Photoshoots, paid ads… 5 tips to sell your house alone

If you are planning to sell your property, you are probably inclined to go it alone to avoid the expensive commissions of real estate agencies. But beware, the journey to sell a home without the services of a professional is long and full of pitfalls. “About 70% of French people who sell their property try to do it alone, but only 20% of them succeed,” warns Nicolas Boivin, co-founder of Neemmo. sale of real estate. So to tip the odds in your favor, here are some tips for selling your property without a middleman.

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Ask a professional to take photos of your property

To put the odds in your favor and attract buyers, it’s important to make the most of your property so it stands out from the competition. The best way to achieve this is to have a series of photos taken of your home by a professional. According to statistics collected on the Leboncoin website, people whose advertising photos are taken by a professional photographer receive an average of seven times more calls than others. This is why it is strongly recommended to consult a real estate photography specialist. The price of a photo session usually ranges from 150 to 200 euros, although this price can be higher if you hire a local photographer. An investment that remains relatively minimal if it allows you to sell a property for several hundred thousand euros. You can easily find the contact of a photographer specializing in real estate with a Google search or on LinkedIn, a social network dedicated to professionals.

Highlight your property’s strengths

Competition on real estate advertising sites is fierce. Most potential buyers only spend a few seconds on each ad. That’s why it’s so important to focus on the entry point of your ad, i.e. the first lines of your text, prioritizing the strengths of your placement. For example, if your property is particularly bright or has a beautiful view, mention this at the beginning of your ad. This increases the chances of piqued the interest of your prospective buyer.

Make your ad available to as many people as possible

To increase your chances of selling your property as quickly as possible, it is important to advertise on several sites at the same time. Leboncoin, PAP or even Paruvendu sites are available for private sellers. Thus, you will reach about 75% of potential buyers. But by offering your property on sites dedicated to professionals like SeLoger, it is possible to reach almost 100% of prospective buyers. In theory, only real estate agencies or licensed professionals can post ads there. But some startups, like Neemmo, include listing your ad on professional sites in their real estate assistance packages. One way to increase your chances of finding the buyer of your dreams.

Choose paid options on advertising sites

Typical Leboncoin or PAP sites have thousands of ads posted every day. But a free ad is only really visible for a few minutes before it is drowned in the mass of goods for sale. Fortunately, most sites offer paid options that increase the visibility of your ad. For example, Leboncoin offers packages that allow your ad to appear in the first results for a few days or weeks. This option starts at €44.90 for 7 days and €149.90 for 30 days. The package, which costs less than 24.90 euros, also allows your ad to stand out thanks to a colorful badge that includes the note “A la Une”. If you have quality photos of your property, it may also be wise to choose a paid option that allows you to include more photos in your ad. Free ads on the Leboncoin website are actually limited to three photos.

Take the time to check the buyer’s records

Have you finally found the buyer of your dreams? Congratulations, but the game is far from over. Indeed, about 35% of transactions fail after the sales contract is signed. The most common problem is that the prospective buyer declines the loan, which automatically cancels the sale because it is a preemptive condition. A mishap that could cost you about six months and force you to start selling from scratch again. So, to avoid such problems, it is important to take the time to carefully analyze all the documents in the buyer’s file. For example, it is very important to ask the prospective buyer about the amount of his personal contribution or the progress of the steps regarding the real estate loan. If you do not have the legal capacity to ask your buyer for proof of solvency, such as bank statements, you can alternatively suggest that he conduct a loan simulation with his bank. This document should give you the necessary guarantees about his financial capabilities. You also have the option of having the file examined by your notary, which is generally free of charge if the same notary is responsible for the transaction.