The Property Perfectionist™

There’s something particularly satisfying about selling a property that another estate agent hasn’t managed to sell. Not because I enjoy proving anyone wrong, but because I genuinely love the challenge of working out what needs to change.

And this particular sale in Hackney is one I’m rather proud of.

It All Started With an Instagram Video

A homeowner in Hackney came across one of my Instagram videos and decided to give me a call.

She’d been trying to sell her home through a well-established local high street estate agent, but things hadn’t quite gone to plan.

We had a good conversation, and I offered to take a closer look.

After reviewing her property and preparing one of my Market Intelligence Reports, it became clear that there were opportunities being missed.

The property itself had plenty going for it. But the way it was being presented, positioned and marketed wasn’t making the most of those strengths.

My report looked at the local market, competing properties, buyer behaviour and how her home was likely to be perceived against the alternatives.

I could see a different approach that I believed would give the property a much better chance of attracting serious buyers.

Now, I’m based in South East London, not Hackney. But after 18 years in property, I’ve learnt that understanding buyer behaviour, knowing how to present a home and getting the marketing right matters rather more than having an office around the corner.

I explained what I’d change, why I’d change it and how I believed we could achieve a better result.

She decided to take a punt on me.

And I was determined to make sure she was glad she did.

A Completely Different Approach to Marketing

When photography and filming day arrived, I wasn’t sitting behind a desk waiting for the pictures to come back.

I was at the property, moving furniture, adjusting rooms, checking camera angles and working alongside the photographer and videographer to make sure we captured what made the home special.

I’m probably a bit of a nightmare on photoshoots, if I’m being completely honest. I’ll spot a cushion that’s slightly out of place or insist we try another camera angle because I know how much those little details matter.

But here’s the thing.

You don’t get exceptional property marketing simply by hiring a photographer. You get it by caring about what the photographer captures.

We created a fresh marketing campaign with beautiful photography, a professionally produced property film and a much stronger presentation of the home.

The objective was simple. Give buyers a compelling reason to stop scrolling, pay attention and arrange a viewing.

And the Result?

The new campaign generated strong interest, several offers and ultimately a sale at a significantly higher figure (almost £100k) than the offer she’d received through her previous agent.

I’m delighted to say that the sale has now completed.

And for me, that’s what makes all the effort worthwhile.

A homeowner who’d become understandably disillusioned with the process finally got the result she wanted.

What This Sale Really Demonstrates

There’s another reason I particularly like this story.

The homeowner found me through Instagram.

She lived in Hackney. I’m based in South East London.

Yet social media brought us together, and a different approach to marketing helped achieve a successful result.

It’s a perfect example of why I believe estate agency has moved well beyond relying on a local high street office, a Rightmove listing and a database of registered applicants.

Working with eXp UK now also gives me the opportunity to collaborate with a much wider network of self-employed agents, extending the potential reach of my clients’ properties beyond a traditional office.

It also demonstrates that experienced personal agents like myself are just as able as any of the industry’s big players to get results. In fact, TwentyEA research shows that personal agents successfully sell a higher proportion of their properties, at higher amounts, than more traditional agents, so the tide appears to be turning.

Of course, not every property that struggles to sell needs a complete marketing overhaul. Sometimes pricing is the issue. Sometimes it’s presentation, competition or simply how the property is being positioned in buyers’ minds.

The important thing is to understand what’s actually happening before deciding what needs to change.

Because changing estate agents should mean changing the strategy, not simply swapping one logo for another on Rightmove.

Is Your Home Struggling to Find a Buyer?

If your property has been on the market for a while and the initial excitement has disappeared, I’d be delighted to take a look.

I offer a free Market Intelligence Report examining your property’s market position, the competition buyers are considering and opportunities to improve your chances of securing a sale.

No hard sell. Just 18 years of experience, a rather obsessive interest in property and an evidence-based approach to getting better results.

Get your FREE Market Intelligence Report:

propertyperfectionist.co.uk/market-report

James Hall
The Property Perfectionist™
Independent Estate Agent | Powered by eXp UK

Clarity. Not optimism. Not guesswork. Just evidence.