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Staff Reporter
Location, price range, development type and product type and size are the first four things buyers look for on a property website, according to a recent survey by Matusik Property Insights.
The independent property advisory group reported that buyers voted in favour of elements often hidden on a website: location of the project (89 per cent), prices (79 per cent), development and product details (68 per cent and 40 per cent respectively).
Michael Matusik of Matusik Property Insights said what was far more telling was what did not rate well for voters.
“For example, when it came to the first thing looked at on a property website, very few of the 622 who filled in our survey selected the range of image options in our pulse poll," he said.
“Yes, images are important, but maybe they are given far too much importance. If our polling rings true, then imagery might be the second tier of detail on a property website."
Mr Matusik said from his experience, unless agents captured the attention of potential buyers quickly, they would go elsewhere.
“It might be best – especially if targeting property investors – to give them more of what they seem to want,” he said.
In another straw poll, Matusik Property Insights asked respondents to vote which were the best four images or pictures that were displayed.
Property images from the street topped the list with 76 per cent of out of 631 voters choosing them as the pictures they liked to see.
This was followed by dwelling plans (70 per cent), location map (58 per cent), kitchen render/photograph (56 per cent).
“What potential buyers don’t want to see are all those generic pictures of people enjoying themselves, suggesting their lives - or their tenants’ lives - will be magically transformed when they buy into or live in the property,” Mr Matusik said. “Just four respondents – out of 600-odd – ticked this option.”
He added that images of the key local lifestyle and infrastructure projects in the area also ranked poorly with buyers, with only five people selecting this choice as being important to them.
“Yet nearly every website, EDM or brochure contains heaps of this fluff,” he said.
Mr Matusik explained that good photography or quality renders for off-plan developments were needed and had to be images of the property. The first was the property itself, followed by the kitchen, the living area and bathrooms.
He said dwelling plans with clear dimensions were important to buyers as they could gain a better idea of the size of the property and it would help them make a purchasing decision.
“Yet, often plans are not included as part of the marketing collateral, or if they are, they are often replete with images of undersized furniture and without a dimension in sight,” Mr Matusik said.
First four things you look at:
- Location of the project - 89 per cent
- Price range - 79 per cent
- Development type - 68 per cent
- Product type/size - 40 per cent
- Developer details - 30 per cent
- Expected rentals - 30 per cent
Best four images/pictures displayed:
- Property image from street - 76 per cent
- Dwelling plans - 70 per cent
- Location map - 58 per cent
- Kitchen render/photograph - 56 per cent
- Views from property - 40 per cent
- Living area render/picture - 35 per cent
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