When should I start?

[Jenroy]

My apologies to you all if this has been covered before, but I would welcome your views on when we should start the advertising/marketing of our property.

We are in the process of buying a new villa in Calabria, which was originally scheduled for completion in July, but this has been brought forward to April/May. All of the photographs etc seem to support this change of schedule and, as we are anxious to have guests in place as soon as possible we wondered whether we should market the villa now, without photographs, or wait until completion.

Final contract date is currently scheduled for March, with some 4 weeks penciled in for fit out of kitchen and furniture etc., but I am concerned that enquirers may be reluctant to commit without having photographs of what they will be getting. Will floor plans with sea views be enough? Should we include photographs of the construction?

Has anybody been here before or can offer any advice?

[Giddy Goat]

Another member in particular should be able to help Jenroy: tree-peony. Here is the thread she started when they first purchased:

http://tinyurl.com/2tlm6j

Now inundated with bookings, but when she first advertised, the photos were of a very incomplete building, so take heart and good luck!

[enid]

GG's link should be a comfort - we only had one bedroom finished when we started - it was funny as it was a little oasis in the middle of a building site - we did it just for the photos for advertising but it also was a good morale boost for us. Good luck with the new venture

[tree-peony]

weeeeeeeell, my advice would be to start working on your website now with the aim of making it live after you actually own it!

I put construction photos up as a pro temps, and kept a ticker on the front page with the latest information. I did have a few bookings before it was finished, but I gave them the option of cancelling IF they didn't like the photos when it was complete. I personally wouldn't put it on listing sites until you have a decent set of photos.

oh and GOOD LUCK!

[Musetta]

I agree...push the fact it's new construction everyone likes a new place (!) I was nervous and waited to start...we closed the end of last Jan. and I went over for the winter to make sure everything was set up and furnished, etc. and really...by Feb. I was ready to go!!! but...was so stresed getting everything together, I really waited until AFTER it was all done to research/market, etc. and didn't get on any listing sites until end of MAY...which was TOO late (!) I did get August bookings...and a few off-season...but I think I should have been bore organized from the start and gotten the summer booked as well! had it to do over again, I would have had things ready to be up and running as soon as we closed. that said...don't know if I would take money before I owned the place...Italy is so unpredictable...your place is getting done EARLY? wow. I am indeed very impressed I would market it as "taking reservations as of xx/xx/xxxx" or something...but knkow your prices and what listing sites youo want and have your text all prepered, etc. - so all you'll need to do is insert photos!
Good luck!

[Big Sis..]

Hi Jenny,
Welcome to the Forum!! its always nice to get new posters.Im sure you will find this Forum useful I know I have!!

I would do as TP says as shes been there done it.
But I would also add quite a bit of time on to when youre expecting it to be finished.Theres often snags to get sorted.
Good Luck and keep us posted

[LaLuz]

When I first started although my house was completely finished (so I had good internal photo's) the garden and pool were nowhere near completion.

I did get a couple of bookings for the main summer season and every time I received updated photo's I emailed a copy to my guests who seemed to appreciate it, infact one of the families said it added to their excitement as they looked forward to the hols.

Honesty is the only way to go and I guess someone will not want to take any gamble however small but others will embrace it.

Just be sure to leave yourself enough time for any unseen problems as there is nothing as stressful as dealing with builders/workmen etc knowing that guests are due!

[Jenroy]

Thank you all for your kind words of welcome and encouragement.

I cannot get over what a wealth of knowledge is available and how readily it is shared. Just looking forward to taking possession, getting the house shipshape and welcoming the first guest.

I am certain there will be many questions to ask in the future, meanwhile I have a great deal of reading left to do on this site, so not too many comments please on the length of time I am logged in

[kirkland]

We are refurbishing two new properties at the moment, so we have no internal photos yet either, but we do have two bookings already. You can do a good mock up of how it will look by using Google Sketchup, it`s a free program and it produces good results with a bit of practice.It at least gives an idea of the layout etc, even a floor plan would help.
Good luck

[Jamie]

Hi Jenroy,

We are in a similar position as we are in the process of having a house built - due for completion March/April.
Until we have finished photos with which to advertise properly we are unwilling to start spending money on advertising. What we have done though is to put the property on a free website with photos of the house partly finished.
I found this of benefit as once I started to write the narrative for the advert, words flowed and before I knew it I had the basis for a lot of the narrative we will need for our website.
We have not had any enquiries but it was worth it to get some words down and make a start.
Jamie

[Giddy Goat]

Jamie, it won't cost much to change the images you enter now on the paid rental listing sites for new ones once the house is built - I'd just go for it now - you've literally a few pounds to lose by doing that, and stand to gain potentially more bookings, this being the time that people are looking the most vigorously. You may well get the weeks you need filled anyway, but it depends on whether you're a risk taker or not as to whether you're happy to wait, and market the finished product.

Good luck, and I hope you're delighted with your new home when it's completed!

[Margaret]

When we bought our second house, I posted the 2 new apartments we were going to offer there the day after the auction. We had a Christmas booking within 48 hours and a trickle over the 4 months until it was ready, then put up the photos. This is the 1st 'major booking season' when we have had those 2 new apartments fully advertised and the bookings are way ahead of the original apartments. I would not want to have been without those initial bookings though.

[Jamie]

Thanks GG / Margaret

The main reason for not advertising is we have enough stress without adding worrying if the house will be ready in time, but the house is now built with the 1st fit going in over the next month so it may be the right time to now start advertising and looking at "building" our website.

Jamie

[Jenroy]

Well after reading all of your kind responses, and taking Paolo's advice on searching for the best listing sites, we decided to start the marketing plan and have opted for two listings and hopefully will monitor their success rates. Meanwhile we will develop the Calabriansun website and make the necessary links in the future.

As you know the villa is under construction, consequently choosing photos has been a tad difficult, but we have included some, which hopefully will give you a feel for the place.

All comments will be very welcome - especially the bad ones!!!

the first site on line is: -

www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/tropea/50875

[tree-peony]

LOL Jen, we had a pic of a concrete mixer as well as wheelbarrows...

I would put picture #1 lower down tbh and have the balcony shot as #1. Can you clone out the scaffolding?

As you have no pool I would put the distance to the nearest swimming beach (or have I missed that bit?) and maybe make your description of what the property WILL have a bit more extensive.