Lancaster & Morecambe 01524 843322
Posted on Thursday, November 8, 2018
Address St Pauls Road, Scotforth
Price £180,000
Sold for £180,00
Number of viewings 5
Days on the market with JDG 10
Number of previous agents tried 3
Days on market 551 ( 10 with JDG )
St Pauls Road is a story which baffled us. It begins with a young gentleman who had bought this house to do up and live in, as his home. After living here for just 2 years - he decided it was time to move on and hopefully find another house which he could also renovate. The only problem was, he couldn’t get his home sold.
St Pauls Road first went up for sale in January 2017. We were called out to value but cancelled before we get there. This happened 3 times and to be perfectly honest, it was starting to frustrate me. You might wonder why he kept cancelling us. I asked him when we finally got to meet. It was the promise of cheaper fees if he signed up there and then. However, these cheaper agents just couldn’t find him a buyer and viewing numbers were low.
In June 2018 (almost 18 months later ) we finally met. Oddly enough, it was another local estate agent that recommended he try us. Given the strength of the recommendation, he called us.
This home intrigued me. On the surface, it was an immaculate 3-bed semi detached home with a superb south facing garden. The kitchen and bathroom were less than 2 years old. Throughout it was a blank canvas. The problem was - it lacked a female touch. It felt a little bit unloved. I was honest about my thoughts.
The owner laughed. He agreed it was unloved. In reality, the long hours he worked meant he was just sleeping here. The house was too big for just him. We formed a plan. I explained to him that I refused to be just another estate agent that failed to sell his home. The first thing I did was put his price UP!
Not only did we put the price up but I sent him shopping. Nothing expensive but those little touches that would help make a difference. I created him a shopping list ( we have a blog on this too ). I wanted fresh flowers, a bowl full of fruit. I wanted white bedding and pretty cushions. This home had to appeal to my target buyers. On a budget of just £50, we made a difference.
The next step was to hide away certain items. I wanted the kitchen worksurfaces clear and everyday toiletries in the bathroom hidden away. This cost nothing!
You might wonder why we put the price up. There were two reasons. The main one being I wanted this home to appear at the top of Rightmove and Zoopla searches online. We call it our zero pricing strategy.
We started booking viewings straightaway. We have a great database of active looking buyers and we know what these people are looking for. With a combination of our marketing and registered buyers, we generated 5 viewings in just 10 days. The result was it sold, and for the full asking price too. The really interesting thing is - even if the other agents had charged him nothing - he was still financially better off by selling his home with us!
My name is Michelle Gallagher. I love helping people move home and I also love a challenge. If we can help get you moved, at a great price, please get in touch. You can contact me at michelle@jdg.co.uk or call me on 01524 843322
Ps. Are you thinking of moving? If so why not try out on online valuation tool. It's not as accurate as having us out but in less than 60 seconds it can give you an idea of what your home could be worth. Let me know what you think. Click below to try it out!
