FOR SALE signs - effective?

ebee1

Hi,

We put our house up for sale with an online estate agent about 1 month ago, and to make the marketing of the house cheaper, we chose not to pay extra for a 'For Sale' sign.

Now, in the past 2 weeks, a few other houses down my road have gone up for sale, I know this obviously because of the signs.

Now my question is, as our house is only being marketed online, is it worth paying for a sign to be put up, as anyone that views the other houses down the road with the other various estate agents will see that ours is for sale too?

I just wanted your opinions on whether you think it is worth it or not, as I have always just searched for houses online. So far we have had about 12 viewings, with most of the feedback being that people feel our house is too small... I can't help but think 'It's a Victorian terrace, like it or lump it as you know what you're getting!' But I would like to maximise the exposure at a lower cost than using high street estate agents.

Thanks in advance

Owain_Moneysaver

How much is the For Sale sign?

Personalised ones go for about £15 on ebay.

nzseries1

I can't speak for people in this country, but in New Zealand my mother chose a section by driving around the part of the country she wanted to buy in and looked out for For Sale signs, and inevitably bought one that way.

GDB2222

For sale signs are good adverts for estate agents - that's why they put them up. They don't really sell houses, but just possibly in your particular circumstances it might be a good idea.

Doozergirl

Yes, for sale signs help. I read a while ago that the two most successful methods of advertising were the board outside and the internet (rightmove being the obvious starting point). We have definitely sold houses to people who saw the sign before they saw the house on the internet, and I have definitely done the same. We stumbled across our first house when we were looking around specifically at new builds over a really wide geographical area, drove past a 400 year old house by chance, did a dead stop and reversed back up the road to see it! I'd never have found it if it weren't for the board.

If people are attracted to that road or area and are driving around looking or simply driving past and like the look of your house, it will help. It also acts as a marker if people do a drive-by before asking to view, which I always do.
And if people are viewing your neighbours, you're an immediate and obvious comparable for them to look at.

When you bought your house and were looking, do you remember seeing any houses that were 'too small'? Were they simply too small, along with everything else you were viewing or was it that the smallest places you viewed were expecting as much money as something bigger that represented better value for money?

Too small is the code name for 'too expensive'. If you're getting that a lot, especially considering that Victorian terraces don't really deviate much in size, then it's entirely possible that you're being told that you're overpriced.

If you are definitely not overpriced then you own too much stuff and the place is appearing smaller than it should

Beckyy

I think they're worth it. Especially if there are other houses on the street. Some people maybe arent aware of websites like Rightmove that offer all the houses for sale in area, some may simply go by where they see signs.

How much would one be?

ebee1

Thanks a lot for the advice guys, I'll look up the for sale signs on EBay - that's a great idea. To be honest, our house was the cheapest on the market and as my dad is a builder, we saw great potential in doing it up. I must admit, it is one of the nicer houses on the street now and although it is priced a little bit higher, i have put offers considered in the writeup so people know they can negotiate, I have also recently dropped the price which encouraged a bit more interest, so we shall see! Thanks a lot!

steve1980

Of course boards are a good idea. People drive road, viewing other properties and they then see yours is also for sale.

With a traditional (high street) agent, yes, the board is a bit of free advertising (which they don't charge you for! (Did you know it costs around £2.50 to put a for sale board up) Some upfront costs from the agent in getting them designed and printed but the cost of that is covered in one sale as they buy in bulk) but it also advises people that you're up for sale.

big5

ebee1 wrote: »

Now my question is, as our house is only being marketed online, is it worth paying for a sign to be put up, as anyone that views the other houses down the road with the other various estate agents will see that ours is for sale too?

That is exactly what happened when we sold our house - the guy who bought our house was viewing a house across the street. He didn't like the other house, so called our EA to arrange a viewing. We got lucky there, the sign had only gone up that morning.

girl_withno_name

ebee1 wrote: »

So far we have had about 12 viewings, with most of the feedback being that people feel our house is too small... I can't help but think 'It's a Victorian terrace, like it or lump it as you know what you're getting!'

I'd also recommend that you ask not to receive any further feedback from viewers - you obviously don't want it / can't handle it!!

Oh, and it sounds as if the viewers are indeed choosing to "lump it"

Caleb11

Definetly get the for sale sign. My sister sold her house by just putting up her number and a hand made for sale sign in the window. It sold within 2 months.