By John King,
Broker of Record with Engel & Völkers Ottawa –
In today’s real estate market, local homes are not only being purchased by local buyers. While Vancouver and Toronto have received all the attention, cities like Ottawa and Montreal have also been seeing an influx of international buyers investing in Canadian real estate. In order to sell your home for top dollar in minimum time, it is important to have a marketing plan that sets its sights both domestically and globally.
The first step to targeting international buyers is understanding their motivations. Not all home buyers are created equal; each demographic has its own wants and needs when searching for real estate. It is vital that your home marketing plan targets these demographics specifically, and to do that you need to understand what they are looking for.
While some of these buyers are entering the market solely for investment purposes, you may be surprised to learn that in a 2016 survey Chinese buyers listed our education systems as the number one reason they are interested in Canadian real estate. If the Asian market is an ideal target for your home, you may want to feature top nearby schools when describing your property. With so many listings available to these buyers, using this kind of demographic knowledge to your advantage can make your home stand out in the crowd.
The other important step to reaching a global audience is making sure your home is appearing where international buyers are searching: online. The Internet is by far the number one way your home will be found in global markets, so having a robust web presence is crucial.
An effective Realtor will have the tools to appear on multiple global search sites so your home can be easily found around the world. For example, Engel & Völkers’ Extensive Domestic Global Exposure (EDGE) system showcases homes on international sites with over 300 million page views per month. Appearing in search results on global real estate sites is key to ensuring buyers around the world see your home; this is how savvy consumers and international clientele are looking for real estate.
For more tips on marketing your home to an international audience, contact
John King.