Strategic property marketing and content planning for estate and letting agents

Preparing for the First Homes Scheme

The First Homes Scheme provides agents with a huge opportunity to capture the interest of highly-influential target markets. Although the scheme is still in its consultation phase, it is important to prepare now to hit the ground running. First-time buyers and key workers will be eligible to buy new-build homes with a 30% discount under the new scheme. Home buyers in England will have a chance to buy a property in their local area for almost a third less than the market price, saving – on average – nearly £100,000.

I would be preparing my marketing collateral for this now, driving interested prospects to a landing page to capture details to be the go-to source for updates. With key workers – nurses, police officers, firefighters, teachers and armed forces veterans – being given priority in the scheme, it’s a perfect opportunity to readdress the fact that, for those that have been forced out of the market due to rising housing prices and stretched affordability, there is some postive news on the horizon.

ROI Opportunities:

• Target your database for first-time buyers and key workers.
• Canvass your local area with Direct Mail inform them of the proposed scheme.
• Engage with developers to promote the scheme.
• Drive traffic through-highly engaging email and social marketing.

Asking prices and your recent successes

Confidence in the market is at a record high. Our Property Market Index showed that, last week, properties coming to market are at their highest rate since the beginning of the year. Rightmove have recently reported that the average asking price of property coming to market in Britain has hit a new record this month, 2.4% (+£7,640) higher than in March pre-lockdown, and the 3.7% annual rate of increase is the highest since December 2016.

So it’s clear to see that buyers and sellers are making up for lost time. Whilst Rightmove’s Index only reflects the prices that sellers are asking, the introduction of the stamp duty holiday means that buyers can make substantial savings if they move before the 31st March 2021.

Increased confidence coupled with the stamp duty initiative is having a huge impact on the number of buyers entering the market which will, no doubt, continue over the next few months. Supply and demand are going to play a major part in keeping prices stable through.

I’d be focusing on promoting the increased selling price that sellers can obtain right now and drive valuations with strategic pricing campaigns, i.e. how have house prices increased over the last five years in your postcode area. To increase supply, for me, it’s all about targeting sellers who are on the fence at the moment. Your marketing should be geared towards the potential monetary losses that sellers could incur if they continue to hold tight for the next 12 months. I’d be putting three or four SSTC properties in my campaigns too to demonstrate the great prices that can be achieved right now.

ROI Opportunities:

• Great opportunity to rejuvenate your archive dataset and prospect using great news.
• Use persuasive loss-aversion tactics to prompt potential sellers to request valuations.

Making the most of your market

There’s no doubt that property priorities for many of us have changed since Covid hit. Demand for property in certain parts of the UK is seeing a huge rise as the public starts to reassess what’s important to them. This presents a massive opportunity to agents who are not currently engaging with the 1000s of potential clients sat in their database.

The number of people looking to move from towns to the country is up by 126% in June and July when compared to the same period last year. Agents operating in Liverpool, Edinburgh, Birmingham, and London are seeing the highest enquiry levels.

The important marketing factor to note is that most of the top village destinations that city dwellers want to move to are still within a commutable distance from their city. Property searches are geared towards regional moves, as it’s unlikely that people are changing jobs in the currently climate.

So there is actually huge scope for mass direct property promotion from every single agent in the UK right now. Yes, people may start their search on the portals, but your database is a captive audience that you can promote your properties to and drive interest directly

I’d be doing property campaigning based upon lifestyle searches, promoting the benefits of properties on your books that people are looking for right now; those with enduring and sought-after appeal. Outdoor space, community hubs, local amenities, and home-working spaces. These are driving factors for potential buyers. Give the people what they are looking for – without them having to search through 100s of properties on the portals.

ROI Opportunities:

• Great property-engagement content. Book more virtual and physical viewings.
• Drive valuation requests by informing potential vendors in your area that properties with these characterises are in demand. Add in two recently instructed properties that meet the criteria and show the asking prices.
• Do postcode-specific property campaigning.
• Target city dwellers with your top five ‘escape to the county’ properties each week.
• Start doing a regional analysis of the local amenities in each area. Film a video, send it in your campaigns to do a regional market update and area guide.