A customised marketing strategy is not possible for your property...
Let me explain why you should not expect listing agents to organise a customized marketing strategy for your property.
Many clients often say they want to choose "the agent who will be most motivated to sell my house," believing this "motivation" will help the agent secure the best price for them. However, I'd like to explain why the business model of estate agents in France makes this unlikely.
To be profitable, a real estate agent needs to maintain an inventory of at least 50 sales contracts in a typical agency, then minimize the marketing spend for each contract and wait for inquiries to come in. It’s a numbers game.
This is because the unique characteristics of each property in the agent’s inventory are often overshadowed by the competitive landscape—where typically three or four agents may list the same property—and broader market uncertainties, like fluctuations in interest rates or unexpected political disruptions that cause both foreign and domestic buyers to delay their plans.
Given these factors, there is limited opportunity for tailoring a sales strategy since the actual profit margin per signed contract is relatively slim. While a 5% commission on a million-euro property may yield 50,000€, this amount is reduced when spread across all the other contracts in the inventory that don’t convert to sales. This model is shaped by the financial framework set by law.
By “customization of the sales strategy,” I’m referring to going beyond the standard three-part (and largely automated) marketing process that kicks in once a sales contract is signed and the listing process (including visits, description, photos, and possibly video) is completed in the agency’s real estate platform. This standard process generally includes:
> Automated uploading of listing information (translated if necessary) to all online distribution platforms the agency works with, such as Green Acres, Le Bon Coin, Belles Demeures, or Lux Residence;
> Emailing listing details to prospects who have shown interest in similar properties (a step not all agents take);
> Using social media channels, like Facebook, to post the listing and engage with potential buyers in relevant groups—a strategy employed by only a few agents.
I know most agents would prefer to dedicate more time to each property—especially those they believe have greater potential. However, the reality is that doing so is risky; despite their extra investment of time and money, another agent could easily make the sale by chance alone.
The end result is a decline in industry standards. Because in the real world, most agents think, "Why should I do more than the agent next door if no one else goes beyond the basic three-part marketing package to promote a property?"
Another consequence of this unfortunate situation is that, when showing a property, most agents (or their sales representatives) who haven’t enough (or any) time on site, are far less effective than they would be if they truly knew the property – from its vaulted cellars to the attics. This knowledge would come from spending more than the bare minimum time required to secure the sales contract. In other words, agents often lack a deep understanding of the properties they're presenting—which is a real disservice to the sellers who are paying them for this expertise.
NEED REAL ESTATE ADVICE? If you require customized assistance in your search (or anything French real-estate related) don’t hesitate to reach out! Best, Pierre Guillery [RCS Nimes 533018321, carte prof. CPI30022018000032895.] www.frenchproperty.coach
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