advertisements lost amongst other listings. On top of this, choosing the right price can be tricky. Setting a price that is too expensive can deter property seekers from booking a viewing. In contrast, landlords could lose out on potential income if the property is priced too low. Finding a balance between attaining a profitable agreement and filling vacancies quickly is a skill, but it is doable.
Here are our 4 best tips for gaining more property viewings.
Adjust the Price
If your property has been on the market for some time and you have not received many enquiries, you may want to rethink your asking price for rent. When property seekers set out to find a new place, they will already have a clear idea of how much they roughly want to spend. Be it residential or commercial properties, if a building is out of their budget it will simply be skipped over.
Plenty of property hunters will turn to the internet to get an idea of how much properties in the area cost. This can be played in your favour. Whilst the average prospective tenant is more clued in than they used to be, as an agent you have a greater understanding of what features boost property value. If you decide on a high rent amount, position the property as a hidden gem within the neighbourhood. Justify the estate from the get-go by stating all its features.
Alternatively, dropping the asking price can also have a big impact on property viewings. Research the area to make sure your pricing is in line with similar properties, or slightly cheaper. A good deal will always be attractive and for the sake of generating income quicker, it can be well worth it.
Invest in Premium Listings
Visibility is essential to obtaining viewings. An easy way to boost your listing’s impressions is to invest in featured or premium advertising. There are some key differences between these two options. When you upgrade to premium advertising, your properties will be highlighted with bold colour and your property images will be bigger on the search page. On some property portals, they will also allow you to upload additional pictures. On the other hand, featured listings are typically placed at the top of search results as well as being highlighted. When someone narrows down their search to a set criterion, if your featured advert matches their specifications it will appear first in the listings.
Either of these advert types will give your listing additional exposure. This will give you a definite advantage over competing agencies who could otherwise steal away views. Plus achieving higher amounts of profile traffic will provide you with a wider net of tenants. In other words, your landlord has their pick of tenants so they can select those with only the best background checks.
When it comes budgeting for advertisements, you’ll need to be savvy with your spends. For the best results, analyse your previous listing figures and consider busier periods of the year. Aim to use featured and premium property listings when your property is likely to be overshadowed by similar vacancies.
Improve your Photography
First impressions count, especially when it comes to creating interest in properties. For someone to click on your profile, you will need to get your property noticed within the search results. A great collection of photos can do just this. Whilst preferences will vary, there are several things you can do to improve the quality of your images, and ultimately, gain more property viewings.
Hiring a professional photographer is one way you can capture better pictures. Not only will have a greater understanding of lighting and angles, but they will have also invested in a good camera model. This may not be a viable option if you manage a large property portfolio, in which case you may want to consider purchasing an office camera instead. There are plenty of tutorials and free training videos online that can help you become more familiar with photography techniques. One of the benefits of this is that you will have the tools that you need, whenever you need them.
Even without professional equipment, it is important to make sure the property is inviting and visually appealing. This can be done by ensuring that the building is thoroughly cleaned and decluttered, shooting early to make the most of natural light and using the right angles to make each room look spacious. Gardens can be a great selling point, so make sure it is tidied adequately and include pictures of it in your property listing.
Write Better Descriptions
A picture can speak a thousand words, but that does not mean that descriptions are any less important. The property summary is the perfect place to disclose the finer details of the property and to upsell the main features. Additionally, very minimal descriptions can convey a lack of effort which could discourage page visitors.
Within the first paragraph, you are going to want to include all of the key features, such as:
- what type of property it is, e.g. semi-detached
- whether the bedroom is double or single
- how many bathrooms the property has
- the size of the garden (if applicable)
- the parking arrangements
- whether the property is furnished or unfurnished
- whether it is close to transport links/city centres
- what type of heating it has
You will need to strike the right tone to encourage people to schedule a viewing. Letting agents can embellish their descriptions with adjectives, to capture the atmosphere of the property. Emotive phrases can also work well to draw in interest. If a property has gone through several transformations to improve it, tell readers. Many prospective tenants will appreciate that time has been spent on renovations. Discussing the former occupants adds a more human element to the building, which can add some warmth to your content.
Lastly, keep your overall writing voice friendly. It is quite common for listings to just state the facts about the property. Giving your writing a persona will make it come across more welcoming, which will encourage readers to contact you for a property viewing.
