Working out what buyers want from your home

Aug 15, 2022

Since opening the first Open Door office in 2012 we’ve found - almost without exception - that prospective buyers are not just looking to move home. They are searching for positive changes to their wider lifestyle. It could be a shorter working day; to work from home; for a healthier lifestyle; to add value to a house; for more space; or for a better view from their kitchen window. Everyone is different.

So why does this matter to vendors? To you?

Because your buyers are not really looking for an “open aspect”, a “convenient location” or “ample parking”. And, no matter what they may say, their desire for “four bedrooms”, “a large garden” or “commutable to town” is not why they are moving.

Buyers are looking for an answer to their lifestyle needs, and your property should be that answer.

From the outset, you should try to understand and target the type of buyer that will love and ultimately buy your house.

  • Are they “upsizing” or “downsizing”?
  • Are they a young couple or an older family?
  • Are they a homemaker or an investor?

Depending on your answers to these questions, the content of your short description on Rightmove should change.

So think again about what your property offers potential buyers.

You might be selling a better night’s sleep; a happier husband or wife; more time to walk the dog; or a return to family mealtimes. Perhaps it’s a chance to enjoy local restaurants or the space for a hot tub. Either way, make sure that it’s your home that has (and promotes) such benefits.

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