Launching and marketing your property

Very important. A new listing attracts the attention of buyers who are already actively searching, creating an opportunity to generate several viewings close together.

Strong initial presentation and sensible pricing can create competition. If a property is significantly overpriced at launch, that early opportunity can be lost.

Ashtons has built its own client portal, which analyses in real time by sentiment, portal inquiries, website views, and a whole host of other data. This is built into an algorithm that ranks each property on saleability. We can estimate with 92% accuracy which properties are going to sell or receive an offer within the next 14 days based on the algorithm. All this data is shared with our clients to help them make better informed marketing decisions.

An open day can work particularly well where strong initial demand is expected. Concentrating viewings into a short period can create momentum and allow interested buyers to see that there is genuine competition.

It is not appropriate for every property. Some homes and some buyers benefit from a longer, private appointment and this is something we advise upon during the marketing appraisal.

Neither is automatically better. Open days can create urgency and are efficient when a property is likely to generate substantial interest.

Individual appointments allow buyers more time and can work particularly well for larger, more individual or higher-value homes where understanding the property requires a more considered viewing.

Generally, it is better not to be. Buyers are often more comfortable discussing the property openly and spending time looking around when the owner is absent. That said, there can be real value in a seller telling a potential buyer what they love about their home; it is more authentic than an agent trying to guess what that might be.

An experienced agent can answer questions, observe the buyer’s reaction and provide more useful feedback afterwards.

Where reasonably possible, yes. Buyers’ working and family commitments can make evenings and weekends their most convenient opportunity to view.

Making access straightforward can increase the number of potential buyers who see your property.

Ideally, feedback should be sought soon after the viewing while the buyer’s impressions are fresh. Ashtons has a unique client portal where viewing feedback is automatically sent to you two hours after the viewing takes place.

Some buyers need time to reflect, and not everyone responds immediately, but your agent should actively seek meaningful feedback rather than simply waiting for it. We will request it up to three times over the 48-hour period following the viewing.

Ashtons analysed this during several hundred transactions over the last twelve months. We averaged 1 offer per 11 viewings. However it's important to note, some properties sell to the first viewer while others require considerably more due to their particular nature.

What matters is the pattern of response. Several viewings with similar negative feedback can reveal something about presentation, condition or pricing that may need addressing.

Look carefully at the feedback. If buyers like the property but consistently feel it represents poor value compared with alternatives, price may be the issue.

If concerns relate to presentation or a particular feature, there may be something practical you can change. Through Ashtons’ client portal, you will be able to see all of this in real time, helping you make an informed decision rather than relying solely on an agent’s view on a particular day.

You’ll want to speak to us, but it’s more likely that we’ll already be talking to you! We will discuss market conditions, asking price, presentation and marketing. Also consider how your property compares with competing homes buyers are seeing online.

There is no fixed number of weeks. The decision should depend on viewing levels, feedback, competing properties and changes in the local market.

A price adjustment works best when it is made decisively and moves the property into the search range of a fresh group of buyers. Timing will depend very much on a number of market and personal circumstances.