Should you raise your property’s profile on Instagram?

It’s pretty accurate to say almost every property search starts online. Gone are the days when buyers scoured newspaper adverts or waited patiently for printed particulars to arrive in the post. We’re more likely to use the search function on an agent’s website or head to Rightmove to find the latest properties.  

As estate agents, we invest heavily in digital marketing so the properties we sell are seen by the widest – and most relevant – audience. Our own website is complemented by portal listings and complementary marketing activities that ensures phones ring and inboxes are full of enquiries.  

While estate agents are the most qualified to generate interest and turn enquiries into viewings, and eventually sales, there is a growing movement among home movers that can help boost the sales process.  

It’s not for everyone but starting an Instagram account for your property can be a novel way to find future buyers. Be warned, it can be an incredibly long game and you need to be devoted to producing online content. Additionally, you have to own a property with a special quality to build a following.  

A quick search reveals Instagram is awash with property-focused accounts. The hashtag #homedesign yields over 44 million posts, while #homedecoration has almost 16 million and #homerenovation over 6.5 million.  

For some account owners, what started out as a way of documenting a project – a renovation, extension or major makeover – turned into a way of drumming up interest when they eventually came to sell.  

The phenomenon was recently reported in The Times. It featured a couple who started an Instagram account for their property (@strikeme_pink) when they were on the cusp of an extensive transformation.   

Over the course of four years, the owners documented their refurbishment journey, winning over a legion of fans, gaining more than 23,000 followers and seeing their photos added to countless Pinterest boards along the way.   

The couple announced their plans to sell with an Instagram post devoted to the news. Those who had fallen in love with the quirky interior design and original Victorian details were quick to comment. Many of the followers said they thought the property would sell easily but, crucially, a few asked for the selling agent’s details and for a link to the property to be sent directly to them.  

Is it far-fetched to think that this property’s next owner is an Instagram follower who has coveted this carefully crafted lifestyle? Maybe. What the owners have done is raise the profile of their property. At the same time, they have created a permanent scrapbook of their renovation.  

An Instagram account devoted to your property is not compulsory if you want to sell. In fact, it’s still out of the ordinary to frivolously show your home on social media. Choosing a reputable local estate agent remains the best way to find a buyer. If you’re getting ready to move home, contact us for a free valuation and sales advice.