Families are often a very passionate buying group. In many instances they are looking for their ‘for-ever home’ and when they find THE one and fall in love with it, emotionally they can become very attached. They can visualize their children growing up there, they can see their kids playing with their friends in the garden, entertaining the neighbours and having family to stay. This passion is great if you’re the seller, as passionate buyers reach further into their pocket which is good news.
So how can you appeal to this buyer group? Are there features they look for when buying a home that you as a seller should look to incorporate or highlight in your home?
Chief value maker for buyers
To help answer this we spoke to Jarad Henry, Principal at LJ Hooker Glenelg who has had over 18 years’ experience attracting 100’s of buyers looking for a family home. He believes the chief value maker for buyers is liveability. How easy will it be live in the space. What is the floor plan like, is there flexibility to grow as the family grows?
Whilst the WOW factor of a newly renovated or refreshed kitchen and bathroom is always a winner, some families are keen to buy a property that gives them the option of being able to put their own stamp on it. However, to do this easily and economically, if your property has a good floor plan this can be very appealing to this group.
A second living area
Jarad also commented “there’s no real demand for a specific number of bedrooms – that’s really contingent on the size of the family, but there is demand for a second living space – somewhere separate from the general living area where you can keep the technology and devices”.
The size and the noise of teenagers can make for a chaotic and crowded home especially if they are all playing and chatting in the same room as the parents, so “having a second living room, or a separate area in an open plan room that can double as somewhere for the children to play X-Box, watch movies, read and hang out with their friends is a popular feature for this group of buyers.
With this in mind, if you’re trying to appeal to his audience and don’t currently have a separate space for the kids, can you convert a room, or possibly add a kids retreat to an existing space such as an office. You don’t need much, just a sofa and a TV but it can help family buyers visualize how they could use the space. To give them more flexibility for living.
Even better, if you have space in your backyard you could add a kids retreat that is separate from the house. This goes perfectly with the teenager’s desire for independence and can be appealing to family buyers who are looking into the future. Of course consult a professional before you do this as the last thing you want to do is overcapitalize on the build of the kid’s hangout only to find you don’t recoup the costs in the sale.
Living space is paramount in the modern home so make sure your marketing highlights any extra living space, even if it is a small sunroom.
Outdoor entertaining space and backyard
Most family buyers would love a property that has an appealing outside area and one that flows well from the indoors. This may be a deck, balcony or a garden. Each offers an extra space for the family and an ability to enjoy the great outdoors – a common must have feature for family buyers. So make the most of what you have. Add a table chairs with soft furnishings such as waterproof cushions, perhaps a seating area and BBQ and feature it prominently in your marketing.
Interestingly, Jarad has also seen a movement toward healthy eating over recent years, so homes that that have established fruit trees in the backyard and space for an existing or future vegetable gardens are popular. These attributes can support hobbies for older owners and allow parents to educate their children on healthy lifestyle habits.
