December Areas are out, and we’re glad to see the online version of the glossy property magazine has come to life. With the realistic page turning effect, it’s almost just as good as reading the real thing.
Browse the Sloane Square Area.
Try using left and right arrows to turn the pages just as elegantly as you would when browsing the paper version of the magazine.
Click here for other areas.
No comments:-)
“The market is being flooded with unsold stock that is not in a lettable condition,” says Lucy Morton, president-elect of the ARLA and head of lettings at W. A. Ellis in Mayfair, to TimesOnline.
“These properties will continue to be empty until they have been refurbished to the high standards expected by tenants. About 35 per cent of properties on the rentals market in Central London are not up to the standards required by discerning tenants. Of those, 20 per cent are simply not lettable because the owners either cannot or will not spend the money required to satisfy tenants.”
Read more: Landlords must get smart to attract tenants
Inspired by the 20 marketing tips from Belvoir Lettings at PropertyOwl’s place.
Here is what we would add to that list:
There are tons of ads renters have to go through when searching for the right property. If my experienced head is usually literally spinning after an hour of intensive browsing – just imagine the pain new Londoners have to go through. A good first photo would make the search so much more enjoyable but it’s not the only reason why more attention should be paid on that first photo.
You might think that the address is enough to make the renter open your ad but is it true when it comes to those who know nothing about London? Or those who speak very little English? This group is very sensitive to that first photo on the long list of properties.
Take time to think about how to make the first photo so good, that it works like banner that says – LOOK AT ME! It will pay off, mark my words.
Also, changing the first photo after it has been hanging up for too long, could a good idea as well, as it might attract a click from someone who has dismissed the ad before.
The last request would be – please pay attention to details. If there is absolutely nothing else to show, just typical rooms and furniture, then maybe you can find a detail that would intrigue us to open the ad.
A few thoughts on what impact a not so good first photo would have:
POOR QUALITY
I have noticed that at some point, when browsing the listings, I would start ignoring properties that have the first photo in very bad quality (blurry, verticals off, odd colours). What this says to me is that no-one really cares about the property. Not now, and probably not after I move in…
NO PHOTO
Ads with no photo belong to the 20th century. Those ads spell “trouble”. Either the apartment is not ready, the agent has not seen it, it’s in a really bad condition, etc.
COMPANY LOGO AS PHOTO
Equals to no photo. Pass!
DIDN’T I JUST LOOK AT THIS?
Photo of the red brick building exterior, empty room, just some room with vanilla-coloured walls – the property can go unnoticed if I don’t know the address.
COPY-PASTE
There is this great apartment for rent at Park Street in Mayfair, which some 3 agents are advertising. All 3 first photos in the list have been taken from the same angle. Nice pictures but one of them could do better! Right now it is just to obvious that there are many agents advertising the same property, and noone seems to bother with marketing although it is quite an expensive apartment.
Guess why I would open all these 3 ads below, as listed in Globrix.
1. Great view. I am intrigued to see more.
2. Looks very interesting, even if it is not to my taste. I want to have a closer look at the details. If there was a photo of the exterior, I would have opened it maybe at a 50/50 chance.
3. Interesting angle of the entrance. Obviously they know how to point out the good points, and I wonder how they present the interior.
In general I would have to say that the situation is not too bad with the first photos, and I’m not complaining too much. It’s just that there’s so much unused potential:)
Considering taking in a lodger? We hear that now is a good time, with more people choosing to rent a room rather than the whole flat.
- Take in a lodger and keep the wolf from the door The Independent
- Beat the credit crunch: Fifty ways to get a lodger Telegraph
Photo: 1-2 Leicester Street, London WC2 H7BL
