There’s nothing more serene than having a house that overlooks a tranquil, open stretch of water. That’s why luxury waterfront residences are often very sought-after properties, and selling them can be very lucrative. However, that’s only if you know how to do so properly.
Luckily, getting better at selling luxury real estate is something you can learn to do. While a short article can’t really cover everything there is to know about the subject, the following tried-and-true tips will help you improve your sales methods.
1. Use technology
Pictures of luxury real estate don’t tell the whole story when showcasing a property’s benefits. To entice potential owners to an even greater degree, consider using video to make a more dynamic and lasting impression. You can post these videos on your website to ensure potential owners find them easily.
In some cases, it might even make sense to leverage innovative tech to highlight the benefits of a property. For instance, it’s becoming increasingly common for real estate firms to offer augmented or virtual reality tours of their properties. This allows for an immersive experience that’s just shy of actually visiting a property itself.
Don’t dismiss this as a novelty or fad that will pass in time. According to one real estate professional, offering virtual tours of homes is “becoming standard practice.” Another expert promoted the value these tours offer to those in the industry, mentioning to Forbes that “this is the future of touring all properties, allowing thousands of prospects to tour each day while reducing the need for human leasing agents.”
While these walkthroughs don’t necessarily have to be full VR experiences, they should at least consist of 360-degree tours (using the types of cameras that allow for 360-degree street views in Google Maps) that allow potential customers to see all sides of a property’s interior without actually leaving their own homes.
2. Create content (that’s not just about the property)
In any industry in the age of the internet, offering valuable content (such as blogs, videos, podcasts, etc.) is regarded as one of the top ways to attract customers.
However, the nature of the content you offer should be varied. For example, maybe your website features a blog. If the only topic the blog covers is “This is why our properties are so attractive,” it won’t be of much value to customers. It could even make a negative impression on them.
Surveys and research consistently indicate today’s consumers are growing increasingly tired of excessive marketing or overly promotional tactics. Instead of merely being an overtly promotional tool, your blog can touch on topics that may be more interesting to your customers.
For example, maybe your luxury waterfront property is in an attractive location like Palm Beach County, Florida. If so, your blog could cover attractions and events in Palm Beach County, tips for moving to Palm Beach County and similar topics. This will help you attract the attention of potential customers who are interested in the area.
It also lets you subtly promote your luxury properties by pointing out that they’re close to noteworthy attractions and beautiful spaces. You don’t want to completely avoid mentioning your properties, you simply want to avoid doing so in a way that comes off as excessively “salesy.”
3. Don’t overlook the basics
Whenever you’re promoting a luxury property, the impulse may be to focus on highlighting the luxurious amenities that distinguish the property from others. This makes sense. You definitely should try to illustrate to your target audience why your waterfront residence deserves to be referred to as a “luxury” property.
That said, it’s also important to cover the basics. For example, provide value by highlighting security and safety features, and giving an overview of what it’s like to live in the area.
Statistics also indicate that proper heating and cooling equipment is among the most important elements of a property to most tenants and prospective homeowners. If your properties are located in areas that tend to get particularly hot or cold (or both) at certain times of year, make sure you’re talking about how your properties are equipped to keep those living in them comfortable.
Again, don’t worry if you’re not yet applying these tips. Cultivating an effective approach when selling luxury real estate takes time. Fortunately, with effort, you can constantly improve.
Larry Alton is the CEO of Alton Enterprises in Olympia, Washington. Follow him on Twitter, or connect with him on LinkedIn.
