1) Great photographs
According to web analytic experts Chartbeat 55% of visitors spend under 15 seconds on the websites they visit. This is not enough time to read a huge amount of text, so your photographs need to be attractive enough to capture their attention. Once you’ve got them sufficiently interested, they are more likely to move on to read the property descriptions and then to enquire. In fact, our research has shown that making extra effort with images can generate 54% more leads. The best performing listings all have great photographs, often taken by a professional.
2) Detailed descriptions
The first thing international buyers are likely to do once they’ve landed on your property listing is scan the description for the main highlights. This includes factual information such as how many bedrooms the property has, where it’s located and what it costs, through to key features like whether there’s a swimming pool or a terrace with a view. These details not only need to be included, they should also be accurate. Inaccurate information is the quickest way to break trust with a potential buyer, and once their trust is broken it isn’t easily restored. The best performing listings don’t leave out any of the important facts.
3) Ranked information
Given that your potential buyers will initially scan your description before deciding whether it’s a contender and giving it a more thorough view, you need to make sure the key features are highlighted at the beginning of the property description. There’s no point burying the fact that there’s a vast wine cellar, a brand new hot tub or a family sized cinema room at the very end of your property description. Mention these as soon as you can, to entice your buyer from the moment they start reading. Remember, your goal is always to keep them on your listing for just one more second, and then another, and then another. The best performing listings hook the buyer early on and quickly lead them to the point of enquiry.
4) Realistic pricing
It’s tempting to stick your properties on the market at the highest possible price. After all, the higher the price, the higher your profits, right? Except that only works when you sell a property. And while international buyers may not know your local property market as well as you do, they’ll be doing their research, comparing plenty of properties to find themselves a good bargain. If they discover that your properties are inflated compared to your competitors, they won’t hesitate to take their business elsewhere. The best performing listings are realistically priced compared to other similar properties.
5) The dream factor
When you sell a property to an international buyer, you’re selling more than bricks and mortar – you’re selling a dream. Through every part of your property listing, you need to think about the whole package of what you’re selling: the beautiful weather, the many local amenities, the exotic lifestyle. This should inform everything from your choice of images (why not include one of the local golf course, or the view from the master bedroom?) to the language you use (a living room is not just another room, it’s a place to relax with a glass of wine after a long day at the beach). The best performing listings sell more than just a property.
By taking just a little more care with your listings, you can have a huge impact on how well they perform. Then it’s just a matter of sitting back and giving it time, as your portal does the real hard work for you in generating a steady stream of top quality leads that will boost your long term sales.
